CHARLOTTE — Joy and hope were the themes of the day May 24, as churches throughout the Diocese of Charlotte began cautiously opening their doors for public Masses on the feast of the Ascension.
State officials are slowly easing public health restrictions put in place to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the pastor’s discretion, outdoor Masses and Communion services are giving way to indoor Masses with specific precautions remaining in place to reduce transmission of the coronavirus, including social distancing, face masking and frequent sanitizing.
A little over 50 people attended Mass offered inside St. Patrick Cathedral May 24, the Feast of the Ascension. It was the first public Mass offered at the cathedral since March 15, when the coronavirus pandemic forced the closing of churches and all public gatherings.
In his homily for the noon Mass, Bishop Peter Jugis emphasized the hope given to us through “the beautiful feast” of Jesus’ ascension into heaven – hope for eternal life with Him.
The apostles gave eyewitness accounts of Jesus’ ascension into heaven at a place near the Mount of Olives in Bethany, the bishop noted. “They observed all these things and reported them to us, so that their faith might be passed on to us.”
“The apostles cannot take their eyes off Jesus as He ascends into heaven because they want to be with Him forever. And so do we.”
Bishop Jugis continued, “By His ascension into heaven, Jesus strengthens our hope” for “the desire for the kingdom of heaven,” “the ultimate happiness of eternal life with Him.”
“That is the virtue of hope, and it is a virtue – in other words, a strength that we have as we continue on our journey in this life,” he said.
“We have set our sights on another kingdom, on another place, which is our hope and our strength for us now on this journey,” he said. “We are made for eternal life and Jesus expects us to plan to be there with Him.”
“That’s the hope that gives meaning to our life. We may have to endure our various trials in this life – that is part and parcel of life in this world. But through it all, the guiding light which keeps us moving forward is eternal life with God: the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit in the company of all the saints and angels in the kingdom of heaven.”
While public Masses are resuming where and when possible, the obligation to attend Sunday Mass remains suspended for all Catholics of the diocese until further notice. People are asked to exercise prudential judgment in deciding whether to attend Mass. Those who are ill or vulnerable to infection are strongly encouraged to stay at home and attend Mass virtually on TV or streamed live online.
— Patricia L. Guilfoyle, editor
Pictured at top: “The Ascension,” by Domingos Sequeira (c. 1828-1830
Indoor Masses resumed across the diocese. At St. Mark Church in Huntersville precautions included: taping off every other two pews; offering Communion after Mass with a seminarian there to sanitize and purify their hands and another to spray and wipe the altar rail after each person or family. The ushers also wiped door handles and the doors were open to minimize common touch areas. After Mass, the seminarians went pew-by-pew disinfecting each space. Hymnals were also removed from the pews. (Photos provided by Amy Burger)
