May 2020, Vol. 38, No. 5
The official publication of the Diocese of Austin
En Español: Páginas 19-22
Parishes get creative to engage parishioners during pandemic By Alfredo E. Cardenas | Correspondent
When historians write about the COVID-19 pandemic, the term “social distancing” will be remembered as the strategy that saved countless lives. In the history of the Catholic Church, the operative term may well be “creative ministering.” In fact, Pope Francis recently prayed for and praised “the creativity of priests” as they ministered during the pandemic. The challenge Father Charlie Garza, pastor at St. Albert the Great Parish in Austin, and his brother priests around the globe faced was how to administer the sacraments within the guidelines of social distancing. That challenge required creativity, so Father Garza called upon the Holy Spirit for help. He also relied on a leadership team that included his associate pastor Father Paul-Michael Piega, Deacon David Ochoa, Ericko Yokohama and others. Father Charlie Garza, pastor of St. Albert the Great Parish in Austin, offers the sacrament of reconciliation in the parish driveway so that people do not have to get out of their vehicle to receive the sacrament. (Photo by Alfredo E. Cardenas)
Throughout the Diocese of Austin, other parish leaders did the same. Many parishes began livestreaming Sunday Mass on their websites, Facebook, YouTube and other available means. Some, like St. Albert the Great, also began to livestream Perpetual Adoration. But the bigger questions included how do we hear confessions and how do we anoint the sick from six feet away, Father Garza said. When Bishop Joe Vásquez, in keeping with community health concerns, suspended public Masses; required limiting attendance at funerals and weddings to close family and friends; and curtailed homebound ministries for holy Communion, he also encouraged parishes to build spiritual communities “through social media and small Christian groups.” While “observing public health advisories regarding social distancing,” Bishop Vásquez directed pastors to keep churches open during normal hours for private prayer and devotionals. He also asked priests to remain available for the sacrament of the anointing of the sick, to keep parish offices open with essential staff during normal business hours, and to continue parish ministries. He encouraged pastors to use “prudential judgment in these matters.” This new reality of ministry was a challenge to both priests and the
laity. Priests encouraged their parishioners to attend Mass online, on television or on the radio. Parishioners were encouraged to pray for spiritual communion at the moment they normally went up to receive the Eucharist. However, many parishioners do not have access to the internet, others are at an age where they do not fully grasp the intricacies of social media, and still others did not have the required bandwidth to receive the Mass. While a person might confess their sins over the telephone or the internet, church law says one cannot receive absolution via the internet or the telephone. Moreover, Father Garza said there is always the risk that the electronic conversation can be compromised, violating the sanctity of the sacrament. Some parishes continued to offer confessions with safeguards for social distancing. Father Uche Obikwelu, pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Kingsland, encouraged penitents to observe social distancing in the church narthex, while the glass doors between the entrance doors and the church were closed. He sat in a pew while the peni-
When public Masses were suspended, St. Albert the Great Parish in Austin asked parishioners to e-mail photos of themselves. The photos were printed and placed in the parish pews. On Palm Sunday palms were distributed to each photo in the pews, and the photos were blessed on Easter Sunday. (Photo courtesy Father Paul-Michael Piega)
tent sat at a permissible distance. No one in the narthex was able to hear them. At St. Mary Cathedral in Austin, the parish set up a system where penitents made an appointment and confessions were held in the school with portable confessionals set up in a way that ensured social distancing. Cathedral parishioner Ed Check said he appreciated the work the Cathedral has done to offer the sacraments. “I very much appreciate the efforts Father Daniel Liu has made to keep connected with his parishioners, including scheduling confession times when the appropriate guidelines can be maintained,” he said.
See MINISTRY on Page 3
Bishop’s Interview
Learning from home
Easter message
Español
Bishop hopes church pews will soon be filled with parishioners.
Catholic schools shift to online learning during pandemic.
Pope calls for hope, peace and care for the poor.
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Cuidando la salud mental y espiritual durante una pandemia. PAGE 21