Society of Saints
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Links
  • Resources - Prayer
  • Resources - Prayer 2
  • Resources - Study Group
  • Resources - FBC Group
  • Resources - Listening to God
  • Resources - Other
  • Could God be real?
  • Could Catholicism be true?
  • Publications
  • About Us
  • Contact us

Pandemic log entry

27/5/2020

0 Comments

 
As we look to Pentecost in just a few days’ time, it seems like a good idea to do a general reflection about the last 10 weeks of living under lockdown conditions. It will serve as a reminder to how thing were, prior to Pentecost 2020 and prior to the new normal.

These thoughts are in no particular order.

One of the good things that has emerged is the online Pilgrimage to Pentecost, under the auspices of the Sydney Archdiocese, with 6 weeks’ worth of talks from international and Australian speakers about the Holy Spirit and a pre Pentecost novena of prayer to join in with. At last look, something like 80 countries have joined in this online pilgrimage.

Similarly, the Ark and Dove retreat centre, has been hosting a 7 day series of online talks, modelled on the Life in the Spirit seminars in preparation for Pentecost. If only all the parts had English subtitles, and vice versa for those joining in with Spanish and Portuguese backgrounds. At least it reminds us how international the Church is.

An overarching theme of the last 10 weeks has been rest. There has been extra time to dedicate to prayer, and an opportunity to slow down. Not having to be anywhere at a designated time, except for regular medical appointments, has been a strange experience for someone used to getting up and getting along to morning Mass. What a weird thing it has been to be without routine! But a circuit breaker was certainly much needed.

Thankfully there were already a few places offering daily Mass online prior to lockdown, and as each day passed the number of places multiplied. A combination of daily online Masses, spiritual communions, and the Liturgy of the Hours has been getting me through. It is ‘the Mass that matters’ after all, and a fresh opportunity to appreciate that truth.

We were able to take part in the Easter Triduum because St Mary’s Cathedral livestreamed it all, including Tenebrae, and put it on YouTube as well. It was a very big and additional blessing for the 3pm Good Friday Commemoration of the Passion and the 10.30am Easter Sunday Mass to be broadcast from the Cathedral on national television.

As the weeks passed, so did the patterns of online Masses, going from a combination of Sydney based and EWTN, to adventures all over the world. St Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney, North Sydney/Lavender Bay, St Patrick’s Church Hill and Hornsby Cathedral became the baseline, and Leeds Cathedral, Toronto, St Bernadette’s in South Africa, Walsingham, the Capuchin Franciscans of Oxford, Berala, Cronulla, Hunters Hill and Penshurst the icing on the cake. Also worthy of mention are the Divine Retreat Centre at Somersby, Melton VIC, Blackburn North VIC, Glendalough WA, and Seven Hills NSW.

My fluency in Latin responses has vastly increased, both said and sung, and I even found myself at a ridgy-dij Tridentine Mass which I found more disconcerting than I ever believed possible.

On the other hand, it has been really nice to be able to fast forward until the Mass procession begins, and to exit if the sound/picture quality is poor, or if the recessional hymn is being massacred. Likewise, if the Eucharistic prayer is going too fast, to be able to use the pause button has been helpful, or if an interruption happens, or to allow time for a spiritual communion prayer if the online Mass doesn’t put it on screen or pray it out loud. We will miss the easy access to so many wonderful homilists.

But for all that life has been in a state of limbo. An image, not mine, has seemed pertinent, that of a hen sitting on eggs to hatch, but in order for that to happen, the eggs keep getting turned, so that the warmth is evenly distributed; ie progress is happening despite feeling in a state of suspended animation, disconcertion and continual flux. It has been a battle to get through the must-do’s of each day, very rarely has anything more than the must-do’s been achieved. Without the routine, it has been much easier to fall into late nights and associated insomnia.

