COVID-19 Protocol Update 20 April 2021
We welcome the statement of the Governor removing limits and agreeing to comply with recent Supreme Court decisions protecting our freedom to worship. The Diocese of Oakland has from the beginning of the pandemic taken all appropriate steps to preserve the health and safety of our parishioners, while providing for our people’s right to worship God. The following guidelines apply to Masses, weddings, funerals, first communions, baptisms, confirmation, Quinceañeras — all sacraments and rituals.
Capacity
There is no longer a government restriction on capacity for services, provided that six-foot distancing is observed, masks are worn, and basic hygiene is followed. Each parish will need to establish what that means in terms of capacity. Remember that family members may be seated together.
The Eucharist
Extraordinary Ministers may be used as needed but should be kept to a minimum to assure strict adherence to required protocol. If, at any point, a minister touches a communicant’s hand or tongue, proper hand hygiene should be practiced immediately before continuing the distribution of communion.
It is strongly encouraged that the faithful receive Communion in the hand, however provision should be made so that anyone who wishes to receive on the tongue may do so, from a priest. If the priest does not feel comfortable with this, he may delegate to another, trained minister.
Distribution of the Precious Blood remains suspended, indefinitely.
With caution we can begin to expand Eucharistic outreach to the homebound by priests, deacons, and extraordinary ministers. Both the minister and recipient should be fully vaccinated.
Provisions for Various Parts of the Mass
Ministers of the Mass (priests, deacons, lectors, cantors, etc.) should remain masked in processions, however if they remain six feet from the faithful while serving in their role — speaking, reading, leading the community in prayer — they may remove the mask for that purpose. Altar servers should be masked at all times.
At the discretion of the pastor, and if circumstances allow for it, offertory collections may return, as well as the presentation of the gifts.
The Sign of Peace must remain without physical contact.
Misc.
Cleaning of surfaces between services need not be as thorough as before. We now know that the virus is primarily airborne, and that surfaces are not as risky.
The dispensation from the obligation to attend Sunday and Holy Day Masses continues until further notice. Although the faithful are dispensed from their obligation to attend Mass, they are encouraged to spend time in prayer on Sunday (such as following a livestream Mass or participating in a spiritual or corporal act of mercy).
Unless vaccinated, those who are at higher risk of COVID-19 (e.g., those who are sixty-five and older or who have underlying health conditions) are to continue staying at home.
Full story at Diocese of Oakland.
None of this was ever necessary. The bishops failed the test.
All the people in the picture look at least 80 years old. Where are the young people?
The young people are at the TLM. They are not attracted to the Peter, Paul, and Mary Masses that seem to draw the 65 and over crowd.
They are going to have to google Peter, Paul and Mary. Unless they already did when Jimmy Fallon, Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick did their impression of them.
Perfect! Knocked that hanging curveball right outta the park.
Thank you Bishop Barber. All reasonable procedures. The only thing is that I wish there were a mandate that all ministers (clergy, musicians, lector’s, greeters, offertory have a vaccine mandate and a COVID training session, though he may have mandated those things elsewhere. We are getting closer. 85% of Bay Area residents over 65 have already received at least one dose.
Your Phellow Katholic says, “I wish there were . . . a vaccine mandate.”
So does the Devil. And here’s just a tiny compilation of the reasons why:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uS4krGJX-7sa8fuRlH7mhod-Xa5ZBsXU/view
Juan, it is a shame that you can’t seem to spell my moniker correctly. It reminds me of the childish taunts and bullying I used to get when I was in fourth grade. I survived it then, I will survive your childishness today.
I’m not gonna open your file, and I recommend that no one else does either. It probably contains viruses just waiting to infect my computer. You probably don’t even have anti-virus software on your computer.
You probably shouldn’t open the file. If you did, you’d have to face the pictures of all the young, healthy people – mothers, doctors, nurses aides and the like – who were killed by your idolatry of this stupid Covid scam and its infernal death vax.
Those people died because they trusted the so-called experts who pushed this ridiculous untested vax for a disease with a 99.87% survival rate.
Congratulations.
No one has died because of the mRNA vaccines. I believe there have been a small handful of deaths because of the very rare one in a million blood clots that the Astra-Zeneca and J&J vaccines cause in pre-menapausal women, and only then because they were treated with blood thinning drugs, the standard treatment in blood clots, but in this case they ought not to have been treated with heparin because their clots were not caused by “thick” blood.
