Best Practices & Suggestions
for Livestream Masses & Online Worship
Part Two: The Parts of the Mass
Ricky Manalo, CSP
Version: April 22, 2020
This site is devoted to my thoughts and suggestions on livestream and online worship. At this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a sudden and significant increase of available livestream Masses and other forms of worship: e.g., Liturgy of the Hours, artistic and musical offerings, spiritual and scriptural reflections, etc. Some worship communities have been using various media tools for years as a form of outreach ministry, particularly to those who are homebound, and/or for evangelization purposes. However, for the overwhelming majority of communities, these forms of worship are new.
This site is divided into two parts. Part One (link below) offers some preparation questions, basic principles, and suggestions. Part Two (this webpage) provides examples of best practices for the different parts of livestream masses. As a starting point, there are two types of livestream worship models: the interactive model and the liturgy-as-is model. In Part One (link below) I present more details and distinctions about these two models. For now, both webpages are more concerned about the former model of livestream masses, the interactive model.
On March 22, 2020, at 12:36pm, I posted in Facebook some introductory comments and suggestions for livestream worship. I received many responses and suggestions. Eventually, I hope to include many of those suggestions in this site. I also have discovered other resources for online worship, spanning different denominations and worship traditions. My particular site will focus on Roman Catholic worship as this is my own religious tradition. But if I find the suggestions from these other sites and resources to be worthwhile, useful, and if they meet my goals, I'll include them as well, along with the appropriate references.
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It goes without saying that many of the suggestions that I offer below are dependent upon a variety factors, from the quality of the media and technology tools that you have (not to mention the tools that the online participants have themselves) to the skill levels of all those involved "behind the camera," "before the camera," and "at home." In the end, consider ways of adapting my insights and suggestions to your own worship context.
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Lastly, I would never share or seek publication of my writing until I felt a draft form has gone through a thorough editorial process. But given our present context (not to mention that Holy Week is set to begin this weekend), I decided to offer what I have now. As such, this site will evolve day by day and over time as new information and suggestions are brought to my attention. The date of the latest version of this site is displayed at the top.
Comments & Suggestions?
I welcome all helpful comments and suggestions. You could get in touch with me through this link:
Before the Mass Begins
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Preliminary Preparation Period
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Do not begin the livestream “right away” (e.g., right at the opening hymn/song or
sign of the cross) without some preliminary preparation period in order for online
participants (1) to adjust sight and sound qualities; (2) to enter more prayerfully into “worship time and space”; (3) to feel welcomed (liturgical hospitality); and (4) to hear preliminary instructions, as distinct from instructions that occur during the liturgy.
Many sites have a standby screen during off hours. I particularly love the carefully chosen words that are displayed on the standby page of Jesuit Communications in
Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines:
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2. Viewing of Liturgical Context
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Approx. 10 mins before the Mass begins, show the worship space
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Pan-out view of entire worship space
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Consider other locations: e.g., outside entrance of church/worship space, immediate entrance space/narthex area, nave, altar, ambo, cross, windows, etc.
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Art (paintings, pictures, or photographs) that points to the liturgical season, scriptural readings, prayers of the mass
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Music: instrumental or song (recorded or live) that will be sung (particularly if new)
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Pictures of parishioners, past and present liturgical gatherings, familiar faces, etc.
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Stewardship, donation link
3. Greeting, Welcome, and Instructions
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Greeting
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Before liturgy begins, a greeting by the presiding minister or lay minister welcomes online participants, similar to the role of hospitality ministers during regular Sunday worship.
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A greeting could be done in a separate space from the worship site and/or it could be taped earlier.
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If you allow commenting during the liturgy, consider inviting online participants to greet one another right after your greeting.
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Welcome
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Welcome all (1) online participants; and (2) onsite participants.
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You could note the time (e.g., “Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord”) or the place (i.e., the place where the parish/community regularly gathers together [physically]).
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Sample Greeting and Welcome
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“Good morning, dear brothers and sisters in Christ!”
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“My name is [N.] and on behalf of the parish staff here at St. Paul the Apostle Church, located in the heart of New York City, we’d like to express our thanks and acknowledge your presence with us today as we enter into sacred time and space. In about 5 minutes we will begin our celebration of the Sacred Triduum. ‘In the Sacred Triduum, the Church solemnly celebrates the greatest mysteries of our redemption, keeping by means of special celebrations the memorial of her Lord, crucified, buried, and risen’ (Roman Missal).”
