Mass in the Time of Coronavirus

By Kim Roberts

During the three-month stay at home orders, my family watched Mass every Sunday from the St. Louis Cathedral. We fell into a routine, sleep in, eat breakfast, gather in the living room, phones silenced, light a candle, display a wooden cross and share holy water we brought back from our trip to Italy.

So, when the orders were loosened, we did not immediately go back to our church. We continued to watch from the safety of our home for a few more weeks to feel things out.

Yet, we desperately missed the Eucharist. Since my daughter is the captain of her altar serving team, it was time to return and hope for the best. While some things were the same, several things have had to change and adapt to the new normal.

First, instead of having five servers on the altar, only three will be serving for the time being. My daughter devised a new schedule for her team to accommodate the mandate with the rules that every server is to wear a mask, keep social distanced and use hand sanitizer is available in the sacristy.

One change I was not expecting was that there is no holy water in the fonts upon entering church. I don’t like that. Just another reminder that no matter how much we want everything to return to normal, we aren’t there yet.

I did feel at home once we found a pew and kneeled.  A calm came over me, and I was so very happy we ventured out. Things on the altar were different as well, but the serving team quickly adapted.

You could sense everyone’s joy at being back home, despite wearing masks. The best part was receiving the Eucharist again. I felt whole! That was the one thing that was missing from our home services.

While we enjoyed the quiet, intimate family worship time, nothing beats going to church as a family and watching your child serve on the altar.

Here’s to better days.