Love and mission in the time of quarantine

In mid-March, after New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy instituted sweeping policies to stop the spread of COVID-19 across the state — including the prohibition of public gatherings — Bishop Dennis Sullivan suspended all public weekday and Sunday Masses in the Diocese of Camden.

Suddenly, life in the diocese and its 62 parishes became very different, right in the thick of the Lenten season. 

Parish missions, Bible studies and fish frys were cancelled. The shepherds and their faithful, the lifeblood of the church, were separated.

For the past month and a half, parishes and their priests have had to devise new ways of connection, and new ways to provide spiritual nourishment and healing.

Atco’s Christ the Redeemer Parish is one of the 62 parishes serving some 475,000 Catholics in the six southern counties of New Jersey that comprise the Diocese of Camden.

Each parish is unique, and Christ the Redeemer provides one example of how a parish is continuing its mission while its members are forbidden to gather in community.

At Christ the Redeemer, two priests, one permanent deacon and 14 staff members minister to 2,500 families.

“I tell my parishioners to stay hopeful” and know that this difficult time will pass, said Father Chris Mann, pastor.

His parish has been providing digital resources for those at home, including live-streams of its Saturday and Sunday Masses and of its daily 3 p.m. Holy Hours. During these events, a priest or deacon, and digital technician are present together, albeit socially distanced. For the weekend Masses, a musician and cantor provide accompaniment.

Before the pandemic, Christ the Redeemer had already utilized the internet to engage the faithful — including Facebook for occasional live streams, and a podcast of Father Mann’s Sunday homily — but it has now added a YouTube channel.

These new initiatives have given Father Mann and his staff new ministry skills for evangelization.

“I’ve now learned to be producer, director, cinematographer and editor,” he said.

So far, the feedback on these digital offerings from the congregation have been positive.

“Even though there are other livestream Masses they can watch and be spiritually fed, there’s still something about having a virtual Mass from your own parish, with your own priest. The faith community feels more connected,” he said.

Father Mann is grateful, too, for the generosity of those who have continued their weekly tithe through online giving, currently replacing the parish collection basket.

His staff, in addition to participating in weekly Zoom meetings from their own dwellings, come into the office as needed, but with restrictions. “No one’s been here at the same time as anyone else,” Father Mann explained.

Father Mann is still making sick calls, protecting himself with a mask and gloves. And, per Catholic guidelines, now administering the anointing of the sick with a cotton swab, just as efficacious.

“It’s my duty; I won’t say no to anybody who calls,” he said.

Funeral services have changed, as well, with now only graveside visits possible, and limited mourners.

One of the recent funerals was for the priest who – like Father Mann – had served in the Marines.

The only individual present was a funeral home official who is a Navy veteran.

“I took out my cellphone, and played ‘Taps,’” Father Mann said.

He sees signs of change now, though, that he hopes continue after this threat has passed.

“This pandemic has created time for rest, reflection and life has slowed down a bit.  Maybe that will be one of the things that sticks — we aren’t so rushed to do 15 million things everyday.”

The care givers and receivers in the parish’s Stephen Ministry, which provides care to those suffering a loss, and/or going through a rough time in their lives, have changed their practices now.

The ministry currently can only function through phone calls, said Sally Rensch, one of the 12 Stephen Ministers.

“It’s tough to communicate our one-ness” today, she said. “Sometimes, a gesture such as a handshake, hug, or touch can mean more than words.”

Still, through phone calls, she said, “we pray together, and provide words of wisdom.”

“Everybody does want to see and be with one another. They want this to be over with. At the same time, we’re pleased that everyone has stayed healthy.”

Telephone calls seem to be a major way the parish is engaging with its entire community right now, said Laurie Power, parish director of Evangelization and Discipleship.

“We have a group of 25 volunteers reaching out to every one of our parish families, letting them know that we are praying for them, and to reach out to us if they need anything,” she said.

“The volunteers and families have prayed on the phone together. We’ve found that it’s been uplifting,” she added.

“Our Mercy Ministry provided Easter baskets to needy families,” who drove to the parish parking lot to pick them up.

Also stepping up are the parents of religious education students, taking a more active role in their child’s faith journey

A preschool religious education teacher herself, Power mailed a coloring book and Easter cards to each of her students.

She is even part of the tech ministry for the livestream Masses, working the camera on Saturday afternoons.

“This is our time to be a witness to others, and trust in God. We know God is good, faithful, and that he will take care of us. It won’t be easy, but we know he will work good through these horrible circumstances,” Power said.

Joining his faithful in the thoughts of longing for community and uncertainty, Father Thanh Pham, parochial vicar, feels like “a parish priest without a parish.  I feel like my life has turned upside down. … I’m missing a major piece of it right now, my parish family.”

Still, he sees these times as “days of reflection,” and believes a “spiritual awakening” is happening not just here, but across the globe.

“In this darkness of uncertainty, there is a light at the end of this tunnel,” he said.