During lockdown many Catholics have been forbidden from attending Mass. For the most part, it has been accepted and understood that because of the circumstances during Covid-19 the main priority has to be the protection of lives.
Now there are signs that we are past the peak, so it is natural that thoughts are now turning to when and how the lockdown restrictions can be eased.
We are all aware that the economic costs will be huge in terms of unemployment and public borrowing. In turn this will have serious implications for public spending on health and public services in the years to come. Equally important has been the burden caused by restrictions to our personal freedoms and day-to-day activities – being able to spend time with loved ones, taking children to events and socialising with our friends.
For Catholics, being unable to attend Mass or receive the sacraments has been incredibly difficult. The cost of having to forego these activities will be enormous in the long run for our mental and physical health and well being. Most of us are supportive of these measures because these are unprecedented times and the preservation of life is paramount but equally these measures should not be in place any longer than is absolutely necessary.
We must look at our exit strategy from lockdown and how this can be applied to churches. Understandably there are concerns around a second wave, so any changes must be staggered. Yet there is a strong argument for re-opening churches immediately provided safety precautions such as hand sanitiser and limits on the number of people at one time are put in place – such measures carry minimal risk.
It is likely that in a few weeks the government will ease the lockdown, while still maintaining some social distancing requirements. If so, we should try to be flexible. Even though social distancing might limit 20 people in a small church, a large cathedral could hold 100 or more. It is also worthwhile considering whether our Sunday service can be temporarily transferred to any day of the week, so that attendance is spread out over more days and more Masses.
The Pope has expressed concerns relating to an online Church where there is no human interaction or the sacraments.
We should do everything we can to ensure our Churches re-open and offer the sacraments to people as soon as it is safe to do so.
JOHN O’NEILL
The Workers’ Party, Lower Falls
Teaching children self-care techniques at early age is a great gift to them
As adults we have been consistently encouraged to talk about how we are feeling to try to maintain healthy mental health. If we think about it in the most simplistic terms, this is because when we talk about things, we give our brain a bit more space to balance out the worries, to hopefully make better sense of what is going on and work more productively. To recognise the controllable and the uncontrollable, the rational and the irrational.
An unattended brain can be a very poor bedfellow, demanding unanswerable answers to what if? How will I? How can I?
If we are unable to listen, to empathise and comfort our own thoughts at this moment then that is when we need to reach out for support from our family and friends, and old and new support networks.
Our children are living through the same fear, but their “talking things through” will likely not be through speech. For younger children It will be through play.
Play can provide children with ways that they can make sense of what is going on, to express feelings and concerns so as they feel a bit more in control and, vitally, create and reinforce coping mechanisms that they already have in themselves.
A clever fellow hit the nail on the head when he said: “Play is the highest form of research.” His name was Albert Einstein.
Encourage creative play, encourage imaginative ‘not inside the colouring lines’ drawing and building, help them externalise their fears and concerns and answer questions, when asked, in an age appropriate way.
It’s OK if your answer is: “I don’t know the answer to that, yet.”
Incorporate anxiety reducing techniques in your day, breathing techniques, grounding techniques – singing or dancing.
Teaching our children these self-care techniques at an early age is a great gift to them.
Remember that we can do nothing about so many aspects of these traumatic times, but we can do something about how our children will remember our response to it.
JULIE SCHIESS
Children’s counsellor and parenting support provider at Parentline NI
Using virus as opportunity for ‘irrelevant’ jibes
In his article on the current pandemic, Patrick Murphy (May 2) chooses three seemingly random targets for his weekly broadside. Ireland, he tells us, has been let down by the EU, by the US, and by the Catholic Church. The problem with the Catholic Church is that its teachings have been “aimed at preparation for the next life rather than handling this one”. This is evidence of the “irrelevance” of the Church. And furthermore, and even more contrived, he complains that the Pope has written a prayer “for those risking their lives on the virus frontline”. For Mr Murphy this is just not good enough. Why, we’re asked, has the Church not been calling for more personal equipment for all health workers? Even if it were true, this would be unreasonable in the context. But as it happens, the bishops of England and Wales issued a statement about the scarcity of resources and, interestingly, they explained that they had waited until now because, among other reasons, they “did not want to create an unnecessary sense of alarm”.
What a pity that a subject as serious and sad as the present pandemic should be grasped as an opportunity for ill-informed, ‘irrelevant’ jibes.
K McDONALD
Belfast BT15
‘Clonard wave’ is reassuring
Due to the Covid-19 situation we, like many others, have taken to watching Mass from Clonard Monastery each Sunday. It has been both a memorable and enjoyable experience. What we particularly find a lovely touch is the ‘waves’ and ‘blown kisses’ from the clerics and confreres as they leave the altar. Personally, we find it – the ‘Clonard Wave’ as we have called it – a very human, natural and reassuring gesture in such tragic, surreal and unprecedented times. We just wonder what others think? Meanwhile, many thanks to all concerned at Clonard.
PADDY HENNESSEY
Belfast BT6
Tax havens
Is the UK about to follow the example of Denmark and Poland in refusing access to taxpayers’ funds to companies and corporations based in tax havens to avoid paying their dues to those same funds? Many of these entities are asking the UK government for aid to help them shield their shareholders (many of them based in tax shelters) from losses due to the business downturn worldwide.
Since most tax havens are in British-controlled territories don’t hold your breath.
EUGENE F PARTE
Belfast BT9
