Catholic Worship in New Paltz changed dramatically.

Many students who are in the Catholic Campus Ministry group are lamenting both the cancellation of graduation and Catholic mass services due to COVID 19.
“I think that it is good at the moment,” said Nick Alfiero. He is an Adolescent Education major in Biology from Greenlawn, New York. “There needed to be prudence. If this will help people not to be sick and die. This is the best option the school can take.” Alfiero is a member of the Catholic Campus Ministry CCM, and Alpha Pi Delta fraternity.
“I mean obviously, it’s not ideal, especially for us seniors,” said Andrew Powers. “I would personally feel terrible if I unknowingly played a role in passing along COVID. I’m not really bothered by no graduation, as I actually wasn’t going to attend anyway. But I am disappointed that I’m missing out on my last semester with my friends on campus, though I understand.” Powers is a fifth year senior History major from Poughkeepsie, New York, and is involved on campus through the Catholic Campus Ministry group. He leads the group as President on Wednesday nights and even has a faith sharing group. Powers even moved the Faith Sharing Group to Thursday afternoons on ZOOM, so he could be with his fellow club members.

“I think it’s a good response to an unprecedented crisis,” said John Gavin, SUNY New Paltz Class of 2019. The members of the Catholic Campus Ministry club are awaiting the time that they can reunite on the fourth floor of the Student Union Building.
Campus Minister Hank Grimsland is in charge of the group, and shares videos of live mass and other services offered. Grimsland is hoping the members of the group can come back to New Paltz for Pentecost, in a few weeks. Three members of the SUNY New Paltz student body will be completing the Rites of Initiation, making them officially Catholic.
In the weeks before the pandemic took its boost, several churches took out holy water. Whenever a Catholic walks into his or her church, they bless themselves with the Sign of the Cross, to signify that their baptismal vows are renewed.
Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, who is in charge of the New York Archdiocese, decided to cancel public mass when Dutchess County decided to cancel all events that had 20 people or more. “It is also intended to provide clarity and consistency throughout the ten counties that comprise the Archdiocese of New York (Manhattan, the Bronx, Staten Island, Westchester, Putnam, Orange, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Dutchess),” said Dolan.
The Archdiocese of New York stretches from Tottenville, at the south shore of Staten Island, in New York City, to just north of Kingston, New York, in the Village of Saugerties, making it one of the largest dioceses, geographically, in the United States.
Fr. John Koelle, a Catholic priest here in New Paltz, said that people started to arrive for the Saturday evening anticipated mass, at St. Joseph’s for the next day, and some did not even know mass in the Archdiocese was cancelled.
“Well, I wasn't here when people were arriving for the Saturday 5:00 pm Vigil,” said Koelle. “However, what I understand is that people were very disappointed, but understood. We have a very patient and generous parish community.” Several priests have left their churches open for private prayer during the day, on the basis that people will practice safe social distancing.
Slowly, other dioceses, around the country, and previously around the world, had started to close public mass, and transition to an online format for their faithful parishioners.
Local and state governments have now been banning Catholic clergy, and other religious leaders from entering places where those with the coronavirus are. This has left the clergy and parishioners upset that their loved ones will not get the proper rites of funeral burial. “It’s kind of sad these days,” said Fr. John Koelle. “We are not allowed to give the sacrament of last rites.”
“My reaction to the ADNY decision to suspend mass was, of course understandable,” said Fr. Koelle. “We didn't know the virus and how it's transmitted well enough to go on with limited people in the building and so, the decision to suspend was the obvious choice. That being said, we should have been back at least two weeks ago. Albeit limited, I think we can have mass with social distancing and a limited number of people.”

Fr. John Koelle is an assistant priest at Saint Joseph’s parish in New Paltz. Photo is courtesy of Fr. Koelle’s facebook.

Fr. Koelle now uploads videos of himself proclaiming the readings of each day and giving a summary on his personal Facebook page. Student John Gavin, who was mentioned earlier in this story, takes delight in watching Fr. Koelle preach. “Concerning the live streaming: people are satisfied that there is something in which they can participate prayerfully despite only viewing the mass,” said Fr. Koelle. The overwhelming majority, in my opinion, is they all want them to be back in church and receive the Eucharist.” At some hospitals, Catholic chaplains and other religious chaplains are not even allowed to go to give last rites to the hospital they are assigned to serve by their bishop.
Several CCM members talk at weekly meetings, how they enjoy the online mass with their families.
At mass, the most important point is the transubstantiation. This signifies Jesus’ turning bread and wine into his body and blood at his Last Supper.
The Catholic Church holds the truth that the Eucharist, a Wafer of bread, is the fully human and divine Jesus Christ. Whenever people receive this, it strengthens them to live out the message of Jesus Christ, and is the focal point of the whole religion. Without this people have feelings of despair, not being able to truly receive the Lord into their lives.
Regular funeral masses are not even allowed now. When a person dies, a priest at the cemetery will say the prayers, and the graveside burial is done with only ten people allowed other than the priest and funeral directors, considering the social distance protocols are followed.
This has left people in more agony, than the actual death itself, of a family member.
Every church in the Archdiocese will have several memorial masses to take place, in light of the fact that the proper burial was not performed at the time of the person’s passing.
Fr. Koelle described how he does not even know when someone has died. It sometimes has to wait until someone calls the rectory and lets them know a loved one has passed.
This despair was truly felt during Holy Week, and on Easter Sunday. Some people were not even allowed to see their family members in person, let alone attend mass. It was a truly different type of Easter. For those who are strongly Roman Catholic, this was a shocker to them.
Fr. Koelle was ordained in 2019, at a rather older age, because he had trouble discerning the priesthood at a younger age. He expressed his once eagerness in hopes to spread the word to others at Holy Week, however he was denied that opportunity.
It's possible Christmas will have to be as awkward as Easter has been. That would mean scaling back in-person worship. People will probably have to watch mass online, and spend the holiday with only with family. Leaders of the New York Archdiocese have expressed not wanting to reopen mass until all four phases of the plan have been completed in every county of the Archdiocese.
They do not want just some counties opening, and some not. For example, they would not want people from a county like Manhattan, where there are tons of cases, travelling north to Orange or Ulster, where there are not that much. They fear as it is, cases will spike again if that happens.
As it is, when mass returns, there will be strict protocols put into place to practice before there is a vaccine. Even before the cancellation of public mass, many church leaders had decided to cancel the sign of peace. The faithful would shake hands with one another as a sign of helping each other to salvation. Masks and gloves will be strictly enforced.
States like Montana, and some dioceses in Florida, where there are no longer a high number of cases, are doing this.
Many Catholic groups have been looking to eradicate the sign of peace for years. It is a distraction to the Eucharist, the most important part of the mass. The sign of peace was introduced by Vatican II. These practices can cause spread of infectious symptoms.
What Catholics do believe is that people will be more grateful for the sacraments they just took for granted. There will be a better appreciation for the faith, and people will not live lightly their responsibilities of the Catholic faith.
Many are praying for a quick return of the public Catholic mass and the Eucharist.