Sure, when we vaccinate hundreds of millions of people, there will be deaths in the ensuing weeks, just as there are deaths among the unvaccinated in those same weeks. That doesn’t change the fact that 10,000 people worldwide will die today of a virus that is now preventable so long as people have access to these life-saving vaccines.
But then we get the 99.87% survival rate lie. Go tell that to the 3,000 people from India who will die today, gasping for lack of oxygen. In places like that, where the health care system becomes overwhelmed, where even a tank of oxygen and a dose of cheap corticosteroids might be all that they need to survive, the death rate is 5% or more, not 0.13%. Please tell the truth.
Ever since Slovakia made Ivermectin available to its populace, case numbers, deaths and hospitalizations have plummeted. Ivermectin is a cure. But the powers that be and the Democrat Party don’t want you to know that.
Please tell the truth.
COVID cases have plummeted in many places (like California, which has the lowest per capita case rate of any state in the country) without ivermectin.
There are a number of treatments in use that have promising results. None are cures. Certainly not ivermectin. It does not cure COVID and saying otherwise spreads lies.
Fred, everyone is entitled to their opinion but they can’t make up false data. I suggest that you consider that 3.74 million people in California tested positive for covid and that 61,480 of them died from the virus, as of today. That is almost 2% of those who get the virus. In the US 573,000 have died from the virus. The mitigating measures put in place were primarily to keep the Intensive care units available for those who were really sick. Look what is happening in India where they have lost control of the virus. They are burning the dead in the streets. There is no oxygen available for all who need it. Covid-19 is not a hoax by any measure. The vaccine is working. Cases are dropping quickly. If everyone gets vaccinated, we can get people back to work and open up the country again. By the way, because so many people wore masks in the last year, there was hardly a trace of seasonal flu. Please don’t spread incorrect information.
The CDC has admitted masks don’t work. 6 feet or 60 feet, same difference. It’s all been a lie.
The young people have left….they are too busy smoking pot and playing video games to go to church. They now identify as “nones”. When was the last time there was a wedding at your parish? For mine…it now averages one or two per year. There are maybe 5 or 6 baptisms per year as well.
There are weddings all the time at the TLM and more traditional Ordinary Masses here in California. The others have fewer young people and babies.
Got a lot of opportunity to serve the Lord then.
True for some, but my FSSP TLM parish had to add an additional Mass time to be able to deal with the huge influx of young families fleeing the Peter Paul and Mary Boomer Mass.
C’mon over – it’s awesome. (But you better come at least 15 minutes early, or you’ll have to wait til the next Mass to get a seat.)
Not only are all the people old, they are all white. Where’s the diversity? You’d think in a story about the Oakland Diocese they would feature a picture of people more representative of Oakland’s urban People of Color instead of the Wonder Bread residents of Contra Costa County. This microaggression is symptomatic of a prevailing, subconscious whiteness that sees white as normal and People of Color as others.
This may be the most racist comment that I have heard in a long time.
What do you have against white people? The people in the pews are worshippers, maybe even praying for you.
Don’t let Kris fool you. We know she is white, and that she will be voting for a “white” governor in the next election. Otherwise it is someone using her name and speaking her speak.,
My pronouns are “ze, zem and zir”. Thanks for honoring my preference. You don’t know my race nor my gender identity.
Your pronouns are as ridiculous as your acceptance of all things abortion, anti Catholic and lgbt. Your race and gender are of no consequence here, but your anti Church comments are pertinent and are properly dismantled.
Well we do if you are Kris J.
There is at least one wonderful and well attended Church in Oakland that is primarily African American. It is a vibrant parish with lots of young families —- and fabulous hats.
How could anyone on a supposedly catholic website give a thumbs down about a well attended Catholic Church. Boggles the mind where some of you come from.
Kris, your race or gender are unimportant in the sight of God — only your character — or the character of your soul, counts. It’s the capacity to love, to understand, to exercise wisdom and compassion in your words and actions that counts. Nothing else. The measure which we measure to others will be measured to us. Our Lord stressed this when he said, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.”
Kris – your schtick was amusing at first, but just give it up already.
No, it was never amusing
So what time was the picture taken ? maybe they arrived early or stayed late . What are their pronouns , are the people all cis gendered or ? why the ageist statements , was the photographer a member of a diverse group and what are their pronouns . you kris seem to be able to determine so much from a single photo , yet leave so much out .”Wonder Bread residents” this is a macroaggression not a microaggression and is symptomatic of your prejudice, those in the picture are any of them multi racial or in transition , or have traits or identify as something other then cisgender ? .Please tell us , also the “wonder bread ” designation is that not a racist term and offense that if applied to others should be condemned ?.
