This article was originally published on June 13th, 2020.

Until the middle of March, the Livestream broadcast of the 9am Sunday Mass from Saint Benedict Parish was a means for parishioners who were away from home or not physically able to attend Mass to join digitally for worship, as well as a way for new people to check out Mass. Then, with the outbreak of COVID-19, we were all not able to physically attend Mass. In that moment, Livestream Mass went from being a convenience for some to being a necessity for all of us.

Over the past three months, this weekly broadcast has undergone a transformation. In the past, Mass was filmed using four wall-mounted cameras with limited mobility. Now, our Sunday Mass has taken on all of the production values of a major television studio. There are now seven cameras, three of them with a complete mobility, which can create more intimate and engaging shots. Inside the church, cables snake their way over pews and up aisles. Large spotlights are placed to enhance the picture quality. Large screen TV monitors are strategically placed to give visual feedback to the presider and homilist. In the production booth, extra computers allow smooth switching. There are pre- taped video segments with a familiar host that opens the broadcast with essential information. All of this results in a very professional presentation.

Peter Salah, our parish’s AV Coordinator, is the key person who pulls all this together week after week. Peter is an engineer who is balancing working from home during the pandemic with many hours preparing and coordinating the team that produces our livestream events. Peter shared some time with me recently to talk about ramping up the Livestream to its current status.

He emphasized that it is a team that puts the broadcast together. Each job is as important as any other. Sometimes team members switch from one role to another. Fortunately, this team came together with a wealth of technical experience from doing years of Livestream Mass at Saint Benedict.

Matt Vaughan, Communications Coordinator for the parish, prepares the pre-Mass announcement slides as well as the notes for hosting. Along with Matt, Kate Robinson, Corey Robinson, and Noreen Smith have all had turns at being congenial welcoming Livestream Hosts. They also double as lectors and keep the hospitality going at the end of Mass in the Digital Foyer. The Digital Foyer has become a popular interactive feature. Fr. Simon, Fr. Alex, and Deacon David (if he is gives the homily) chat with the host and respond to questions and comments that come in through the chat. In the Digital Foyer, viewers get to see our clergy as people; to enjoy their wit, humour, and dedication to the parish community.

On the technical side, Mike McAllister and Kelly Bray take turns operating the switching computer and slide sequencer in the booth. Divine Renovation Ministry (DR) has been a generous and essential partner in producing the Mass. Paul Lang and Nathan Myatt from DR handle the audio feeds and camera with Peter. All these folks do their magic unseen to us while maintaining social distances and health protocols.

There is a run through of the homily on Saturday afternoon. This rehearsal allows anticipation of camera angles and the sequencing of slides. At 7:30am on Sunday, Peter does a physical equipment check. By 7:45, it is all hands on deck. Each person is in their location doing final preparations. At 8:45, all participants meet in the foyer for a final briefing. They pray together for technical and spiritual success. Then, things start rolling.

I asked Peter about technical challenges that may crop up during a broadcast. He mentioned microphone malfunctions, unfocused cameras, out of sequence slides, and even the time that there was a loss of the streaming feed for five minutes. All have been quickly overcome by a responsive team drawing on their experience. Peter says that these minor glitches only add to the ‘live’ feel they want the broadcast to
have.

When Saint Benedict Parish decided to technically enhance the Livestream Mass for parishioners, no one predicted that the rest of the world would tune in, too. Since the pandemic temporarily closed the doors of churches throughout the world, an average of 11,000 people from as many as 105 countries have tuned in to the 9am Mass at Saint Benedict Parish. The virtual web of personal and church connections and the expanding reach of Divine Renovation Ministry have created a path for the world to come and worship with us.

Eventually, we will be able to return to be physically present to celebrate Mass at Saint Benedict. Anticipating that those who have tuned in from afar may wish to continue to worship with us through Livestream, the broadcast team are taking steps now to be able to adjust the deployment of technical equipment in order to maintain the production quality we have now even when the pews are filled with parishioners. In the spirit of our mission we will be Still Sent, inviting the world to worship with us.