Thoughts From Msgr. Daly's Desk
H1N1 and US-(as in the plural "us")
Or:
"How we at Christ the King Parish are
determined not to let the Dreaded Swine Flu get us down"
Or:
"Tis better to be Safe than Sorry"
Chapter 1: Swine Flu Can Be Much More Than a Mere Nuisance
We have been reading a lot lately about the Swine Flu. You catch it by being exposed to the H1N1 virus and being overcome by it to a lesser or greater extent depending on your individual vulnerability. Some folks are immune to it and are not even aware of having been exposed to it, while others die from exposure to it. Read all about it here:
http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1FLU/, or here:
http://www.nih.gov/.
Chapter 2: The Possibility of N1H1 Visiting Our Parish
It has become very clear that you, our parishioners are increasingly concerned about the danger of contracting Swine Flu. Our own Parish Council has discussed the matter as it may affect us as a parish community, as have several other parish organizations, including the Care Club folks, our School advisory Board and Parent Teacher Club.
Chapter 3: Tis Better to be Safe than Sorry
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is very clear about the matter of the N1H1 virus: bottom line, it's better for all of us to be safe than sorry. Many dioceses throughout the world have already instituted precautionary measures to be taken in parishes and in other diocesan institutions to obviate the spread of the virus, including dioceses within our own State of Florida.
These measures include the following, which we are immediately adopting for our parish:
• Parishioners are strongly advised not to attend Mass or other parish gatherings if they exhibit symptoms of influenza.
• Before entering the Church parishioners should use the provided alcohol-based hand washes. (These mechanisms will be provided at all the church doors).
• Church Greeters should continue to welcome people at the doors. However, they should do so only verbally, refraining from handshaking or any other physical contact.
• The holy water fonts will be emptied. Please do not use them.
• The General Rite of Welcoming now in use in our parish at the beginning of our weekend liturgies will only be done verbally.
• The pre-Communion "Sign of Peace" is suspended until further notice.
• Communion from the Cup is also suspended until further notice.
• The reception of Communion on the tongue is suspended until further notice. It is most important, for the sake of all of us, Eucharistic Ministers as well as Communicants , that we follow this advice.