I’m so glad that we don’t have to do the sign of peace. Thank you Jesus.
I know, right?
I keep trying to look on the bright side of the Covid scam: less Communion in the hand, less altar girls, less Peter, Paul and Mary.
less traffic and less noise on the streets, and no wild partying, either, less stress, less wear and tear on cars and less use of gas. It is kind of nice having ones house or other buildings as hermitages — having rural without having to go to rural.
Why do TLM Catholics hate their fellow Catholics so much?
Most of those who go mainly to the TLM really do not hate their fellow Catholics. We are just more contemplative as far as liturgy and think talking, clapping and having noisy fun should be done outside the sanctuary, such as in the hall.
I should have made myself clearer. The wild partying I was talking about was some of the noisy drunken bashes that took place in some neighborhoods before the COVID 19 lockdown. We have had a few of those kinds of neighbors in the past, but it is far quieter now.
Why do Novus Ordo Catholics hate the EF Mass so much?
Why do they love pastel colors, and guitars at Mass, and what exactly is their fetish for felt banners?
They don’t.
Felt banners?
I’ll take a stab at it: The novelties that abound in most Novus Ordo Masses disguise the sacrificial nature of the Holy Mass.
The NO crowd doesn’t like sacrifice, makes them “uncomfortable” so they embrace all that deflects from it. Being older, they relate to guitars and felt banners as memories of their youth, which they are desperate to recapture.
How did I do?
Again with the felt banners canard.
If you disagree , that does not mean you hate them , poor reasoning .
Ah, Anon, the joy of not having to offer our fellow Christians a sign of Christ’s peace. I thought the day would never come when I could stop making a gesture of peace to my neighbor. It is so against the faith that we were taught as children. Peace? You want a piece of peace? Just watch your tongue. I’ll show you what peace is really like. God wants you to be at odds with your neighbor. Be careful who you sit next to in church, they may want to shake your hand in the name of Christ or give you a hug in the name of Christ. Blasphemy. Heretics all.
And you might be sitting next to a racist!
Then you were taught innovation as a child, not worship of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ at Holy Mass. I don’t want you to hug me during Mass and that does not make me a heretic.
If anything, you are at odds with me by intruding on my peaceful prayer time, so by your own logic, you are probably the heretic.
Mass is not peaceful prayer time. It’s a communal celebration. You want to pray by yourself without being bothered, go to the adoration chapel. Mass is different.
The Holy Mass is a sacrifice, first and foremost. It is the re-presentation of Our Lord’s sacrifice in a non bloody manner. It’s serious, not a party. Go to a TLM and you will experience a peaceful, prayerful Mass, even with a large attendance, and thankfully, with no hugging.
This “sign of peace” makes me crazy. I don’t go to church to socialize during Mass (or whatever it is). Stop the world. I want to get off.
So don’t participate in that 1970s style novelty. Stay kneeling, closed eyes, ignore any taps on the shoulder from pew neighbors.
The sign of peace is not a novelty. Christians were doing it in the 4th century and before.
It’s not a moment of socialization. It’s a sign of union with your brothers and sisters before Communion. Communion isn’t just you and Jesus.
Holy Mass is about worshipping the Lord. Have your communal fun after Mass.
With an attitude like that, I highly doubt you are properly disposed to receive communion. Lack of charity for your fellow Catholics at Mass is a sin. Like the poster said. It’s not just you and Jesus. You’re part of a church that has others in it.
I don’t pray to others. I don’t worship the people at Mass. That’s no lack of charity towards them, just recognition that they are not the reason I attend the holy sacrifice of the Mass. Got it?
Pharisees are still in the church today. Especially at the TLM. Love God and love your neighbor. Got it?
Catholics came to Mass and participated in their church communities long before the whole sign of peace novelty was introduced. The “sign of union with their brothers and sisters” was attending Mass together. They obviously didn’t need touchy feely virtue signaling to feel part of the Catholic community as many of you apparently do.
Vatican II restored some components of the early liturgy that weren’t in the Tridentine Mass.
Let me guess… your church isn’t one of the “vibrant” parishes. Members of the Body of Christ should rejoice at seeing each other come together for the breaking of the bread. Mass is very much a community event. Are you in one of those museum or library parishes where everyone is shushed and people act like strangers toward each other in the pews?
the 1969 rubrics refer to the sign of peace as optional.was it later made mandatory? if still optional, can a bishop override it by fiat as many have re the option of communion by hand or mouth?
