Last Saturday early morning (29/3), in his “Urbi et Orbi” blessing, Pope Francis delivered a very moving prayer of hope for all people around the world battling to stop the Coronavirus and save lives. While watching it on EWTN website, I could not restrain my tears when the elderly Pope, not minding the rain or his frailty (he was literally dragging his legs), pleaded in front of the miraculous Crucifix and the icon of Mary, praying so humbly and intently in front of the Blessed Sacrament and blessing the whole people (in absence).  He said, “Like the disciples in the Gospel we were caught off guard by an unexpected, turbulent storm… We have realised that we are on the same boat, all of us fragile and disoriented, but at the same time important and needed, all of us called to row together, each of us in need of comforting the other,”. His prayer was very poignant “Lord, You are calling on us to seize this time of trial as a time of choosing. It is not the time of your judgement, but of our judgement: a time to choose what matters and what passes away, a time to separate what is necessary from what is not. It is a time to get our lives back on track with regard to you, Lord, and to others.” This shall be our prayer too in this disastrous time of our life.

This Sunday we are entering the most important week in the Year of Worship; we call it HOLY WEEK starting with Palm Sunday. During this week we shall remember the most important events in the life of Our Lord: Palm Sunday Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and the people welcoming and singing Hosanna; on Holy Thursday washing of the feet and institution of the Eucharist; on Good Friday his suffering and death and on Sunday his resurrection. This Holy Week is a unique celebration for all priests without people and people without priests. This is the first time we priests do it without any solemn rituals but in silence and solitude. Let us join all our sufferings and pains with the suffering and death of Jesus so that as He rose from the dead we too will rise up in glory with him.

People ask how you priests cope with this awful situation. We have in our Presbytery Seminarian Daniel who joined us on Saturday 28th as the Seminary is closed.  Three of us say our morning prayer in front of the exposed Blessed Sacrament in the Chapel at 8.30 am and I say the Mass at 9.15 am and Fr. Daniele in the evening. We imagine you all sitting and standing in the parts of the Mass. I spend my time in reading, doing some gardening, cooking and cleaning both outside and inside the house. Fr. Daniele prepares his online talks to the Confirmation children and CIS University students. Seminarian Daniel is occupied with his online leaning. He is preparing to do the live streaming of our Sunday Masses. We have lots of time to pray and listen to the news. At present Andrea our secretary now works three days (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday), Kathy, Sacramental Co-ordinator for one day (Friday) during school working days. Estela our house keeper has been sick for the past 6 weeks (not COVID19) and is on sick leave now. We try to contact and chat with some parishioners through phone and emails. Thank God, we have a big car park area to walk and say the Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet etc. good exercise for body and soul. It is also an opportunity to wish those teachers, parents and students in the car park though very few of them.

Amidst the panic buying and hoarding of things, let us remember to “store up treasures in heaven”.