Corona changes everything – including Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi – always a highlight of the year on the Liebfrauenhöhe with more than a thousand worshipers, a solemn procession. The large flower carpets are made by the sisters and a large staff of helper staff the week before. How is this supposed to work this year, where pandemic regulations – especially distance requirements – determine our everyday life?
Corpus Christi, without us celebrating it festively, we sisters and many who call cannot imagine it. We are enthusiastic about the plan to celebrate the service outdoors on the meadow near the shrine with the maximum allowed number of 100 people. Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Maria Renz renews his promise to preside over the service. When the Holy Mass takes place outside, all participants can sing the beautiful Corpus Christi songs with all their hearts.
Small carpets of flowers honor Christ in the Blessed Sacrament
Small carpets of flowers around the altar and on the way there should honor Christ in the sacrament of the Eucharist. The owner of the nursery in Stuttgart, who gives us plenty of flowers every year, is delighted when we ask her again. We get a whole car full of roses, delphiniums and other flowers and bouquets.
But the closer the Sunday on which we celebrate Corpus Christi on the Liebfrauenhöhe comes, the worse the weather forecasts become. Fortunately we have our large auditorium. We have already measured and prepared the rooms that can be opened for the events. We can accommodate 100 people there!
The stage is decorated with joy and many beautiful flowers as a sanctuary, the squares are drawn with the names of the registered people and new folder plans are created. The planned flower carpets will find a very suitable place in the inner courtyard, through which at the end of the service the Blessed Sacrament will be carried into the Coronation Church with a mini procession. Here the children can sprinkle flowers.
Concentration on what is actually important
We have to do without the common singing, but in our hearts we sing in praise of God. The Schola sings and in between the congregation prays some of the song verses. There is a very recollected, holy and festive atmosphere. There is no routine here that celebrates the festival as always, here you can feel the concentration on what is actually important, gratitude for the great gift of the Eucharist and for the opportunity to celebrate together again.
This great esteem is supported by the sermon on the hymn “Tantum ergo” by Auxiliary Bishop Renz. Many follow the invitation at the end of Holy Mass and in the course of the afternoon they pray in front of the monstrance in the coronation church.
Fire alarm!!
Later in the sacristy, auxiliary Bishop Renz and our two altar servers express how impressed they were by the beautiful celebration. Suddenly a terrifying siren signal sounds: fire alarm!!! First question: “Where’s the censer?” Oh fright, it hangs like in the old days in the hallway in front of the sacristy and the smoke rises directly to the fire alarm above it. The fire department is quickly on the spot; it does not get a message that it is false alarm and “only” the incense. For the children who took part in the celebration, this is the crowning conclusion!
