I find that I must write a follow-up to yesterday’s post.
Yesterday – Friday the 13th, no less – I learned that several dioceses, including the Archdiocese of Boston, have decided to cancel all Sunday Masses for the time being in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
I have been sitting with this news since yesterday and pondering it. What does this mean? How am I reacting to it? As an autistic person, it can take some time to sort out my thoughts and feelings over anything. The more I stay with it, however, the more I see that there is one word, and only one word, that is fitting to express my response to this.
I am scandalized.
Let me remind you of the irony of my response. Because of my autism, I have been finding celebrating Sunday Mass in the parish more and more difficult and seeking ways to reduce my parish involvement. One might guess that I would welcome with open arms an opportunity – any opportunity – to have a break from something which I often find overwhelming. I could joke about this and say, “Hey, I’m going to Boston!”
But I cannot. There’s too much at stake.
You might say, “What do you mean, Father? Just look. Many public events around the country are being cancelled or rescheduled. Colleges are shifting to online learning and, in many cases, are sending their students away. Even the NBA and the NHL have put their seasons on hold. Doesn’t it make sense for the Church to put Masses on hold?”
I will grant that this argument has its points.
However, I could respond in this way. Big box stores, supermarkets, restaurants, pubs, banks, convenience stores, and many other businesses and institutions that serve the public are finding ways to remain open in spite of the current crisis. They deal with sizable numbers of customers every day. Yet they believe they can minimize the risk of infection and remain open. Why not Catholic churches on Sundays?
“Ah”, you say, “those businesses provide essential services. Food, gas, money, other important items. How could we live without them?” True. But is there anything more essential to us as Catholics than Sunday Mass, which includes receiving the Eucharist?
My diocese has not cancelled Sunday Masses yet, and I hope that Bishop Deeley does not go that route. What does it mean for a diocese to cancel Sunday Masses due to the coronavirus outbreak?
First of all, most dioceses located in flu country have flu protocols that are put into place at Sunday Mass whenever there is a flu outbreak. By these protocols, we do all we reasonably can to minimize the risk of spreading any flu. By canceling Sunday Masses, is a diocese saying that flu protocols are ineffective? And if they are ineffective, then would it not be logical for that diocese to cancel Sunday Masses for ANY flu outbreak? After all, can we say that the five or ten parishioners who are at risk in a typical flu outbreak are worth less than the forty or fifty who may be at risk from coronavirus? Remember Our Lord who told us of the shepherd who left ninety-nine sheep in search of the one. The one.
Secondly, what message are we giving to the larger secular society? If, due to sufficient fear or the desire to be perceived as good citizens, we would give up Sunday Mass for a time, would we go to the wall for anything? If not Mass, what?
Thirdly, what message are we giving to each other as Catholics? Is attendance at Sunday Mass optional? Do we too quickly default to TV or radio Masses to fill in the gap? What does that say? Are we also not further damaging the role of community and playing more and more into the rampant individualism in our secular society? Granted that there are people who cannot come to Mass and who derive benefits from broadcast Masses. But broadcast Masses are never a first option. We go to this option only when truly necessary.
And finally (though I could go on), who are we as Catholics? Do we not believe that the Mass is the source and summit of our lives? By canceling Sunday Mass, are we not canceling our identity?
What, then, should we do in the face of the coronavirus outbreak?
Rather than throw in the towel on Sunday Mass, Sunday Mass should be kept at all costs. I mean that literally. If we really believe that the Eucharist is the source and summit of our lives, and if there is any way whatsoever to have Mass, we have it. Period. We can examine our flu protocols, encourage and require compliance, and see if they need to be strengthened in any way. We can dispense from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass those who may be prone to great anxiety or fear over the outbreak, those who are at high risk, and others, for sound pastoral reasons. On the other hand, we reach out to these people, bring Communion to them, and do all that is reasonably possible to help them feel a part of our parish communities.
But we continue to offer Sunday Mass, every week, come what may. This is who we are. This is the greatest gift we have been given. This is the greatest gift we can share. To surrender this is spiritual suicide. If Hannaford, Wal-Mart and Olive Garden can stay open, why can’t our churches offer Mass on Sundays?
So, you can see that, when it comes to canceling Sunday Mass due to COVID-19, I am part of the loyal opposition. That may be an understatement!
You can also see that, considering how strongly I feel about the centrality of Sunday Mass, I wouldn’t ask out of celebrating parish Masses unless it were absolutely necessary.
May the Lord guide us by His wisdom, and make us more and more faithful to Him!