Bishop Robert Hermann sent a note to St. Louis Archdiocese pastors Thursday suggesting possible changes to the Mass this weekend in the face of rising concerns over the fast-spreading swine flu.

Hermann said “extra-precautionary measures should be taken at this time to lessen the spread of this flu,” including “temporarily suspending Holy Communion from the cup.”

He also said pastors should ask parishioners “to limit or even temporarily suspend or modify (i.e. bowing at the Sign of Peace) ritual actions such as handshaking, kissing or other close proximity during Mass, confirmation or graduation ceremonies, etc.”

Hermann is the interim leader of the St. Louis Archdiocese until newly named Archbishop-elect Robert Carlson’s installation sometime in the next couple of months.

Civil Religion reader hs commented on the initial post, “Same sex-attraction and Christianity”. Here is his comment in its entirety:

Sherry, I guess I have to ask the question, and I’m completely serious and not trying to be flip at all: WWJD with an affirmed homosexual who wanted to be a part of the church?

We need to be really, really careful here: If the church is not a place that welcomes the homosexual as another struggling, imperfect human then we’re all in trouble. Sin is Sin is Sin. The homosexual is no worse or different from anyone else. My Bible has a famous text that says that “ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God”.

I’d also suggest we really try to understand the concept of loving the sinner and hating the sin. And, pose this question: is it a sin to BE homosexual? What, exactly is the sin we’re worried about?…

Our religion-blogging compatriots at Get Religion, spotlighted a story from Politico Monday about Pope Benedict XIV’s U.S. visit that might be of interest to St. Louisans, especially St. Louis Catholics.

On Thursday, Benedict will celebrate the first of two stadium Masses during his visit. Thursday’s Mass will be at Washington’s new Nationals Stadium, and the second will be at Yankee Stadium on Sunday.

Politico reported that earlier this week, in ads placed in the Washington Times and in Politico,:

the anti-abortion-rights American Life League is urging the pontiff to “protect the body of Christ from the bloodstained hands of pro-abortion ‘Catholics’” by denying Communion to politicians who support abortion rights.

The issue of denying Communion to such politicians is well known to those who have followed St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke’s words and actions on this topic since his time as bishop of LaCrosse, Wis.

While most bishops agree that such politicians should not approach for Communion, a relatively…