Lights, Camera, Action!

Well I was all ready for the first Palm Sunday Live Streamed Mass! I got up in good time. Showered and made sure my hair was looking its glorious best (maybe that was a dream, I am not sure!!) and I went to the church to set up for Sunday Morning Mass. Another Sunday Mass in these strange days of empty churches.

The church looked lovely, red Altar cloths in place and all was ready. I placed a small basket of green branches on a table at the front of the Altar, beside it placed a candle and Holy Water. I checked books, put out the Chalice, bread, water and wine, lit candles and everything seemed fine.

I had turned on the webcam and the view was perfect and all seemed in place for a good celebration of Sunday Mass with a virtual congregation. Last night, I decided to set up a FACEBOOK page for the Parish and, though to be honest, I am not a huge lover of FACEBOOK, I value its potential to reach many people. So I let them know that we’d be streaming Mass today at 10am and that there was a suggestion that people might cut a bit of greenery and bring it to their homes. I said I would bless the branches they had during the Mass.

I checked the recording on my phone and could see that the image was live and all was ready, just waiting for 10am.

On the dot, I left the sacristy and sang “How lovely on the mountains are the feet of one who brings good news” ….. welcomed all, explained about the branches and blessed the few I had at the front of the Altar and then of all who were watching. I felt connected with people, even without seeing them.

I read the “long Gospel” – Matthew’s account of the final days of Jesus’ life. I tried to put as much feeling as possible into it and really had a sense of people tuned in and glad to be hearing this story again. After the gospel, I shared a short poem that speaks of a dog’s loyalty at the foot of Calvary’s cross and the hope that we might all be loyal in the days to come.

We prayed the prayer of the faithful, including prayers for couples who had to postpone their weddings, prayers for children who might be finding these days difficult and prayers for those who are sick and those who have died.

At Holy Communion time, I spoke to people about “Spiritual Communion” – which means that people who really want to receive the Eucharist but are physically unable to do so, may receive in the depths of their hearts and Souls, knowing that the Lord too, wishes to be in communion with them.

At the end of Mass I spoke about some resources on achonrdyiocese.org/bringinghome that might be useful to people as they try to pray at home during this Holy Week. I told people of the ceremonies for the rest of the week and how happy I was to have this technology that would go some way towards keeping us in contact.

I promised a prayer, requested a prayer and offered a blessing.

The Mass is ended!

When I got to the sacristy, there were several messages on my phone, all with the same message – not a message of “Well done”, “It was great to have that” or messages of that kind. Alas, the broadcast broke down within one minute!!

I was alone after all.

Or, was I???