Church Covid-19 workarounds

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  • A relevant offering from Dave Walker, late of this parish, The building is closed. The Church is open
  • Same here - though, oddly, the government guidance seems to indicate that churches may be used for 'solitary prayer'.

    But, as @Eutychus has reported, that practice lasted for just 3 days in France!

    Safest, in the long run, to observe canonical obedience, and for the clergy (as Our Chap is doing) to say their Office at home.

    Speaking of which, I understand that Pope Francis has invited all Christians around the world (not just RCs) to say the Lord's Prayer tomorrow (the Feast of the Annunciation of Our Lord to the Blessed Virgin Mary) at 12 noon, wherever they may be.

    Those so inclined might also do well to say The Angelus at that time, given its appropriateness to the occasion!

    The Lord's Prayer will be at 11am GMT, according to the C of E blurb going out, and we're being asked to stand in our doorway to say it. I will join in.

  • Good point - Italy is on Central European Time, one hour ahead of GMT.

    I'd forgotten that (or didn't read the blurb, feeling rather over-blurbed at the moment, IYSWIM).
  • Pseudo OrganistPseudo Organist Shipmate Posts: 34

    So - he may decide simply to 'walk on by', but checking for security's sake, as the churchwardens can't. One is a teacher, and still at school (they have children of key workers), and the other, who doesn't drive, lives too far away to reasonably walk to church.

    Checking for security is something that I must think about and general care of the building and grounds.

    With almost all of our small congregation being well over the age of 70, as are our PCC members, that’s something to think about. One of our church wardens is in her mid seventies with an underlying health issue and our other church warden is one of those who has not to leave her house for 12 weeks.

    Would it be counted as an essential journey if as a younger member of our congregation, aged only 63, I drove the 12 miles over to the church just to check if everything was ok including heating and water etc. I wouldn’t mind also spending an hour or two cutting the church grass as it will be like an overground field by the time all this is over. If everything began to look very uncared for that is not good for the security of the building in the kind of urban area it is in.
  • Bishops FingerBishops Finger Shipmate
    edited March 2020
    Well, the grass-cutting could well count as your daily exercise - a pleasant bit of toil, too, if the weather There is as sunny and mild at it was Here today!

    Consult with your insurers. If they say that a regular check is a Good Thing, they might provide you with written (or email) confirmation, so that you would have something to show the Plague Police if they pull you over...

    Have a word with your Area Dean or Archdeacon, too - they may know of someone living nearer who could keep an eye on the building for you.

    Could you do your shopping whilst you're in the neighbourhood of the church? I appreciate that it's a long way away from your home.
  • Forgive me if this has already been posted on the Ship and I haven't noticed - I thought some of you might be interested in joining a Virtual Choir performance of "The strife is o'er, the battle done". The Episcopal Church is putting it together for Easter Day. (Everyone is welcome to participate, not just Episcopalians.)

    It's one of those projects where everyone records their own part at home and sends it in, and someone puts all the submissions together into a single video so that it's like a whole choir singing together. They have tracks for all the voice parts and 28 different instruments!

    All you need is earphones (to listen to the metronome track) and a video-recording device of some kind, to record yourself singing/playing your part. They give you a PDF of the sheet music.

    The deadline to submit your video is this coming Friday, the 27th.
  • EutychusEutychus Shipmate
    edited March 2020
    Would it be counted as an essential journey if as a younger member of our congregation, aged only 63, I drove the 12 miles over to the church just to check if everything was ok including heating and water etc.

    Not here it wouldn't. Apart from anything else the journey is an opportunity for a breakdown, fender-bender, etc; moving the lawn is an opportunity for injury, etc. You would be mobilising other resources needed elsewhere, and coming into contact with others, if those things were to happen.

    You would be in less trouble making that journey (here) if you were the paid incumbent and had the papers to prove it.

    All that said, I checked out our church premises earlier this week, about 6km from my house, when the actual purpose of my journey was to check the mailbox being used as an address for prison inmates sending outgoing mail, having ticked the box "assistance to the vulnerable". If stopped, I'm hoping the police will see it that way too. And that the postal service doesn't stop altogether, thus destroying my pretext and cutting off the last hope of communication with them.

