A more present Church

Churches have reopened their doors to the faithful.

Three months ago, following specific instructions given by the health authorities in a bid to contain the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic as much as possible, the Curia quickly said it was stopping masses in churches.

The saddest part of it all was the suspension of funeral services, which turned from gatherings in a church to say farewell to the departed to a small ceremony at the cemetery, limited to a handful of people. Hearts already broken were shattered even more in these surreal circumstances.

The age of technology made it possible for the Church to still reach out to its members during the time when its sacred places remained shut. Masses, many of which said by Archbishop Charles Scicluna, were transmitted live on television, at different hours of the day. Many parishes also organised themselves to stream masses live via the social media. Anyone who could not make it at the established time could follow a recording. A dispensation from Sunday mass given by the archbishop eased the conscience of many.

The restrictions imposed by the health authorities have now been eased. But there are still guidelines that need to be followed for people attending church services. Visors, preferred to masks, have to be worn; people’s temperature is being checked before entering the building and they have to sit away from each other; no physical contact must be made when signs of peace are exchanged and it is the priest who goes to the congregation for Holy Communion rather than have individuals moving in lines to receive the Host. Funerals have re-started, albeit with limitations.

But the ball has started to roll again. It is unclear whether mass attendance last weekend was the same as the pre-COVID-19 days. There may be some who are still too fearful to leave their homes, and the limitations on the number of people allowed inside a church depending on its size may have resulted in people not finding a place.

That the number of people going to mass on Sundays continues to decline is no secret, with or without the virus. But this situation has possibly given the Church new avenues by which it could remain closer to the faithful, and perhaps build bridges with the lost sheep. Before the virus, masses were broadcast on TV, but not as regularly as they did for the last three months.

That the faithful could also listen to the message of the head of the Maltese church practically every day was unprecedented, and it would be a good idea if Archbishop Scicluna continues the practice; if not daily, as frequently as possible.

That parish priests entered people’s homes via social media on a daily basis during the pandemic is also a situation that could continue, even now that churches have reopened. Masses being said in churches with a congregation present could still be aired online for those who cannot make it at the established hour.

Many priests are also known to have doubled their efforts to remain close to parishioners in the past three months, particularly those who were hit hard by the virus such as by losing their jobs, and to others who experienced loneliness because they obeyed instructions to stay at home. They should do their utmost to continue on the same lines, even though we understand that the declining number of priests and a growing population does not make this easy.

It is by adapting to changing circumstances that the Church could maintain and possibly strengthen its presence in our society.