De-escalation in the Catholic Church | New normal
The covid-19 (coronavirus) epidemic that has devastated Spain seems to be starting to be reasonably under control. For this reason, the Spanish government has decided to organize an organized de- escalation in which two variables fundamentally intervene: geographical areas (each territory will carry out the de-escalation at a different rate depending on the health data) and deconfinement phases (different levels that entail different restrictions).
The levels of application will be determined by the government for each of the territories. The CEE (Spanish Episcopal Conference) has sent a series of regulations to the different Dioceses with the aim of organizing the way back to normality, the transition from the state of alarm to the reopening of churches and liturgical celebrations (masses, marriages, communions, …).
It is very important that we follow the instructions of the health and government authorities, of the CEE, of the priests and of the other people who collaborate in the parishes. We have managed to reasonably control the coronavirus, but this does not mean that the battle is won. It is very important to follow rules and instructions to avoid in a disciplined way to avoid new outbreaks.
To put our grain of sand, in Religious Articles Brabander we have thought of sharing information that we consider important. First we will talk about how the different phases affect the parishes. Secondly, we have made a list of recommendations, proposals, ideas, ... that we believe can be of great help in this delicate process.
If you are a priest and are thinking about how to structure the reopening of your parish, or if you are a person who wants to attend mass or pray in your Catholic temple again, we recommend that you continue reading, we are convinced that they will be useful to you.
Phases of deconfinement in Spain
The Spanish government has designed a de-escalation process to which the territories (provinces or islands) will be able to access depending on health markers that will be analyzed by a committee of health experts, the central government and the regional governments.
The government has divided the deconfinement process into four phases . Each of them will have associated certain limitations. The higher the number associated with the phase, the greater the freedoms people residing in those geographical areas will have.
Phase 0 of deconfinement in Spain
First phase of the deconfinement plan. Initial phase from which all the Spanish geographical areas start. The parishes and cathedrals must carry out the cults without the people . The work of priests should focus on carrying out liturgical celebrations that the faithful can follow online and provide personalized religious attention.
Finally, it is important to start the necessary preparations for the next phases of the process of returning to the new normal. Each diocese, each parish, must make a small analysis of the special needs that will arise as a result of the social distancing and hygiene measures required by the most advanced phases of the de-escalation plan.
Phase 1 of the de-escalation in Spain
The second phase of the de-escalation process is known as phase 1. Those territories that meet a series of parameters will be able to advance from phase 0 to phase 1.
Phase 1 allows greater freedom of action for people and institutions. In relation to Catholic temples , phase 1 allows the possibility that the faithful can attend liturgical celebrations in groups . Despite this concession, it is important to always keep in mind the general recommendations of health, government and ecclesiastical authorities.
The participation of the faithful in Sunday and daily celebrations is limited. Although there is the possibility of groups praying, there cannot be mass attendance. Churches, chapels, cathedrals,... cannot exceed 33% of their total capacity.
At this point, the EEC also recommends placing special emphasis on those families who have suffered the loss of loved ones.
Phase 2 of the lack of confidence in Spanish parishes
Phase 2 is the third of the stages established in the de-escalation process . It is a phase that those territories that have met the established indicators will be able to access as long as there are no new outbreaks of covid-19.
Church services will return to normal, but following hygiene and social distancing guidelines. The faithful will be able to access churches and cathedrals following the regulations set by the central and regional government, in addition to the specific considerations that each diocese decides to establish. In phase 2 the limit will be 50% of the capacity of the parish.
The priests will adapt the regulations to the characteristics of their church and their community.
Phase 3 of the de-escalation in Spanish churches
Phase 3 is the fourth stage of deconfinement. The last phase will be implemented in all those geographical areas that have not suffered any regrowth during the de-escalation process.
Phase 3 will be the situation that the Holy Catholic Church and all its faithful will experience while no effective treatment or vaccine is found against the coronavirus.
