Nine Pastoral Reflection Points on the Live Streaming of Mass
Ricky Manalo, CSP
March 18, 2020
For my friends who now find themselves involved in live stream ministry (e.g., daily mass, liturgy of the hours, prayers services, etc. via new media and technology tools), I put together some reflection points on this issue that I hope you find helpful. In this context, my aim is to help your parishioners understand better this mediated form of worship, particularly if they are unfamiliar with it. I also need to qualify that I’m writing from my Roman Catholic perspective.
The following nine reflection points are based on my notes of the last chapter of Teresa Berger’s excellent book “@Worship” (Routledge, 2018), a book which I initially read close to a year and half ago. But I also draw from my own writings and two keynotes on this topic. I have many more points that I’d love to share, but I prefer to keep this presentation more concise. Feel free to share your thoughts, opinions, and advice below. I remain open to learning from those who are actually doing this and are out there “in the field.” (If I had more time, I probably could add 9 more points.) I may combine all of our thoughts together for a future article, workshop or keynote address. If I use/include/borrow your insights, I’ll ask for your permission.
1. Roman Catholicism’s [Relatively] Long Tradition of Worship, New Media and TechnologyA. For those who may have doubts of the legitimacy of live stream masses, we are one of the largest social institutions in the world who continually intersect/inter-relate religious and worship practices with new media and technology tools.
B. For example:
i. the accessing of prayer texts, scripture, and ritual prescriptions via a wide variety of electronic devices, Apps, etc.
ii. the live streaming of Masses, other sacraments, particularly for the homebound, etc.
iii. Pope Francis’ initiative of the first synchronized (“live”), worldwide Eucharistic Adoration on June 2, 2013;
iv. the Paulist Fathers’ Busted Halo and live stream masses (www.paulist.org/watchmass, an admitted shout-out to my community);
v. In the end, let them know that the Holy Spirit is indeed present in the internet, the world wide web, etc., as much as the same Spirit is present throughout the rest of the world. At the same time, theological questions continue to emerge: e.g., eating bread and wine in your home at the end of the live stream mass (if that is done) is not the same as the consecrated bread and wine, etc. 2. Uncomfortableness/Awkwardness for First-Time Participants
A. If some of your parishioners or other worship participants express some level of uncomfortableness and/or awkwardness with this form of worship, this is natural. Our sacramental tradition is “deeply incarnational . . . wedded to physicality and matter . . . because God embraced materiality in the incarnation . . .” (Berger, 84). So much of our traditional and present day rituals and practices reflect/are expressions of this theology.
B. At the same time, we might be surprised: many first-time participants also note the benefits and gifts that live stream liturgies afford: e.g., familiarity of established symbols and rituals, gratitude that technology could “bring us together” despite our physical distances,” etc.
3. Physical v. VirtualA. Two quotes from Berger’s book that come from two Methodist theologians:
i. “[W]hile it is true that physical presence with one another seems to be the best way for humans to experience mutual presence with one another, it is wrong to say that it is the only form of presence. We are [and] can be present, even in attenuated form, through the telephone, through Skype, through video” (Peter Phillips in Mark Woods’ “Twitter Communions” in Berger, 85).
ii. And “[t]he Church of Christ is not defined by a parochial togetherness in time and space, but by its universal unity in Christ who, through [sic] the power of the Spirit, is always and everywhere present.” (Tim Ross in Mark Woods “Twitter Communions” in Berger, 85).
B. Still, while live-stream liturgies do not replace close physical proximity, a better use of camera placement, angle shots, lighting, and microphones, may help contribute to a better sense of intimacy. For example:
i. After establishing an initial wide angle shot, do more close-up shots of the minister(s) in order to “decrease” the distance between viewer and presider/ministers.
ii. Take more seriously the value of good/better sound quality (don’t just think about the camera and visual components). At one level, sound is more important than the visual (last two ideas from Paulist President Eric Andrews, CSP).
iii. Look for opportunities/moments to actually address people at home directly (e.g., look into the camera). Acknowledge their “presence” (idea from Paul Snatchko, Marketing & Communications Director for the Paulist Fathers). 4. The Power of God’s Word
A. This particular context affords us an opportunity to highlight our scriptural tradition: i.e., Liturgy of the Word, Liturgy of the Hours, preaching, etc.
