Letter: Covid concerns + comments

Fr Tom Grufferty from Portsmouth Diocese writes:

I have three major concerns about the current Church procedures on Catholic Church attendance at Mass.

- I have celebrated Mass where there was more than six people in one loop.

- I have also seen on TV, Streamed Masses were people would not receive Holy Communion except on the tongue. This is suicidal Catholicism for the giver of the Sacred Species and the recipient, not to mention the people following who want to receive the Lord. In this case the Giver of Life in abundance has become the giver of death for a potential number of people.

If those who insist on receiving Holy Communion on the tongue believe the Mass is a sacrifice, they need to make a sacrifice for their own sake and the sake of others. If people want to be a martyr for a cause they have the freedom to do so but it is a completely different scenario if they drag others into the martyrdom.

There is also confusion about Holy Communion on the tongue allowed in one Diocese but not in the Diocese next door.

- Finally, I have heard where a community of priests have removed the sanitiser from the sanitiser bottle and replaced it with Holy Water. While I recognise the faith of such a gesture this procedure is completely dishonest. If people die because of using Holy Water when they were led to believe they were using sanitiser there could be enormous litigation consequences for the Church.

The Church has entered a new phase whereby staying at home is the new way of worshipping and the sooner we realise that the easier it will be for everyone. You can be as good a Catholic in your own sitting room as in the front row of your local church and much safer from the current pandemic.

Comments

Fr Allen Morris, from St Nicholas RC church in Boldmere Sutton Coldfield writes:

If he has evidence or even strong suspicion of ministers breaking current regulations and guidance, has he not reported it to the relevant Church authorities? If he has and they have failed to respond, why has he not reported that to the relevant secular authorities?

As for people being safer at home than they are in church, that does rather depend on how they are living at home. Current evidence suggests that much of the present increase in contagion levels is a consequence of what is happening in people's homes, rather than in our churches.

Linda Harding from Selly Oak, Birmingham, writes:

I've also heard people complain about not being able to receive Communion on the tongue, having to wear masks and all the distancing necessary in church these days.

I would just like to say how much I appreciate the way churches have reached out to us in so many ways. Lets not forget that.

I'm a diabetic with other health conditions and had to stay home for months. My parish priest and others from my parish rang to see how I was just about every week during the lockdown. Some friends from church gave me a tablet and taught me how to use it. That was so kind of them. Everybody rallied around helping with shopping. After the first week I was watching Masses every day from the Vatican and Walsingham and other places and still do. (I also keep up with the news on ICN!) Now I have been back to Mass a couple of times. It is so nice to see everybody. But I really enjoy watching Mass and prayers online as well. I can't imagine what lockdown would have been like without computers and telephones! So lets not complain about the restrictions. Lets trust the doctors and our church leaders know what they are doing and show them some gratitude.

On Twitter @KnittingNun writes:

·Sep 12 Replying to@indcatholicnews and@ICN_UK

Thank you to Fr. Tom Grufferty for this. I too have seen online masses where regulations, to keep people safe are not being adhered to. Sadly this is putting others in danger rather than themselves. #catholicchurch #Covid