    In summary, such decisions have to be carefully and responsibly thought out, especially what counts as "essential".
  • yohan300yohan300 Shipmate
    Government guidance update once again:

    Places of worship must remain closed except for:
    • Funerals, where the congregation is immediate family (with provision for a carer, if required) or a friend - in the case that no family members are attending. A distance of two metres is to be maintained between every household group, as per Public Health England guidelines.
    • A minister of religion, to go to their place of worship, including to broadcast an act of worship to people outside the place of worship, whether over the internet or otherwise
    • For the purpose of hosting essential voluntary or public service, such as food banks, homeless services, and blood donation sessions.

    https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/875247/240320_Revised_Guidance__002_.pdf

  • yohan300yohan300 Shipmate
    edited March 2020
    From the minister's point of view, I assume their travel to their place of worship would count as allowed commuting.
  • We are cooking meals on the church premises to provide for needy people. Delivery to them counts as supporting the vulnerable -- I have prepared cards with the church's authority noted.

    I can't prepare food at home and deliver it: my kitchen isn't big enough, I don't have the freezer space and Environmental Health won't let me. Any food for consumption by anyone else must be prepared in an approved kitchen to hygiene standards. Thank God we passed our course on Saturday 14th March.

    Unless Environmental Health tell me otherwise, sorry Mr Plod I have to go out. The alternative is an elderly person or a family having nothing -- just like yesterday. A couple in their 90's with only a pizza in the house. I'd rather have to explain myself than someone starve.

    I'm also working town wide with other voluntary agencies to provide food and volunteers. I'd expect no problems there unless whoever holds the power locally wants to extend that to deciding who dies and who doesn't.

    In the midst of all of this there's a part of me that thinks that certain people are enjoying the power this gives them. There will come a day when we look back and ask ourselves who did what and for what reason. Mind you, there's also a part of me that is somewhat annoyed that London seemed to ignore the warnings and we are where we are because a) Boris acted too slowly in closing borders and isolating and b) people in London treated the earlier sound advice with something approaching contempt.

  • EutychusEutychus Shipmate
    yohan300 wrote: »
    From the minister's point of view, I assume their travel to their place of worship would count as allowed commuting.

    The church which inadvertently helped spread the virus massively in France through a large conference before health measures were introduced has had very many threats, including physical ones, due to a small group of people entering the venue to broadcast a live service (the large church has already lost 17 people to the virus). They were legally entitled to do so (under very strict conditions), but I don't think it was the smartest PR move.
  • Eutychus wrote: »
    Would it be counted as an essential journey if as a younger member of our congregation, aged only 63, I drove the 12 miles over to the church just to check if everything was ok including heating and water etc.

    In summary, such decisions have to be carefully and responsibly thought out, especially what counts as "essential".

    Yes, which is why I advised consulting insurers, Area Dean etc. etc. @Pseudo Organist is rather hampered by having no incumbent (paid or otherwise), and two churchwardens who are temporarily unavailable for very good reasons.

    Checking for post is also important, though not necessarily essential (but you never know - we've had envelopes stuffed with cash 'for the church' put into our wall-mounted post box on at least two occasions! The £££ was put to charitable use straightaway, as we believe the donor intended).

  • EutychusEutychus Shipmate
    Yes, which is why I advised consulting insurers, Area Dean etc. etc. @Pseudo Organist is rather hampered by having no incumbent (paid or otherwise), and two churchwardens who are temporarily unavailable for very good reasons.
    Nobody at our place is paid, which drops us down a deep administrative hole.

    "But my insurance company asked me to visit" is not going to pass muster at a police checkpoint here.

  • Same at Our Place, come to that, though we have no police checkpoints here (yet).

    What about if you had something in writing from your insurers, to the effect that a visit was necessary to comply with the policy?

    Yes, I know - I'm clutching at straws!
  • EutychusEutychus Shipmate
    Wouldn't wash here. This is known as the "bargaining stage" :mrgreen:
  • Same at Our Place, come to that, though we have no police checkpoints here (yet).

    Nor will we. We've nowhere near enough police to make it worthwhile.
  • Alan29Alan29 Shipmate
    Looks like RC priests have to celebrate the Holy Week liturgies alone in Church.
    Goodness, thats a tough call.
    https://thetablet.co.uk/news/12645/easter-liturgies-cannot-be-cancelled-says-vatican
  • EutychusEutychus Shipmate
    Same at Our Place, come to that, though we have no police checkpoints here (yet).

    Nor will we. We've nowhere near enough police to make it worthwhile.

