The diocese on May 22 announced that as part of a cautious phased-in approach, church doors will begin to reopen to small groups of healthy parishioners for vigils Saturday, June 13, with Mass celebrated on Sunday, June 14 to commemorate the Solemnity of Corpus Christi.
When the doors will fully open will depend on ongoing safety and health evaluation.
Ever since Bishop Kevin Vann announced the suspension of Sunday services on March 17, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and two days ahead of California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s executive stay-at-home order, diocese events have been either postponed or outright canceled.
Three months after the initial closure, church-goers can start coming back, but must adhere to public safety standards that will restrict the number of congregants.
Bishop Vann has extended dispensation from obligations to attend Masses and Holy Days of Obligation indefinitely.
Bishop Freyer said until a consensus is reached among church officials and medical professionals, the safety of the congregation is the church’s priority….
The state government had warned that large gatherings may not be allowed until late in the year, but have since been walking back many predictions….
Currently three phases are envisioned, with the first allowing small groups of healthy Catholics to attend limited Mass. Phase two will allow larger groups, and then finally choirs will return and social gatherings will be allowed.
The diocese encourages those over the age 65 or with health concerns to consider not attending just yet, and that all congregants exhibiting symptoms stay home.
“Parishioners will wear masks and practice social distancing,” Bishop Freyer said, referring to the six-foot distance between attendees.
Certain modifications and allowances may be made for areas where families or couples can worship in closer proximity.
It is up to individual parishes to decide seating layouts and how they will limit access. Bishop Freyer said those expecting large crowds may consider offering on-line tickets to Masses and live-streaming or holding Masses for overflow crowds in church halls and gymnasiums or outdoors.
Existing live-streaming of Masses will continue.
Communion will be offered, but those in line must maintain the six-foot distance, and “the blood of Christ will not be available,” Bishop Freyer said.
Modifications will also be made to collection of offerings, use of restrooms and Masses will likely be shortened.
To reduce crowding, the diocese encourages congregants to attend Mass on days throughout the week, rather than on Sunday.
The churches will be cleaned and disinfected between each service with hand-sanitizing stations at entrances and exits that congregants are encouraged to use….
Church officials say when churches reopen they expect a surge of interest from congregants seeking confessions, confirmations, particularly those who missed out during the Easter season and to reschedule weddings and funeral services.
Those will be sorted out by the various parishes and extra clergy may be assigned to assist.
“The first step should be a return to the celebration of Sunday Masses and other sacraments such as baptisms, weddings, and funerals,” according to guidelines.
Bishop Freyer said the existing safety measures could be the “new normal” for some time.
“I don’t think we’ll be back to normal until a vaccine is developed or enough people have built up antibodies,” he said….
The above comes from a June 5 story in OC Catholic.
Everything should go back to normal immediately. No masks, no distancing, but with a dispensation in place so that nobody is obligated to attend Mass. The Wuhan virus is nowhere near as virulent nor as contagious as was initially thought. It adversely affects the elderly and the immuno-compromised. Those who are at high risk can stay home. The rest of the country and the church shouldn’t be slaves to ineffective suppression efforts. The most effective suppression is for the at-risk to isolate themselves while the rest of society goes on about its business. Treat this like the flu, where people self-isolate, but with a dispensation from Mass. I should be a bishop.
Kevin, if you were a bishop I would hope that you would be more aware of the facts and the science that is causing hundreds of thousands of deaths in such a short time. You are correct that the immunocompromised and the elderly are most vulnerable, but so are those who work in close quarters like meatpacking plants, those who sit too close in the parks, and on and on. It is not the flue. We really don’t know what it is, it is a novel virus. You should wear a mask so that you don’t infect others. It’s the Christian thing to do.
People who “work” in meat processing plants may need Mass the most.
Oh come on, a lot of this mask debate is about virtue signaling. Hope they enjoy seeing my bright red TRUMP 2020 mask.
If parishoners over 65 aren’t supposed to come, that should take care of the social distancing!
That should also take care of moving parishes toward closure.
We may be old but it is we who keep the money flowing.
But if we are not wanted, then neither will be our money.
We believe our oldest daughter, her husband and children got COVID 19 at the beginning of the year as they had all the symptoms, and they survived it. I think it was already in this country by the end of last year. I am older, and I was taking the Sacred Host on my tongue, both in the traditional Latin Mass and the newer Mass, all during that time (before we were mostly quaranteed and wore masks). I was even dipping my hand in holy water founts and still did not get it. I think if older people want to go wearing a mask for protection or distancing with sensible precautions it should be our choice as to go or not.
By the way, I have been tithing all along to those I trusted as they have provided the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for the world. I also went to drive through confession around Easter near my home. I had the chance to go get Communion on the tongue by an approved society, but it was too far away at that time.
Ah, but the blood of Christ is available and will be received because when you receive the Eucharist under the species of bread, you receive the whole Christ: body, blood, humanity and divinity. The blood of Christ is present along with his body in the form of the host by natural concomitance. Seems a bishop needs to go back to seminary.
Corey, you may want to not be so harsh in your judgment of the bishop (or someone on his staff who wrote that). I think most Catholics know that. It seems they’re trying to make clear that the Cup with the Precious Blood will not be made available. Those with celiac disease sometimes receive the Precious Blood from the Cup and not the Host. And, of course, they’re receiving the Body of Christ as well. I think it’s a pastoral issue.
Corey is absolutely right. The Bishop’s statement only confirms existing confusion.
Deacon: You must know that most people claiming to be Catholic do not believe in the Real Presence. (Around 70% by some polls.)
Their education about the Real Presence has been ABSENT for many decades.
This is to be lain at the feet of all Clergy.
Your assertion that “most Catholics know that” is erroneous.
James, That’s fair enough. You may be right, maybe most Catholics don’t know. (I’m familiar with the polls.). That said, I think it’s fair to say the bishop knows. And, again, I think for pastoral reasons, likely especially for those who suffer with celiac disease, they’re simply trying to let people know the Cup with the Precious Blood will not be available. And, it also seems fair to place the responsibility for catechesis (or lack of) on the clergy. I guess I’ll consider it fortunate that at least in our parish most know of the Real Presence in the Eucharist by the way we pray, reverence the Holy Gifts and speak about our Lord’s presence.
After that mass-gathering in the streets of Hollywood, open everything up… open it all up.
Deacon Anderson, it’s a common sense issue. People would be crazy to receive from the chalice after all of this.
I agree with your concern about the common cup (and the diocese not offering it). I have loved ones who cannot consume Hosts consecrated from wheat bread. They will likely endure a longer time without the Blessed Sacrament than most of the rest of us. I think it’s out of consideration for those attending Mass (and not for some other reason) that the diocese in the story made that announcement.
I continue to be mystified by people who want to do what they want to do instead of doing what is best for the common good. One doesn’t wear a mask, for instance, to protect themselves as they do it to protect others from being infected by them. We are not asked to “social distance” because we don’t want people close to each other for no reason, but to ensure that we don’t breathe on them or in their direction. We do it for the common good. Somewhere along this journey too many of us have forgotten the lessons of our Civics courses. Our governments, so far have been very nice in suggesting what we should do, for the most part. In some free countries across the globe, the government has put the army in the streets to make sure no one left their houses for a few weeks. We know how the virus spreads, why don’t we all want to minimize that spread?