One Priest Speaks from the Heart: Just Stay Home

Allow me to speak from the heart about the present crisis. I know I speak not only for myself, but for the vast majority of Catholic priests. We are not on vacation. We are not sitting at home playing video games. Like everyone else, we are doing the best we can to deal with an unprecedented global crisis. We want to minister to our flocks. We are broken hearted not to be with you to celebrate the sacraments. We don’t like being restricted, but we are men under obedience, and furthermore, we not only have a vow of obedience to our bishop, we try best we can to work in solidarity with our brother priests.

I am amazed and impressed by all the priests and bishops who have jumped up and worked hard to re-imagine their ministries: pumping out daily meditations, video homilies, live streamed masses, at home worship aids, fund raising for those who are unemployed and getting on the phone to parishioners–doing all they can within the restrictions to minister to their people.

It is not helping us therefore, when well meaning pious Catholic accuse us of being cowardly because we will not disobey the bishop and have clandestine masses or visit our people. It does not help us when people launch a social media gossip campaign nagging us to give them what they want when they want it how they want it.

If you are a good Catholic, then you should understand that the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that Christ is truly present in various ways:

 “Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us,” is present in many ways to his Church:¹⁹⁷ in his word, in his Church’s prayer, “where two or three are gathered in my name,”¹⁹⁹ in the poor, the sick, and the imprisoned,¹⁹⁹ in the sacraments of which he is the author, in the sacrifice of the Mass, and in the person of the minister. But “he is present . . . most especially in the Eucharistic species.”^{20 (para. 1373)}

Yes, it is at Mass that he is most especially with us, but he is not absent when we cannot receive the Eucharist. He is still with us. He promised to be with us to the end of time (Mt. 28:20) and to never leave us or forsake us remember? (Go here to read all the Scripture verses that echo this promise)

We know you desire the Lord in the sacraments and we respect and love that, but if you are one of the campaigners you must stop and see the bigger picture. We priests are aware of the suggestions by various campaigners like Dr Janet Smith and we appreciate them. Her suggestions were prudent and could be employed in some cases. I know from speaking to other priests that all of us are thinking of ways we can minister the sacraments while still keeping our people safe, however, we must do this in solidarity with our bishops and fellow priests and in professional consultation with experts.

Would I be able to put together some way of administering the sacraments safely observing all the restrictions for people’s safety? Yes, and I have proposed some to my superiors but had the suggestions refused. Here’s why: I am pastor of a terrific parish. We’re not big and wealthy, but we have a devoted, smart and caring congregation and a small, but very well qualified and dedicated staff. We could probably lay on a parking lot Mass, drive through confessions and safe home visits. But we are not congregationalists. We work in solidarity with the other priests and parishes. I could do this, but maybe the elderly priest in another parish with fewer resources could not. Think of the added pressure he would be under. I could do this, but priests on their own in smaller parishes who do not enjoy the staff members and active, younger parishioners I enjoy could not.

Most of all, getting together at this stage in any way endangers the lives of our people, and as so many of our people are elderly this adds to the problem. This is why our bishops have urged caution and made the restrictions. They are not cowards. They are not “bad shepherds” they are not gullible patsies of some left wing globalist new world order that seeks to obliterate the Catholic faith. With so many uncertainties they are simply taking proper precautions as we all should.

Frustrated by the “some people” my friend Fr Chris Smith of Prince of Peace posted this on Facebook:

How I feel dealing with “some people” during COVID-19.

So, God gives us common sense, which tells us to stay home.
So, God gives us human reason, which tells us to stay home.
So, God gives us science, which tells us to stay home.
So, God gives us the state, which tells us to stay home.
So, God gives us the Church, which tells us to stay home.
So, God gives us healthcare workers, who tell us to stay home.
So, God gives us parish clergy, who tell us to stay home.

“Some people”: But I don’t want to. Because I know better than:

Common sense
Human reason
Science
State
Church
Healthcare workers
Parish clergy

Bad science, bad math and bad sacramental theology are not going to get us out of this and back to normal life.

It’s not about you. If you want to appear before the judgment seat of Christ, you must prepared to render account for why you know better than:

Common sense
Human reason
Science
State
Church
Healthcare workers
Parish clergy

As for me, I must also render account before the Lord of Heaven and Earth, Mercy and Justice for how I used the following:

Common sense
Human reason
Science
State
Church
Healthcare workers
Parish clergy

to attend to the pastoral needs of those in danger of death, and also protect others, even “some people” who think they know better than:

Common sense
Human reason
Science
State
Church
Healthcare workers
Parish clergy