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“We welcome all of you from around the world. I see that Janet is joining us now from Austin, TX; Don and Alice and their two children are joining us from their home, just around the corner from the church [etc.]. We welcome you who are commenting online and invite you to express your greetings to one another now.”
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Our presider for our Holy Thursday liturgy, the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, will be Fr. Eric Andrews, president of the Paulist Fathers. Also present here in our chapel is Deacon Simon Kim; Jayne Traynor-Rose, our music director; our guitarist, Jack Louden; our cantor, Melanie Coddington; and our media and technology ministers, Joseph Reyes and Donna Berling, who also will be joining us in our liturgy. [Lastly, if you will be commenting during the liturgy, we have an online host, Paul Snatchko, who will be responding (and/or moderating) your comments.”]
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Instructions
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Invite online participants to pray along the liturgy and not just watch.
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Consider inviting them to not only pray and sing along, but also to do the prescribed postures and gestures.
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If they have not done so already, notify how online participants may obtain worship aids to help them participate better during the liturgy. Or, if the text and/or the music (assembly scores) will be displayed “on the screen,” let them know.
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If you allow simultaneous commenting during the liturgy, provide instructions, criteria, and preferences. For example:
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Some worship sites have a designated “host” who monitors comments. The host usually responds to each comment, greets those who join in (which could occur at any time), answers questions, regulates content and tone, etc.
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Provide online participants the option to “turn off” commenting by “closing” that window/sidebar or by enlarging their screen to full size, thus “hiding” that feature.
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Provide any other instructions that might be pertinent to the liturgy. In the end, it’s better to do so at the beginning, rather than during, as “inserted instructions” tend to disrupt the ritual flow of the liturgy. For example:
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"We realize how distracting and disruptive our media devices can be, particularly during worship, and that you have even more opportunities there at home to be interrupted than if you were here with us. So, we invite you now to turn off any electronic or digital devices that may distract you from entering into this sacred time and space."
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Rehearse any new songs/hymns or responsorial psalm setting.
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4. Call to Worship
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After the instructions which are particularly needed in this context, bring the focus back to worship. Consider one or more of the following as a call to worship
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Prelude: An instrumental, vocal, or choral meditation, chanting or choral singing of the Entrance Antiphon
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Art, music, or photos (see #2 above)
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Silence: An invitation to be silent before the Introductory Rites
How Accessible are your Online Worship Aids?
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Can your parishioners instantly locate the link to online worship aids? (Can my mother find it easily?)
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Best Practice Example
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St. Clare Church, O'Fallon, IL
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THE INTRODUCTORY RITES
Entrance Chant/Gathering Song/Hymn
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Live Assembly (onsite & online)
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A livestream with onsite liturgical musicians​ (cantor, instrumentalists, and choir) remains the best option.
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"Recorded music lacks the authenticity provided by a living liturgical assembly gathered for the Sacred Liturgy" (Sing to the Lord: Music in Divine Worship. . . . recorded music should never become a substitute for the community’s singing" (Sing to the Lord: Music in Divine Worship, USCCB, 2007: #93-94).
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While this option may be ideal, it needs to be qualified that the visual and sound quality is clear and accessible, otherwise poor quality media risks disengagement with online participants.
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Video shots may consider showing not only onsite assembly members, but also online assembly members.
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Text or assembly score is provided on screen or instructions on how to obtain worship aid is provided before mass begins.
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Multi-Screen of Music Ministers (previously recorded)
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When liturgical musicians cannot be present onsite (e.g., COVID-19), ​this format is quite engaging for online participants.
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Previously recorded video that is "inserted into" livestream allows for better sound quality due to post-production tools.
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Text or Assembly score is provided on screen or instructions on how to obtain worship aid is provided before mass begins.
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Best Practice Example:
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April 5, 2020, St. Paul the Apostle Church, NY, 5:30pm Mass
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Communion Meditation Song, From an Upper Room (Joseph Martin)
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The St. Paul Young Adult Choral Ensemble: Paulist seminarian, Dan Macalinao, produced this video on his iPad using the app "Lumafusion."