For creative types, writers, artists, illustrators, playwrights etc, it has been even worse. They have been in creative limbo. Part of this is the absence of all the usual things that would normally spark creative ideas; chatting with peers, visiting art galleries, libraries and other places of cultural interest, coffee shops, travel etc. Part of it is the body playing catch-up, since for most creatives it is either boom or bust, ie working round the clock for impossible deadlines, or having no paid projects at all. However the hope is that this time of fallowness will yield abundant creativity in the new normal – when it arrives. 

One of the most distressing things of this lockdown period was how long it took for official parish communications to begin. For us it was something like 3-4 weeks of silence, not even weekly parish bulletins were being put online. We had no idea who was sick, who had died. We had no information about how to deposit moneys into parish bank accounts. Diocesan levels of communication weren’t much better, with only a few very short videoclips released via social media. At least we had internet for online Masses, but many parishioners don’t, and some of them don’t even have televisions to catch the weekly televised Mass For You At Home on Sunday mornings at 6am.

I am still trying to process the anger levels that the non-communication produced, and irritation that we were in this position while many other nearby parishes were in a much better position because they already had email lists, Facebook pages, and well-known bank deposit instructions. If I felt this, how many others did?

As with many others, this lockdown time has increased appreciation for the littler things; for listening to the birds, haircuts, getting out of the house to do shopping and banking, communication from family and friends. It has been a wake-up call to see just how many social interactions, community and cultural activities we have taken for granted.

Every so often an article in the news or via social media has indicated that there has been enough boredom for people to be able to break away from addictions and strong attachments in their lives. I’ve seen diehard football supporters so disgusted by the vehement push to restart sporting competition that they are no longer interested. I am guessing that coffee shops might be a bit nonplussed by those who no longer need a daily fix of cappuccino. Others are now over binge-watching on streaming services. Who knows what other good things might have been happening for those overly reliant on gambling and alcohol?

Pope Francis’ leadership in prayer has been inspiring. Firstly his vigil of prayer seeking an end to the pandemic. (I’ve recently seen a graph showing how the Italian daily death toll began reducing after this prayer vigil). Secondly his daily rosary, to which he has invited everyone to join in. Then there was a global day of prayer and self denial for people with any faith in a deity. Now he is inviting everyone to share in a rosary on Saturday 30th May as part of a renewed entrustment of our world to the intercession of the mother of Jesus. What a beautiful thing, to be united in prayer all over the world with the Pope and with Mary, on the day before Pentecost, reminiscent of that first Pentecost visitation of the Holy Spirit.

As the pandemic has worn on, and death tolls in various countries have been incomprehensible, there has been a wave of bishop’s conferences in various countries either consecrating their nations to the heart of Mary for the first time, or renewing those consecrations and entrustments to the mother of Jesus. The USA and Canada did it on the same day, May 1st. Australia did it on May 25th.

One thing that has been a surprise is the very slow weakening of the lockdown restrictions. Why I had the notion in my head that there would be an explosively fast return to normality I don’t know, but it was there. It seems such a shame that by the time things go from 10 people, to 20 people, to 50 people, and eventually to normal Mass sized congregations that we will have lost the sense of celebration that it should command.

So we find ourselves waiting for whatever the new is, and hoping that there actually is a new at the end of this weird season of lockdown.

The most difficult thing at the moment is our suspicion that our parish administration may have not learned anything valuable from this time, and that we will be hitting our heads against the same ‘brick walls’ as before. Most of us laity have been sampling the best of what is on offer online, but I doubt that our clergy have been watching each other’s Masses except for the brief time they were on the lookout for ideas to set up their own online Masses.

Yet one purpose of the lockdown seems to be to get us to slow down enough, to accumulate enough inner peace and inner silence for God to be able to get His messages through to us. All of us know that even between friends, conditions have to be near perfect for one friends to be able to disclose the deepest secrets of the heart to the other friend – in particular the recipient has to be waiting, open, truly present and unpreoccupied.

