Flu season prompts changes in churches

<p>Nods, waves and bows have been replacing the intimacy of handshakes and hugs at many religious services in Petaluma due to concerns over the flu season, and many people are finding it difficult to make the adjustment.</p><!-- Nothing to do. The paragraph has already been output --><p>“We really miss the greetings and other things that we did instinctively,” said Father Michael Culligan of St. James Catholic Church. “It’s been a big adjustment, but we’re getting used to it.”</p><p>Due to concerns over transmission of the flu, Bishop Daniel Walsh of the Catholic Church Diocese of Santa Rosa suggested that churches ban handshaking, drinking out of a communal cup and offering holy water for blessings.</p><p>“Now, some people instinctively dip their hands for holy water, and find that it has been drained,” Culligan said.</p><p>The changes being made because of the flu season are temporary, and were prompted by the unusual flu season, in which the seasonal flu as well as H1N1 (swine) flu are expected to be active.</p><p>Local Catholic churches are free to choose whether or not to comply with the bishop’s suggestions. St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, like St. James, is not serving wine out of a communal cup, but still offers holy water.</p><p>“A few people said they didn’t think that emptying our holy-water fonts was necessary, and we decided not to do it,” said Father Gary Lombardi of St. Vincent. “The bishop also suggested that people not join hands during the Lord’s Prayer and not shake hands while giving a sign of peace, but we don’t do those things, anyway.</p><p>“We leave it up to people to do what they want.”</p><p>Protestant churches also have changed some of their practices. </p><p>“I challenged people to show affection and affirmation without touching,” said the Rev. Dave Weidlich of First Presbyterian Church. “And I told the congregation that after the service, rather than stand by the main door, where people feel obligated to shake hands or give a hug, I would stay at the front of the sanctuary.”</p><p>During communion, people formerly tore a piece of bread from a loaf, and dipped it in a cup of wine.</p><p>“Now, the bread is cut up so that people don’t have to handle it. People don’t drink out of the same cup, but someone’s hand could go into the wine, so we might do something about that,” he said.</p><p>First Presbyterian Church, like many other local religious groups, also has hand sanitizers available.</p><p>Due to concerns over germs spreading from ill members, two years ago, United Church of Christ began breaking the loaf of communion bread into pieces.</p><p>“But people haven’t expressed any concerns about changing anything else because of the flu. I don’t feel that it’s been particularly on our radar,” said the Rev. Blythe Sawyer, pastor of the church. </p><p>B’nai Israel Jewish Center doesn’t have any ritualistic practices that raise concerns over spreading the flu, said its Ted Feldman, its rabbi.</p><p>“But I remind people that we have hand sanitizers, and that people should make use of them,” he said.</p><p>(Contact Dan Johnson at dan.johnson@arguscourier.com)</p>