23rd Sunday of the Year 2020

Dear Friends in Christ

Daily we receive updates on the Covid-19 situation at home and abroad. These are unprecedented times; as this Pandemic has spread throughout the whole world, naturally one’s health and safety always come first. There is still a great deal of fear in some people, even though Governmental guidelines have been put in place. I spoke to someone recently who hasn’t been out since last March. How to regain that confidence and surety once again is a gargantuan task. I am hoping that with the return of our children to school, it will instil hope and confidence in our families.

For those who have returned to the regular practice of faith, you have witnessed for yourselves, that we have put all the Governmental and diocesan guidelines in place in our church in insure your health and safety. Hit and miss appearances at mass is certainly not what being a practicing Catholic is all about! I really believed, perhaps naively, that this Pandemic would have focused everyone’s hearts and minds on what really matters in life, especially in the area of faith; sadly, it appears that I was wrong! Talking to priest friends all over the world, the same scenario exists in their countries as well. During the lockdown, I livestreamed Holy Mass each day. My worry now is that the livestreaming is being used as an alternative to the return to church, or in fact, no contact with church at all. Nothing can replace the actual being present and receiving Our Lord through Holy Communion at Holy Mass. I appeal to all our parishioners, especially our young families, to come back home to the Lord.

There is still quite a lot of space at our Weekend Masses, especially at our Saturday evening Vigil Mass at 6.00pm. Manifestly, as you’re probably aware that face coverings are required, unless you have exemption or underlying breathing problems. This not only protects you but everyone else as well. We do want to regain some semblance of normality once again in our daily and weekly lives. Also there is a speaker outside the Church transmitting the Mass.