News Briefs

Anxious about the global pandemic? Advice from a Catholic psychologist

March 14, 2020 CNA Daily News 4

Denver, Colo., Mar 14, 2020 / 06:00 am (CNA).- While the coronavirus has Americans scrambling for canned goods, respirator masks, and especially toilet paper, one Catholic psychologist has encouraged people to take deep breaths and remain calm.

The World Health Organization labeled the coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, a world-class pandemic this week. Since then, panic and anxiety have become common experiences.

Dr. Christina Lynch, a supervising psychologist for Denver’s St. John Vianney Theological Seminary, told CNA that fear of the pandemic is normal. But even in the global health crisis, she said, peace is not beyond our reach.

“Being frightened about something that we don’t understand is normal. I think the first thing we have to do is normalize our emotions and realize it’s okay. We all are uncertain. We don’t know what the future holds,” she said. “We fear the unknown. We want to be in control.”

As of March 13, the virus has infected over 140,000 people and claimed nearly 5,400 lives, the NY Times reported. U.S. President Donald Trump declared the crisis a national emergency Friday afternoon.

Coronavirus expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said the situation will worsen, noting that the pandemic will last for several months. The option of a complete social shutdown is not off the table for Americans, he said.

Amid the anxiety, people have rushed to local supermarkets to stock up on medicine, hand sanitizer, and, curiously, toilet paper.

Videos have appeared online under the hashtags #toiletpaperpanic or #toiletpaperapocalypse, which show stores with empty shelves, and even fights breaking out over rolls of two-ply.

Lynch said that the hoarding of toilet paper conveys a panicked mob mentality taking root. But there are means to remain calm in the face of the upcoming storm.

She offered a few techniques to help quell rising anxiety levels.

Lynch encouraged people prone to anxiety to pay close attention to expert advice on avoiding the virus, like washing hands, wiping down surfaces, and limiting interactions with large crowds. She said that for most people, following substantiated advice will help diminish any sense of panic and worry.

She also suggested Catholics can make the practice of handwashing an opportunity for prayer. For example, she said washing hands while saying a Hail Mary takes about 20 seconds, the expert-recommended amount of time at the sink.

Lynch also said anyone can benefit from reflecting on how they’ve already conquered anxiety, and then practicing calming routines that have worked in the past.

“It’s a very normal reaction to be fearful or concerned…[but] you don’t want to fan the flame of that fear. So what are the steps that you can take, knowing yourself?” she asked.

In general, Lynch said, people can benefit from breathing techniques, which help equalize the body and reduce anxiety.

“Breathing is one of the best self-calming tools we can have. You know, just relaxing and creating a habit twice a day to just take some deep breaths, close our eyes, hold our breath and exhale… You [may] pray a Hail Mary while you’re holding your breath and then you calmly exhale.”

Lynch said there are also plenty of spiritual practices to help Catholics handle anxiety.

Lynch suggested Catholics look up the devotional practices recommended by their local diocese. Even if churches have canceled their Masses, she said, Catholics can also watch the Mass on channels like EWTN, or online, she said.

“We’re so blessed to have our faith, the Catholic faith because we have so many tools from a spiritual perspective. I think this is a great opportunity because we’re so busy in our daily life that we can use this to actually develop some spiritual habits, and incorporate them in this attempt to reduce her anxiety.”

“Maybe develop a habit of just spending five to 15 minutes every morning when you first get up. Maybe get up a little bit earlier and just pray, whether it’s silent … read[ing]scripture … or pray[ing] a decade of the rosary,” she said.

Lynch urged people monitor their intake of media, especially news sources that have politicized the virus or promoted fear.

“Some of the things that we know we can do to counteract fear is limit your media coverage from sources that want to instill fear. Like, those that politicized the virus or those that only focus on the bad stuff that’s happening with the virus or what could happen rather than the facts,” Lynch advised.

She acknowledged that the virus is likely to spread and there is a chance that many people will be impacted. She emphasized the value of taking practical steps in being prepared for self-quarantine.

And Lynch encouraged Catholics to see the spiritual opportunity in the weeks ahead.

“We’re so used to being in control. This is a great opportunity to know that God’s in control and to just give him more control and pray a prayer of trust to God every day.”

