Worship in the Time of Corona Virus
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on January 29, through its president Archbishop Romulo Valles issued an Oratio Imperata or obligatory prayer against the virus outbreak now gripping the globe called Coronavirus Disease 2019 or COVID 19.
Aside from the praying of the Oratio Imperata, the CBCP also issued advisories on worship in die walce of COVID 19 including:
1.Changing the holy water in fonts regularly.
2. Practice communion by hand and not by mouth.
3. Discourage physical contact in worship such as holding hands while reciting or singing die Our Father, kissing or shaking of hands during the Sign of Peace, etc.
4. Installing protective cloths at confessional boxes.
CBCP also urges the public to heed advisories from government agencies saying, “Let it be our pastoral duty to remind our faithful to heed die health recommendations of medical experts and officials so that we prevent the acquisition and spread of the disease.”
As of February 15, more than a thousand have died and more than 60,000 have been diagnosed positive for COVID 19 worldwide.
In an assembly, Father Steve also shared some alternatives in worship that are being considered in order to curb the spread of the virus, particularly in the upcoming Lenten season.
Among these is the imposition of ashes on Ash Wednesday. Since this involves direct physical contact using wet ashes, the Cubao Diocese with Bishop Ongtioco as the chief liturgist is recommending the “sprinkling of ashes on the head.” This is a takeoff from the Book of Blessings that says, “The season of Lent begins with the ancient practice of marking the baptized with ashes as a public and communal sign of penance” (no. 1656)
Another is the kissing of the cross during veneration rites on Good Friday. According to the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM), genuflection is just as reverent and meaningful. “A genuflection, made by bending the right knee to the ground, signifies adoration, and therefore it is reserved for the Most Blessed Sacrament, as well as for the Holy Cross from the solemn adoration during the liturgical celebration on Good Friday until the beginning of the Easter Vigil.” (GIRM 274) .
For its part, CTK has implemented precautionary measures to prevent the spread of die virus in its worship areas. There are containers of alcohol and hand sanitizers in strategic places in the church. It has also utilized extra personnel to wipe disinfectant on doorjambs, railings, pews and other places usually touched by people in between Mass.. Ministers are also directed to wash their hands thoroughly in the sacristy before administering Holy Communion.
The local Church urges the everyone to take necessary precautions by staying healthy implore God’s help by praying the Oratio Imperata, and observe the guidelines issued by government agencies, the CBCP, and Cubao Diocese as we allow the Holy Spirit to protect its faithful from harm.
ORATIO IMPERATA
God our Father, We come to you in our need to ask our protection against the COVID 2019, that has claimed the lives and affected many.
We pray for your grace for the people tasked with studying the nature and cause of this virus and its disease and of stemming the tide of its transmission. Guide the hands and minds of medical experts that they may minister to the sick with competence and compassion, and of those governments and private agencies that must find cure and solution to
this epidemic.
We pray for those afflicted. May they be restored to health soon. Grant us the grace to work for the good of all and to help those in need.
Grant this through our Lord, Jesus Christ, your Son, Who livess and reigns with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.
Mary, help for all Christians, pray for us. St. Raphael the Archangel, pray for us. St. Rock, pray for us. St. Lorenzo Ruiz, pray for us. St. Pedro Calungsod, pray for us.