How amazing is God to permit this long process, which currently seems far from over, and not yet finished, so that He could speak more directly to our hearts! Until that deep and detailed revelation from Him comes, none of us can move forward with confidence. So we continue to wait, and learn deeper levels of trust.
​
Our Lady, Help of Christians, pray for us.
0 Comments
    Picture

    Archives

    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    February 2014
    October 2013
    September 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013

    Categories

    All
    10 Commandments
    1st Rite Of Reconciliation
    24 Hours For The Lord
    2nd Rite Of Reconciliation
    3rd Rite Of Reconciliation
    Abortion
    Active Participation
    Act Of Contrition
    Adoration Of The Blessed Sacrament
    Adultery
    Advent
    Agony Of Jesus In The Garden
    Anniversaries
    Apologetics
    Apostolic Nuncio
    Apparitions Of Our Lady
    Archbishop Porteous
    Archbishop Prowse
    Ark And Dove Week 2019
    Asking The Vocation Question
    Aussie Pilgrims
    Australian Prophetic Summit
    Baptism
    Be Prepared
    Berthe Petit
    Betty Cavanagh
    Book Review
    Broken Bay Diocese
    Building The Kingdom
    Burnout
    Cardinal Pell
    Caroline Chisholm
    Catechumenate
    Catholic Charismatic Renewal
    Catholic Church
    Catholic Newcomers
    Catholics Returning Home
    Catholic Tertiary Education
    Catholic Universities & Colleges
    Cautionary Tale
    CCR
    Central Coast Diocese
    Charisms
    Christian Book Publishing
    Christian Unity
    Church Fees
    Clean Vs Unclean
    Clericalism
    Comensoli Homily
    Commitment
    Communication
    Conference Design
    Conference/Summer School
    Confession
    Confession Of Sins
    Confirmation
    Consecration Prayer
    Consequences Of Rejecting God
    Conversation Answers
    Corruption
    Covenant Communities
    Creative Lectio Divina
    Culture
    Death
    Decision Making
    Decision Time
    Deliverance From Evil
    Denominations
    Desperate Situations
    Devotion
    Diaconate
    Diocesan Plan
    Disabilities
    Discernment
    Divine Mercy Sunday
    Divine Office
    Divine Renovation Conference DR16
    Divine Renovation Conference DR18
    Doctor Of The Church
    Dying
    Dying Process
    Easter
    Eastern Rite Liturgy
    Ecumenical
    Ecumenism
    Ehlers Danlos Syndrome
    Elder Technology
    Employment
    Encounter Jesus
    End Of Life Stories
    Engagement
    Eternal Perspective
    Eucharist
    Eucharistic Adoration
    Evangelii Gaudium
    Evangelisation
    Ewtn
    Exodus 90
    Expectant Faith
    Facilitating Connections
    Faith
    Families In Sorrow
    Family
    Fatima
    Federal Plebiscite
    Feminism
    First Communion
    First Line Welcomers
    First Nations
    First Nations Seminary
    Forgiveness
    Four Last Things
    Fr Bill Meacham
    Free Speech
    Fr George Kosicki
    Fr Hugh Thomas CSsR
    Friendship
    Gerald Coates
    Gift Of Tongues
    G.K.Chesterton
    Glorious Mysteries
    God's Decrees
    God's Love
    God's Modus Operandi
    God's Plan
    God's Reset
    Golden Jubilee
    Gospel Reflection
    Guest Blog
    Happy Meetings
    Hashtags
    Healing
    Helping Young People
    Holiness / Character
    Holy Communion
    Holy Door
    Holy Spirit
    Holy Thursday
    Holy Water
    Holy Wounds
    Homelessness
    Hospitality
    Hour Of Grace
    Human Traditions
    Human Vs Divine Solutions
    Hypocrisy
    ICCRS Charism School
    Ideas
    Immaculate Heart
    Inclusion
    Inclusive Language
    Inculturation
    Indigenous Peoples
    Indulgence
    Integrating Newcomers Into Parish Life
    Intercession
    Intercessory Prayer
    Interpretation
    Interpreting These Times