 

[…]

Arkansas diocese cancels public Triduum services, but keeps ministry alive

March 13, 2020 CNA Daily News 0

Little Rock, Ark., Mar 13, 2020 / 05:55 pm (CNA).- As efforts to thwart the coronavirus pandemic continue, one diocese has announced that public Masses will be suspended until after the celebration of Easter, and that only new Catholics entering the Church will be permitted at parish and diocesan Triduum Masses and services.

The Easter Triduum is regarded as the high point in the Church’s liturgical year. But the Diocese of Little Rock, Arkansas, told CNA that while it is difficult to keep Catholics away from Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday, it also seems necessary.

“We made this decision out of an abundance of caution,” Deacon Matt Glover, Little Rock’s diocesan chancellor, told CNA.

“This is a preventative measure for our more vulnerable populations,” Glover added.

The measure was announced in a March 12 letter from Little Rock’s Bishop Anthony Taylor. While numerous dioceses have announced this week the suspension of public Masses, Taylor’s was the first letter to make specific mention of the Easter Triduum. Many other dioceses have suspended public Masses until the weekend of Palm Sunday, apparently hoping to resume services for Holy Week.

“While COVID-19 is unlikely to be serious for most people, we have an obligation to care for the very young, the aged, and those with compromised immune systems. And the best way we can care for them is minimizing large group gatherings for the time being,” Taylor wrote.

Those entering the Church at Easter will be permitted to attend Triduum services, while others will watch online or on television.

Glover acknowledged that there have been only few cases of COVID-19 in Arkansas; as of Friday there are six documented cases in the state. But he said that the diocese wants to be sure not to contribute to the viral spread. He added that if COVID-19 does not become widespread in Arkansas, the diocese will reconsider its decision.

“In two or three weeks time, if things go well, COVID-19 is contained, with no community spread, then there is nothing to say that we wouldn’t lift the prohibition, but we made this decision to be cautious,” he added.

The deacon said that some people in the diocese have expressed gratitude for a proactive decision. But he acknowledged that others have expressed frustration.

“I would be upset if there weren’t people upset,” Glover told CNA. “It’s a sign of people’s strong faith when they’re upset that they can’t go to Mass, receive the Eucharist, or attend Triduum services,” he added.

Glover said that the Diocese of Little Rock is trying to make the best decisions possible, with the information available. He said he thinks that’s true across the Church. But he said he also recognizes the approach of his diocese might not prove correct.

“We recognize that it could be that we’re way too early on this, and it could be that other places are way too late on this. I don’t think anybody would claim to have the definite right way to handle this.”

“I think diocesan leaders across the country are all just doing the best we can to balance the pros and cons, to make best decisions for the faith of Catholics, and for public health,” he said.

The deacon told CNA that Bishop Taylor and chancery staff will continue to watch what’s happening in the state, and they’ll look forward to hearing from pastors.

“We might make pastoral adjustments going forward,” Glover said. “We want to hear from priests in the field, and from other leaders, about what’s working and what’s not.”

The deacon said that while Masses are suspended, Arkansas priests are not sitting idly.

“We’ve seen priests take the initiative on offering confession and on other things. We hope to build on that [across the diocese].  We want to see what works.”

He said that priests have increased their confession times, begun making more home visits, offered more frequent anointing of the sick, live streamed daily Masses, and found other ways to stay connected to their parishioners.

The deacon said pastoral work amid the trial of a pandemic is impressive.

He also said that while Masses are suspended, the Diocese of Little Rock is concerned that parish and diocesan employees not suffer financial consequences.

“The parishes who rely on passing the collection basket, as opposed to electronic giving, will see numbers go down the longer things last,” Glover said, noting that many rural parishes operate on very thin budget margins.

“We just have to keep an eye on things. We don’t want parishes to suffer financially for it, or the lay staff, who are already underpaid in most instances, to be hurt even more.”

Glover said the diocese is “beginning to think about those bigger picture things,” as it responds to the pandemic, and will consider the best ways to help parishes survive the pandemic. The diocese is also concerned for employees, he said.

“We’re advising pastors to allow staff to telecommute, work from home. We don’t want any of our staff people missing wages. That’s the message that we’re sending out,” the deacon said.

