A Pastor gives guidelines during this health concern then explains things we've been doing wrong anyway

This is an article by a Priest from another part of the country.  It is not written for our local parish are has anything to do with the Archdiocese of New Orleans; although this is spot on, especially the reality of such extremes like holding hands during Our Father, the crazy great fest that is the sign of peace and even not having a proper appreciation of the Eucharist.

Please learn and know your faith!

Mass Guidelines during Coronavirus

Pastor's note:

Greetings to you!,

"What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or ...
No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us." (Rom 8:35-37)

Regarding the Coronavirus, after reviewing guidelines given to us from Archbishop, we will be putting in place procedures at Mass for the time being starting Saturday March 7th. Here they are listed below. For more details, please read on further.

- Please stay home if sick, the obligation for Mass on Sat. eve/Sun. is lifted when sick
- No Sign of Peace in the Congregation for the time being
- No Chalice in the Congregation for the time being
- Those distributing the Host at Communion are to be careful and don't distribute if feeling ill
- Father and Deacon will still greet after Mass, but will not be shaking hands for the time being

GUIDELINES FOR THE FLU SEASON AND THE SACRED LITURGY

When we gather to celebrate the Eucharist, our primary concern is our attentive participation in the Church’s sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving.

However, in any public gathering of people, the sharing of germs and pathogens is inevitable. In the midst of this cold and flu season, each of us has the fraternal responsibility of taking precautions to prevent the spread of contagious illnesses. Frequent hand-washing, covering of the mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, and regular habits for disease prevention, especially in high-risk areas, should be common practice.

As we face the possibility of a severe viral outbreak in our community, and with reports of the significant threat worldwide of the so-called Corona virus, greater attention is required to keeping one another healthy. Some practical steps, along with common sense, are critical to achieving this.

WHAT IS THE CONCERN? Concerns have been raised over whether the sharing of the communion chalice during Holy Communion contributes to the spread of the flu and any other contagious disease. The Centers for Disease Control notes:

“Most healthy adults may be able to infect other people beginning one day before symptoms develop and up to five to seven days after becoming sick. Children may pass the virus for longer than seven days. Symptoms start one to four days after the virus enters the body. That means that you may be able to pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick. Some people can be infected with the flu virus but have no symptoms. During this time, those persons may still spread the virus to others” (CDC, October 5, 2017).

Those at higher risk of contracting the flu include children under the age of five, women who are pregnant, individuals age 65 and over, and anyone suffering from a compromised immune system (CDC, February 6, 2018).

SHOULD YOU COME TO MASS? The obligation to attend Mass on Sunday and other Holy Days of Obligation is the ordinary expectation for Roman Catholics (Canon 1247). However, extraordinary circumstances such as sickness or severe weather excuse the faithful from this obligation. If you suspect you have the flu, or are suffering from a serious cold or other contagious illness, please stay at home and do not risk spreading infection to others.

HOLDING HANDS DURING THE LORD’S PRAYER. Well-intentioned folks introduced this practice into parishes in the 1980s. Although holding hands can be a beautiful expression of people united in prayer, this gesture is neither envisioned nor encouraged by the Church as a proper liturgical action or gesture in any of her documents governing the Sacred Liturgy, and therefore, is neither called for nor required. It is most fitting to pray the “Our Father” with hands folded in prayer.

THE SIGN OF PEACE.
We won't be exchanging the Sign of Peace with one another at this time.
It can be noted that, while the greeting of peace exchanged between the priest and the congregation is required at Mass, the actual exchange of a sign of peace among the congregants at Mass is not (cf. Roman Missal, Order of Mass, 128; General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 154, 181).

RECEIVING HOLY COMMUNION. Roman Catholics believe that both the Body and the Blood of Christ are fully present in the Holy Eucharist under the forms of each of the consecrated species; whether one receives only the Host or only the Precious Blood, one receives the fullness of our Lord’s sacramental presence. While the Church permits reception of both forms at Mass, as a fuller sign of sharing in the Lord’s Supper, such a practice may not always be possible.

Pastors are granted by liturgical law to exercise discretion in distributing Holy Communion from the chalice, and may, without need for episcopal oversight, suspend or discontinue administering Holy Communion under both forms, especially depending on the potential severity of an outbreak of contagious disease within the parish boundaries.
We will not distribute the Precious Blood at this time. Extraordinary Ministers are to distribute the Eucharistic Hosts carefully. Extraordinary ministers feeling ill, or who suspect that they might have been exposed to a contagion, should refrain from distributing Holy Communion.

HEEDING MEDICAL ADVICE. Anyone having been told by a medical adviser that they are particularly susceptible to infection or to complications due to the flu or other communicable diseases should refrain from practices that might cause an illness.

Father and Deacon will still greet after Mass, but they will not shake hands at this time.

Credit Father Barry Clayton, Kansas