Last Thursday morning, my mom and I attended Mass at our church, Our Lady of Grace (OLG) Roman Catholic Church in Palm Bay, for the first time in two months. Going to church was a weekly routine for me before the coronavirus outbreak, so when I heard Catholic churches in the Diocese of Orlando were closing on March 19, I was stunned. OLG has been live-streaming its Masses on YouTube, making me feel somewhat connected to my church. OLG started its gradual reopening process on May 12 with Masses resuming last Tuesday. I was so glad to go to church in person, even though it was a different experience in the following ways: Almost everyone wore a mask. My mom and I were escorted to the front pew, which didn't contain hymnals or donation envelopes. Everyone else sat at least six feet apart in alternating pews.
I'm thankful for the opportunity to worship in public again. I've always felt welcome and respected at my church despite my disabilities. Whenever I read a Bible passage to the congregation, I'm able to access the space between the lectern and the altar thanks to a ramp (seen in the photo below). As churches are reopening in various parts of the country, you should look for church reopening updates in your area before you put on your Sunday best. If you still don't feel comfortable going to church, you can continue viewing streamed Masses/services online. You, my readers, are in my prayers.
I inside my church in January
(Photo by Tracy Jensen-McGrath)
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