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WWW.EWTN.COM/TV/WATCH-LIVE/ASIA-PACIFIC Solemn Mass of Palm Sunday from Rome April 5, 6:00PM (LIVE) Solemn Mass of Easter Sunday from Rome April 12, 6:00PM (LIVE) Urbi et Orbi: Message & Blessing April 12, 8:00PM (LIVE) Praying with Jesus in the Gardden of Olives April 10, 4:00AM (LIVE) Solemn Mass of the Lord’s Supper April 10, 7:30AM (LIVE) Celebrationof the Lord’s Passion from Rome April 11, 1:00AM (LIVE) TheWay of the Cross with Pope Francis from Rome April 11, 5:15AM (LIVE) Easter Vigil Mass with the Holy Father April 12, 4:30AM (LIVE) THE WEEK THAT CHANGED THE WORLD HOLYWEEK PROGRAMS Find the career you deserve SEE OUR LATEST JOBS Call Katie (02) 9390 5402 catholicjobsonline.com. au Pope Francis walks down Via del Corso to pray at the Church of St. Marcellus in Rome on 15 March, 2020. PHOTO: CNS/VATICAN MEDIA and lay faithful) may pray the Divine Office with thesepar- ticular intentions and add ap- propriate petitions. All of us can pray the Rosary and other prayers regularly. The Holy Father and the Bishops Con- ference are announcing reg- ular times that we might pray together for these intentions. Daily Mass by priests Though our priests can no longer celebrate Mass with their people, they can and should celebrate Mass for their people. Priests are exhorted to celebrate daily Mass on behalf of their people whilever public Masses are re- stricted and churches closed. The Bishops Conference is hoping to have a specific “Mass in Time of Pandemic” approved for use soon. Baptisms Baptisms should be post- poned for at least six months where they prudently can be. If there is a risk of death, the child should be baptised by a priest or, if not available, by a lay person. Confessions The Second andThird Rites of Reconciliation are religious services and are not permit- ted. Creative responses to church closures such as drive- by Confessions or confession- als set up outdoors (with ap- propriate respect for privacy) would be subject to the cave- ats already noted regarding not drawing crowds, distanc- ing, hygiene etc. The faith- ful should be advised on the continuing importance of ex- amination of conscience and making an act of contrition, and that they are dispensed from their annual duties until such time as it is practicable to fulfil them. Priests may and should respond to individu- al requests for the Sacrament of Penance, but may not ad- vertise or open the church for Confessions. Weddings An exception to the gov- ernment’s church closure di- rection has been allowed for Weddings. But weddings may now only be celebrated with “very small groups” (i.e. im- mediate family) in attendance at the church, and subject to physical distancing, hygiene and related directives. The church should be closed once the limited participants have been admitted. Disappoint- ed brides could be promised a larger celebration after the public emergency has passed (e.g. on the first anniversary). Now that wedding reception venues are closed, most wed- dings are being postponed for at least six months. If a church is used for a wedding, pews, door knobs and other obvious contact points should be sanitised af- terwards. Funerals Another exception to the government’s church closure direction has been allowed for Funerals. But funerals may now only be celebrated with “very small groups” (i.e. im- mediate family) in attendance at the church, and subject to physical distancing, hygiene and related directives. The church should be closed once the limited participants have been admitted. Grieving fam- ilies could be promised a larg- er celebration after the public emergency has passed (e.g. on the first anniversary). If a church is used for a fu- neral, pews, door knobs and other obvious contact points should be sanitised after- wards. Schools Following announcements by the commonwealth and state governments, schools in New South Wales will re- main open for supervision and teaching. But parents are encouraged to keep their chil- dren at home. Sydney Catho- lic Schools will be providing remote learning modules so that our children’s educa- tion continues. Should par- ents elect to continue send- ing their children to a Sydney Catholic school, the same work will be undertaken there and the children appropriate- ly cared for. Pastoral visits to and Anoint- ing of the sick Pastoral care of the sick, frail elderly and shut-in should as far as possible be undertaken by the clergy and in accordance with current public health advice. All min- isters should follow precau- tions recommended by health authorities when visiting peo- ple’s homes, aged care facil- ities, hospitals, prisons and detention centres. Extraordi- nary Ministers of Holy Com- munion should only take Holy Communion to people’s homes if they are at low risk themselves and appropriate- ly advised on all