While diocesan and parish leaders make decisions about how best to handle an unforeseen circumstance, Glover said he, and Arkansas’ bishop, will continue to listen to parishioners, and look for creative ways to serve the Church’s mission.

As the pandemic becomes a national emergency, other dioceses may find themselves looking to Little Rock for lessons.

 

[…]

Catholic and Orthodox Churches in Ukraine consider how to distribute Communion

March 13, 2020 CNA Daily News 0

Kyiv, Ukraine, Mar 13, 2020 / 05:10 pm (CNA).- The coronavirus pandemic has prompted discussions in Ukraine over whether precautions should be taken related to the reception of Holy Communion, especially as many in the country attend Churches where it is distributed from a common chalice and spoon.

According to the World Health Organization, worldwide there are 132,758 confirmed cases of coronavirus, and 4,955 deaths. There are three confirmed cases of coronavirus in Ukraine, and one death. A 71-year-old woman who returned from Poland visited her church and did not self-isolate, and she died March 13 after one one day of hospitalization.

Officials have announced quarantines throughout the country, with schools suspended for three weeks. They have also work to prevent panic, as there have already been cases of protests and street fights prompted by concerns over the spread of coronavirus.

More than 60% of Ukrainians belong to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine or the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), and nearly another 10% belong to Greek Catholic Churches. Each of these Churches use the Byzantine rite, in which Communion is distributed under both species. The Body of Christ is immersed in the Precious Blood in a single chalice, and is distributed by the priest to the faithful from a single golden spoon. Additionally, in these Churches all the baptized, including infants, receive Holy Communion.

Thus the common means of distributing Communion in the country has led to much discussion of whether coronavirus can be transmitted through Communion, and what precautions should be taken.

Igor Kuzin, acting general director of the Public Health Center of Ukraine’s Ministry of Health, told CNA that the use of a common spoon for the distribution of Communion “of course, poses some risk of infection for believers, but we understand religious feeling and the rights of people, so we work together with the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations to find the right way to manage this.”

Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church

In the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, priests exhort the faithful to be careful not to touch the spoon as they receive Communion, and the faithful are taught to open wide their mouth when receiving.

Major Archbishop Svyatoslav Shevchuk of Kyiv-Halych, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, said that “during this period it may be justified not to touch or kiss the icons”.
He also asked that elderly people and parents with children stay at home and pray with the Divine Liturgy through a live stream. For those who are ill, Major Archbishop Svyatoslav encouraged priests provide them with confession and Communion at home.

The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church is carefully discussing the form of Communion; but the liturgical commission, whose work would prepare preliminary investigation before the final decision of Major Archbishop Svyatoslav, has not yet met on this problem.

But one of the experts of the commission, the liturgist Father Vasil Rudeyko, does not consider  the use of a common spoon to be obligatory.

“We have such a tradition, but in the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, who also use the Byzantine rite, share Communion by hand. They dip a particle of the Holy Body into the Holy Blood and place it in the mouth of the communicant. This may be one of the possibilities”, Father Vasil told CNA.
 
Another option could be the reception of Holy Communion under one species, as is common in the Latin rite, but Fr. Vasil is uncertain whether this option would be acceptable for Greek Catholics in Ukraine.

Bishop Dionisio Lyakhovich, apostolic delegate of the Ukrainian Apostolic Exarchate of Italy, wrote in a communiqué that in the exarchate Communion will be given under “one species (the Holy Body) in the hand and the priest should see to it that parishioners consume it immediately, and in front of him.” While infants usually receive Communion in the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, at this time the bishop advises that they not be communed.

Ruthenian Eparchy of Mukachevo

Bishop Milan Šašik of the Ruthenian Eparchy of Mukachevo, which is immediately subject to the Holy See, has issued a statement meant “to prevent panic and misunderstandings about the health or life of our parishioners, and to prevent restrictions or prohibitions on church services.” He has encouraged those with symptoms of viral disease to stay home.

He recommended that the icons and Gospel book not be kissed, but rather reverenced with the sign of the cross and a bow.

“During Communion, do not touch with the lips and do not lick the spoon; bring infants only for the blessing with the chalice and not for Communion,” Bishop Milan wrote.

