As we emerge from COVID, and as we reflect as a community on the experiences of the past two years, two special Masses will be celebrated by Archbishop Peter A Comensoli in May to recognise and remember some of those whose lives have been especially affected by the pandemic.
Mass of Thanksgiving for Health and Aged-care Workers
Sunday 1 May 2022
(Feast of St Joseph the Worker and May Day)
St Patrick’s Cathedral
Employees in the aged- and health-care service sectors are invited to attend this Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral, with hospitality to follow.
Parishes are also encouraged to mark this event in their own communities by focusing prayerfully on the contributions and the needs of aged- and health-care workers during their own Masses on the weekend of 30 April and 1 May.
Some suggestions to engage parish communities during Mass
- Create a themed focus in the liturgical environment and/or include a procession of symbols—for example, some items of personal protective equipment (PPE) could be placed on the sanctuary.
- Invite a parishioner to share a story of their experience during this time. Ideally this would be someone who works in aged or health care, but could also be someone who was helped or inspired by the care they received from an aged- or health-care worker during the pandemic. You could ask them to:
- share a stand-out memory or experience during COVID
- share how their faith has supported them during this time, or how they have grown or been challenged.
- Invite a health- or aged-care worker to proclaim the readings.
- Invite workers to read the prayer of the faithful, or simply include the following intercessions.
Intercessions for health- and aged-care workers
We pray for all those in our health- and aged-care systems who bring comfort and healing to the sick, the frail and the dying. May God protect and uphold them in their important work, and may they be encouraged and well supported in their calling to serve the most vulnerable among us.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray especially today for all those in our health- and aged-care systems who are suffering from trauma or burnout in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the added demands that this crisis has placed on them. May our God of peace and mercy bring healing to the healers, meeting them in their deepest need.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
- Following the prayer after Communion, invite health- and aged-care workers to come forward to receive a special blessing, using the following prayer from The Book of Blessings (Chapter 7—‘Organisations Concerned with Public Need’):
Blessed are you, Lord, God of mercy,
Who through your Son gave us a marvelous example of charity
and the great commandment of love for one another.
Send down your blessings on these your servants,
who so generously devote themselves to helping others.
When they are called on in times of need,
let them faithfully serve you in their neighbour.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Suggested parish bulletin notice
Mass of Thanksgiving for Health and Aged-care Workers, St Patrick’s Cathedral, Sunday 1 May
As we emerge from COVID, and as we reflect as a community on the experiences of the past two years, Archbishop Peter A Comensoli will celebrate a special Mass at St Patricks Cathedral at 11am on Sunday 1 May to recognise and remember all those who serve our community in the health- and aged-care systems.
Employees in the aged- and health-care service sectors are invited to attend this Mass, with hospitality to follow.
We will be marking this event in our own parish during Masses on the weekend of 30 April and 1 May by focusing prayerfully on the contributions and the needs of aged- and health-care workers.
Mass to Commemorate Those Who Have Died during the COVID Pandemic
Sunday 22 May 2022
St Patrick’s Cathedral
‘He will wipe away all tears from their eyes; death will be no more, and sadness and crying and pain will be no more. The first things have passed away.’
—Revelation 21:4
In recognition of the significant impact of COVID in our families and communities, Archbishop Peter will celebrate a memorial Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral on Sunday 22 May for all those who have died during the COVID pandemic (including but not limited to those who have died from COVID). This Mass will be offered for all the departed who could not be mourned properly or whose lives could not be celebrated suitably because of pandemic restrictions.
You are invited to submit the name(s) of those you would like remembered during the Mass by filling out the following form. The names will be placed in a basket, which will be placed at the base of the altar, to be prayed for during all Masses over the weekend of 21–22 May.
Parishes are also encouraged to mark this event in their own communities during their Masses on the weekend of 21–22 May by focusing prayerfully on those who died during COVID.
Some suggestions to engage parish communities during Mass
- Offer a box or an online tool (such as Google Forms or TryBooking) for parishioners to submit the names of friends or loved ones who have died during 2020–2021.
- During the weekend Masses, place a basket containing these names on the sanctuary.
- Invite parishioners who have lost someone to write a paragraph on their friend or loved one and to submit their tribute and memories, with a photo, to be collected in an album, with the album to be placed on the sanctuary during the weekend Masses.
- Include the following intercessions in the prayer of the faithful.
Intercessions for those who have died during COVID
We pray for the sick of our parish and for all who have asked for our prayers.
We pray for those whose anniversaries we remember at this time and all those who have died recently. We pray especially today, across our Archdiocese, for all those who have died during the COVID-19 pandemic. May they know fullness of eternal life in God’s kingdom.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for the families and friends of all those who have lost their lives during the pandemic, and especially for those who were unable to be with their loved ones as they died, or who have been unable to gather in person at funerals because of COVID restrictions. May our God of grace and compassion be close to them in their grief, and may they find meaningful ways to remember and honour the lives of those they have lost.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
- Submit a photo and/or name to be included in a PowerPoint presentation to be played during an appropriate song for reflection after Communion.
- Invite those who have lost a loved one to come forward and place a symbol (such as a photo, candle, flower or card with a name) in a focus space on the sanctuary.
- Invite those who have lost a loved one to come forward and collect a symbol to take home (for example, a flower, prayer card, candle or small plant).
Suggested parish bulletin notice
Mass to Commemorate Those Who Have Died during the COVID Pandemic, St Patrick’s Cathedral, Sunday 22 May
In recognition of the significant impact of COVID in our families and communities, Archbishop Peter A Comensoli will celebrate a memorial Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral on Sunday 22 May for all those who have died during the COVID pandemic (including but not limited to those who have died from COVID). This Mass will be offered for all the departed who could not be mourned properly or whose lives could not be celebrated suitably because of pandemic restrictions.
You can submit names of those you would like remembered at this Mass via the following link:
www.surveymonkey.com/r/GZKP7QF
We will be marking this event in our own parish during Masses on the weekend of 21 and 22 May by remembering and celebrating the lives of those within our own community who have died during COVID.