    Yeah, but that's not really the point. Of course this is an individual call to make, but one needs to weigh the "necessity" of going against the risks to oneself and other people, not just directly due to the disease but also due to unrelated incidents. And the message one is sending to one's neighbours. Police help enforce the social component, but they can't replace self-policing.

    And beware blowback (not that I'd wish this on anybody! The pastor of that church has put out a harrowing video (in French, NOT for the faint-hearted) now he's "recovered". His own "recovered" condition is chilling enough).
  • Well, a tough call indeed, but I see the RCC's point.

    Some of us C of E types could do something similar, but our clergy are not at present allowed to enter our churches, so they would have to 'work from home' - easier (!) if they have a private chapel, or a space which could be used as such.

    Are RCC clergy in the UK still permitted to use their churches for private prayer/private Mass?
    Same at Our Place, come to that, though we have no police checkpoints here (yet).

    Nor will we. We've nowhere near enough police to make it worthwhile.

    Not yet. They'll call in the Army. Or the Boy Scouts. Or private 'security' companies...
    :scream:

  • Eutychus wrote: »
    Wouldn't wash here. This is known as the "bargaining stage" :mrgreen:

    @Eutychus - I do apologise for seeming to be arguing against you all the time!

    I appreciate that things in France are tough, and that the UK may well follow suit in due course, but meanwhile we are trying to make some sense of this unprecedented situation, and possibly not succeeding very well.

    It's all happening so fast that those of us who are Bears Of Very Little Brain are finding it hard to keep up with events.

  • EutychusEutychus Shipmate
    edited March 2020
    No problem :) My way of trying to cope with this is to anticipate the next restriction. That way it doesn't seem so bad when it comes, and I feel a tiny bit more prepared.
  • That's actually quite a positive approach, despite sounding negative, IYSWIM.
  • Alan29Alan29 Shipmate
    Well, a tough call indeed, but I see the RCC's point.

    Some of us C of E types could do something similar, but our clergy are not at present allowed to enter our churches, so they would have to 'work from home' - easier (!) if they have a private chapel, or a space which could be used as such.

    Are RCC clergy in the UK still permitted to use their churches for private prayer/private Mass?
    Same at Our Place, come to that, though we have no police checkpoints here (yet).

    Nor will we. We've nowhere near enough police to make it worthwhile.

    Not yet. They'll call in the Army. Or the Boy Scouts. Or private 'security' companies...
    :scream:

    Bishops' instruction is that churches are closed to the public, so I guess priests can go.
  • We shouldn't forget that many RC priests live beside or even in the 'shop'. No need to leave the house.The Mass I watched today in the same church as yesterday had 179 watching although today the priest was on his own, though I think there may have been someone else somewhere in the church. (Yesterday's Mass was a funeral Mass with immediate family and also cantor present.)St Andrew's (RC) cathedral in Glasgow has three Masses streamed each day. St Mary's Clonmel in Ireland also streams Mass more than once a day
  • Fair points. Alas, our ENORMOUS Edwardian vicarage has been let privately, by the Diocese, for some years now.

    FatherInCharge lives in a much more modest modern 3-bedroom end-of-terrace house some 10 minutes' walk away from the church. The house was bought by the Diocese, on the basis that Our Place now merits only (I use the word, though not in a light manner - such priests are worth their weight in gold) a House-For-Duty priest.

    In future (who knoweth?) it could be used by a married priest, though there wouldn't really be much room for a young-ish family...

    All this is academic, as Anglican priests must ONLY live stream services from their house. I see that the RCC situation may well be different, but, even so, Holy Week will be a tough time for their clergy.
  • Eutychus wrote: »
    Not here it wouldn't. Apart from anything else the journey is an opportunity for a breakdown, fender-bender, etc; moving the lawn is an opportunity for injury, etc. You would be mobilising other resources needed elsewhere, and coming into contact with others, if those things were to happen.

    Here, "maintenance of plant and facilities to prevent damage" counts as essential. Which means that factories have a skeleton maintenance staff in place to keep the sump pumps running, keep the things that should be hot hot, and the things that should be cold cold, and generally prevent significant damage to equipment. For a lot of facilities, you can't just turn them off and walk away, and expect to be able to use them again when you come back.

    By that metric, an occasional inspection to verify that nothing was leaking etc. would be OK. It would, of course, be best to combine that with some other essential task.

