Fr Rory Writes
With the help of God:
Thanks be to God, as we move on from the Great Feasts of Holy Week and Easter. Having celebrated the new life of Pentecost, help us now to respond to the challenges of life that comes from the coronavirus with its problems and afflictions in our lives. As many return to work and face the need to provide for the necessities of life; increase our confidence in trusting in your divine providence, and our responsibility to protect and safeguard our lives.
The Diocesan authorities have sent the directions they received from our government to open our churches for private prayer. At the deanery meeting of priests and deacons we had some discussion about our situations in the various parishes, and certainly the future brings challenges for our churches throughout the diocese. Information regarding hand sanitizer and protective wear was limited and supplies received by the deanery very inadequate. A central depot for these supplies has now been established at St Philip Howard Centre in Crawley.
It will take some time to get the required items for our protection in place, but we have an immediate need to get ourselves ready and to be willing to offer help for stewardship, but above all to be prepared to make a greater commitment to our community of faith. The window for prayer, and with it the actions required to live out faith more fully, will be the greatest fruits of this epidemic. Already we are aware of some of its fruits. This springtime nature was particularly alive and refreshing. Alongside of this are the benefits of reducing pollution, with cleaner, clearer streams, rivers, seas, and skies. There have also been signs of a greater concern for the needs of others, particularly for those who may have been taken for granted, with the weaker and more vulnerable members of our human family receiving better attention.
But the challenge for the future may be a lot grimmer, and certainly when the financial implications become clearer, difficult decisions will be made. Now the concern for children’s education and wellbeing raises serious questions, as well as emerging mental health issues and other casualties from the lockdown emerges. For the greater part, as churches, we have been fortunate enough. This year was very promising, and we had a very good group of young children for First Holy Communion, and with the lovely weather we enjoyed this could have been a very outstanding year 2020.
Better to say, so far so good, and for most of us who had to isolate, and to adjust to very different and difficult circumstances, have done so remarkably well. Modern means of communication have helped, skyping and other developments, hearing more regularly from family and friends, receiving acts of great generosity and kindness, having access to online masses and other spiritual nurture created a foundation to rely on, and with God’s help we must do better in the future.