As cases spread, people are feeling more validated in their concerns. Some have had been exposed and begin self-quarantining, some notice that their daily commute route goes through Codogno (Italy’s first hot spot). This prompted one small church community I know to announce Saturday evening that the next morning’s service is cancelled.
Sunday school teachers in my church talked about cancelling Sunday school the next day. Once we write to warn families that this service will be limited or cancelled completely, the majority respond that they will not be attending anyway. Later after the service, I heard later, the congregation decided together they should respect only meet with some special guidelines respected: 1 meter personal distancing and avoid physical contact. Our usual greet and hug tradition would be cancelled. Anyone with symptoms was begged to not come.
Sunday school teachers in my church talked about cancelling Sunday school the next day. Once we write to warn families that this service will be limited or cancelled completely, the majority respond that they will not be attending anyway. Later after the service, I heard later, the congregation decided together they should respect only meet with some special guidelines respected: 1 meter personal distancing and avoid physical contact. Our usual greet and hug tradition would be cancelled. Anyone with symptoms was begged to not come.
My husband and I went to our last mass for awhile. You see, I’m protestant, from Baptist background, and my husband is Catholic, so for us building an ecumenical marriage means we respect both traditions and are part of both communities, together. This morning we went to our parish mass, swathed in pomp and incense, just before the eucharist wafers are about to be distributed, the priest asked the organist to stop playing mid-song for an announcement. He says per directions, the eucharist will be placed into worshipper’s hands, not placed into the mouth. Mass finishes and aside from a few huddles, everyone else avoids contact and dashes home to make lunch.
In the afternoon, only a few hours later, there is a Catholic church directive to cancel mass from that moment on. Those who were planning to go in the evening were out of luck. No more mass for awhile. There’s also a government directive that schools will be close for the week in the entire Lombardy region. Every went straight to the grocery store and ransacked the aisles.
Photo credit: https://patch.com/virginia/oldtownalexandria/northern-virginia-school-closings-related-new-coronavirus
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