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This is an example of a "multi-screen video" in which each of the 10 musicians have their own separate window (recorded from their "homes"). The 10 include: the music director, Joey Chancey (who is seen conducting the song facing "us," the online participants!), the keyboardist (Joey again), and the 8 singers.
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Note: The title, composer, and name of the ensemble appears . Also, the lyrics are very clear: black background, white bold font.
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Link below, song starts at 1:01:39
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Cantor Alone (Previously Recorded)
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When liturgical musicians cannot be present onsite (e.g., COVID-19), this format is ​more direct, personal, and engaging.
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Previously recorded video that is "inserted into" livestream allows for better sound quality due to post-production tools.
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Text or Assembly score is provided on screen or instructions on how to obtain worship aid is provided.
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Best Practice Example
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March 29, 2020, St. Monica Catholic Church, 5:30pm Mass
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Opening/Gathering Song, "Christ in Me Arise"
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Link below, song starts at 12:58
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Music Onscreen: Text Only or Assembly Score?
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I have watched dozens of livestream masses that display either text only or assembly music scores when it came time for assembly singing. My own assessment is that text alone is better, since most of the assembly scores were too small: I might have been able to see the notes, but I did not see the lyrics as clearly.
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Producers need to realize that online participants use a plethora of media devices , from computer desktops to smart phones, and, hence, there is a diversity of screen sizes. Thus, text alone is better.
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If one chooses text alone, make sure that font is clear and appropriately large. Do not use italicize or cursive style.
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But the other advantage of text alone is that it allows the online participants "to see" other liturgical actions occurring simultaneously onscreen. In other words, the screen doesn't become too cluttered.
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If one chooses to use assembly scores (with music notes) make sure such scores have large texts. You might even consider enlarging the font size of the text/lyrics if possible.
To Process or Not to Process and Ritual Actions in General
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I have viewed many forms and levels of opening ritual actions during livestream liturgies, from full processions (from the narthex to the sanctuary) to processions from the sacristy (located on the right or left of the sanctuary) to none at all: e.g.., the presider stands at the chair right at the beginning.
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In general, I prefer more ritual actions that occur during livestream liturgies, than none at all, particularly because online participants expect what normally occurs each Sunday. Qualifying the media and technology tools that are being used and the skills of those who are using them, processions feel more welcoming, inviting, and, for lack of a better term, human.
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Another consideration is to adapt the principle of progressive solemnity: the more solemn the liturgy, the more ritual action. One example of this is from the livestream masses of St. Monica Catholic Church in Santa Monica, CA. On Holy Thursday, the procession took place from the sacristy located to the right of the sanctuary to the altar. Then, at the beginning of the Easter Sunday morning mass, they did a full procession from the narthex to the sanctuary!
The Liturgy of the Word
Where is the Assembly?
Preliminary Question: Where is the assembly? This single question is the most important question to ask in planning and preparing livestream masses.
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There are three locations:
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The assembly in front of the camera (onsite)​
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The assembly online
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Members of the assembly online who are able to comment.
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If the majority of worshippers are located online, then that's where the attention ought to be, as far as ministerial skills are concerned.
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How one interprets the location of the assembly affects every aspect of what follows in liturgical ministry: eye contact, pacing, arm gestures, preaching, the use of media tools to enhance and compliment the underlying theology, etc.
The Readings: Text, Camera, Eye Contact, and Pacing
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Displaying of Texts on the Screen
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During a normal Sunday Mass with no livestreaming the preference is to have the majority of the assembly "look up," towards the lector, rather than look down and read the text, with the exception of those who cannot hear very well. But in a livestream context, we cannot assume that online participants could clearly hear the scriptural proclamations for a variety of reasons. Also, we cannot assume that everyone has access to the texts of the readings, even if it was made electronically available online. Thus, in the end, it is better to display the texts to the readings on the screen.
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Furthermore, it is even better to display the text as it is being proclaimed, that is, the text follows the flow and the pacing of the proclamation (i.e., from phrase to phrase, sentence to sentence, etc.) as distinct from simply displaying the entire reading at at once. This method is much more engaging to follow along.
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Camera
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The camera could zoom up close to the lector.
