You have to be careful in church these days. You never know what you might catch.
A Londonderry priest has given parishioners the choice of whether or not to shake hands with others at Mass.
The parish priest in Ballymagroarty has said he has had a letter from a Mass-goer worried that the traditional “sign of peace” could spread germs.
Father Patrick O’Kane suggested that if people are concerned they should just nod and smile at their neighbour.
“Personally I think these fears are misguided but that does not make them any less real,” he said.
“The option we have introduced allows people to nod and smile, rather than shake hands, so people will not feel rejected by not having their gesture recognised.”
No further comment, I think.
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
malc 01.25.06 at 4:19 pm
it reminds me of a ‘Vicar of Dibley’ episode where in one of the parish meeting where David askes ‘if they have to shake hands with those next to them,’ and Jim says how much he likes that and David continues, ‘much less having to kiss those next to us,’ to which Jim says how much he loves that part!!!
dh 01.25.06 at 4:21 pm
This is way, way too much. This is hilarious and also sad. Germs? ridiculous. I never thought I would be so upset at germaphobes.
malc 01.25.06 at 4:46 pm
I will admit, when the programme “Priest Idol” was on, I was surprised at all the kissing going on at the Peace, and something like that I would feel uncomfortable….. but I’m going to agree with dh here….. not even shaking hands, especially during the Peace does seem a bit OTT!!!
Richard 01.25.06 at 5:06 pm
It’s Ok as long as everyone wraps themselves in clingfilm first, Malc. Don’t they do that at St Paul’s?!
malc 01.25.06 at 5:25 pm
I can’t say what they get up to in the 9.30am service……but it was certainly leaning towards this liberal, music groupies, weird stuff when I switched over to the much better 11 O’clock……if you want, I can try to get up, get to a 9.30 (in two weeks, we have a very rare 10.30 joint service this weekend for the Rededication of the church) and see what it’s like……
Jen 01.25.06 at 8:33 pm
Clingfilm isn’t enough Richard - everyone should be wearing sterile gloves if they want to shake hands with each other! And wash hands thoroughly before and after. Tut! tut! I dunno….
dh 01.25.06 at 9:18 pm
To all, my mom always has a bottle of anti-bacterial sterile liquid but I heard that doctors disapprove of the use in that it makes bacteria resistent to antibiotics. Trying to brainstorm here on something that is ultimately ridicuouls but would work in the middle but this idea of antibacterial sterile liquid I guess doesn’t work.
malc 01.26.06 at 2:40 pm
I suppose that everyone could pass through a UV emitter to kill off bugs, mean while the priest/minister in charge would of course have to “scrub up” as so not to pass anything on the communicants….
dh 01.26.06 at 3:35 pm
Hey Malc, my dad was an ex CEO of a microchip designer. What about having church in a clean room? Just having fun but this particular congregation is ridiculous. Those weird germaphobes.
malc 01.26.06 at 4:23 pm
I can remember having a conversation once about the hygine of using a single chalice for comunion, as opposed to small individual “shot” glasses… I’ve always been in favour of the one chalice, because it gives me the impression that we are all sharing in the one body, the one blood…..I mean, if I have a cold, sure, I won’t drink from the cup, I’ll dip my wafer, which sometimes confuses whoever is dishing it out….when I change what I normally do!!!!
Hehehe!!!!
dh 01.26.06 at 4:49 pm
Point well taken. I too like the one chalice thing as well. Interesting with the wafer thing no one ever address hygene. I never thought hygene came to play in the wafer in the blood as opposed to the opposite. You made me think on that one. Hehe It appears with regard to wafer in the cup or not in the cup it is the perfect tactful way to address germs and not address it at the same time. Interesting.
Hehee.
Lorna 01.28.06 at 9:52 pm
there are real fears and for example here in Finland if you go to see the gp he /she doesn’t usually shake hands iwth you. We wash our hands too rarely - touch our faces etc too often and yes germs spread and can kill
the question of the chalice is the same, and does reauire that the sick think of others. Sometimes that means staying at home.
But at school we have people who insist on coming in with high temperatures and flu, and a few days later wonder why their colleagues are sick. grrr.