St. Luke held outdoor service June 11 - the first since the shutdown

Photo by Christine Goodrich

By Cathy Goodrich

St. Luke Catholic church in Shoreline held its first in person mass since the COVID-19 shut down.

Registration for attendance at mass (if you wanted to and felt safe) started a 2-3 weeks ago in anticipation of "opening up".

Those who registered got an email telling them they could attend on June 11 which is Feast of Corpus Christi. Attendance was limited. Names were checked off the list as parishioners stood in line to go upstairs to the field. Masks were required. Circles in chalk designed spaces to sit with larger circles for larger family groups.

Fr Brad Hagelin was only one not wearing a mask until Holy Communion was distributed. The altar servers had masks. There was no music.

Communion was after Final Blessing so out of usual order so that Fr. Brad could use hand sanitizer and mask up. People went up as the usher directed. People removed masks just before extending arms/hands flat to receive Host while maintaining a distance.

People walked away before consuming host. If the priest's fingers touched hands, he would have to go back and use hand sanitizer. He suggested people return to their chairs and pray 60 sec before leaving quietly. Probably 50-75 people attended and nobody lingered.

A parishioners said that "It was nice to receive the Eucharist for the first time since shutdown. It was nice to wave "peace" to people - even if I wasn't always sure who they were behind the mask!"

If King county is approved for Phase 2, the church may not have to  go through all these precautions.