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Saint Paul
Thursday, March 28, 2024

After more than two months without public Mass, return ‘like a homecoming’

David Gottwalt, right, prays during Mass at Transfiguration in Oakdale May 27. In front of him are, from left, Amara, Simon, Leyton, Damien and Mark Smith. DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Celebrating Mass inside his church for the first time in more than two months, Father John Paul Erickson expected the sight of a congregation to be an emotional experience May 27. Instead, he was surprised by what struck him the most: the sound of pews creaking as people sat down.

That, and hearing verbal responses to the Mass, nearly brought him to tears.

“That was very touching to me because for the last two months, it’s been nearly complete silence, kind of a deafening silence. So it was very comforting and a great grace,” said Father Erickson, pastor of Transfiguration in Oakdale.

Transfiguration was among some of the parishes in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis — and across the state — to hold Mass on the first day that Gov. Tim Walz’s most recent executive order took effect, allowing faith communities to accommodate 25% of their capacity — up to 250 people — for worship services, provided precautions are taken to protect public health in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Transfiguration’s staff warmly welcomed parishioners and guests with greetings and smiles — smiles so big that masks couldn’t conceal them.

Parish staff guided Mass attendees on red or green taped-off paths into the worship area. One gray-haired man remarked, “This is just like kindergarten. Follow the lines.”

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Hand sanitizer was available near the entry doors, along with handouts listing protocols for attending Mass. Nearby were several “stations” in the gathering space where parishioners would receive the Eucharist at the end of Mass, on their way back outside. Floors were taped at 6-foot increments to help people socially distance. Inside the worship space, two pews on either side of a single pew were closed off using thick, sage-green grosgrain ribbon. When it came time for Communion, ushers walked pew by pew to direct attendees when it was their turn to walk to the stations for the Eucharist.

Latha Anderson holds her rosary during Mass at Transfiguration May 27. DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

A total of 72 people, including several from the news media, were in attendance. Almost all wore some type of face mask, which are strongly recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as directives released earlier this month from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Mask choice varied from homemade to medical grade, with at least one N-95.

The congregation was a mix of ages from seniors and the middle-aged, to younger people in their 20s and families with young children.

Members of the news media attended Mass and interviewed Transfiguration’s pastor, Father John Paul Erickson, afterward. The Mass coincided with the 14th anniversary of Father Erickson’s ordination to the priesthood.

His parish held Mass May 27, the first day of expanded attendance, because the parish was ready — both spiritually and practically. “We felt we were prepared,” he said. “We have been waiting for this day for quite some time.”

Unlike some parishes, Transfiguration had not opened for smaller groups of 10 or fewer, accommodated by a previous order from the governor, but it has hosted Masses in its parking lot, with attendees staying in their cars and not receiving the Eucharist.

“So that allowed us to focus our attention on this plan,” he said. “We also felt that the sooner we could open up with some sense of normalcy, relatively speaking, the better it was, especially for the people of God waiting so desperately to come.”

Parishioner Mark Smith, 44, brought five of his six children to Mass. His wife stayed home with their youngest. One daughter, Philomena, turned 5 May 27, and she asked to go to Mass as her birthday present.

The Mass is always a pillar and foundation of Catholics’ faith life, Smith said. “[Today’s Mass] was a wonderful and emotional experience,” he said. “It’s like a homecoming to receive Jesus sacramentally for the first time in two months. That was powerful.”

It also made Smith realize the important things we take for granted, including being physically present at Mass and receiving the Eucharist, he said.

Parishioner David Gottwalt echoed Smith’s thoughts. “I am so deeply grateful for this parish and staff,” he said. “They have worked so hard throughout the pandemic with Mass in the parking lot and the procession with the Eucharist — all things we can take for granted.”

He said he was also grateful for Archbishop Bernard Hebda’s “bold leadership.” When Walz issued an executive order in mid-May that allowed restaurants and malls to reopen with certain restrictions, but continued to cap public worship at 10, Archbishop Hebda and the state’s other Catholic bishops, along with a group of Lutheran churches, announced May 20 they planned to move ahead with public worship for 30% church capacity, as long as strident health guidelines were followed.

After engaging in conversations with Archbishop Hebda and President Lucas Woodford, president of the Minnesota South District of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Walz announced May 24 a new executive order, which expanded permitted worship to 25% church capacity. The bishops modified their plan to align with the governor’s order.

Father Erickson said that he didn’t want holding the May 27 Mass to be seen as a political statement.

“People were here because they wanted to be with Jesus and with one another,” he said. “And we allowed that to happen safely. So anyone who would see this, whether positively or negatively, as some sort of political statement, I reject that interpretation wholeheartedly.”

For now, Transfiguration plans to hold one daily Mass Monday through Saturday. It normally has three Masses on Sunday and is planning to do so this weekend, but plans can change going forward, in part based on attendance.

“We’re going to see how that goes,” Father Erickson said. “The number this morning was a little bit lower than I was expecting, so it may mean that we don’t need three Masses on Sunday.”

Phil Stoffel, maintenance at Transfiguration, sprays cleaner/disinfectant on the pews after Mass May 27. DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

In allowing parishes that feel ready to reopen for Masses, the state’s bishops continued to suspend Catholics’ obligation to attend Mass on Sunday and holy days of obligation. They have also encouraged people who are 65 and older or have underlying health conditions not to attend Mass at this time.

But, for many Catholics, the opportunity to join public worship has been worth seeking out. David Bauer, 25, a parishioner of St. Joseph in West St. Paul, says he has a daily devotion to the Eucharist. Prior to Walz’s stay-at-home order, which ended May 18, Bauer normally attended Mass and received the Eucharist every day, he said, so being able to do so at Transfiguration was a blessing.

He considers the past couple of months as a time to prepare for when he could next partake of both.

“I finally had the first opportunity to attend Mass (in a while), and I made a special effort to be here,” he said.

 


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