[Catholic Caucus] COVID-19 Has Changed the Way Europeans Go to Mass — For the Worse

National Catholic Register ^ | July 31, 2020 | Edward Pentin

[ebb tide]

[Catholic Caucus] COVID-19 Has Changed the Way Europeans Go to Mass — For the Worse

What could have been a golden opportunity to preach the Gospel in the midst of suffering has instead brought aggressive church restrictions and flippant liturgical practices.

n recent days I visited a number of churches in Italy and the alpine regions of Germany and Austria and was especially struck by how detrimental the reaction to the coronavirus pandemic had been to worship.

Whereas most public places had become fairly relaxed about precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 — few people, for example, wore masks even in supermarkets and on public transport — when it came to churches, measures were strictly enforced.

Most noticeable was that in every church I visited, Communion in the hand was obligatory and vigorously applied, even though its efficacy in terms of providing better hygiene is questionable and, more importantly, various prelates and clergy including Cardinal Robert Sarah have considered Communion in the hand — only ever meant to be a rare exception — to be sacrilegious.

In a church in Bavaria, the sacristan even brought out a portable square glass screen during Holy Communion and placed it between the priest and the communicant so that the only way to receive was by placing one’s hands below the screen to receive Holy Communion. 

[ebb tide]

Perhaps this is just the continuation of the “war between Michael and his Angels on one side and Lucifer on the other,” as Cardinal Sarah wrote in 2018 on the subject of Communion in the hand.

“Satan’s target,” he added, “is the Sacrifice of the Mass and the Real Presence of Jesus in the consecrated host.”

[ebb tide]

Ping

What these measures showed was a seeming lack of appreciation of (or belief in?) the Real Presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, made all the clearer by the priest in almost all cases failing to genuflect when placing or removing consecrated hosts in the tabernacle or walking in front of it. In such circumstances, perhaps it is of no surprise that in the Bellagio church, even merely kneeling to pray in front of the Blessed Sacrament was off-limits to the faithful in the interests of a the “higher good” of health and hygiene.

[frnewsjunkie]

Things being squashed.. closed.. monitored.. are churches, schools, restaurants.. while bars, rioters, etc.. are free to gather..

the heavy hand of the left works wherever there is a hole to work thru.

[Red6]

Churches are under incredible scrutiny.

[Coleus]

mass hysteria