Hygiene For The Liturgical Assembly Including Liturgical Ministers Statement of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
Office of Worship

Common Best Practices

As we enter the flu season, increased attention to hygiene due to the Flu and other infectious diseases, including Covid-19, is certainly appropriate. Please use this opportunity to remind ministers and parishioners of common sense practices and liturgical guidelines many of which were taught to us from our earliest days as sage advise from our parents: cover your mouth (when you cough or sneeze), keep your fingers out of your mouth and away from your nose and eyes. Wash your hands after contact with surfaces others have touched, after using the restroom, after blowing your nose. If a person has a fever, is vomiting, or has had either ailment within 24 hours of the Mass, they should not participate in Mass.

It is important to keep the flu situation in perspective. Every year, approximately 36,000 people in the United States die due to flu related illnesses. Deaths related to H1N1 are typically in people with other chronic illnesses. If people have the flu, they should stay home and consult their physician. Ministers who have the flu or other communicable illness should not serve the liturgical assembly. Please see the USCCB site for a question and answer page on the topic: http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/sacred-art-and-music/influenza-and-the-liturgy.cfm.

General Reminder
All the faithful, and especially liturgical ministers, should be mindful of these basic norms:

1. Sunday Obligation: Catholics are not obliged to participate in the Mass on Sunday if they are ill. It is a matter of respect and hospitality not to gather for Mass on Sunday if one is sick. Those unable to participate in Mass, if able, should still observe Sunday, the original feast day, by spending time in prayer; giving thanks to God for life, and our redemption in Christ; recalling our many blessings, praying for strength and healing; and praying for the needs of others. Reading and reflecting on the readings of the day is beneficial. The Scripture texts as well as an audio reflection are available at http://www.usccb.org/nab/.
2. Cleanliness & Hygiene: The faithful who gather for Mass including liturgical ministers should be clean and reverently dressed. Ministers should wash their hands before leaving home. It is also appropriate for ministers to wash their hands at the church immediately before Mass if this is possible. During the celebration of Mass, ministers should be observant in order to maintain clean hands. This is certainly true of altar servers, extraordinary and ordinary ministers of Holy Communion, and ushers as they come in direct contact with vessels and\or the faithful. Ministers should avoid touching their face during the Mass, sneezing or coughing into their hands; or assisting an ill child during Mass. Ministers should cough or sneeze into a tissue, handkerchief or their sleeve. The minister should wash his or her hands if they come into contact with surfaces or individuals, which may have soiled their hands.

Holy Communion

Communicants:

1. If choosing to receive on the tongue, extend your tongue sufficiently making it easy to receive communion without the minister touching your tongue.
2. Do not receive from the chalice if you have a sore throat or other symptoms of illness.

Every few years, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops contacts the Centers for Disease Control regarding the norms for distribution of Holy Communion. The response has always been that there is no documented evidence of transmission of pathogens when parishes follow the established norms for distribution (see “Liturgical Ministers” below).

Communion under both forms is a richer sacramental sign in response to our Lord’s instruction to “take and eat” and “take and drink.” However, the doctrine of concomitance reminds us that the real sacramental presence of Christ (body, blood, soul, and divinity) is present entirely under each species, bread or wine.