OGDENSBURG — The high number of school absences in Clinton County was the deciding factor when the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ogdensburg opted Wednesday to suspend sign-of-peace handshakes and reception of the Precious Blood during Mass until further notice.

"It was felt after we had a meeting of the diocesan administration that we should be proactive," said the Rev. Douglas Lucia of the diocesan Office of Worship. "At least on a temporary basis, we needed to implement these measures until the worst of the flu outbreak is over."

Also directed by the Rev. Terry R. LaValley, diocesan administrator, was the recommendation that parishioners receive Communion in the hand.

"Communion on the tongue does present hygienic problems during the flu season," a press release said.

Also, ministers of Communion have been instructed to use hand sanitizer before and after performing that duty, pastors are directed to clean the Holy Water fonts and change the water in them weekly, and parishes are asked to have hand sanitizer made available for the public.

Some parishes, including St. Patrick's in Rouses Point and St. Joseph's in Coopersville, adopted some of those guidelines a while ago.

"Personally, I think this is a great idea," said Jo-Anne Ryan, parish secretary and also a parishioner. "I think we're just being smart about this."

In the past, she took precautions of her own when she felt shaking the hands with those around her might pass along a cold or some other wintertime ailment.

"I have put my glove on," she said.

Ryan has found parishioners have adapted easily.

"Everybody seems to be quite happy to smile or nod (instead)," she said.

St. James Parish in Cadyville adopted the protocol last weekend.

"We had discussed it with the Parish Council and medical people within the parish," said Msgr. Lawrence Deno, pastor.

As is Holy Communion, the sign of peace has always been optional during Mass, he said. And it remains so now.

"If you want to give the sign of peace to your family or other people, you can," he said.

A parishioner who folds his or her arms during the brief interval between the recitation of the "Our Father" and "Lamb of God" is indicating a desire to avoid the handshake, he said.

Msgr. Dennis Duprey, pastor of Malone Catholic Parishes, suspended the sign of peace for the first time at Wednesday's daily Mass. The worshippers were fine with it, he said.

He believes the directives in part are to help quell people's fears over the H1N1 virus.

"There is so much hype in our society over these things," he said. "We're very well here, and I hope we're back very soon to these very important liturgical rites."

E-mail Suzanne Moore at: smoore@pressrepublican.com