Liturgical Lessons In Time Of Plague
By FR. MICHAEL P. ORSI
The Church and all of us as believers have had a tough year, with so many adjustments made in response to the coronavirus “plague.” We’ve had to accept restrictions on Mass attendance. We’ve suspended congregational singing. Even funerals have been limited to only immediate family of the deceased.
There’s no doubt it’s been challenging. It’s been frustrating. It’s been a time of trial, from which we haven’t yet fully emerged.
But, this year has also provided opportunities to examine some of the sacramental and liturgical practices we usually don’t ponder too deeply. And it’s forced some creative thinking that may suggest positive ways of going forward, even when fears about contagion are finally behind us.
At my parish we’ve made one change in particular that addresses a problem of longstanding: How we conduct the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
In response to reforms of the Second Vatican Council, most churches abandoned old-style confessionals in which priest and penitent were separated by a wall or screen. The “reconciliation rooms” that replaced them have contributed to confusion about the sacrament, encouraging the idea that Confession is more about counseling than forgiveness.
To alleviate fears about sharing germs in a confined space, we moved the sacrament out into the church, establishing Confession “stations” set far enough apart to allow priest and penitent to speak without being overheard. People’s anxieties about possible infection have been eased. And the arrangement relieves priests of concern about any suspicions of inappropriate behavior, since everything is happening in plain sight.
On the liturgical side, in order to guard against germ transmission at Mass, we’ve taken a more restrained approach to the Kiss of Peace, discouraging handshaking. The Kiss of Peace has always been an optional practice, and it’s something over which people tend to disagree.
Some folks see it was a sign of welcoming and fellowship. They look forward to it as a high point of Mass. Others are uncomfortable, finding it artificial and somewhat off-putting.
I can respect either attitude. But as a priest I’ve observed how people, especially children, can get carried away in their enthusiasm for this moment of interaction. All the hugs, peace signs, and high-fives tend to be disruptive at an especially sacred time in the liturgy, when the Eucharist has been consecrated, and people are being prepared to receive the Body and Blood of Christ.
My view is that we would be better off without shaking hands, even when the pandemic is past.
Another practice that bears rethinking is sharing the common cup at Communion. It’s often maintained that reception of the Eucharist under both species is a “fuller sign” of the sacrament than receiving only the Host. And there’s truth in that.
But the pandemic has drawn attention to the fact that germs can be spread when a lot of people drink from the same vessel, and not only COVID germs. Despite what some might wish to believe, there’s no definitive evidence that the alcohol content of wine is sufficient to protect against infection.
The widespread (though optional) practice of sharing the cup was suspended in accordance with the theological principle that we receive the “whole Christ” — Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity — in the Host alone. And I think it would be wise to make single-species Communion the primary liturgical practice from now on.
Infection avoidance prompted alterations in a couple of other liturgical practices this year. In my parish we didn’t wash feet on Holy Thursday, and Good Friday’s veneration of the cross was done differently.
Traditionally, the foot-washing ceremony has been seen as a memorial of Jesus’ institution of the clergy. And so twelve men were always selected to have their feet washed during the Holy Thursday service. In recent years, however, it’s become common to include women, as a sign of inclusiveness.
Even though Pope Francis has declared that the significance of foot-washing should be understood in this broader way, the practice has become contentious. It takes the focus of the ritual off the apostles, all of whom were men. And in our time, when group sensitivity is acute, it creates pressure to be more and more representative.
Seeking to avoid the close proximity and physical contact (you can’t keep “social distance” from someone whose feet you’re washing), we omitted the ritual. This sidestepped the controversy connected with it.
During Good Friday services, the custom has long been for worshippers to line up and kiss the cross (or the corpus on it) as part of the veneration ritual. A lot of people have always been uncomfortable with that practice, since the usual quick wipe of the spot where people’s lips or breath touch the surface can’t be considered adequate sanitization.
With COVID adding to the anxiety, this year venerating the cross was accomplished in a non-contact way. In our parish we held up the crucifix in a spotlight as everyone bowed in silent devotion. The experience was actually quite moving.
Not washing feet on Thursday or lining up for veneration on Friday offered the ancillary benefit of shortening two liturgies that usually run quite long. Maybe it would be best all-around if foot washing became a thing of the past, and non-contact veneration became the Good Friday norm.
If there’s one result of the pandemic which I believe has to be seen as a positive, it’s live-streaming of Masses. The Internet has brought worship to people for whom attendance at church is a special challenge, in particular the elderly and the infirm.
This benefit was especially evident with the Easter Vigil Mass. Because of the time that Mass is held on Saturday night, many folks had never experienced one of the most beautiful liturgies of the Church year. Live-streaming brought them this special grace and helped them to feel a connection with their parishes and the broader Catholic family.
Naturally, watching Mass by video doesn’t take the place of in-person attendance. But it makes a big difference to people who, for valid reasons, can’t be on hand.
It also encourages a sense of staying attached to the parish, not only among those who are sick, but among those who might not be attending because they’re away. They can check in online to keep up with what’s going on.
I strongly encourage parishes to budget money for a good streaming system and high-speed network connectivity. It’s a worthwhile investment in people’s spiritual lives and parish relations.
The coronavirus “plague” has forced us, as a Church, to examine our practices, to re-evaluate many things we had taken for granted, to think in new ways. Now we must absorb the lessons of this difficult year, and apply them in making ourselves a better Church.
(A priest of the Diocese of Camden, N.J., Fr. Michael P. Orsi currently serves as parochial vicar at St. Agnes Parish in Naples, Fla. He is host of Action for Life TV, a weekly cable television series devoted to pro-life issues, and his writings appear in numerous publications and online journals. His TV show episodes can be viewed online at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyFbaLqUwPi08aHtlIR9R0g
(Also, see Fr. Orsi’s presentation at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVHjYDgmUr0&ab_channel=ActionforLifeFlorida.)