82. There follows the Rite of Peace, by which the Church entreats peace and unity for herself and for the whole human family, and the faithful express to each other their ecclesial communion and mutual charity before communicating in the Sacrament.
As for the actual sign of peace to be given, the manner is to be established by the Conferences of Bishops in accordance with the culture and customs of the peoples. However, it is appropriate that each person, in a sober manner, offer the sign of peace only to those who are nearest.
YFC : maybe that’s your problem— you were bullied as a child. That’s terrible but maybe counseling would help you move on.
BTW: I opened the video and it was not “bugged”. (Paranoia may also be helped with some counseling). It showed pictures and stories of real people who died after receiving a Covid vaccine. Many were young and healthy prior to decongest the vaccine.
Help me move on from what exactly? The bullying I endure every day on this website?
Let’s try this solution on for size: stop the bullies from bullying.
You didn’t open a video. You might have opened something else, a virus laden file, that led to a video. When you get a scammer demanding ransomed for you to open up your computer, don’t come cryin.
Who knows?
YFC, it’s not personal, it’s just that you post misleading, incorrect and unpopular opinions. Painting yourself as a victim is disingenuous and we all know it.
Everyday ? and yet you still post ? an anonymous comment to an anonymous poster is not bullying ,I doubt that you know what bullying is , if so why do you do this to yourself and us ?. if it is so bad then stop posting, and save us and yourself from this abuse.
BTW maybe your problem Peggy, is that you see other people as problems instead of representing a pro-life position.
But please don’t email me because you think you weren’t bugged. What a cute 70s term for putting listening devices into phone or lightbulbs and such. Which by the way is not the same thing as a computer virus or being hacked. Your ignorance of the internet these days is showing. I hope you don’t get hacked.
This was issued from the Vatican in 2004.
https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=10652
You can also find it in a USCCB newsletter which also contains a commentary which includes this:.
No “official” expression of peace has ever been stipulated for the dioceses of the United States.
Perhaps the most common form for the exchange of peace in this country is shaking hands, but the diocesan
bishop may encourage other forms as well for cultural or other pastoral reasons. In fact, the GIRM even suggests
a short, optional dialogue: “While the Sign of Peace is being given, it is permissible to say, ‘The peace of the Lord
be with you always,’ to which the reply is ‘Amen’” (no. 154).
“The Sign of Peace must remain without physical contact” and vice versa.
Some people hate the sign of peace because some others went to the extreme with it, going down the isles shaking hands with everyone in sight, shaking hands across the the aisles just before the most important part of the Mass — when Jesus comes down on the altar into bread and wine, and we should be concentrating on HIM. The hand shaking became a “free for all”. If one wants to do it, a simple bow to those close to us or a wave of the hand should be enough. Then get on with the most important part of the Mass.
The sign of peace happens after the consecration not before.
That is still during the Consecration time when people are preparing to receive the Holy Eucharis and need to concentrate on what Christ did on the cross and is doing for them. Not the time to have a “free for all”. In the past I have seen people nearly running back to their pews in time for the continuation of the reception of Communion, when they should not have been out of their pews at all. A simple dignified bow or wave to avoid passing diseases is all that is needed. Family members can be a little more intimate as long as it is decent and safe, such as quick hugs. Common sense, people. Common sense.
I feel sorry for kids who grow up going to the TLM. They have a dour, stuffy idea of what church is.
Before COVID the children had a great deal of fun after the Masses at functions in the halls and surrounding parks. Pastries, multi cultural dishes, drinks and games all provided by buffet style. What more could any church group want for their children. All Saints Day parties were held with masks and distancing outside last October even during COVID. Children wore costumes of Saints. Many of these same people help out at children’s parties at the Ordinary Masses where children from all types of masses are served.
Wrong, they are some of the happiest children you will ever see.
Anonymous, dour and stuffy , no quiet and respectful , at mass we are at the foot of the cross and should act as such.
Time and place for certain behaviors is part of a normal maturation process, for children and adults. The ability to be quiet , still and focus on something other then yourself is useful in life and in a faith setting.
Vatican II was so needed. Thank God for the liturgical reforms. Some people need to be dragged along kicking and screaming, and they sure do a lot of it.
Anonymous, V2 needed the numbers reflect how bad that decision was , kicking and screaming , no , leaving and never coming back ,
this sounds like the attitude of tommy reese .