    Our church is closed, and the rector isn't allowed to use it for prayer, but we still have access to the building for admin purposes (maintaining payroll, banking checks that come in etc.)
  • EutychusEutychus Shipmate
    edited March 2020
    @Leorning Cniht the one thing the UK is doing better than France for now, in my perspective, is taking due account of the needs of non-immediately-health-related charities and religious organisations when announcing restrictions - ours are getting longer and more detailed by the day (as of today, we are allowed one hour outside for exercise and have to mark the time we leave home on our paper; there is simply no box to tick for "checking the building's ok"). The need for such organisations not to abuse their privileges remains, though.
  • I am beginning to think that in the Lutheran church, at least, the time is here, or nearly here, where we need to remind people that as baptized Christians they share in the priesthood of all believers and are authorized to celebrate the sacraments in emergencies. In this case, including the Lord's Supper.

    I never thought I'd see the day it would be more than baptism, but here we are. And it would certainly solve the problem of how to handle communion during a lockdown. At least for every household with two believers in it, and probably for one (I think we're a bit iffy on the solo communion thing, though I've never heard it addressed. But surely the Lord would understand.)
  • Bishops FingerBishops Finger Shipmate
    edited March 2020
    A radical thought, indeed.

    I'll be interested to see Shipmates' reactions!

    Supposing you're watching an online video of a priest celebrating a solo Eucharist (whether in real time, or later). If you have some bread, and some wine, handy - might the consecration blast penetrate cyberspace, so as to consecrate the elements you have in your own home?
  • EutychusEutychus Shipmate
    If your thinking is elastic enough to encompass the notion of a consecration blast, I see no reason why that blast shouldn't be capable of being carried OIP (over internet protocol)...
  • PDRPDR Shipmate
    Forthview wrote: »
    We shouldn't forget that many RC priests live beside or even in the 'shop'. No need to leave the house.The Mass I watched today in the same church as yesterday had 179 watching although today the priest was on his own, though I think there may have been someone else somewhere in the church. (Yesterday's Mass was a funeral Mass with immediate family and also cantor present.)St Andrew's (RC) cathedral in Glasgow has three Masses streamed each day. St Mary's Clonmel in Ireland also streams Mass more than once a day

    I live over the road from the 'shop,' so I could slip over the road and live stream MP & EP - if we actually had some flaming internet access. I am not going to stream services from the house as everyone and his cat is doing that at the moment, and besides our internet access even from the house is - erm - spotty. I tend to be in the 'do it well or not at all' camp, so I am not going to live stream something that is noticeably substandard. I have to confess that I am getting to the point where if I see another clergyperson on Farcebook in a casual shirt and a stole live streaming MP with the camera angled to give one a fine view up her/his left nostril I may require medication.

    The homework task for the vestry at the moment is to work out what we can do without contravening the restrictions. The focus so far the emphasis has been on what we cannot, and that has been frustrating to say the least. One or two of my parishioners are doing grocery runs for vulnerable members, and I am opening the 'shop' up for prayer for a couple of hours each day. My RC colleague and his flock up the street is doing much the same. If things stay as they are we can remain sane, or at least sane-ish. I do need to phone the HVAC guy to see if he can come and turn off the steam heating, which will cut the church expenses by $1200 a month. We are going to a bit strapped for cash until services can start again. I know some of our folks will mail their offerings in, but by the same token some won't, and neither will they think about 'catching up' when this mess is over.
  • Cutting off the heating, and thereby saving quite a wad of $$$ seems like a Very Good Idea, as long as the fabric of the church doesn't suffer as a result.

    As far as live streaming is concerned, yes, I agree - do it well (or as well as you can).
    :wink:
  • Eutychus wrote: »
    If your thinking is elastic enough to encompass the notion of a consecration blast, I see no reason why that blast shouldn't be capable of being carried OIP (over internet protocol)...

    Hehe.

    Believe it or not, my thinking is indeed elastic, and I may give my idea a try this Sunday.

    If I get sent immediately to Hades, I'll try to get a message through to the rest of you, though poor old Dives didn't have much luck when he tried...

    https://youtube.com/watch?v=Sl3xFnoDZ_I



  • yohan300yohan300 Shipmate
    edited March 2020
    The actual regulations have now been published:

    https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/350/pdfs/uksi_20200350_en.pdf

    There is no restriction on the reasons for a minister to visit their place of worship. So checking for mail or cutting the grass are perfectly valid.

