Moment Of Great Joy: St. Mary's Parishioners Receive Drive-By Eucharist At Weekend Service

ALTON - St. Mary's Catholic Church in Alton has had to make numerous changes since the advent of the COVID-19 Pandemic, but this past weekend, there was a moment of great joy for many who were able to have communion for the first time in more than two months.

Father Jeremy Paulin, OMV, said when Bishop Thomas Paprocki announced that the parishes of the Springfield Diocese were going to be able to distribute Holy Communion after Masses this past weekend, "my heart surged with joy because I knew so many of my people longed to receive Jesus in the Eucharist and had not been able to for more than two months."

Paulin continued: "We met with the other Catholic parishes and pastors in the Alton Deanery and each parish worked on a way to be able to distribute Holy Communion to their parishioners. What we at Saint Mary's decided to do was to have our daily 9:00 a.m. Sunday live stream Mass from the church, immediately after which we gave Communion at four stations along 4th Street beside the church."

Paulin said the Knights of Columbus assisted in setting up the canopies and tables and also provided traffic direction for parishioners.

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"The service went very reverently and smoothly as four cars approached at a time, and people very prayerfully got out of their cars, received Holy Communion, and returned in their cars," Paulin said. "I gave each family a blessing as they departed. Even though it was raining most of the morning, during the three hours in which we gave out the Eucharist, there was a great spirit of joy and gratitude among the parishioners.

"We estimate that about 350 cars with over 500 parishioners were able to receive Jesus in the Eucharist," Paulin continued. "Many tears were shed and a person even related that the heavens, were dropping down their own tears of joy at what we were able to do in receiving Holy Communion this Sunday.

"The windows of the church were opened as the organist played beautifully the whole time so that people could have more of a sense of worship as they received Jesus in the Eucharist."

St. Mary's Church plans on having these Communion Services on a schedule until such time as public Mass begins again in the church, which we pray will be soon.

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