Masses may be suspended if Flu Virus spread gets worse

Here are some excerpts from a troubling news about the reaction of Pinoy bishops to the Influenza A (H1N1) scare.  Courtesy of GMANews.tv

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MANILA, Philippines - The Catholic Church is considering suspending Masses should the spread of the A(H1N1) flu virus become worse in the Philippines – as a "last resort."

But Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, along with some priests and parishioners, thinks the proposal unnecessary, [IT IS!!!] according to Mariz Umali in her GMA Weekend Report aired on Sunday, shortly after midnight.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines made the announcement through Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Yñiguez.

However, suspending Masses would be a "drastic measure," Yñiguez stressed in an interview with GMA's Lala Roque.

"We will have to evaluate that [the situation]... lalo na yang misa, yan ang pinakamahalagang gawaiin natin bilang mga Katoliko [especially since the Mass is our most impontant activity as Catholics]," Yñiguez said. [Then why even toy with the idea?]

In response, Duque said: "Walang gumagawa ng ganoon sa ibang bansa, kahit na yung mataas ang kanilang kaso. Kasi mild lang ito. Wala tayong problema dito kasi mild cases lang 'to. Hindi kailangan pahintuin ang pagmimisa ng mga tao."

[No other country has done that, not even those with a high incidence of flu. This is a mild flu. We don't have a problem here because our cases are mild. There's no need to stop people from going to Mass.] [PRECISELY!!!  Not even the persecutions of the Romans, the Japanese, the Communists and the Nazis stopped the faithful from celebrating the Mass!  And now this?!?!]

Fr. Ed Guarin of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Quezon City echoed the same sentiment, saying that most of the people in his church did not mind holding hands while singing "Our Father" because they were acquainted with each other. [Liturgically, holding hands or raised hand does matter.]

Earlier this month, the Church modified mass services, disallowing hand-to-mouth communion and holding hands while singing the Our Father. But these traditional practices have returned in some churches. [Is it because the faithful have more faith?]

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Deadlier viruses have struck the world, like Ebola, SARS and even Black Death but NONE of these were met by previous Church officials with suggesting that MASS BE STOPPED!  Who benefits from Mass not being celebrated?

There is a susperstition in the Philippines that evil spirits roam the land during Good Friday because it is the only time when Mass is not offered and that as the old folks would say it "God is dead on that day."

SOOOO, if Mass is stopped...who benefits?  WHO ROAMS THE STREETS?

Some men of faith...