Christmas Mass - Covid safe or unsafe? [View all]
For most of my 80+ years I've attended Sunday Mass willingly; it's part of my life that I look forward to and missed when prudence required my absence due to the possibility of Covid infection. When conditions looked improved in May -July, I attended at my parish; in the fall when conditions worsened, I attended mass at a long-term care center where only about 10 people, masked and spaced, attended.
That Mass was discontinued recently, but I badly wished to attend Christmas Mass, so returned to my parish this afternoon for a vigil Mass. In addition to the main church, a large undercroft space was used, with a large-screen video of the Christmas Mass on the front wall. About 50 people were spread out throughout the room, roughly 1/2 being children. About 50/50 masked/unmasked.
I haven't been around young children much in recent years. Endearing as they were, they were also very wiggly and required trips to the adjoining bathroom. I had situated myself in the rear to be away from most of the attendees, but, as it turned out, the frequent bathroom-goers passed me coming and going.
The whole experience left me uneasy, with all we're hearing about the transmisability of omicron. Beautiful Mass, reception of Eucharist, which I desired, but now I'm on edge waiting to see whether or not the virus came my way. I'm triple vaxxed and was masked throughout.
Just sharing my experience. Let's keep each other in prayer.
Merry Christmas!