Praise Be to Jesus Christ!

I’m overjoyed that public Masses are resuming at Ss. Cyrils and throughout the Archdiocese of Detroit.  I wanted to take a minute and share with you how our precautions regarding public Masses will impact music ministry at out our church.

You will notice that we do not have hymnals in the pews.  These have been temporarily removed during this time per the guidelines for resumption of public Masses from the Archdiocese, because of potential virus transmission from people handling them at different Masses and the virtual impossibility of adequately sanitizing them all after each public liturgy.  During this time, we will do our very best to sing music that we know well and that can be easily sung without worship aids.

The worship office at the Archdiocese has asked us to share some concerns about singing in public.  A study was presented which suggested that singing produces 6-10x more droplets that may transmit viral particles than speaking or breathing.  Of course, we are all asked to wear masks in public places, and the bishop’s guidelines have prompted Fr. Libor to require all persons coming to public Masses to wear a mask at Ss. Cyrils.  This includes when we sing.  As difficult as it may be, please keep your masks on even when you are singing at Holy Mass.  An exception will be the ministers at the altar and the organist/cantor, since they will be physically distant from the congregation to mitigate droplet transmission during singing.  Additionally, the Archdiocese’s guidelines discouraged congregational singing in public masses altogether; if you feel this is best for you, God will understand if you praise Him in your heart!  For our part, many parts of the Mass which would ordinarily be sung will be recited to keep congregational singing to a minimum, but we will still be singing some well-known hymns and responses at Holy Mass.  Again, please wear your masks, even during these parts of the Mass.  As God wills, we will be back to a more normal celebration of Holy Mass before we know it, and I appreciate your understanding.

Unfortunately, due to social distancing guidelines we are still not able to have public gatherings outside of Holy Mass at this time; this means that choirs will still be on pause.  I hope to resume in the Fall.  If anyone is interested in virtual choir performances or virtual choir meetings via Zoom, please reach out to me.

Please reach out to me at any time if you have any comments, concerns, or ideas on how I can better serve us through music ministry during this time – my email address is jlong@saintcyrils.church.

May God Bless us all

-Joseph Long