Since the restriction of the sacraments that has accompanied this pandemic, the faithful have been filled with feelings of grief and frustration for their loss. During these weeks without public Masses and devotions like adoration, we have longed and prayed for their swift return.
Though both are important, even more than the availability of these sacraments and their graces for ourselves, what’s been weighing heaviest on my heart is all of the faithful that are being left to die without the grace of Last Rights. It’s one thing for us to want our desperation for the sacraments to be satisfied and to be willing to die to receive the Blessed Sacrament, but our bigger, more pressing, concern should be those in grave danger without the opportunity for these special graces. What we should be praying, sacrificing, and begging our bishops for is the reinstatement of the sacraments for those now dying daily without them. We hope in God’s ceaseless mercy but are not to be slothful in presumption.
I shared about this earlier in the week via my usual means on Instagram but thought it so important to also steal a few moments to share here on the blog as well.
Section 2 and 3 of Canon 212 tell us that the faithful have a “right and even a duty” to make known our spiritual needs to the shepherd’s of our souls, our diocesan bishops.
“The Christian faithful are free to make known to the pastors of the Church their needs, especially spiritual ones, and their desires.
According to the knowledge, competence, and prestige which they possess, they have the right and even at times the duty to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church and to make their opinion known to the rest of the Christian faithful, without prejudice to the integrity of faith and morals, with reverence toward their pastors, and attentive to common advantage and the dignity of persons.”
And while we’re at it, instead of just complaining to our bishops when we let them know the sacraments are essential to us, let’s try to put our heads together and think up some workable solutions that could help return the sacraments to most everyone who needs them. Because as Canon 213 reminds us, all of the faithful have a “right” to the sacraments.
“The Christian faithful have the right to receive assistance from the sacred pastors out of the spiritual goods of the Church, especially the word of God and the sacraments.”
In my heart I truly believe that our bishops do want what is best for our souls, even if they have not been able to work out the logistics. So let’s do what we can to aid them in the search for viable options they can implement.
The three main groups in need that I came up with are: the faithful isolated at death’s door, the vulnerable faithful who are high risk, and the healthy low risk faithful. I’ll share my ideas for each group below and please add yours in the comments!
Now, I’m no expert here. I’m just an accidentally cloistered Catholic mom of 7 in rural Texas. And these are suggestions were thought through in the wee hours of the morning while waiting on a tornado warning last night. All that to say, my bishop and his auxiliary are free to read and implement these ideas or completely disregard them. But I figured going ahead and sending them so they had a few more options at least couldn’t hurt. If you like, I will send yours on to them as well and please do the same with your own bishop(s) should you feel so called.
For those in need of Last Rites:
If I was in charge, I would send the youngest, healthiest priests of each diocese to serve here. One could be assigned to each hospital to camp out in the parking lot in case of need. And parishioners could loan these individual priests their RVs to do so. I don’t know how much hazmat suits go for, but parishioners could donate their tithes for the explicit purpose of protective gear. We also have my bee suit that could be altered as protection and fit a 5’8” man, and I’m sure some other parish members have donate-able bee suits out there as well.
For those who are vulnerable and high-risk of serious complications should they contract Covid-19:
I would send the elderly and equally high risk priests to take the Blessed Sacrament to those prudently choosing to stay home while the Sunday obligation remains suspended. This may be the elderly, the immunocompromised, their caretakers, families with young children, those who could not afford the financial cost of a stay at the hospital, or any other vulnerable population. Sign- ups could be done by parish or diocese if the moving around of priests was necessary.
For those parishioners that are healthy and low risk:
If I was a bishop, for those parishioners that chose to partake I would reinstate public Masses while still taking certain steps to mitigate risk. Families would have assigned seating each week on every other pew and essentially the same thing as RSVP-ing would be required to reserve your spot. More More Mass would mostly let be required to accommodate the smaller numbers each service. Parishioners would be clear that attending Mass is an acknowledgment that an asymptomatic person could infect one of your families. All risk can not be removed, even with cleanings between services. This would be the choice for our specific family since we are generally healthy and believe receiving the Blessed Sacrament is necessary in spite of these certain risks.
Another intermediary step would be to allow parishioners to pray their dry masses in the car while a Mass is being said. Then the priest could come out and give communion to parishioners in the parking lot. I wish this would have been an option for everyone from the beginning of pandemic.
Family’s would of course be able to choose for themselves whether they fall into the low or high risk category and neither would be denied the sacraments.
Prayers for the Poor Souls
In the meantime, until Last Rites are made universally available again, I want to encourage specific _daily_ prayer for the poor souls in purgatory. If your family has not already done so, please take steps to institute a De Profundis Bell or the traditional Thanksgiving after meals.
Like the praying of the Angelus at noon recalls the incarnation, the historical tradition of the De Profundis Bell one hour after the evening Angelus acts as a reminder to pray for the Faithful departed. And in 1736, Pope Clement XII instituted a partial indulgence for this devotion.
The name “De Profundis” is taken from the Latin beginning of Psalm 129 that says, “Out of the depths I have cried to Thee...” The Psalm itself is a beautiful prayer for this time in addition to the partial indulged Prayer for Poor Souls by St. Gertrude the Great and the following:
Most loving Jesus I humbly beseech Thee, the Thou Thyself wouldst offer to thine Eternal Father on behalf of the Holy Souls in Purgatory, the Most Precious Blood which poured forth from the Sacred Wounds of Thine adorable Body, together with Thine agony and death.
And do Thou likewise, O sorrowful Virgin Mary, present unto Him, together with the dolorous Passion of thy dear Son, thine own sighs and tears, and all the sorrows thou didn’t suffer in His suffering, in order that, through the merits of the same, refreshment may be granted to the souls now suffering in the fiery torments of Purgatory, so that being delivered from that painful prison, they may be clothed with glory in Heaven, there to sing the mercies of God for ever and ever. Amen.
St. Gertrude's Poor Souls Prayer
Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.
The Traditional Thanksgiving After Meals
We give Thee thanks, Almighty God, for all thy benefits,
Who livest and reignest, world without end. Amen.
Vouchsafe, O Lord, to reward with eternal life,
all those who do us good for Thy name's sake. Amen.
V. Let us bless the Lord.
R. Thanks be to God.
May the souls of the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
The evening Angelus Bell is typically ring at 6pm making the De Profundis Bell occur at 7pm, but 9pm, the end of the day is another common time that also recalls our need for a nightly examination of conscience. The specific time is not as important as actually remembering to stop and pray.
The evening rush after supper towards bedtime is very hectic so our family has placed our De Profundis Bell at 1pm after our Lunch Angelus. Set an alarm, set two, and even the simple prayer, “Lord, we pray for the newest soul in Purgatory and the most forgotten soul in Purgatory,” has more merit than nothing.
This pandemic has been and sacrifice for many reasons. But out of it I pray that we will receive a bountiful harvest of spiritual fruit and a whole new generation of priests born from those who will remember this time when the faithful were deprived of sacraments. Please join me in this intention!
Pax,
Genie