As parishes gradually resume Masses, parishioners are thrilled to return

Catholics throughout the Diocese of Pittsburgh experienced brilliant blue skies on June 1 for the first public Masses since the COVID-19 lockdown began in mid-March.

"Oh, it means everything, just to be in the presence of our Lord and to be able to receive him in the Eucharist,” said Cindy Nicholls as she emerged from noon Mass at Immaculate Conception in Washington, Pa. “You watch it on TV and you feel good about having that available to you. But there is nothing like being right in his presence.”

Mary Corbett felt the same way. Living without receiving Communion “was such a void,” she said. Attending Mass means “connecting closer with God.”

Lynne Loresch knew the exact date she had last attended Mass: Sunday, March 15.

“Mass gives us strength,” she said. “Yes, it’s wonderful to be back.”
They were blessed to have one of the available seats. Weekday indoor Mass is currently limited to 25 people, though the number is scheduled to begin to rise next week. Most parishes require sign-ups.

Two Masses were celebrated Monday at Christ Our Savior Parish on Pittsburgh’s North Side. The 9 a.m. Mass at St. Cyril of Alexandria Church drew its typical attendance of about 20 people, most of them regulars.

“It went well. Everybody followed all the guidelines,” said Father Tony Gargotta, the pastor.

The noon Mass in St. Peter Church had a smaller turnout than usual. Father Gargotta suspects that’s because it normally draws office works, who aren’t back yet.

He was overjoyed to have the faithful present.

“It was great to hear the responses,” he said.

The first daily Mass at St. Catherine of Sweden in Hampton was up to the limit of 25, said Father Robert Vular, the priest-administrator of St. Catherine and St. Richard in Richland.

“The one heartbreaking thing was that I couldn’t see people’s smile because they were behind masks. But I know the smiles were there. Everyone is eager to get back to the Eucharist,” he said.

People have accepted the temporary need to sign up to reserve a seat, he said.

“I think most people say ‘Father, whatever I need to do to get the Eucharist, I will be willing to do,’” he said.

Archangel Gabriel Parish in McKees Rock, Kennedy and Robinson is able to offer only outdoor Masses for now. The benefits are that the parish is back on its regular schedule and no one has to sign up to attend, said Father David Poecking, the pastor.

It would have been impossible to correctly sanitize the church interiors, he said. The parish doesn’t own an electrostatic sprayer, lacks sufficient personal protective equipment and can’t afford professional cleaners between each Mass.

Disinfecting surfaces by hand “would put too much of a strain on the volunteers we have available,” he said.

The parish parking lots are perfect “for a reasonably dignified outdoor Mass,” he said. The faithful listen through a Zoom webinar link in their cars.

St. Malachy in Kennedy has had drive-up adoration at a window where Mass can now be celebrated.  The covered back porch of St. Mary Help of Christians overlooks a parking lot and makes a perfect platform for Mass, he said.

Holy Trinity in Robinson will have a festival stage, which Father Robert Grecco has graciously loaned from St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Carnegie, he said.

The first Mass went well, with about two dozen people who were mostly regulars at daily Mass.

“I only had to remind them once about social distancing,” he said.
He preached on Mary, Mother of the Church.

“When we are children, we turn to our mothers looking for refuge in hard times. So we can trust that Mary is going to get us where we need to be.”