The Catholic Weekly 29 March 2020

6 29, March, 2020 F rom the archbishop catholicweekly.com.au Pastoral in Pandemic Now is the time to turn in prayer and fasting to God, especially through our BlessedMother Mary D ear brothers in ministry and brothers and sis- ters in Christ The grace of our Lord Je- sus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all in this time of pandemic. As priests bid farewell to parishioners today there have been tears and bewilderment. Please assure your people that even as the Church co- operates with public health authorities to ensure the safe- ty of all, we will do our best to This stained glass window recalls the time in early Sydney when Mass – and therefore the Eucharist – was unavailable for years. For a while, Catholics worshipped Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament reserved privately in the homes of the faithful, as there were no churches and no priests. PHOTO: CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY keep in touch and maintain (even increase) our prayer on behalf of all, our healthcare, education and welfare ser- vices, and especially our pas- toral care. I truly believe this is the time for us to shine as a Church. Suspension of all public Masses and communal de- votions from 12noon It is with heavy heart that I announce that following the new commonwealth and state restrictions on public places, all public Masses and other communal devotions, whether inside churches or outdoors, are suspended in the Archdiocese from Sydney from 12noon until further no- tice. From now on our focus must be on helping people find ways to pray and nurture their faith from home. As you know, we have done our best to maintain the avail- ability of the Mass for as long as possible. But as I noted in my pastoral letter of 18 March, the Church in Australia was founded at a time when the Mass could not be celebrat- ed on these shores. Following the most recent advice from the commonwealth and state governments it may seem that we are again in that sit- uation. But where our fore- fathers and mothers waited for years to receive the Holy Eucharist, it will be at worst a matter of months for us. But just as prayer sustained them through those times, so can it for us today. The spirit of those first Australian Catho- lics should inspire us through the times ahead. “Mass for You at Home” is broadcast on Channel 10 each Sunday from 6am. There are several live-streaming and on-demand services for dai- ly Mass both locally and from around the English-speaking world. The cathedral, some parishes and several indi- vidual priests of the Archdi- ocese are already regular- ly life-streaming Mass and other devotions; more such initiatives are occurring in response to the present cri- sis. Links are available at the Archdiocesan website. Closure of churches Clarification has been re- ceived from government that, in New South Wales at least, all churches must be closed, even to private prayer. Bishops and priests can still say Mass privately, and the NSW government has confirmed that bishops and priests may use their (closed) cathedral or parish church for that purpose and livestream the service. There is also a broad excep- tion to these social gathering norms for isolated communi- ties, but this exception does not apply in the Archdiocese of Sydney. Private Masses and religious gatherings outside churches Private Masses, prayer meetings or other religious activities “for very small groups” in people’s homes would seem to be permissi- ble, subject to physical dis- tancing (4 sq meters each), hygiene and related direc- tives being carefully observed. When these occur we must be very prudent about how this is communicated and about public perceptions of favou- ritism or of flouting public health restrictions. As soon as I can get greater clarity about what is permitted in this area, I will share this with you. Sunday observance and al- ternative devotions As previously communi- cated, all but priests are dis- pensed from attending Sun- day Mass: the faithful can keep Sunday holy by setting aside some time for prayer at home, reading the Scriptures of the day, watching Mass on television or online, and/or asking God for the graces they would normally receive in Holy Communion. I exhort priests, religious and lay faithful to engage in regular prayer and fasting for those who die, fall sick or are at risk fromCOVID-19, for those caring for the sick, seeking a cure and leading us through this crisis. Priests may offer privately the Mass for the Sick, the Mass for Any Need or a Votive Mass of Our Lady of Lourdes. Consecrat- ed religious (as well as clerics Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP It is with a heavy heart that I announce that ... all public Masses and other com- munal devotions, whether inside church- es or outdoors, are suspended ...” Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP