eChurch Blog

Published Date:
23 July 2009

By Charles Graham

Catholic churches in Wigan are sacrificing tradition and ceremony for infection control as they move to avoid the spread of swine flu.

At Mass the chalice is not being passed round and members of the congregation will not have wafers placed on their tongues, only in their hands.

Meanwhile the ‘stoup’ containing water with which people cross themselves has been shelved, and parishioners are even being discouraged from shaking hands.

Dean of Wigan, Canon Pat MacNally, said local churches, including St Jude’s in Worsley Mesnes, were following guidelines set down this week by the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Liverpool, Patrick Kelly.

Withholding of wine at Mass to avoid transmission of the contagious illness via the communal chalice has been much publicised nationally, but at St Jude’s they are taking the recommendations further.

Canon MacNally said: “The Archbishop asked all priests to take the issue of swine flu seriously. There are sick people in the parishes. This is a highly contagious illness.

“As of Tuesday morning the congregation will not be receiving the Precious Blood from the chalice until the risks have passed. Communion wafers are still given but they are being placed into the palms of hands rather than onto tongues.

“Usually it is split about 50-50 as to how people receive the wafers but people, I am sure, will accept we have to take precautions. Similarly we have removed the holy water from the back of the church from which people make the sign of the cross.

“And for the time being we suggest that when people pass the peace, instead of shaking hands they wave or smile.”
Canon MacNally said the swine flu pandemic was not stopping him or other priests from visiting the sick at home or in hospital but that extra hygiene precautions were being taken about washing hands and taking antiseptic gels with them.

The Anglican Church locally appears to be taking less stringent precautions.

The Rector of Wigan, Rev Ray Hutchinson, said: “We have had some guidelines from the Diocese of Liverpool which are very general and are not at this stage prescriptive.

“Clearly they are asking for common sense to prevail and for people who are feeling ill to follow the advice and stay at home and for people to wash hands.

“At present we are still following the usual practices with the communion bread and wine but if anyone has any concerns they can discuss them with me. Swine flu is not rampant around Wigan Parish Church.”