precautions. Clergy, also, must be care- ful with respect to their own health and safety if we are to avoid exposing our people to risk and are going to be there for the long haul for people. As previously communi- cated, when Anointing the Sick, priests are given permis- sion to lay on hands by hold- ing them above rather than upon the head and to anoint using a cotton wool ball, cot- ton bud or a protective glove which can be disposed of ap- propriately after a single use. Anointing the head would be sufficient. Physical distancing to the extent possible, disin- fecting hands before and after pastoral encounters, and oth- er current measures should be applied. Availability Priest must ensure that pa- rishioners can contact them in emergencies. Pastoral initiatives The challenge for the whole church at present, including for parish priests, is to apply pastoral creativity and pru- dence so as to ensure that our pastoral care increases rather than decreases in this time of crisis. Priests should as far as possible ring their parishio- ners to check in on how they are faring. In my Pastoral Letter of 18 March I emphasised the importance of caring for the frail, the elderly and isolat- ed as our community faces the deep challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. To help these people in need, the Archdiocese is working along- side CatholicCare to roll out a volunteer program to help the needy access groceries, cooked meals, medicine and other necessities at this dif- ficult time. You are asked to nominate a volunteer coordi- nator (not you or your parish secretary) and 5-10 people in your parish who are young and healthy enough to carry out these visits to the needy. Please provide their contact details to Laura Rahill at lau-
[email protected] . The Archdiocese will collate all parish responses and com- municate these to Catholic- Care who will work with your volunteer coordinator directly to implement this at the par- ish level. Many of our frail and elderly will feel particularly isolated at this time, as only essential services continue to operate during the COVID-19 pandemic. A service like this is critical to not only ensuring the needy get food and med- icine, but human company as well to combat long-term loneliness and isolation. CatholicCare’s dedicat- ed phone service, CCare Line (Phone 13-18-19) will also manage calls for assistance as they come in and will pass on details of the person requir- ing assistance to the parish volunteer coordinator so that help can be arranged by the local parish. Parishes might also consid- er organising a parish online rosary or prayer group. To help people maintain their physical health and spir- itual life through this crisis, we have a page on our arch- diocesan website. For latest updates, prayers and spiritual resources, and to watch Mass online visit https://www.syd - neycatholic.org/coronavi- rus-updates/. It is our hope that Catholic- Care, the St Vincent de Paul Society and other Catholic welfare providers will contin- ue to operate within current public health requirements and provide additional care where needed. Care of priests Please be assured of my particular solidarity and solic- itude, not just for our faithful hungry for the Eucharist, but for you, my brother pastors. I thank you for all your efforts so far to maintain calm in our local communities and some semblance of ordinary life, and to continue and increase the pastoral care offered to our people, even at a time of anxiety about their health and yours, and about restrictions, isolation, finances etc. I ask the Vicars for Clergy, Region- al Vicars and Deans to keep in regular contact to see how you are going and how we might help you. Please do not hesitate to put your hand up for help. Further communications If these present restrictions are varied or clarified I will advise you as soon as pos- sible. I plan to issue regular messages and video clips to keep communication going. Particular guidelines will be issued by the Liturgy Office for Holy Week. Commending you to Our Lord and Our Lady I continue to entrust you, our Archdiocese and our na- tion to the intercession of Our Lady, Help of Christians, of Lourdes, and of Good Health. Let us pray: O God, healer of all our ills, to whomwe turn in this time of distress, grant we pray, in the power of faith, eternal rest to the dead and comfort to those who mourn, health to the sick and peace to the dying, strength to medical workers, wisdom to our lead- ers and a spirit of kindness to us all. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. This is the edited text of the Pastoral Letter to the Clergy and Faithful of the Archdio- cese of Sydney regarding the latest restric- tions in response to the COVID, 19 pandemic by Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP on 23 March 2020. FROM THE ARCHBISHOP