FORGING CONNECTION

“BE OF GOOD CHEER, I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD.”

BY MARK DANIS

There is a lexicon evolving in our nation’s response to COVID-19 that the Church must reject. Terms like quarantine, isolation and social distancing can lead us to retreat, withdrawal and avoidance. But Christ’s words demand a proactive response to our current situation. We must take this time to explore and adopt new ways of reconnecting with one another in Christ. technology can help build on relationships in communities that have already been established.”

God has provided us the means of overcoming the limitations PERMANENT DEACON CANDIDATES FORGE imposed by the pandemic, and these go beyond merely liveSTRONGER BONDS streaming Masses or providing online catechetical formation. In similar fashion, the current class of archdiocesan permanent According to Joshua Danis, national director for Alpha in a deacon candidates refused to allow the virus to dictate their Catholic Context (ACC), “The challenge with some of the spring semester. The in-person classes ended in early March Church’s online response to the pandemic is that it is onewith the closure of Mt. St. Mary’s Seminary and School of directional. What is needed,” he contends, Theology, but according to candidate Joe are: “many to many relationships. Families The current class Grote, “This group of 18 men are more than need to interact with families, friends need to reconnect with friends and neighbors need to rediscover neighbors – in a Christian context. The focus must not be primarily on

Online forums were something the Carmelites had not done before. But in response to restrictions on large gatherings, virtual interaction offered a new opportunity for all Community members to come together again.

of archdiocesan permanent deacon candidates refused

just classmates, we are brothers.” While still in their first year of formation, these men have already overcome significant content, but on community.” to allow the virus to challenges. Aside from the pandemic, FAITH COMMUNITIES RECONNECT Jeanne Paula is a member of Dayton’s Secular

dictate their spring semester.

members of the class have endured unemployment, medical challenges and even a life-threatening condition for one Order of Discalced Carmelites. She has not candidate’s newborn grandchild. attended their monthly meeting for more than a year, as she cares for her 94-year-old mother. But in her Community’s In each case, the men closed ranks and responded with prayer, response to COVID-19, Paula recently reconnected, including around-the-clock rosaries. When Grote recently interacted and even prayed with her Carmelite family in a convened an online gathering, the men began as they always virtual forum. do: They prayed together. Afterwards, they shared stories of family, work and preparation for final exams. They even “I have been deprived of my Community. We communicate witnessed one member kissing his daughter good night, through email, telephone and letters, but this online something they could not have shared in their evenings gathering allowed us to be in each other’s presence and feel together at the seminary. comfortable sharing our struggles and victories – we were able to encourage each other,” said Paula. We as a Church should never allow the world to separate us as a community. We are here to be Christ to one another. When Faith communities across the archdiocese are feeling the exterior circumstances impose themselves on us, we cannot impact of pandemic-imposed isolation, but they are also cower or shelter in isolation. Instead, we should exploit every discovering new, innovative ways to gather. According to Sean means at our disposal to embrace Jesus’ message of victory. Ater, archdiocesan director of evangelization, “Technology As St. Paul himself taught, “In all these things we are more is just a tool, but the COVID crisis has shown us how than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37). NEWS