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But remember: in close up positions, the actions of the lector (approaching ambo, eye contact, pauses, diction, wiping of nose, scratching of eye etc.) become even more observable and pronounced to the human eye and ear online, more than the regular Sunday experience of listening and responding from the location of the nave. In other words, we see everything. But at the same time, this is exactly why such close-ups could be more inviting and engaging . . . if done well.
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Eye Contact
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Lectors should look straight into the camera whenever possible, no matter the distance.
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It helps to rehearse and even memorize certain phrases so that full eye contact could last whole phrases and not just 2-3 words which often lead to quick glances "up and down."
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Pacing
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And speaking of quick glances up and down, there's the skill of pacing.
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In most of the livestream masses that I've observed, the lector usually does "quick glances" up (towards the camera) and down (at the lectionary). These are often so fast and numerous that they actually become more distracting. Again, the closer the camera is to the ministers, the more exaggerated their actions become. In regular Sunday Masses a quick pacing of glances are not as noticeable (they're still noticeable, but not as much). In short, pace yourself at a comfortable moderate flow.
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And consider memorizing whole phrases in order maintain longer moments of eye contact with the camera and by extension, with the online worshippers. When done well, such actions come across as being more natural and having more integrity: "I really want to connect my eyes to yours, even through cyberspace, so that you could listen better to the Word of God that I am proclaiming."
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The lectors at St. Monica Church in Santa Monica, CA (below) demonstrate well what I am describing here.
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A Best Practice Example​
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The readings during the livestreaming of the Easter Vigil at St. Monica Catholic Church (Santa Monica, CA: April 11, 2020) demonstrate much of what I described above. It must be noted that these scriptural proclamations were recorded (either earlier or in a different location simultaneously) due to the pandemic COVID-19 context. The videos were then inserted during the appropriate times within the livestream.
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However, even though they were recorded, much of what these lectors did could still be applied to "on-site and live" proclamations during the Liturgy of the Word: good eye contact and pacing. In the end, they engage us (the online participants) to listen carefully, even through an electronic digital media. In fact, they do this so well, that, as you will see, there really is no need to read any text whatsoever.
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First Reading:
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Genesis 1:1 - 2:2 (Creation)
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Previously Recorded Video​: Given the context of COVID-19, the lay lectors recorded themselves (either at home or at another location in the parish).
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This reading start at: 17:24
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Second Reading:
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Genesis 22: 1-18 (The sacrifice of Abraham)
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This reading starts at: 27:37​​
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Post-Viewing of Video Suggestion
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After viewing the video above, a question came to my mind: How did those lectors train themselves to look into the camera so well?
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One possible suggestion is to stick/position a picture of something immediately on top of the camera lens: e.g., a set of big eyes, a photo of somebody you know, etc. By doing this, the lector has an easier time locating the lens. Also, the picture serves as a reminder of maintaining eye contact.
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The Responsorial Psalm
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The camera could zoom towards the ambo during the psalmist's/cantor's solo refrain (first time through), then zoom out whenever the assembly sings (from the nave). In general, zoom in for the verses, zoom out for the refrains. This method does not only parallel our regular ritual experiences during Sunday liturgies, but it's also much more engaging. But be careful: one has to master this technique so as to make the transitions smooth, otherwise it could be distracting if done poorly.
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It goes without stating, posting the text or the assembly score onscreen is the best practice, specifically using a black background a bold white font that is large enough to see. I've already noted this above.
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Having stated this, if I were to choose between text and assembly score, I would choose just the text, at least in livestream masses. Often the responsorial psalm refrain is short enough that there really is no need to display the music. I have not done any extensive ethnographic research on this, but I'm guessing that most online worshipers would more easily sing or even just speak aloud the refrain if they only saw the text without the music. Also, the screen becomes less cluttered.
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However, when it comes to worship aids that are printable and made available to online worshippers, then I would prefer assembly scores with the music. I hope I'm not sounding contradictory here. My reasoning: (1) worship aids may be more aligned with our normal Sunday liturgies; and (2) online worshippers "at home" could always return to these aids and thus, may wish to sing the responsorial psalm at some future time without the aid of watching the psalmist/cantor leading them.
