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Father William Brown serves Communion to Massgoers at an outdoor Mass on Sunday, July 5, at St. Anselm Church in Ross. (Photo by Christina Gray/Catholic San Francisco)
July 13, 2020
Christina Gray
Catholic San Francisco
One month to the day after Marin County gave local faith communities the green light to resume socially-spaced liturgies in outdoor spaces, Father William Brown voiced gratitude for the ability to gather in person July 5 for Sunday Mass in the leafy courtyard of St. Anselm Parish — his first as new pastor.
“We gather together in the fresh air, in the strong wind and in a friendly climate that allows us to say thank you to God for the gift of life,” said Father Brown, his vestments whipping around him from where he stood under a large tree before two-dozen masked faces. “Thank you for Jesus and for the people who bear his name.”
St. Anselm began offering daily and weekend Mass in the courtyard between church and the rectory soon after county health officials gave faith communities the go-ahead June 5 for outdoor liturgies with limitations on size and a host of other “best practices."Like most other Catholic churches in Marin County, St. Anselm was eager to resume communal Masses after nearly four months without them. “It is very obvious that our community has missed attending Mass and receiving the body of christ,” said Sissy Ratto, St. Anselm’s longtime parish secretary, about the Masses.
Deacon Robert Meave said many of the parish’s older parishioners aren’t entirely comfortable attending public Masses. Many continue to watch livestreamed Mass instead.
For those attending outdoor Masses, social distancing and hygiene guidelines pose an adjustment.
“I think people are cooperating well, but it’s my sense that the order of Mass is taking a bit to get used to,” said Deacon Meave.
The beginning of outdoor Masses in the last month has not been linked to a coincidental spike in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in the county. The changes prompted Gov. Gavin Newsom to add Marin to the list of counties on the state’s watch list July 2.
On July 12, the county reported more than 1,800 cases and 23 deaths. Nearly half the cases are occurring in San Rafael, with Hispanics disproportionately impacted countywide.
Though the 1,674 active cases of COVID-19 at nearby San Quentin State Prison are not reflected in county statistics, community transmission by essential workers living in the county is being monitored. More than 200 staff and guards have been infected, and 100 inmates have been hospitalized outside the prison.
Preparing for an outdoor Mass requires “a lot of work,” said Father Pat Michaels, pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Mill Valley. The parish celebrated its first outdoor Mass in the parish parking lot June 28.
Parish staff sent an email to all registered parishioners with the informed consent form and an explanation of safety protocol and expectations. An Eventbrite system had to be set up for making Mass reservations limited to 100 persons, and pastor, staff and volunteers spent the better part of a day measuring and marking up the parking lot with single, double and triple seat sets with six feet between.
“We needed to be ready to welcome people and make them feel all right about a situation that seemed very strange, and more than anything, they needed understanding and compassion in meeting the requirements we were under,” Father Michaels said.
Outdoor Masses have been fueled by “kindness and good will, with a great sensitivity to keeping each other safe,” he said.
“It took a lot of intentional planning,” said Jane Ferguson Flout of Catholic Charities after an outdoor Mass celebrated by Msgr. Harry Schlitt in the courtyard of St. Vincent’s School for Boys in San Rafael July 5. More than 60 people attended.
Ferguson Flout said detailed planning for the Mass attended by over 60 people was guided by both county and archdiocesan guidelines and struck a “good balance” between safety and liturgical traditions.
Entry to the 9:45 Mass required advance signup on the Catholic Charities website, a signed waiver and a normal body temperature.
Massgoers, many toting their own lawn chairs, spread out in wordless cooperation around the Italianate fountain and over the lawn facing Msgr. Schlitt, the protection of a canvas canopy fortified by a plastic face shield.
There was no singing, music or worship aids, no joining of hands in the sign of peace or the Lord’s Prayer. But that took nothing away from the joy of Heide Van Nellen, 85, a lector at Most Holy Rosary Chapel.
“It’s hard to describe my joy to be at an in-person Mass and to see as much as one can tell with masks on, my friends,” she said. “I felt parched, I was parched and this Mass was manna from heaven.”
Nellen’s joy was short-lived. Just three days after the July 5 Mass, Catholic Charities announced it was suspending the outdoor Mass until further notice due to the increase in COVID-19 cases in the county.
“We, like you are disappointed but your safety is paramount to us," the announcement read.