Answers to all of your pertinent questions regarding the Live-Streamed Masses!
1. We’re figuring this out as we go. We’ve made much progress in a short amount of time, but please realize we’re just amateurs at this live-streaming process, as are many of you with even trying to find it to watch it! Please try and keep comments/emails to us positive!
2. Yes, we only have 10 people in the Chapel for the Masses. Normally this is anywhere from 3–5 clergy (priests and deacons), myself, and then the rest of my choosing as fits the needs of that Mass. Most of the time, the others are musicians with maybe a lector thrown in here and there. In the beginning, Fr. Jerry and I discussed that if we were going to live-stream Masses, we wanted music to be a part of them. We didn’t want to do ‘silent’ Masses when we have the capability of doing more. Music is vital to any liturgy, and we wanted to keep with that. So yes, there are only generally 4 singers at these Masses. No choirs. I know a lot of you think it sounds like more, but 4 great singers are able to produce that kind of sound! We also have the priests singing, too! My thanks go out to the singers who have been willing to come out to sing for our liturgies. It’s been a challenge with little or no rehearsals!
3. The camera is just my iPhone. Another important aspect that we discussed early on is KISS - keep it simple… We needed a method that we could easily continue throughout this time and that various staff could do if necessary. No cameraman (see #2 above), no high tech equipment (which would cost money that we don’t have at this time). Just me and my little phone. Sorry, you get what you get. I do my best, and once again, I’m not a videographer, cinematographer, audio specialist or anything else. I’m actually an organist, which I can’t wait to be again.
4. We have moved around the majority of chairs in the chapel and have seating spread apart for social distancing. Singers are standing 6’ apart in a nice little circle. We’ve added in some lighting after our first weekend’s Masses. You may have seen a picture on Facebook of Fr. Jerry adjusting lights with Fr. Francis’ ‘help’. Thanks for your picture captions – they were pretty funny!
5. For those of you who know the Holy Week services from previous attendance, you probably noticed some things were left out. These were omitted mainly through a Decree by Pope Francis on March 19, 2020. Part of this decree: no washing of the feet on Holy Thursday; a special intention on Good Friday for the sick and the dead and those who feel lost or dismayed by COVID-19; no preparation and lighting of a fire, no proces-sion into the Church for the Easter Vigil. Other instructions on procedures and various details were issued by individual Bishops, including our own Archbishop Naumann.
6. For those of you still having issues with accessing our Live-Stream Masses/services/other things. Go to our website – www.popolathe.org – and immediately under the ‘COVID-19 resources’ on the home page is a big blue-outlined button that will take you immediately to our Facebook page even if you DON’T have an account. You will need to scroll down the page to find the current ‘posts’. The live streaming starts about 5 minutes prior to Mass. Once we’ve started it, click on it to view and enjoy praying with us! You can send a note by typing in the ‘comment’ box and it will be sent to all who are viewing. If you have Facebook, our page is ‘Prince of Peace Catholic Church Olathe’. We’re glad to have all of the visitors from other churches that found us by accident!
7. So some positives out of this – we can celebrate Mass together with family members that we aren’t normally able to do this with. For instance, my mom and dad in Phoenix have been joining in our Masses. It’s so nice to know that we’re praying together, even though we’re separated over the miles. We can discuss the music, or flowers, or the homily later on in the day when we talk. It’s been pretty cool! I know other families are doing this as well as we see in the comments that someone is a daughter/son/nephew, etc. of a POP parishioner. Enjoy this time together in prayer! Hopefully, some of you have been able to experience things that might be out of your comfort zone. Maybe you watched Holy Thursday or Good Friday and have never been to those services before. Now that you know what basically happens, you’ll be more likely to show up in person next year. Same thing with the Friday adoration hour at 3PM. Come pray with us – it’s not really scary! Then, once we’re able to gather together in person, let’s fill the church on the first Friday of the month at 6PM for that hour of Adoration!
8. Another positive – use this time to reflect on the readings on the day with your family or by yourself. Strengthen your own prayer life during this time. The United States Catholic Conference of Bishops has many resources on their website – www.usccb.org. Click on the calendar to find the daily readings. After this week, we will only be live-streaming two Masses on Sundays, at 9AM and 11AM, and an hour of adoration on Fridays, at 3PM.
On Sunday, April 19, we will have an hour of adoration for Divine Mercy Sunday at 3PM. Please join us as we pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet while in adoration of Christ. Resources for prayers will be posted in advance on our Facebook page and website at popolathe.org/covid-19-resources.