It was since Wednesday, on May 13, 2020, during the church visit to the Blessed Sacrament, where I noticed that those markings on top of the backrests and the blue ribbons tied at the sides of the pews were already taken out (Pls. Read COVID19- driven Proxemics in Churches).
Previously, we only participate in the Holy Mass at home via live stream then proceed to St Thomas Aquinas Catholic church for communion right after the Mass according to parish Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).
Celebrating the Sunday Holy Mass started admitting people inside the church started on May 17, 2020. Days before the mentioned date, I received a regular text message from this website with guidelines for the coming Sunday’s Liturgy. It was only on May 25, 2020, that we decided to pursue participating in the 9 am morning schedule.
Due to the new set up, churchgoers took a separate entrance on the left side of the church to access the distribution of communion at the Narthex. For those like us who prefer to participate by the actual presence, we were advised to be in the church 20 minutes before the mass schedule since church capacity is limited.
Proceeding to the church front yard, churchgoers for the 9 am schedule were already entering the church using the main door for entrance. Ushers in the Narthex were directing people to the nave for everybody to look for their seats.
I noticed then the cross sign marks stuck on the floor of the middle aisle with a distance of more or less 1.50 meters leading to the sanctuary. People were still coming in before the Mass began, and my last count of people inside roughly marks at 157. Assuming the attendance reached 200, the church total occupancy had only more than just 11% of the total occupancy of 1810, lesser than the projected 25% allowed capacity. Couples were sitting together beside each other, and family members were seated in a group in a close phase distance but observe social distancing from another group or another family. Some wore masks others were not.
The entrance song played, and the procession started as the Priest, Deacon, and the Altar server proceeded to the sanctuary with a new arrangement of the Presider’s seat, Chairs for Deacon, and the Altar servers. From their original location, these chairs were forwarded to the right side behind, in an oblique position facing the altar. Much nearer location to the altar is the credence table on the right as well.
On the sanctuary, pieces of equipment needed for live streaming, such as a portable lighting device and speaker, were in place. Away behind the altar is the temporary place for the Tabernacle and a Paschal Candle before it on the right from the assembly’s view.
A laptop computer was positioned in the front portion near the edge of the altar just enough to capture the altar happenings. A microphone was placed on the left side near to the Priest and the ministers. The Lectionary and the Book of Gospels were already readied earlier. In this setup, most parts of the Liturgy were done at the altar except for the Holy Communion.
I spotted two extraordinary lady ministers who came up to the sanctuary to secure the ciborium for the distribution of the Holy Communion soon after the Final Blessings.
The flow of communion was already laid out in advance on the website for reference. People who were at the central nave formed two lines at the central aisle and moved toward the sanctuary to receive the Eucharist at the left and right side communion station. Exit routes with floor marks leading to the exit for the left and the right group were also designated (Orange color).
Those who are at the left (light blue) and right (dark blue ) nave transept proceeded to their designated communion stations in separate exits with a collection basket for offerings or pledges to drop on.
After communion, my wife and I stayed at the space immediately after the exit to give reverence, until the Eucharist was dissolved in our mouth.
