BISHOP of Derry Donal McKeown admires how quickly churches everywhere have responded to the coronavirus crisis by adopting digital technology such as webcams.
"A fortnight ago there was none of this but now it's all there," he said.
"It's a God-given opportunity for us to help people who are worried and stuck at home. We have to keep asking: 'What will be of service to them?'"
Webcams, Facebook, Instagram and websites are all ways of "maintaining clergy visibility", he said, as well as being seen "around the grounds".
Dr McKeown has himself been offering online catechesis based on the Rosary at 8pm every day.
"These are ways of offering encouragement, catechesis and opportunities for families to pray together."
As a bishop, Dr McKeown says he has been "trying to speak words of encouragement to the clergy" and give clarity on funerals, church openings and government regulations.
With Holy Week, the high point in the Christian calendar, being celebrated next week but churches remaining closed, Dr McKeown said much work was being done to "promote domestic liturgies" for people to use in their own homes for Palm Sunday, the Adoration of the Cross and others.
The issue of why God would allow something like Covid-19 to afflict the world was a version of "a constant question", he said.
"It's there when a young person dies in a car accident, when someone dies by suicide, when a mother dies from cancer...
"In some ways Holy Week is an opportunity for us to speak directly into that. There are bad things in life - life is difficult - and Holy Week is about the God who hangs on the cross with us."