B. About preaching, presiders and/or preachers may spend even more time preparing quality homilies that “nourish” the soul. (And yes, we should be doing this already.) This does not necessarily mean that such homilies have to be longer; in the end, that’s a cultural judgment. Other creative imaginings may include how the “at home participants” may contribute (simultaneously or not) to the prayers of the faithful, or other parts of the mass. 5. Don’t Forget About the Music and the Other Art Forms
A. Think beyond didactic and/or strictly textual forms of conveying God’s saving grace. It’s common for presiders and other ministers who may be new to this medium to initially “think spoken language” first and art second. But the proper use of other artforms may contribute towards a multivalent and deeper expression of the Good News.
B. What to sing? Read the 2007 U.S. Bishops’ document Sing to the Lord: Music in Divine Worship and apply this to your own context (e.g., availability of music resources, musicians, musical skill level of the presider, etc.).
C. What artforms? Read the U.S. Bishops’ Built of Living Stones: Art, Architecture, and Worship. Suggestions: look for opportunities to highlight visual arts at different points of the service (e.g., the cross, stained glass windows, flower/plant arrangements, etc.); use slides during the homily, etc. 6. Remain Open to the Holy Spirit and New (or Retrieved) Forms of Meaning
A. It goes without saying that the Holy Spirit is working through all of this (with us, alongside of us, and beyond us). Remain open to how moments of grace and spiritual renewal are being experienced among worship participants.
B. Here’s one example that could lead to a renewed understanding of our Lenten fast. In the early Church (at least according to a Letter of Pope Innocent I writing from Rome to Bishop Decentius in Gubio in the fifth century), no sacraments (e.g., no celebration of the Eucharist, no reception of the Body and Blood of Christ) occurred between the Holy Thursday Mass and the Easter Vigil as a means to truly “fast” and to enter into the fullness and richness of the Easter Vigil celebration and the successive Sundays that followed. For our parishioners who are now forced to fast from the Eucharist, how might this historical nugget be applied to this year’s Lenten journey? 7. Worship Hybridity
A. In Santa Clara University I taught online/hybrid courses on liturgy (10 classes per quarter). Seven of the ten classes were taught online (via Zoom), but for the first, fifth, and tenth classes we met “in person.” I developed pedagogical skills and tools that intentionally “interchanged” both “classroom” settings.
B. This notion of worship hybridity brings a few recommendations to mind, recommendations that strategically interrelates the variety of worship sites. One example (and I have a lot more): be more intentional in interrelating live stream masses with other forms of worship/spirituality practices that occur/”take place” in the everyday lives of your parishioners, particularly if they’re “stuck at home.” Should this happen again (and it will), how might we be better prepared for these worship dynamics? 8. The Development of Future Resources
A. To publishers: While we pray that these forms will not be the norm, how might we develop today particular books, artforms, music and prayer resources, etc. that will be useful in this new worship landscape, resources that more intentionally interconnect the broader spectrum of worship practices? 9. Our Present Pastoral Context
A. Finally, the live streaming of the mass during this period of COVID-19 is not the norm, nor should it be the ideal; this will not last . . . although we will most likely revisit this medium more often in the future (Fall 2020?).
B. As such, we need to remain open and continually reflect upon the pros and cons of these mediated forms of worship as we walk on this journey together. In this light, remain open to receiving daily feedback/critiques/concerns from the “actual” worship participants so that all of us may better appropriate these [new] forms of worship and thus continue the tradition/s that have been handed down to us.
