Not Much Happening In California

With Fr Bartus on an unspecified "sabbatical" until fall, that, combined with "social distancing" measures, has severely dampened ordinariate activities in California. California guidelines limit occupancy to 25% capacity or a maximum of 100 on top of roped-off pews, so that for most of the venues (all provisional, most quite small), indoor attendance can't amount to much more than a dozen.

My regular correspondent reports that the Newman group in Irvine will not hold any mass until Fr Simington arrives in July, but the capacity restrictions even then will likely be a major problem. The St Augustine group in San Diego, very iffy in any case, will not reopen until fall when the school where it meets reopens. Our Lady of Grace, Covina has resumed its pre-COVID-19 schedule (one Sunday mass) with Fr Baaten, although roped off pews and limitations on singing and procession would be in force.

An interesting case is the Holy Martyrs Murrieta parish, which in the absence of Fr Bartus is not holding daily mass but does have one Sunday mass celebrated by Fr Bayles in the parking lot. Since he lives in San Luis Obispo County, he makes a near 400 mile round trip to do this, leading me to question whether the socially-distanced attendance can reimburse him for mileage and pay his stipend.

My correspondent sent links to photos of the Pentecost mass from the parish site. Here are a few that I found most worthy of comment. There are many others at the site:

Since the mass is held outdoors, it isn't completely clear what "social distancing" measures are in place, nor whether those specified by the local Diocese of San Bernardino are being followed, which is ordinariate policy. There are more in the altar party than would normally be allowed in an indoor mass, and there's a choir, a definite no-no. Riverside County has not been strictly enforcing masks,

All these measures are arbitrary and probably ineffective, but the question is whether any sort of order is being observed by the Church as a whole in response to the issues at hand. If the Church as a whole, either via individual dioceses or the USCCB, takes exception, this needs to be addressed via "consultations", as bishops have successfully done, not by individual groups freelancing outdoors.

Individual laity attended in lawn chairs or sitting on auto bumpers, as seen here. Attendance looked like it was several dozen. Chapel veils were in evidence.