By Janice England, LMH Program Director
During the past several weeks, while we have been unable to attend Mass in person and receive the Eucharist, I have had had the opportunity to participate in my parish’s liturgy every Sunday because they are live streaming it. I can also participate by watching the live streaming from a variety of other parishes as well several television channels that broadcast Mass – sometimes daily
.
However, I can’t help but think of the hundreds of
thousands of people who are unable to attend Mass every Sunday, not because of
a global pandemic or a “new normal,” but because this is their “normal” normal.
When I served as a Lay Mission-Helper in Makeni, Sierra
Leone, I lived in the town where the Cathedral parish was located. In addition to the parish (and all parishes
in the diocese), there were roughly 20-30 outstations attached to it.
These outstations or Catholic Communities were in
outlying villages and too far away for people to travel (walk) to attend
Mass. Some outstations may only have a
priest come to celebrate Mass a few times a year. In the meantime, they have a prayer leader or
catechist who leads the faith community in prayer on Sundays and during the
week. They only receive the Eucharist
and other Sacraments when the priest visits. This situation is not unique to
Sierra Leone, but to so many other parts of the world.
As I’m lamenting this temporary inability to celebrate
Mass in a church and receive the Eucharist, and as I watch the live streaming
celebrations of the Triduum and Easter from the relative comfort and safety of
my own home, I have a special prayer intention. I pray that when this pandemic
subsides, and we have a “new normal,” we will be in solidarity with those who
are not able to receive the Eucharist on a daily or weekly basis, and never
forget that we are privileged. And with
that privilege comes responsibility – to pray and care for our brothers and
sisters around world.
Happy Easter – He Is Risen!
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