    Jennifer Eivaz
    Jesus
    Jim Murphy
    Joseph Chircop
    Joyful Mysteries
    Katherine Ruonala
    Kerygma
    Kingdom Wishlist
    Larry Sparks
    Leadership
    Leadership Structure
    Learning From Other Churches
    Lent
    LetUsPray2017
    Life Regrets
    Linda's House Of Hope
    Listening To God
    Litany
    Liturgy
    Liturgy Of The Hours
    Love In Action
    Making Disciples
    Marriage
    Marriage Preparation
    Married Spirituality
    Mary Queen Of Apostles
    Mass
    Mass Homily
    McCarrick Report
    Mental Health
    Mercy
    Message / Homily
    Ministry To Divorced Catholics
    Miracles
    Misery
    Mission
    Missionary Disciples
    Monthly Recollection Day
    Movements Of Grace
    Music
    Napoleon
    National Church Life Survey
    New Evangelisation
    Novena
    Obedience
    Obituary
    Obscure Saints
    Open Letter
    Open To Conversion
    Open To Reform
    Open To Renewal
    Opposition To God's Work
    Ordination
    Our Lady
    Our Lady Help Of Christians
    Our Lady Star Of The Sea
    Palliative Care
    Pandemic
    Parables
    Parents
    Parish Life
    Parish Meetings
    Parish Ministries
    Participant Guide
    Paschal Candle
    Patron Saint For The New Year
    Pentecost
    Personal Log
    Pilgrimage
    Plenary Council
    Plenary Council 2020
    Plenary Council 2021
    Plenary Council 2022
    Plenary Council Agenda
    Plenary Council Motions
    Plenary Council Process
    Plenary Council Proposals
    Plenary Council Theme 6
    Political Leaders
    Pope Benedict XVI
    Pope Francis
    Praise And Worship
    Prayer For A New Bishop
    Prayer Groups
    Prayer Of The Heart
    Prayer Request
    Prayers
    Preaching
    Preparation For Holy Mass
    Pre-Synod Youth 2018
    Priests
    Proclaim 2014
    Proclaim 2014 Conference
    Proclaim 2016
    Proclaim 2016 Conference
    Prophecy
    Prophetic Intercession
    Providence
    RCIA Rite Of Christian Initiation For Adults
    Rebuilt
    Recommended
    Reddit
    Renewal And Reform
    Reparation
    Repentance
    Resources
    Responding To God
    Rest
    Retaining New Catholics
    Revival
    Rosary
    Rosary Meditations
    Sacramental Preparation
    Sacramentals
    Sacrament Of Penance
    Sacraments
    Sacred Heart
    Sacred Scripture
    Sacrifice
    Salvation
    Scientists
    Signs Of Hope
    Silence
    Sin
    Social Distancing
    Social Media
    Social Media Apostolate
    Soft Evangelisation
    Spiritual Communion
    Spiritual Life
    Sr Margaret Wall Rsj
    St Anicetus
    StartupAusCC
    Stations Of The Resurrection
    Statistics
    St Augustine Zhao Rong
    Stewardship
    St Faustina
    St Francis Of Assisi
    St Gregory Of Narek
    St John The Baptist
    St Joseph
    St Raphael
    Strengths
    StrengthsFinder
    Suffering
    Summer Camp
    Summer School
    Surrender
    Survival
    Synod On The Family
    Synod Process
    #TakeTheAdventChallenge
    Teaching
    Teams Of Our Lady
    Teamwork
    Tertiary Study
    Testimonies
    Thanksgiving
    The Body Of Christ
    The Fight Back Plan
    Topics Of Controversy
    Tradition
    Trauma
    Trinity
    True Reverence
    Trusting In God
    Tsunami Of Grace
    Unity
    Unity In Diversity
    Via Lucis
    Virtual Pilgrimage
    Vision Casting
    Vocation
    Waiting On God
    Welcomers
    Welcoming Via Websites
    What Ordinary Holiness Looks Like
    #WhyRemainCatholic
    Wisdom
    WNFIN Challenge
    Women
    World Youth Day
    Worthwhile Charity
    Writing Christian Non Fiction
    Writing Christian Non-Fiction
    WYD Krakow
    Year Of Mercy
    Young Men
    Young Parents
    Youth Group
    Youth Ministry
    Youth Synod 2018

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly