Early on in his papacy, Pope Francis likened the Church to a field hospital. But the analogy hasn’t held up amidst coronavirus fears. The diocese of Rome has suspended Masses through April 3. The idea of closing churches during a crisis is a peculiarly modern one. The ancient impulse during a crisis was not to abolish worship but to increase it.
In the age of the secularized Catholic Church, deference to the state, which prioritizes the body over the soul, is the order of the day. Even in America, where the risk of infection from coronavirus remains low, bishops close to Francis have also shut Church doors.
“The Archdiocese of Seattle has been joined by numerous other dioceses, including those of Little Rock, Salt Lake City and Santa Fe, in canceling public Masses. Major archdioceses, such as in Chicago and Newark, have undertaken similar precautions. In Philadelphia, newly appointed Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez relieved Catholics of their Sunday Mass obligations,” reports America.
In so doing, the Church is making Mass seem as nonessential as a rock concert. It is hard to imagine the pre-Vatican II Church behaving so skittishly. Churches are as vital to the soul as supermarkets are to the body. If the latter remain open, why not the former? It is not as if the coronavirus is the black plague. For most people, it is a non-fatal flu that resolves itself.
h/t worship and prayer optional…
Well. Bye.
Oh, but you should still aid and hide unknown, unchecked, illegal alien muslim migrants in your homes, though. Because THAT’S okay.
I can’t speak for Rome but 80% of the people at my Church
are over 65; many with the usual health, heart and breathing problems (canula’s) etc. that you expect to see in that age group. Some come from elder care homes to go to the services. Exposing them against all medical advice into a large group of people when they are supposed to minimize
contacts with possible carriers seems pretty foolish.
The Church got this one right.
Dispensing with sipping from the communal chalice, and shaking or holding hands during Mass makes great sense during flu season anyway (and that whole handsy thing could just be eliminated forever, IMHO). And lifting the obligation for attendance for the elderly or those with weakened immune systems, and their caretakers, and sure, anyone with concerns, makes sense now.
But cancelling Mass or closing the church?! If we don’t need it now, how are they going to convince us to come back when life is easy again? Or are they just getting back at us for withholding donations and demanding some answers?
Personally I think the whole coronavirus “pandemic” is overblown hype.
While the virus is real, the “pandemic is political.
If you cancel church, you cancel hope.
Rock concerts are NOT nonessential!
Call me crazy but I think the Deep State and the global left are using corona as a last-ditch to cause as much wreckage that their media can blame on Trump to torpedo him before the election, because nothing else has stuck. They don’t care what it costs or who it hurts. They’ve got to get him out of office to maintain their grip on power. They can’t stand four more.
Tell me it isn’t possible. Gahead, tell me.
Why can’t they use the thimble sized disposable single use grape juice cups we Baptist’s use?
My LCMS congregation had services as usual this morning. Our Pastor told the Wuhan virus to BLOW! 😆
Catholicism was cancelled in ’67.
“Why can’t they use the thimble sized disposable single use grape juice cups we Baptist’s use?”
:smacks anonymous on the back of the head:
“WHO LET IN THESE STREET PEOPLE!?!?”
“field hospital”…more like pizza parlor.
“Canceling Catholicism Until Further Notice”
… you say that like it’s a bad thing
(speaking as a ‘street person’ 😉 )
GAH! YOU’RE MOUTH BREATHING ON THE SILVER CHALICE YOU PAGAN NEANDERTHALS!!!!!
The obama-pope needs to vacate the scene before Catholicism is completely destroyed by him.
Frankie the fraud is NOT the pope.
Pope Benedict xvl is whether he likes it or not.
I have lost all respect for our bishop for caving to our lib looser governor and for obeying the anti-pope.
I feel bad for our small town priest.
Dudes 90 something and blind. He doesn’t even know if anyone’s there. He’ll probably conduct Mass and never notice the difference.
Remember all those churches Jesus built?
–me neither.
Is Bennydict the guy that changed the rules so he could be declared a ‘Saint’ after he died? … or was that another guy?
I get confused … can’t tell ’em apart without a scorecard
This is what I said at our last X-mas dinner before eating:
Thank you all for coming,
Fuck Trudeau,
Fuck the Pope,
& merry CHRISTMAS & HAPPY CHANUKAH!
4 YEARS IN A ROW!
“Remember all those churches Jesus built?”
Yes. I read Matthew 16:18. It’s quite simple. You may not be familiar with the Bible.
And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:24-25
We met to worship as usual. If we die doing His will, so be it.