The bishop also recommended that those who fear infection should make a spiritual communion, “by eliciting an act of faith and love for God and a strong desire to receive Christ into their hearts.”

He also recalled “the first Christians who, for the sake of participating in the Eucharist, risked their own lives until death.” The bishop mentioned the 49 martyrs of Abitinae, killed during the Diocletian persecution in 304, who “sacrificed their lives for Communion with Christ” in the face of a ban on assembly in the Roman empire.

“Let us be prudent at this time and may the Lord inspire us to experience in peace and tranquility all the realities of this earthly life,” Bishop Milan said. “Let us contemplate the crucified Christ, that renewed in joy we may experience His Resurrection.”

Orthodox Church of Ukraine

In a March 13 communique from the press office of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (the autocephaly of which was recognized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate in January 2019), its bishops insisted that in the churches, believers should continue to reverence icons, though without touching or kissing them.

Following Communion in the Divine Liturgy, the Orthodox Church provides a chalice of water mixed with wine. Normally a single chalice is shared for this purpose, but the bishops have said that at this time the water and wine mixture should be distributed through disposable plastic cups.

At the same time, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine insists that the Eucharist, which is traditionally consumed by the Orthodox from a single chalice and a common spoon, should be treated not as consumption of food, but as a sacrament, which is served “for the healing of body and soul”.

Currently, the OCU makes it clear that believers can be infected by the kissing of icons, but not from the common spoon with which Communion is distributed.

The OCU Metropolitan of Lviv, Dimitriy Rudyuk, wrote on Facebook March 6 calling “all other ways of [distributing] Communion that deny the traditional form of the Eucharist in the Orthodox Church or any limitation on the reception of the true Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ” blasphemy and a lack of faith.

Metropolitan Dimitriy addressed this especially to those afraid of falling ill through receiving Communion from the single chalice and spoon.

His post following a gathering of representatives from local Churches convoked by the Lviv government to discuss how priests could help to stop the spread of coronavirus, and to reduce the population’s fear.

Fr. Cyril Hovorun, a priest of the OCU who is acting director of the Huffington Ecumenical Institute at Loyola Marymount University, affirms that viruses can be transmitted through the Sacrament. Moreover, he maintained in a March 12 Facebook post that to think differently means to fall into docetism, which was condemned at the First Council of Nicaea.

Fr. Cyril wrote that each person must decide whether to Communicate in light of the possibility of transmission, and that “to deceive people and themselves, referring to faith and promising that nothing will happen, is theologically incorrect, and also irresponsible.”

Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate)

Bishop Clement Vecherya, head of the press office of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), said that “Holy Communion is a manifestation of the Christian’s personal faith, which no one is forcing a person to. From the Holy Gifts, the believing person cannot become infected; moreover, in history, wonderful healing with help of the Holy Mysteries is known, but not infection”.

He added that the UOC-MP would not adopt any other way of sharing Holy Communion than from the same chalice and spoon, so as not to reject the Orthodox Church’s two thousand years of pastoral experience.

As an argument that the UOC-MP is honest with parishioners, Bishop Clement noted that during the Liturgy, the last person to receive Communion is a priest.

“In addition to the coronavirus, there are other viral diseases in the world, so priests would simply not survive or would have difficult infectious diseases. But you see nothing like that”, Bishop Clement said.

The bishop also said that the icons are carefully cleaned with disinfectants, even in normal times.

[…]

House readies coronavirus response bill

March 13, 2020 CNA Daily News 1

Washington D.C., Mar 13, 2020 / 03:30 pm (CNA).- The House on Friday readied a bill for passage to fund a response to the Coronavirus pandemic, including free virus testing and paid sick leave.

In a press conference on Friday, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-… […]

Rome’s churches closed, then opened again. What happened?

March 13, 2020 CNA Daily News 2

Vatican City, Mar 13, 2020 / 01:47 pm (CNA).- Less than one day after the Diocese of Rome closed all Roman churches to the public, the cardinal who oversees the diocese reversed himself, saying he would leave that decision to parish pastors.

Both announcements came amid deliberations between Pope Francis and Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, the vicar general of Rome, who oversees the day-to-day operations of a diocese whose bishop is Pope Francis.

