In the May, 2003 BCL Newsletter, the Committee on the Liturgy addressed the spread of.SARS disease and the Liturgy. In recent weeks, an early onset of the annual influenza epidemic has provided the opportunity for reflection on similar issues in regard to certain liturgical practices. After an extended consultation on this important pastoral issue, the Secretariat for the Liturgy offers the following questions and answers of clarification.

According to the Centers for Disease Control “influenza (commonly called `the flu’) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. Infection with influenza viruses can result in severe illness and life-threatening complications. An estimated 10% to 20% of U.S. residents get the flu each year: an average of 114,000 people are hospitalized for flu-related complications and 36,000 Americans the each year from complications of flu.”

Various concerns with the availability and efficacy of influenza vaccines, early onset of the disease and preliminary indications that the spread of the disease might be more significant this year contribute to increased caution. In its latest report, ending December 6, 2003, the CDC has stated that “twenty-four state health departments reported widespread influenza activity, fifteen states and New York City reported regional activity, six states reported local influenza activity, and five states and Guam reported sporadic influenza activity.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control, “as with other infectious illnesses, one of the most important and appropriate preventive practices is careful and frequent hand hygiene. Cleaning your hands often using either soap and water or waterless alcohol-based hand sanitizers removes potentially infectious materials from your skin and helps prevent disease transmission”

According to the CDC, “influenza viruses are spread when a person who has the flu coughs, sneezes, or speaks and spreads virus into the air, and other people inhale the virus. When these viruses enter the nose, throat, or lungs of a person, they begin to multiply, causing symptoms of the flu. The viruses can also be spread when a person touches a surface with flu viruses on it (for example, a door handle) and then touches his or her nose or mouth. A person who is sick with the flu can spread viruses – that means they are contagious. Adults may be contagious from 1 day before developing symptoms to up to 7 days after getting sick. Children can be contagious for longer than 7 days.”

While the single best way to prevent the flu is to get vaccinated each fall, the CDC recommends these other ways to prevent the flu: “Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too; Stay home when you are sick. If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. You will help prevent others from catching your illness; Cover your mouth and nose. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick; Clean your hands. Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs; Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.”

In those localities where the outbreak of the disease has been the most significant, Bishops have introduced several liturgical adaptations in regard to such practices as the distribution of Holy Communion and the exchange of the Sign of Peace in order to limit the spread of contagion.

What measures should be taken in Roman Catholic liturgies in the United States of America?

Priests, deacons, and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion should be especially reminded of the need to practice good hygiene. Ministers of Holy Communion should be encouraged to wash their hands before Mass begins, or even to use an alcohol based anti-bacterial solution before and after distributing Holy Communion

The Diocesan Bishop should always be consulted regarding any changes or restriction of options in the celebration of Roman Catholic Liturgy. While in some heavily affected locales, Bishops have introduced extraordinary measures, the need for the introduction of widespread liturgical adaptations for the prevention of the transmission of influenza in the dioceses of the United States of America is not evident at this time.

The Secretariat will continue to closely monitor the situation and provide the best advice possible to Diocesan Bishops and their Offices for Worship. The Secretariat likewise appreciates whatever information Diocesan Offices for Worship are able to provide concerning local conditions and the pastoral responses developed by Diocesan Bishops. 
Continuously updated information is available from the Centers for Disease Control at www.cdc.gov/flu/.

The grassroots organization Voices of the Faithful (VOTF) was founded in Boston as a response to the Church’s sexual abuse crisis. In this very readable history, one of its founders, James Muller, M.D, focuses on events from February 2002 through December 2003. VOTF consistently stresses that it is a moderate group of well-educated Catholics who want to give the laity a stronger voice in the Church to prevent future scandals. They desire to make the church a more effective spiritual and social force through greater involvement of the laity.

Dr. Muller was a founder of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1985. He was one of many concerned Catholics who started to meet after mass in the church hall of St. John the Evangelist Church in suburban Boston. This small group of concerned Catholics has grown into an international group with 190 Parish Voice affiliates.

