The Virginian-Pilot
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VIRGINIA BEACH
There's no swine flu outbreak in Hampton Roads, but Catholic parishioners at Church of the Ascension are skipping the "sign of the peace" handshake at Mass.
Bowing instead of shaking hands is among the precautions against infection during Mass that the Catholic Diocese of Richmond is recommending on its Web site, at www.richmonddiocese.org/worship.
The advisory asks people who are sick to skip worship services and large gatherings. Congregants also can bow in reverence toward each other during the greetings of peace, to avoid physical contact.
At Ascension in Virginia Beach, "we're going to suggest people do not hold hands during the Lord's Prayer," added the Rev. James Parke, the parish's priest.
He said people serving the Communion wafer will wash their hands with sanitizer immediately before the ritual. The parish will continue using a common Communion cup from which each member drinks; the cup's rim is wiped after each serving as standard practice.
"I just advise people, if they feel sick, they shouldn't use the cup," Parke said.
The Presbytery of Eastern Virginia, which includes Hampton Roads, posted a flu protocol for churches on its Web site at www.pcusa-peva.org/FluProtocolsforStAndy1.pdf. The measures are intended for only a severe flu outbreak, which is not the case in Virginia.
The Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia's Web site recommends parishes stay updated about flu conditions "in order to make decisions based on local practices and safety concerns in our church communities."
Steven G. Vegh, (757) 446-2417, steven.vegh@pilotonline.com
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Jesus cured the "leapers"
I like the image of Jesus curing the leapers. That's a good one.
I am a Christian...
I guess someone got offended with my comment as it was deleted, all I was saying was, I am a Christian, an Episcopalian to be exact, when I go to church (albeit not as much as my mom would like me to) the last thing I am worried about is getting sick from somebody, its a church for crying out loud.
If Jesus saves
then what are they so worried about?
Catholics and shaking hands
94k Soldier, the difference between Jesus and myself "a so called Christian" is that Jesus was God and could cure the leapers and I can not even cure a stubbed toe.
rituals
I am not Catholic, I am Episcopalian, so maybe our options don't apply to Catholics, but I do have a suggestion for those unsure about sharing the chalice. Some people that do not partake of the wine, whether for personal choice, illness, or perhaps because they are recovering alcoholics, will simply cross their hands across their chest. Alternatively, you have the option to simply dip your wafer in the cup. There are lots of elderly folks at our church, and I work at a high school, so I dip my wafer, simply to avoid potentially spreading something by putting my mouth on the cup.
I'm a Roman Catholic, but
at Mass, I've always hated shaking hands, and sharing a common wine chalice. And holding hands, especially if I'm standing next to a guy? Forgetaboutit! Yes, I feel a little guilty walking past the chalice, but I value my health more than taking part in the wine ritual. Back in Jersey, they only had the host anyway, so it's not mandatory. We Catholics believe that the Living Body of Christ is present completely in both the bread and the wine, so it's actually a redundancy. I wish I had a buck for every time I heard someone contiguous to me in Church...hacking, sneezing and sniffling during Mass. Needless to say, I'm not enthused about shaking hands with such a parishioner. Well, at least we don't hug....yet.
I don't care if there's a swine flu, avian flu, blue flu, SARS or the plague. I firmly believe that the Catholic Church should stop this touchy-feely stuff. Instead, maybe we should consider "Namaste" with clasped hands and a bow!
There are worse ones
How about the wide spread pig slaughtering for absurd?
absurd ritualism
As a former member of Ascension, I find this precaution preposterously off-kilter. Don't shake hands, but drink from a communal cup of wine?
That doesn't make any sense whatsoever. Indeed, it borders on the absurd.