The Gospel Acclamation
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Alleluia Without Verses
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As a general rule, ​I don't believe in displaying any text onscreen when it is not necessary. (I apply this dictum when it comes to on-site worship contexts that might use a large screen as a worship aid.)
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No one needs to see the one word "Alleluia" in order to sing it. And, as I noted above, this includes the assembly musical score. We need to take advantage of such moments in order to remind ourselves that worship is not dependent on reading every single moment of a ritual event.
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Alleluia With Verses
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Since the texts to the Gospel Acclamation Verses​ are particular to the mass, then make sure to display the text, along with the Refrain.
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During Advent and Lent
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Display text and, only if necessary, the assembly score.
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The Homily
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The opening question the I posed at the beginning of this section remains the same: Where is the assembly? How we perceive and interpret the location(s) of the assembly ought to affect our approach to preaching during livestream masses.
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During the COVID-19 pandemic, the overwhelming majority of preachers, along with the directors and producers of these masses, had their homilies broadcasted in the "liturgy-as-is" model, as distinct from a (potentially) more interactive event: i.e., the camera centered on the preacher and, for the most part, remained in that fixed position while the preacher preached. I do not have any sharp criticism about this approach. In the end, if the homily is engaging and accomplishes what it sets out to do, then this is fine. And to this end, if you have not already, I recommend reading:
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Fulfilled in Your Hearing​: The Homily in the Sunday Assembly (USCCB, 1982);
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Preaching the Mystery of Faith: The Sunday Homily (USCCB, 2012);
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A Handbook for Catholic Preaching (Edward Foley, gen. ed, 2016).
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But here are two other proposals . . .
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First, if the overwhelming majority of the assembly is located online (as in the context of COVID-19), then why not have the camera come up directly "in front" of the preacher? It does not have to be too close, ("face to face",) but a lot closer than what has been the case, say, from the torso up. I find myself paying even more attention during these moments.
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Best Practice Example:​
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The Paulist Center, Boston, MA​
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Easter Vigil Mass: April 11, 2020
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Preaching by Fr. Michael McGarry, CSP
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Homily starts on 50:22
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A second proposal is a method which I find very intriguing and potentially helpful: the use of other media tools either by the preacher or by technicians during the actual preaching event. The following are excerpts from "Preaching in a Digital Age" by Anthony Collamati, Richard Vosko, and Alex Zenthoefer in A Handbook for Catholic Preaching):
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"Employing media while preaching offers another opportunity to render a homily more accessible and intelligible. Although worship is not essentially a time for entertainment - although hopefully it is enjoyable - studies suggest that attention spans of adults can be relatively short and even shorter for the young. It can be difficult for even the best preachers to keep everyone's attention during a homily" (261).
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"Preachers understand that a well-chosen visual aid can help get a point across. In this digital age, preachers are invited to rethink their use of images not only as a visual aid to complement a spoken point but also as a potentially transformative element capable of articulating a point or dimension that speech alone is unable to capture. Media projection will not make a bad sermon good, but it can make a good sermon better" (262).
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Best Practice Example:
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Church of the Nativity, Timonium, MD​
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Easter Sunday, 8AM Mass: April 12, 2020
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Fr. Michael White
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The use of a TV screen to illustrate homiletic points begins at 39:36
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The Prayers of the Faithful
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​A best practice for interactive livestream masses is to allow and to invite online participants to share (type in) their petition(s) through the comments sidebar. There are four ways one could do this (or a combo of one to four of the following):
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Before Mass
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Invite online participants to share their petitions during the Prayers of the Faithful during the instructions before mass.
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The Presider​
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Another option: at the end of the opening prayer for the Prayers of the Faithful, ​the presider invites those who are commenting online to share their petitions now.
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For example: "Gathered together in Christ, let us lift up our prayers to our merciful God. For our online worshippers, we invite you to share your petitions by commenting now."
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The Lector
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Another option: have the lector and not the presider invite online participants to share their petitions in the comments.
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For example, the second to last petition could be: "For what else shall we pray? For our online worshippers we invite you now to share your petitions in the comments. [Pause for silence] For all of these prayers, we pray to the Lord."
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Reserve the last petition for those who have died.
