Hello everyone, I was wondering if I might ask of you some of your opinions in regard to this matter. I have a couple nieces and nephews who have children that were set to receive their first communion this past May and a baptism also that were cancelled due to covid. Now with things starting to open back up, our local parish is planning a limited first communion were only immediate family can attend. There are some who do not want their children to partake in it for a couple of reasons. First because they said the priest will not wear a mask during the Mass and consecration secondly because they want grandparents and such to be in attendance. I am not a very smart person when it comes to liturgical laws. Can a priest wear a mask during mass? especially during the consecration? They told me that our priest will not wear a mask, and they worrying about him speaking over the bread and wine. My family members are saying they will put off the sacraments of their children for a year or two until there is a safer environment. I was very upset and could not hold my tongue as I felt moved by the Holy Spirit to raise an objection. I had to express my thought that denying their child the graces from their first communion was very troubling. I said that you do not know what dire straights the world could be in in a month, six months or even a year from now. My family can be very secular in their views at times and can only see the corporal risks and not the spiritual. My opinion was met very strongly with a negative response. I have also had a family member not baptize their child in the Church for fear of covid and they did it themselves at home. I realize that it is possible to do this. Not sure what to say about this. Has anyone else had to deal with this and had a good solution?? I would appreciate any feedback.
Well, if they are worried about the mask and contamination by him they can ask their priest to wear one and see what he says? Virtually no children have died from this virus so this sort of concern is over the top IMO. I share your view SoC that these things should not be delayed if possible in spite of the limitations to family members simply for the sake of the children. We are not in ordinary times and there is no knowing if we will return to them. I would certainly want my children to have all the graces that are possible in spite of the minor inconvenience of not having family members attending them. I too would have done as your family member did and baptized my children myself if there was no other way and the priest approved. I would have spoken with the priest beforehand though to make sure it would be considered a valid emergency. What more of a sign do people need that things are way way off kilter and that we are no longer in ordinary times? No communion, no worship in public, no sacramentals and even sacrament of public Baptism denied for a time. When has such a thing happened across the world all at once? Never. It is completely unprecedented.
My 2 cents Our priest does not wear a mask on the altar when offering the Mass. He does his own serving (no altar servers) and so no one is on the altar with him. And....the larger Eucharist he uses, he consumes. The hosts that are used are in a covered container, most likely already consecrated. Not sure why someone would object. Is it not handled that way are their parishes? The host the priest consumes is different than what is distributed. Also, I think if they were to ask him to wear a mask for distribution he would. I think it is required in most places. I am not sure on the rubrics of the consecration but the large host is held and consumed by the priest only currently. He doesn't break it up for the faithful. They are not offering the wine but certainly they should move ahead with the 1st Communions. But as parents we are obligated to make the decisions for our children and thus will receive the consequences. We live in heart wrenching times really. And so many people do not think the spiritual life is "essential". The Eucharist is our Life , really and truly. It is hard to accept that many do not understand this. About a year and a half ago I had a huge prompting to get my daughter Confirmed. Our parish takes 2 years to get that done and she was a year from that (so 3 year wait). I love our parish and my daughter is very involved in the parish but still I had an inner urging to "get it done". So I enrolled her in another parish in the diocese over. I had to talk to my pastor to get a dispensation but he gladly gave it to me for her. So she was attending classes.....and covid hit. The Confirmation was postponed. It made me so sad and I was scared. I know something is coming and this trouble we are experiencing is not the end. Luckily the Phoenix diocese is quite good and as soon as Mass could resume she was able to be Confirmed. We only had to wait a few extra weeks. I am so relieved. I will pray for your situation and for your family that Jesus illuminate their hearts. May God Bless you and your family!.
I am so glad that you listened to the inner promptings of the Spirit Tanker. It always brings me such joy to hear these things and how they fall into place at the behest of the Lord. Congratulations on your daughters confirmation and God bless you and your family.
