Idaho Falls parish to live-stream Mass
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IDAHO FALLS — The St. John Paul II Catholic parish in Idaho Falls has suspended all public Masses, celebrations and meetings due to the spread of the novel coronavirus.
But that doesn’t mean worship services have stopped. The parish will be live-streaming a virtual Mass on Facebook on weekends through at least April 5. On Sunday, March 22, the parish will hold a virtual Mass in English and Spanish at 10 a.m.
Watch the virtual Masses here.
“For Catholic people, the Mass is our most intimate connection with God,” said the Rev. Ronald Wekerle, the parish pastor. “At Mass, we celebrate God’s presence in the Bible, and we celebrate it in the communion we share. … The fact that we are being denied that opportunity to receive that communion with God is earthshaking.”
Wekerle said it is tremendously rare for traditional Masses to be canceled.
“This is an unprecedented experience in our tradition,” Wekerle said. “It’s never happened for us except for in war times, so this is a once-in-a-lifetime event for anyone that is living.”
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He is encouraging his congregation and anyone else who wants to join to take part in the online Mass. The parish has asked its parishioners to prepare a place in their home where they can read from the Bible and practice traditional Catholic devotions, such as the Rosary, Divine Mercy Chaplet and the Stations of the Cross.
In place of sharing communion, Catholics are encouraged to make a “spiritual communion” with the Lord.
Catholics unable to celebrate reconciliation at this time are asked to follow the directives given in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and confess their sins directly to God, and at the first opportunity, seek out a priest for sacramental confession, according to a parish news release.
Viaticum and anointing of the sick for the dying will be available, as is possible, by calling the parish office and requesting the services of a priest. Wekerle said the parish office remains open, but access to the office building is limited.
The St. John Paul II parish is comprised of the Holy Rosary Church, Christ the King Church and Holy Rosary Catholic School. For more information about the parish visit its website or call the parish office at (208) 522-4366.
“This is a time for Catholic parishioners to band together,” Wekerle said. “But we ask all people to pray to God and ask the Lord to provide knowledge and resources necessary to eradicate this terrible disease.”