Faithful in diocese return to Mass: ‘We are all instruments of God’

SOMERSET — Often seen lighting candles on the altar or distributing patens to extraordinary ministers of holy Communion, just as he did at the Vigil Mass at St. Matthias Church June 5, Tom Fullerton is a familiar face at St. Matthias Parish, having once served as the sacristan there.

Though he has been coming to the church regularly since the public celebration of the Mass was restored last June on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, the 82-year-old said he was glad to see more people coming back to Mass. “When somebody sees faith in another person, it causes them to want to be a part of it, too,” said Fullerton.

“We are all instruments of God,” he added.

This year, on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood Christ celebrated June 5-6, Fullerton most likely saw many more of the faithful at St. Matthias. In a May 20 statement, the bishops of New Jersey announced that on the Solemnity, the general obligation to attend Mass was reinstated. In lifting the dispensation, the bishops said that “due to the observance of public safety protocols and the increase in the availability of vaccines, we have begun a return to some sense of normalcy in various sectors of our society.”

While welcoming the Christian faithful as they return to participate in the Sunday Eucharist, the source and summit of the Catholic faith, the bishops noted that the obligation does not apply to individuals who are ill; who have reason to believe that they were recently exposed to the coronavirus or another serious or contagious illness; who are confined to their home, a hospital, or nursing facility; or have serious underlying health conditions. They advised that one should consult their local pastor if questions arise about the obligation to attend Mass.

Recognizing that some people are still unable to return to Mass because of illness or a host of other serious reasons, St. Matthias Parish — like many other parishes in the diocese — will continue offering a live-streamed Mass, calling it “a great source of evangelization during these difficult times.”

The parish will also continue with the use of safety protocols, assured Msgr. Joseph M. Curry, parochial vicar, who celebrated the 5 p.m. Mass June 5. His announcement about the continued safety protocols was augmented by a one-page flyer, outlining a summary timeline of the gradual return to normalcy. Accompanying the parish bulletin, the flyer was available as a hardcopy and was also made available on the parish website.

Msgr. Curry addressed the “uncharted waters of life” after COVID-19, aptly writing in the parish bulletin for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ that “we all need to be reminded of the great gift of hope that the Body of Christ is for us and the great refuge it can be when we are challenged or struggling.”

Acknowledging those same challenges, Fullerton said that while he understands the struggles, particularly with so many still facing the effects caused by the pandemic-ridden year, he also hopes that many more people will continue to return to Mass, especially the younger generations.

As he finished cleaning up in the sacristy after the June 5 Mass and then stood facing the empty pews, where ushers and volunteers were methodically sanitizing and wiping in preparation for the June 6 Masses, Fullerton said he knows there can be a hesitancy to return to some sense of normalcy. Yet, in his own life, he added, his strong faith has led him to place his trust in God – a feeling he hopes will be experienced and embraced by others.

“We all go through hard times, but in all the hard times I have gone through, I have always thanked God,” said Fullerton. “I thank God every day for everything He has given to me, in good times and in bad times. He gets us through all these times.”