    6.—(1) During the emergency period, no person may leave the place where they are living without reasonable excuse.
    (2)For the purposes of paragraph (1), a reasonable excuse includes the need-
    ...
    (k) in the case of a minister of religion or worship leader, to go to their place of worship
  • john holdingjohn holding Ecclesiantics Host, Mystery Worshipper Host
    As I understand it, the question lies in the intention of the consecrator. If s/he intends to be consecrating long distance for people at home -- probably for specific people (eg, members of the parish), there is, I think -- but then I'm elastic about some of these things -- a case to be made for validity. If the consecrator is not intending anything other than a personal private mass, then I think it would be very hard to claim that people at home would be sharing in a eucharist that person had celebrated.
  • Well, I wasn't being 100% serious, but I take your point.

    ISTM that those who are celebrating the Eucharist privately, but live streaming themselves, are doing so with the intention that those joining them online can thereby fulfil their desire to pray/celebrate with them.
  • yohan300 wrote: »
    The actual regulations have now been published:

    https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/350/pdfs/uksi_20200350_en.pdf

    There is no restriction on the reasons for a minister to visit their place of worship. So checking for mail or cutting the grass are perfectly valid.

    6.—(1) During the emergency period, no person may leave the place where they are living without reasonable excuse.
    (2)For the purposes of paragraph (1), a reasonable excuse includes the need-
    ...
    (k) in the case of a minister of religion or worship leader, to go to their place of worship

    AFAICT, this hasn't yet been confirmed by our Bishops, but it makes sense. Best wait and see what further instructions we're given.

  • PDRPDR Shipmate
    This morning I went across to read MP, and then pegged the door open while I mowed the grass out front. One or two people passing popped in, I assume for prayer, but I was meditating behind the mower. When I finished I locked up, and as no-one had nicked the candlesticks or the toilet paper, we were golden. ;)
  • As I understand it, the question lies in the intention of the consecrator. If s/he intends to be consecrating long distance for people at home -- probably for specific people (eg, members of the parish), there is, I think -- but then I'm elastic about some of these things -- a case to be made for validity. If the consecrator is not intending anything other than a personal private mass, then I think it would be very hard to claim that people at home would be sharing in a eucharist that person had celebrated.

    Well, technically and literally speaking, the 'consecrator' - as the One Who Blesses or makes Holy - is the Holy Spirit! The celebrant, officiant or president's intentions arguably have little to do with the actual consecration they invoke upon the elements. However, for all I know (which is precious little) your point may still stand, even with that qualification.
  • Walsingham (RC)shrine in Norfolk has an all day and night series of prayers and Masses which are livestreamed. I looked also on the website of the Anglican shrine but there doesn't seem as yet to be any livestreaming of events.
  • Bishops FingerBishops Finger Shipmate
    edited March 2020
    The Anglican shrine is streaming 'Shrine Prayers' at 6pm each evening, via their Facebook page.
  • Thankyou
  • john holdingjohn holding Ecclesiantics Host, Mystery Worshipper Host
    Anselmina wrote: »
    As I understand it, the question lies in the intention of the consecrator. If s/he intends to be consecrating long distance for people at home -- probably for specific people (eg, members of the parish), there is, I think -- but then I'm elastic about some of these things -- a case to be made for validity. If the consecrator is not intending anything other than a personal private mass, then I think it would be very hard to claim that people at home would be sharing in a eucharist that person had celebrated.

    Well, technically and literally speaking, the 'consecrator' - as the One Who Blesses or makes Holy - is the Holy Spirit! The celebrant, officiant or president's intentions arguably have little to do with the actual consecration they invoke upon the elements. However, for all I know (which is precious little) your point may still stand, even with that qualification.

    Not disagreeing with you at all. I was thinking of intention as being the same as the frequent justification for the validity for ANglican orders in response to RC criticism, that is, that the intention of the consecrators (in this case, the bishops ordaining) is to do whatever the church intends -- independently of what individual bishops (or indeed the whole lot of them) may intend in addition or subtraction therefrom.
  • Alan29Alan29 Shipmate
    Anselmina wrote: »
    As I understand it, the question lies in the intention of the consecrator. If s/he intends to be consecrating long distance for people at home -- probably for specific people (eg, members of the parish), there is, I think -- but then I'm elastic about some of these things -- a case to be made for validity. If the consecrator is not intending anything other than a personal private mass, then I think it would be very hard to claim that people at home would be sharing in a eucharist that person had celebrated.

