2
in the diocese
February 11, 2014
Bishop McGrath issues liturgical
adaptations during flu season
Bishop Patrick J. McGrath has issued temporary liturgical adaptations during
the 2014 cold and flu season, especially this year, as the number of people stricken
is at a higher level and younger adults are being hard hit.
In a Feb. 15 memorandum to all priests, deacons, pastoral ministers, liturgists
and school principals, Bishop McGrath noted, “a particularly virulent strain of flu
(H1N1) and other respiratory contagions are manifesting themselves throughout
our nation and here at home, including a growing number of deaths.
“I have been approached by members of the medical community who have
requested that we make a number of temporary adaptations to our celebrations
of the Eucharist.” For the duration of the flu/cold/virus season:
• Holy Communion will not be shared under the form of Consecrated Wine.
Concelebrating priests and assisting deacons are to receive the Precious Blood
by means of intinction.
• Holy Communion will be distributed only into the hands of communicants,
not on the tongue.
• People should not hold hands during the recitation or singing of the Lord’s
Prayer.
• The Sign of Peace should be adapted so as to allow for a greeting that does
not involve shaking hands or touching.
• All who administer Holy Communion are to wash their hands with an
alcohol-based anti-bacterial solution before and after they administer the Sacrament. This precaution also extends to those who minister to the homebound.
“These adaptations are to remain in effect throughout the diocese until conditions allow me to rescind them,” Bishop McGrath wrote, and added, “the obligation to participate in Sunday Mass does not hold for those who are seriously ill,
and that it would be especially prudent for anyone who has fever, cough or other
such symptoms to remain at home.”
Low water levels prompt California bishops
to urge prayers for rain
SAC R A M ENTO, Ca l i f. (CNS) - California’s Catholic bishops are asking
Catholics and all people of faith to pray
for rain as lower-than-normal rainfall
in the state enters its third year.
“Water is essential to who we are
as human beings,” said Bishop Jaime
Soto of Sacramento, president of the
California Catholic Conference of Bishops, in a posting on the conference’s
website. “Our reliance on water reveals
how much we are part of creation and
creation is part of us.”
Drought was officially declared in
the state by Gov. Jerry Brown, Jan. 17,
as the shrinking levels of groundwater
and reservoirs and a reduced snowpack
were becoming increasingly evident.
Bishop Soto offered a prayer all could
say to ask for rain:
“May God open the heavens and let
his mercy rain down upon our fields
and mountains. Let us especially pray
for those most impacted by water shortages and for the wisdom and charity to
be good stewards of this precious gift.
May our political leaders seek the common good as we learn to care and share
God’s gift of water for the good of all.”
The state Catholic conference’s
(CCC) website also includes prayers
taken from the Roman Missal and
Catholic Rural Life’s “Rural Life Prayer
Book” as well as sample prayer intentions to use during general intercessions at Mass.
“If current trends continue, the 38
million residents of California could
face many economic, health, safety
and quality of life challenges from
the water shortage,” the CCC website
posting said. “Some of the highest unemployment in the nation, for instance,
is already in California’s rural farming
communities.” It also noted the increasing occurrence of wildfires.
The
Valley Catholic
Vol. 31 | No. 18
•
February 11, 2014
Publisher
Bishop Patrick J. McGrath
Director of Communications
Bernadette Luongo-Hoye
[email protected]
Executive Editor
Roberta M. Ward
[email protected]
Communications
Production Manager
Yesenia Cabrera Hall
[email protected]
Communications
Business Manager
Mario Peña
[email protected]
Advisory Board
Kelly Barbazette, Jeannine Leichner, Father Brendan McGuire,
Amy Pizarro, Father Michael Russo, Sandra Torres, Penny Warne
www.valleycatholiconline.com
T
he Valley Catholic
Appointments of Bishop Patrick J. McGrath
February
march
20 Thurs, 10 a.m., Bishops-Vocation Directors
Meeting, St. Patrick’s Seminary and University,
Menlo Park
Thurs, 4 p.m., Finance Council Meeting,
Diocesan Offices, San Jose
21 Fri, 7 p.m., Annual Revs. vs. Sems. Basketball Game, Leavey Center, SCU
24 Mon, 10 a.m., Meeting of the San Francisco
Metropolita