Hygiene and social distancing measures must be reasonable and effective in order to be maintained over time.
Regain life in our parishes
Analyzing the different communications from the Government of Spain, the Autonomous Communities, the Spanish Episcopal Conference, the different health authorities and proposals from clients and friends, we have allowed ourselves to draw up a list that we believe can help recover life in our parishes .
In addition, the idea is that this list continues to increase with new proposals. For this reason, if you know of any effective measure that has been carried out in your parish or community , we would appreciate it if you could send it to us by mail, or on any of our social networks Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or Google.
Together we will manage to recover what the coronavirus has taken from us, parishes full of people and faith.
We have structured the different proposals and recommendations into several groups.
General recommendations for de-escalation in churches
- Try to keep abreast of developments in terms of applicable regulations that the central government, autonomous governments, local and ecclesiastical authorities may make known.
- Before visiting the church , if possible, talk to the priest or people who work in the parish to learn about the particular measures they have taken in the temple.
- Wash your hands before and after going to the liturgical celebration.
- Respect the safety distance of 1.5 – 2 m.
- Place posters or other types of messages with the rules of the temple in visible places and with the greatest flow of people.
- The faithful should try to avoid touching any architectural, artistic element or piece of furniture that is not absolutely essential.
- The dispensation from the Sunday obligation and other holidays of obligation , established on March 13, remains in force until there is any notification to the contrary. Elderly people or those belonging to risk groups will preferably follow the celebrations through television, online media,... This also applies to elderly priests or those belonging to risk groups.
- The baptismal and blessed fonts will remain without holy water
- General use of masks in masses and liturgical celebrations in any of the phases of deconfinement.
- People with fever, flu or respiratory symptoms, or recent contact with a person who has tested positive for coronavirus should remain in their isolated homes.
- Avoid choirs in the parish. A single singer or several properly placed singers are recommended. No sheet or any other support with songs, readings, etc... will be distributed.
- Continuous disinfection of the temple, benches, liturgical objects, etc. Especially before and after the celebrations. In the disinfection process, it is important to have the opinion of an expert in artistic and religious heritage to avoid damaging the pieces of religious imagery , liturgical vestments, parish jewelry, parish furniture,... Some dioceses recommend the use of ethanol, dissolved at 70%. .
- Extreme cleaning and disinfection of sacred vessels and liturgical vestments used during liturgical celebrations.
- Visits for purely tourist reasons will not be allowed during phases 0, 1 and 2 of the de-escalation.
- The anointings, when required by the protocol of the celebration, must be carried out with cotton or disposable swabs. Once the rite is finished, the cotton or swab must be incinerated.
- Define and spread among people who may be interested the schedules of the parish office, Caritas office, masses, etc...
- In the case of celebrations or parties whose ritual is associated with pieces of religious imagery, people will be prohibited from touching the image.
Entrance and exit of the faithful in the churches during the lack of confidence
- Church entrances will remain open before and after religious celebrations to minimize contact with knobs or handles.
- It is important to be early enough before Mass. The entrance to the temple, predictably, will be much slower than it traditionally was. The celebration cannot start at the established time if there is no ample entry period.
- If the temple has several doors, there would be as many as possible during the entrance and exit of the faithful to facilitate movement without crowds.
- It is recommended that the deacons or other trusted persons help by organizing the attendees, opening and closing the entrance doors, locating the faithful between the church pews, coordinating at the time of Holy Communion,...
- It is desirable to make hydroalcoholic gel or equivalent disinfectant available to faithful attendees in the places of access and exit to the church.
- The exit from the church must be organized and progressive to avoid crowds or bottlenecks at the doors. It is recommended that the people closest to the exits leave the church first.
- During the entrance or any other movement that occurs inside the temple, the faithful must try to make minimum direct contact with benches, confessionals, lecterns or any other piece of parish furniture .
- During the exit, the faithful should try to avoid direct contact with benches, confessionals, lecterns or any other piece of parish furniture.