    Well, technically and literally speaking, the 'consecrator' - as the One Who Blesses or makes Holy - is the Holy Spirit! The celebrant, officiant or president's intentions arguably have little to do with the actual consecration they invoke upon the elements. However, for all I know (which is precious little) your point may still stand, even with that qualification.

    Not disagreeing with you at all. I was thinking of intention as being the same as the frequent justification for the validity for ANglican orders in response to RC criticism, that is, that the intention of the consecrators (in this case, the bishops ordaining) is to do whatever the church intends -- independently of what individual bishops (or indeed the whole lot of them) may intend in addition or subtraction therefrom.

    Wasn't it the Donatists who believed that the validity of sacraments depended on the disposition of the officiant, and the response from the Church is that it depends on the validity of the orders of the cleric and the theological content of the words spoken.
    But I might be wrong because its about 50 years since I studied that stuff!
  • Nick Tamen wrote: »
    Our Place's situation is similar to those of @Alan Cresswell and @Baptist Trainfan - streaming isn't a viable option for us, but we are taking all the recommended precautions.

    Re hymn books - it is usually I who gives out hymn/service books these days, so I have a vessel of hand-sanitizer at the ready on the book table, which vessel I will use as I hand out the books.

    Or would it be better simply to ask people to pick up their own book(s)?
    :confused:
    In the States, books are usually already in the pews/seats, usually in a rack on the back of the seat in front. Would it be better to have someone (whose hands are clean or who is wearing gloves) go ahead and distribute books in seats throughout the church, so that at the service the only person handling it is the person using it? They can leave it there at the end of the service. This is presuming just one service; this likely wouldn’t work for multiple services.

    My and @Baptist Trainfan 's fellowship are using https://streamingchurch.tv/sctv/

  • Thanks @Alex Cockell - that looks as though it might be useful.

    Meanwhile, latest adviceinstruction from the C of E Archbishops and Bishops is that clergy and laity are NOT to enter the churches, despite government guidance which seems to say that it is OK...

    Funerals are to be held at gravesides or in crematoria chapels only (not sure if that excludes the cemetery chapel - our local cemetery still has a chapel which is in regular use).
  • Alex CockellAlex Cockell Shipmate
    edited March 2020
    @Pendragon, the Archbishops' letter was somewhat ambiguous as regards the Eucharist.

    I don't think they envisage the Eucharist being celebrated publicly in church (which would run contrary to the guidelines), but clergy can still, I suppose, consecrate 'privately' in order to make sure that enough of the Blessed Sacrament is available for home Communion visits.

    FatherInCharge wants to be in church twice daily - morning and late afternoon - during which time he'll no doubt say his Office, BUT he's 72 later this year, and really should be thinking about self-isolation. If the church is open (say) a couple of times a week, there are others who could be responsible, and who could say their Office if they wished.

    I have entreated Father, very seriously, to get in touch as soon as possible with our Provincial Episcopal Visitor*, and abide by his ruling.

    *Our 'Special Needs' Bishop, as we call him...
    :wink:

    Of course, if we go into complete lockdown, like France, the problem will be solved for us!
    :grimace:

    You remember those one-shot single-serving Communion packs we giggled at way back? I saw them on a preppers website... also on Amazon - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fellowship-Prefilled-communion-wafer-100-BROADMAN/dp/B015X6ETYS

  • No, we're not!

  • For those who understand French (or who can follow in a missal) and ,of course, who might appreciate this, there is the opportunity each day at 10 a.m. Central European time (9a.m. UK time) to participate in live Mass at the grotto of Lourdes. This is via KTOtv ( a catholic broadcasting channel).
  • EutychusEutychus Shipmate
    Apparently our local Catholic diocese is live streaming weekly Mass from the diocesan centre, which is also the local seminary, so there are a couple of priests celebrating and about ten well-spaced-apart seminarians to make up the "laity". Religious communities are apparently exempt from the "no gatherings" rule.

    From this conversation I also learned that an RC priest can legitimately celebrate Mass on his own, without laity present, which from what I understand from @mousethief is not the case in Orthodoxy.
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