Dolan Harangues Laity to Get Back to Mass

It’s Time to Get Back to Mass!

We have already had a long discussion on Mass obligation; this post is not about any obligations of the laity.  Rather since Dolan has decided to become aggressive with the laity, it is time we laity become aggressive with our pastors about high quality liturgy and safety in a pandemic environment that could be with us for at least months or  perhaps even years if the virus continues to evolve.

The vaccine changes the calculus about church going.  However it is not as simple as saying that if one has been vaccinated that means that one is only going to get a mild case of the virus. 

The virus is still very prevalent and so there is a good chance of being exposed to the virus if one goes to church. It is not the safe environment of a home in which everyone else may soon be vaccinated.  It is not a store where if one is exposed to the virus it will likely be for a few minutes at most. The same principles apply the more exposure to people the more likely one will get the virus, especially if these are the same people indoors for a hour. 

We know the virus is mutating and also that these mutations often become abundant for months before they are detected and analyzed.  Simply put, as long as the virus has not been driven to very low levels, those of us who are more vulnerable simply cannot risk possibly encountering a very dangerous form of the virus that the vaccine cannot handle..

My assumption is that parishes have done well at requiring masks and keeping social distance. Now is the time to begin to set aside certain Masses as restricted to those who have been vaccinated. That means among other things, no children. We don’t know how long it will take until we get sufficient adults vaccinated to achieve herd immunity and how long it will take to get safe vaccines for children. It would be far safer to go to Mass if everyone there were vaccinated.  Now is the time for pastors to urge people to be vaccinated and set aside certain Masses exclusively for those who have been vaccinated.

It is also time to consider resuming singing at Mass.  This will only be safe if all those attending the Mass are all vaccinated. So parishes need to begin instituting a sung Mass that will be restricted to those who have received the vaccine.

We are supposed to be a community, we should not be taking the position that it is up to each individual to decide whether or not to wear a mask at church, whether or not to practice social distancing, and whether or not to be vaccinated. Rather pastors need to create the safer conditions (vaccinated only Masses) and sung Masses (only be vaccinated people) that will make church going attractive again.  Dolan may want those going to restaurants and sporting events back in church; I don’t want to be with them unless they have been vaccinated and leave their children at home.

My companion and I have spent more than a year in total isolation.  Now that we have been vaccinated we are still not going to the grocery story, or restaurants, and we shop on line.  However we are beginning to consider interacting with carefully selected people  (friends and neighbors} whom we know have been vaccinated and like us live socially isolated lives.