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The Host of the Comment Sidebar
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The last option is to have the person designated to regulate the comments sidebar (the host) simply type in an invitation at the beginning of the Prayers of the Faithful.​
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For example:
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LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
Presentation and Preparation of Gift
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If the camera comes closer to the altar, then this is a moment when the "online assembly" could see all of the ritual actions that take place on top of the altar, actions they seldom see in detail from their usual seated position in the nave. I think this is one of the more positive and welcomed aspects of livestream masses.
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I have seen livestream masses where the camera focused on the musicians and/or the text or assembly score of the music, rather than focus on the ritual actions that were occurring on the altar: e.g., the lyrics of the song or assembly score dominated the screen without any view (at one point or even partial) of what's actually occurring on the altar. In my opinion, the ritual actions of presenting and preparing the gifts are the focal point of this part of the mass, not the song. In fact, I might even argue that out of the "4 songs" of the mass, the song during this time is the least important. Some worshipping communities have instrumental during this time (an option that I actually prefer in this medium, but that's an admitted personal preference). You could do both: while providing the text or assembly score to the song (if it is to be sung), make sure that online participants could still see the ritual actions that are occurring on the altar at least in partial view or at one point.
The Eucharistic Prayer
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Placement of Ministers on the Sanctuary
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At this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, concelebrating priests, deacons and other ministers who may be in the sanctuary ought to practice and model safe distance from one another. It's on the minds (and "bodies") of online participants. If all of you are standing too close to one another then those who cannot be there in person (i.e., the online participants) are saying to themselves: "Hey, why can't WE be there too?"; "What was the point of 'cancelling mass' [even though, officially, it wasn't really cancelled]?"; etc. Do you have to be miles apart? No, of course not. Do you have to measure 6 feet every single moment? Well, I don't think I could give a concrete answer to that. Ritual actions vary. But just be mindful of how this looks within the larger context of COVID-19 . . . and do your best.​​​ Below is a picture that demonstrates some level of intentional safe distancing.
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Camera Placement and Movement
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Admittedly, the following is my own personal preference (well, okay, the content of this entire webpage is chock full of my own personal preferences), but when it comes to the Eucharistic Prayer I prefer less movement and action. Actually, I even prefer less "texting and commenting" on the sidebar during this part of the mass, but I'm not quite sure if "pausing all comments" at this time is entirely the way to go. My reasoning is that this is the high point of the entire liturgy: "Now the center and high point of the entire celebration begins, namely, the Eucharistic Prayer itself, that is, the prayer of thanksgiving and sanctification" (#78 GIRM). So, my interpretation of that passage leads me to prefer a more focussed and stable camera.
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For my doctoral dissertation, I did an ethnographic study of a parish in San Francisco. I recall that many parishioners admitted to me how often they "zoned out" during the Eucharistic Prayer. I often wondered if one (of several) of the reasons for this had to do with the physical distance between the altar and the nave, the designated place for the assembly. But with livestream masses, we now have the opportunity to be closer visually to the altar, albeit, virtually closer, which is not the same as being there in person. But if done well, the livestreaming of the Eucharistic Prayer stands a chance of being experienced as the the "center and hight point" of the entire liturgy for online participants.
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For these reasons, I prefer that the camera is placed right in front of the altar, rather than too far away (the "liturgy-as-is" model), on the one hand, or "on top of the altar," on the other hand. One should see the whole altar (after all, it is the most important furnishing in any eucharistic celebration). But one should also see and hear the priest: we should be close enough to hear every word and to see every action, including the gestures and his eyes when (and if) he looks directly into the camera.
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Best Practice Example
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St. Clare Catholic Church, O'Fallon, IL
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Sunday, April, 19, 2020: 10:30am Mass
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Presider: Fr. Jim Dieters
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The camera is perfectly placed that you see the entire altar; it's not too far away and it's not too close.
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Note: In this position , Fr. Jim is able to maintain great eye contact with the lens of the camera​, and by extension, with the rest of us in cyberspace.
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Eucharistic Prayer begins at 52 mins.
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The Communion Rite
The Lord's Prayer
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At the start of this part of the mass, the Communion Rite, consider panning out again to the larger sanctuary space.
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Similar to my thoughts on the Gospel Alleluia without verses, there is probably no need to display the text to this prayer.
The Sign of Peace
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I've noticed in many livestream masses that this is the moment when the salutations of peace light up the comment section.