Hollywood parish thanks essential workers

At a livestreamed Mass on May 17, Blessed Sacrament Church in Hollywood honored those working on the front lines of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. 

In the empty church, the names of more than 400 medical professionals, LAPD and LAFD members, pharmacists, and other essential workers with ties to the parish community, were posted on the backs of the pews. “It’s not a jet flyover,” said Father John (J.T.) Tanner, SJ, in his opening prayer, “but we come together and we recognize these specific people.” 

The Mass was inspired by a team of teenagers who have served at the parish food pantry since the beginning of the pandemic. The teens identified contacts for local hospitals and nursing homes, made and displayed the name posters, and participated in the celebration of the appreciation Mass.