De Donatis published a letter March 13 explaining that he consulted with Pope Francis before closing the churches for private prayer March 12, and before opening them again March 13.

“After consulting our bishop, Pope Francis, we published yesterday, March 12, the decree that establishes the closure of our churches for three weeks,” Cardinal Angelo De Donatis wrote in a letter to the Diocese of Rome.

“A further conversation with Pope Francis, this morning, however, prompted us to consider another need: that because of the closure of our churches, other ‘least ones’ find a different kind of reason for uncertainty and confusion. The risk is for people to feel even more isolated,” he explained.

Before the initial decision’s reversal, Pope Francis had spoken out against “drastic measures” in response to the coronavirus in his morning homily televised throughout Italy and livestreamed online.

“Let’s pray for this, that the Holy Spirit may give to pastors the ability for pastoral discernment so that they might provide measures which do not leave the holy, faithful people of God alone, and so that the people of God will feel accompanied by their pastors, comforted by the Word of God, by the sacraments, and by prayer,” Pope Francis said March 13.

Pope Francis had prayed for authorities who “must decide … on measures that people do not like” in his homily the day prior.

In defiance of the initial church closure decree, the cardinal in charge of the pope’s charity office, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, opened Friday his titular church, St. Mary Immaculate all’Esquilino, a church located in an ethnically-diverse, and poor, area of Rome.

“In full compliance with safety standards, it is my right to ensure an open church for the poor. At 8:00 this morning, I came here and opened the door wide. In this way the poor will be able to adore the Blessed Sacrament which is the consolation for all in this moment of grave difficulty,” Krajewski said, according to Vatican News.

The diocesan reversal came shortly after.

The revised decree clarifies that “non-parish churches” and other religious buildings will remain closed, while parishes and missionary churches dedicated to care for others can be reopened. The properties of religious communities and monasteries are only accessible to the members of their communities.

The decree “is therefore modified, placing the ultimate responsibility of entering the places of worship in the hands of priests and all the faithful, so as not to expose the population to any danger of contagion and at the same time avoid the sign of a physical prohibition on access to a place of worship by closing it, which could create disorientation and a greater sense of insecurity,” Cardinal De Donatis wrote.

“Every ecclesial precautionary measure must take into account not only the common good of civil society, but also of that unique and precious good which is faith, especially that of the least ones,” he said.

The vicar general exhorted Catholics to follow the Italian government’s quarantine measures until April 3, and to stay at home.

“Coronavirus infection is spreading exponentially. In a few days the number of infected doubles, and at this rate it is not difficult to predict that in two months it will reach the order of tens of thousands of people only in Italy,” De Donatis wrote in his letter.

“There is a clear risk of collapse of healthcare facilities, in which there are already many on ventilators, above all because of the disproportion between the available intensive care resources and the growing number of patients. A large number of people could die, especially the elderly and vulnerable people,” the vicar of Rome said.

There are 242 confirmed cases of COVID-19 currently in Lazio, the region surrounding Rome, as of March 13, according to the Italian Ministry of Health.

Coronavirus cases in Italy have grown quickly in recent weeks surpassing 17,500 documented cases. More than 1,250 people have died from COVID-19 in the country since Feb. 22.

A nationwide quarantine has been declared in Italy through April 3 in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

The quarantine restricts movement within Italy and requires people to stay in their homes except for cases of absolute necessity, which may include going to work, to the pharmacy or hospital, or to the supermarket.

On March 11, Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte tightened the restrictions of a nationwide lockdown to include the closure of all restaurants, bars, and non-commercial businesses other than supermarkets.

In all cases, a distance of one meter must be maintained between people in public. Not following these regulations is punishable by fine or arrest.

The previous Diocese of Rome decree suspending all public Masses in the diocese until April 3 still stands, however now Catholics will once again have access to some parishes for private prayer.

“The spiritual need of the people of God to gather to celebrate the Eucharist becomes for us Christians the object of a painful renunciation. There is first the spiritual need for the charity of caring for our brothers. Unfortunately, going to church is no different than going to other places: it is at risk of contagion,” De Donatis wrote.

 

[…]