BISHOPS' COVID-19 INSTRUCTIONS FORCE LIT COMMITTEE RESIGNATION

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"I am writing to express my consternation at the current predicament the National Liturgy Office have posed for local priests, parishioners, and people on Liturgy Committees through your handling and response regarding the novel strain of flu, 'Covid-19'."



Sharon Crooks of Palmerston North has resigned from St Mary's Liturgy Committee. She has asked Fr John O'Connor, Acting Director of the National Liturgy Office, for an explanation of the NZ Conference of Catholic Bishops' contradiction of Church Tradition and the Magisterium in its reaction to the coronavirus crisis.     

"I have offered my resignation to the local Liturgy committee on which I have served for a couple of years.  Prior to this, I was a long-time Liturgy Committee member at St Brigid's, Pahiatua. 


"Despite my numerous communications seeking clarification from the Apostolic Nuncio, the Vicar General of Palmerston North Diocese, Mons Brian Walsh and our two local parish priests, I am yet to receive a good explanation telling me why the NZCBC would expect obedience to a local set of recommendations at the expense of disobedience to the Magisterium of the Holy Catholic Church.  

In addition, to date, it appears that neither the New Zealand Liturgy Office or the NZCBC have released any documentation to the public that demonstrates the Ministry of Health's understanding of correct protocol for administering Holy Communion on the hand or tongue demonstrating that one method leads to a reduction in contagion. 


I have consulted several parish priests and parishioners regarding 'obedience' and had mixed responses. Some are unequivocally supportive of the issues I present herein, being distressed by the current predicament, whilst others cannot see what the fuss is all about.  

For those of us who are distressed and have been forced on moral grounds to make Spiritual Communion at our daily Mass since this ban (on Communion on the tongue) came into force, can you please respond.

Please clarify how the Magisterium can be so blatantly ignored in light of any situation, be it a plague or a pandemic, when the literature is so clear.   

May the Lord bless your work

I look forward to hearing from you,
God bless

Sharon Crooks."