VOTF believes the single greatest threat to the future of the Roman Catholic Church is continued complacency of the laity. The book also points out that the disease of the Catholic Church is the fallacy of clericalism. A symptom of that disease is the clergy sexual abuse scandal. Father Thomas Doyle, a longtime advocate of victims of sexual abuse spoke at VOTF’s first convention. “The fallacy of clericalism is the delusion that the clergy are somehow above the laity, deserving of unquestioned privilege and stature, and with that the unbridled addiction to power.”

KEEP THE FAITH… gives several examples of the Church’s more democratic processes, such as the election of the Pope and the voting procedures of the National Council of Catholic Bishops. VOTF believes the laity should have equal participation with clergy.

For more information on Voices of the Faithful, visit their website at http://www.votf.com/ or phone 617-588-5252, or write to VOTF, P.O. Box 423, Newton Upper Falls, MA 02464.

I attended the Call to Action conference held in Milwaukee from Nov. 5 -7. I was dazzled by the quality of the presentations, the erudition, devotion and the broad experiences of the presenters. I gained new insights, learned a lot, and was reassured by the fact that our Church still holds the allegiance of so many dedicated and knowledgeable people. Every lecture prompted thoughtful reflection. I can share with you only a few of the ideas, which I found invaluable.

In an opening seminar the presenters reminded us that there are massive divisions in the world today and we are in an environmental crisis. In the 20th century there was a “phase shift” in human history. There have been phase shifts throughout the existence of the universe. There was a phase shift when life appeared, when photosynthesis began. In historical times, there was a phase shift when the agricultural revolution occurred, when the “New World” was discovered by the old. The technological revolution of recent years has given human society a species identity. We now dare to think of the whole of society’s welfare leading to a planetary civilization. Another form of human consciousness is developing. While science and technology have dominated the discussion, it is now recognized that spirituality has to be part of this discussion.

Another speaker stressed the need for relationship, which quantum physics now accepts. It is impossible to isolate quarks. They have to stay related. Creation is about relationships, which leads to the idea of the Trinity. The universe is an interdependent organism. It is a revelation. It is only recently that science has discovered that it is constantly changing and expanding, becoming, and giving birth to new forms. We, as a species need to find our place in it. It is not an object to be used. We have to work in harmony with natural systems.

I felt privileged to hear a lecture by Charles Curran, who had the presence of a kindly professor rather than an aloof academic. He spoke of the negative dualism between the material and spiritual in Church teaching. This was carried through in its patriarchal approaches. The female was subordinate to the male. Natural law is said to be eternal and unchanging. It is a fact, however that theory has come after practice. A more historical methodology has been adopted; e.g. the recognition of religious freedom was a dramatic change. The Church’s moral teaching has been changed many times. We have a need for a living tradition, one that is ongoing and developing. The teaching office of the Church is broader than the hierarchy. There is a need to learn from the experience of the people.

A very popular talk was the one entitled “Why I Stay In the Church, and You Should Too.” Robert McClory spoke of the chaos that existed in the early Christian Church. Decisions were ultimately made by a gathering of many voices. Today the institutional Church has no input. The hierarchy and the faithful need to work together. Disputes cannot be settled by listening to one side only.

Mr. McClory stays as a faithful dissenter in good conscience. In the past there have been many dissenters. This is the church of his ancestors. It is a church of giants, intellectual, spiritual, and artistic. It is a church of service and charity all over the world. It is the church that taught him about Jesus and fundamental truths. His parish church still nurtures him. He suggested things that faithful dissenters should do: read, especially church history; serve, because the church is all about service; act on behalf of what the church truly is; dialogue with pastors and bishops; write letters. The machinery is in place for democratized decision making. We must make it go forward.

Clarissa Estes gave a spell-binding address just before the closing liturgy. She likened her experiences to that of Mary Magdalene when she came to the tomb on Easter morning and found it empty. She asked “Where have they laid my Lord?” There have been many times in her remarkable life when she asked the same question. When she was a child her mother told her that the church which they see up on the hill is not the real church. There is a Church beneath the Church. The hearts of the people are beating beneath the Church, and that is where she found the body of Christ.