- It is recommended to make electronic donations through http://www.donoamiiglesia.es/
Masses and liturgical celebrations during de-escalation
- The lemon trees and/or collection baskets will be passed at the end of the celebration, not during the offertory.
- The sacred vessels (the chalice, the paten and the ciboria) must be covered by “palias” or other appropriate altar cloths while the Eucharistic prayer is taking place.
- It is recommended to measure the width of the benches in order to calculate the number of people who can sit on each of them while maintaining a safe distance. For example, if the bench measures 4 m. wide three people can sit: two at the ends and one in the center. It is important to calculate the distance between benches in a row and the one placed just in front to check if they can all be occupied.
- To facilitate the location of the faithful, it may be possible to make a mark on the benches with a sticker or other element that does not damage the seat.
- The priest and other ministers will disinfect their hands with appropriate products for this purpose before beginning the celebration of mass and before distributing the Sacred Host among the faithful.
- During the greeting of peace, direct contact should be avoided. An appropriate gesture may be performed instead.
- The individual dialogue of communion (“The Body of Christ.” “Amen”), will take place collectively after the response “Lord, I am not worthy…”. The Eucharist will be distributed among the faithful in silence to avoid possible risks.
- Priests of advanced age or belonging to high-risk groups must designate extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist to distribute the Holy Form among those attending the Eucharist.
- Preferably Communion will be delivered in the hand.
Celebration of Sacraments during de-escalation.
The celebration of the different Sacraments of the Holy Church is one of the fundamental activities in the daily life of our parishes. The coronavirus, as it has done with most daily activities, is going to modify the way in which priests must administer the different sacraments.
Sacrament of Reconciliation during de-escalation
The celebration of the Sacrament of reconciliation, as well as the moments of listening to the faithful, are situations in which one must be especially careful. Taking into account the social distance in addition to ensuring the confidentiality of this type of act. The use of masks is especially important in these types of situations. At the end, it is advisable to repeat hand hygiene and surface cleaning.
Sacrament of Baptism
Baptismal celebrations will be carried out through the brief rite. The administration of the baptismal water must be done from a container that does not allow the return of the water.
In general, any type of direct contact between the baptized should be avoided.
To carry out the pertinent anointings, it is recommended to use a single-use cotton or swab, burning it at the end of the celebration.
Sacrament of Confirmation
In the chrismation, as in the other anointings, a cotton or swab can be used. It is important to pay special attention to hand hygiene when there are several confirmands during the celebration.
sacrament of marriage
The rings, arras and other objects of the celebration of the Marriage must be handled exclusively by the contracting parties.
During the signature of the contracting parties and the witnesses, as well as in the presentation of the documentation required to carry out the celebration, the established general preventive measures must be complied with.
Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick
Like the Sacrament of Baptism, the anointing of the sick will take place through the brief rite.
The administration of oils must follow the process established for anointing in general, use of cotton or a disposable swab with subsequent incineration.
Elderly priests or priests belonging to risk groups should avoid administering the sacrament to people sick with coronavirus. If they find no other alternative, they should try to maximize precautions during the administration of the Sacrament.
Sacrament of funeral rites
The celebration of funerals and obsequies will follow the same general parameters that are established for Sunday masses.
The farewell of a loved one is a very sad moment that is best carried out with the contact of a loved one. Despite this, you should try to avoid hugs, kisses or any other show of affection that does not respect the safety distance.
Meetings, catechesis or training sessions in the parishes during the de-escalation
Parish Meetings During Phase 2
Meetings in parish buildings will follow the guidelines used for cultural meetings provided by the Ministry of Health. That is, a maximum of 33% of the capacity in places whose usual capacity is 50 people. Keeping the safety distance and wearing masks.
Church gatherings during phase 3
The capacity becomes 50% in places with a usual capacity of 50 people and 33% in places with a usual capacity of 80 people under the same conditions of distance and use of masks.