Our Lady of Good Counsel Church looks out for congregants at first Sunday Mass since lockdown

Story and photo by Beth Donze
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The Friends of Our Lady of Good Counsel Church left no stone unturned in their quest to create a safe worship space for those attending the Uptown church’s first Sunday Mass since the pandemic: the 5 p.m. Mass on May 17.

Doors at all three entrances were propped open, allowing for hands-free entry; masks were available in the vestibule for those in need of one, each packaged in its own Ziploc bag; and ushers placed a squirt of sanitizer on the hands of all who entered – so only one person was handling the bottle.

Inside the church’s soaring Gothic sanctuary, pews were roped off intermittently and blue painter’s tape was placed on the floor down the center aisle as social-distance reminders. During pre-Mass announcements, attendees also were asked to move a few extra feet down the pews – away from the center aisle – as an extra means of maximizing distance between worshippers.

“Like everyone, we’re very excited to have the churches open, but we also realize the importance of social distancing and the public health issue that everyone is facing now,” said Barbara Fortier, founder of the Friends of Our Lady of Good Counsel.

Right before distributing Communion, in accord with practices being observed at churches throughout the Archdiocese of New Orleans, Mass celebrant Father Charles Esuaiko and his extraordinary ministers of holy Communion applied hand sanitizer and donned masks.

The church was thoroughly cleaned before and after the liturgy.

“Everyone is thirsty to meet each other again,” Father Esuaiko noted during the homily. “Let us explore ways to put the pandemic into something positive.”