Bishops tells faithful not to kiss during Mass

Two Catholic bishops on Friday reminded the faithful against social kissing or “beso-beso” during Holy Mass to avoid the spread of communicable diseases prevalent during the summer.

Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes said a simple bow to each other would be enough instead of giving the kiss of peace to avoid the spread of diseases common at this time of the year.

“We should avoid physical contact. I myself decreed this during the SARS crisis nine years ago,” Bastes told reporters in a phone interview yesterday, referring to the worldwide outbreak of the highly communicable disease called severe acute respiratory syndrome.

The Catholic Church had also banned the holding of hands and other physical contact during Mass as a measure to curb the spread of another communicable disease, the influenza A (H1N1) virus some three years ago.

Cubao Bishop Honesto Ongtioco also said that churchgoers, as much as possible, should refrain from making “beso-beso,” which is usually done as a sign of peace, to avoid the transmission of diseases.