17th July 2021
Tomorrow will be the last Sunday when COVID restrictions on congregation size, singing, touching etc. are enforceable by law. That means that churches are all scrambling to work out was social distancing and other measures to keep in place and which ones to abandon. Poor Father Damien came round today to discuss arrangements for mass. The Catholic Bishops have issued guidance that communion should continue to be distributed only in one kind. I suppose catholics have the advantage that it’s only relatively recently that this ceased to be standard practice all the time. They’ve also recommended that passing the peace is done without physical contact. But should we keep the one-way system and insist on everyone staying 2m apart when waiting to receive? We’ve been stewarding everyone for the first mass of the day. If we keep the rules, will everyone comply? If not, will some people feel too nervous to come?
In the end, Father Damien decided that we will keep the rules for the early mass, which is mainly older people and allow more mixing for the later one, when there are a smattering of teenagers and young families. Peter has agreed to be there to help keep order, while Jonah, Lucy and I will be going to Cowley Road, which is open for services again now. I don’t know whether that will include singing. If not, I suspect a lot of people will continue to attend the circuit Zoom service instead.