Bishop Siegel celebrated the opening Mass at Memorial. This rite has changed a lot since the pandemic started. Actually, Mass is the same but it’s the way we attend and participate in Mass that has changed.
In the past, school Mass was a close contact gathering. Yesterday only the seniors attended in person while the juniors, sophomores and freshman participated via live stream from their respective classrooms.
This is much the way Mass would appear if we were attending in person at St. John. Every other pew is being utilized and people are supposed to stagger themselves. Everyone is masked and there are no missals. The Eucharistic ministers distribute Communion to folks at their seats rather than to people queuing up in communion lines. When Mass is over, ushers dismiss parishioners by pew and no one is allowed to congregate in the Narthex for fellowship. It’s different.
We are several days into the school year and Mason is settling into his new school. He said high school is different than he expected. While he likes Memorial so far, he said there were a few things that he didn’t expect.
He didn’t expect to only be allowed to travel to his classes in one way hallways, or to be required to sit in an assigned seat in the cafeteria alphabetically rather than with friends at a seat of his choosing, to be unable to high five his buddies, or go places after school with his friends. He didn’t expect to have masks be mandated or to be able to see people’s faces only from the eyes up.
These are signs of the times. We are learning to go with the flow and accept the constantly changing norm that allows social distancing and education to live in harmony.
I keep telling myself….this is temporary. sigh….it helps to keep me plugging away! My kid’s school (the youngest 2) was delayed 3 days due to the Derecho! As if a 5 mo. break wasn’t long enough.