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February 10, 2021 Re: Update on COVID-19 Impact on Planning for Lent and Holy Week ______

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February 10, 2021 Re: Update on COVID-19 Impact on Planning for Lent and Holy Week ______ To: All Clergy From: Office of Worship, Very Reverend Matthew J. Kujawinski, VF Date: February 10, 2021 Re: Update on COVID-19 impact on planning for Lent and Holy Week ______________________________________________________________________ As a follow up to the last update dated January 11, 2021, please find the most recent COVID-related liturgical directives from Bishop Persico, including those for Holy Week. We continue to monitor the situation, so if any modifications need to be made to these directives, we will let you know as soon as possible. Distribution of Ashes on Ash Wednesday: Shortly after we issued our last update, the Holy See promulgated directives for Ash Wednesday which are consistent with but more detailed than those indicated earlier by Bishop Persico. Please follow the directives from the Holy See, which are as follows: Prot. N. 17/21 NOTE ON ASH WEDNESDAY Distribution of Ashes in Time of Pandemic The Priest says the prayer for blessing the ashes. He sprinkles the ashes with holy water, without saying anything. Then he addresses all those present and only once says the formula as it appears in the Roman Missal, applying it to all in general: “Repent, and believe in the Gospel”, or “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return”. The Priest then cleanses his hands, puts on a face mask and distributes the ashes to those who come to him or, if appropriate, he goes to those who are standing in their places. The Priest takes the ashes and sprinkles them on the head of each one without saying anything. From the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 12 January 2021. Robert Card. Sarah Prefect +Arthur Roche Archbishop Secretary The practice of sprinkling ashes on the top of the head rather than placing them on the forehead is common in much of the world but largely unknown in English-speaking countries. Some pastoral explanation to the faithful introducing them to this method would be helpful. Also, parishes may need a larger amount of blessed ashes than usual. 2 The Rite of Election: In order not to gather groups of people from different communities, Bishop Persico has delegated pastors to celebrate the Rite of Election in their parishes on or around the First Sunday of Lent. The Rite for parish use provided by the Office of Worship can be found at https://www.eriercd.org/bishop/RiteofElection.html or in the attachments for the February 8, 2021 Information Bulletin. Parishes with Confirmations scheduled during Lent: The Office of Worship is in the process of contacting these parishes individually to discuss some options for the celebration of Confirmation. COVID 19-Related Modifications to the Holy Week Liturgies Although we anticipate being able to celebrate the Holy Week rites much more fully than last year, some modifications will still need to take place. If further modifications are necessary, we will inform you as soon as possible. I. The Blessing and Distribution of Palms on Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion: Bishop Persico directs that palms are to be blessed at the beginning of Mass, but should not be distributed until after Mass. Please note the following more detailed instructions: a. The blessing of palms at the beginning of Mass is taken from the solemn entrance (nos. 12-15 under Palm Sunday), with the exception that only the priest and deacon and ministers are to go to the suitable place for blessing palms. Everyone else remains in their places. b. After the proclamation of the Gospel and the blessing of palms (refer to nos. 5-7), only the priest and deacon and ministers proceed to the sanctuary in a simple procession. c. At the end of Mass, palms can be distributed using either of two methods chosen at the pastor’s discretion: 1) Designated individuals wearing gloves can hand blessed palms to parishioners as they exit the church, or 2) People can be instructed to help themselves to the blessed palms after Mass and at other convenient times. They should be encouraged to sanitize their hands before approaching the collection of palms. II. The Chrism Mass: Bishop Persico will gather with the priests to celebrate the Chrism Mass at 1:00 p.m. at St. Peter Cathedral on the Monday of Holy Week, March 29. This Mass will be live streamed. Due to COVID-19 restrictions currently in place, we are still envisioning that only the priests of the diocese will be invited to participate, assisted by a small number of ministers and deacons. A box lunch will be provided afterwards while the oils are prepared for distribution. More information will be forthcoming from the Chancery. 3 III. Holy Thursday Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper: Modifications involve the foot washing and the procession to and place of the altar of repose, as follows: a. The foot washing is to be omitted in its entirety. b. At the end of Mass, the Blessed Sacrament should be carried to the altar of repose in a simple procession, i.e., only the priest and deacon and ministers will process while everyone else remains in place. c. The place for the altar of repose should be spacious, allowing for social distancing. Avoid the use of a confined space. IV. Friday of the Passion of the Lord: Modifications involve the additional intercessions and the method for the veneration of the cross, as follows: a. Solemn Intercessions: There are two additional intercessions, which effectively become no. 11 and no. 12, respectively. One regards abuse and one regards COVID-19. Musical settings will be sent out nearer to Holy Week. XI. For victims of sexual abuse: Let us pray for all victims of sexual, physical, or emotional abuse, especially those who have suffered at the hands of those who work in the church, that they may find understanding, consolation, healing and peace. Prayer in silence. Then the Priest says: Almighty and ever living God, may those who have suffered due to the violation of trust at the hands of ministers of the church, find through your constant care, concern and love, an unfailing source of comfort, support and a renewed trust. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen. XII. For an end to the pandemic: Let us pray, dearly beloved, for a swift end to the corona virus pandemic that afflicts our world, that our God and Father will heal the sick, strengthen those who care for them, and help us all to persevere in faith. Prayer in silence. Then the Priest says: Almighty and merciful God, source of all life, health and healing, look with compassion on our world, brought low by disease; protect us in the midst of the grave challenges that assail us and in your fatherly providence grant recovery to the stricken, strength to those who care for them, and success to those working to eradicate this scourge. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen 4 b. Adoration of the Holy Cross: Once the showing of the cross has taken place, the people adore the cross in one of two ways: 1) The minister holds the cross aloft for a time allowing the people to venerate the cross from their place in the pews. 2) The people may process forward to venerate the cross with a bow or a genuflection but not by touching or kissing the cross. Once the veneration is complete, the cross is placed between two candles and the liturgy continues as usual. Afterward, following the conclusion of the liturgy, the cross is left in church between two candles for veneration but should be arranged so that it cannot be touched. V. Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord: The Easter Vigil in the Holy Night Modifications include the service of light, the celebration of baptism, the renewal of baptismal promises, and the sprinkling and distribution of holy water. The principle to remember here is that once water has come in contact with someone, it cannot be reused for any other purpose. Therefore, once water has been poured over the first person baptized and re-enters the font, no further water can be withdrawn from the font for other use. This will necessarily change the logistics of baptisms and sprinkling. a. The Service of Light: Only the priest and deacon and ministers gather around the new fire. The procession with the Easter candle is a simple one, i.e., only the priest and deacon and ministers process. The faithful remain in their places, but my hold lit candles as usual. After the Exsultet, the liturgy of the word follows as usual. b. The Baptismal Liturgy: 1) After having blessed the water in the font, but prior to the actual celebration of baptism, use a suitable container to draw enough blessed water from the font to be poured over each person to be baptized. 2) Also draw out enough blessed water – in another container if necessary – to be used for sprinkling during the renewal of baptismal promises at the Vigil and on Easter Sunday morning. This sprinkling should be very limited, as noted below. 3) With enough water set aside to pour for baptisms and to use for sprinkling at the Vigil and on Easter morning, the priest and deacon and ministers can then proceed with the baptismal liturgy. 4) During this year, baptisms are not to be done by immersion. c. The Renewal of Baptismal Promises: 1) After the renewal of baptismal promises, when sprinkling the congregation with the Easter Water drawn earlier from the font (cf. above), the priest is to stand at the foot of the sanctuary and sprinkle the people to the center, the right and the left.
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