Covid-19: what is your Catholic parish doing - if anything?

[Gingerwhale]

I rang my parish parish hq (general number) a week or so ago with a view to volunteering and there was absolutely no reply. I assume priests are undergoing lock-down like anyone else (or are they allowed in hospitals to give last rights, or are they busy with funerals?) but other than a notice on our rather basic parish website about Masses and other events being cancelled, and a link to streamed Masses from the Vatican, there seems to be absolutely nothing happening in my neck of the woods; no communication, no action regarding food deliveries for the vulnerable, not even call to prayer. I was wondering if this is the same for others elsewhere?

Do they have an e-mail? You might get a reply that way if you want to offer help.

Something was being set up in terms of support for the vulnerable because a number of people had volunteered.
Parish Newsletter is being e-mailed out to everyone they have an address for.
Prayers, short videos, stations of the cross, mass video and other stuff being put on FB/YouTube channel.

Thanks Rafals! They do have an e-mail and I will try that, though it's not the way we usually get in touch ifyswim.

Very glad to see that there is some positive action taking place in your parish.

I know the people in our parish office are working from home at the moment, so e-mail is easier for them to pick up.

Have you found a steamed mass you are happy with? There are a few different ones around.

Streamed. Not steamed.

We have set up a new WhatsApp chat and are putting up as much as possible on Facebook.

I believe the priest and office staff are spending their days phoning all the elderly and vulnerable. I presume they are checking they are looked after. I don't know because I don't fall into that category.

Our office staff are also working from home half the time. But email is our usual way of contacting. To be honest the priest is answering his phone and checking email. Usually he leaves it to admin staff.

We are getting a printed weekly homily.

If people haven't left contact details with the parish, we can't contact them though.
And we can't force people to look at the Facebook page.

Priests are doing funerals. But they can't give any sacraments, and can only say private Masses. (Tech savvy priests are streaming/recording.)

My parish is the cathedral. We are live streaming mass. But we've done that for about a year anyway. Apart from that, I've heard nothing. I have had texts from the previous dean asking if I was ok, but none from the current clergy. I was also not impressed to see the bishops household mixing with the cathedral household on tonight's regional news. When they were saying the Palm Sunday mass.
My friend who's a bishop in another diocese has done several vlogs and said today's mass on his own as the rules dictate!

All our Masses are live streamed, we have set up a pariah partnership between our 3 local churches and a volunteer group that is helping the elderly and vulnerable.

Emails of all parishioners are being collated and newsletters etc are being sent weekly.

Thank you very much for responses!
A bit of a mixed bag of reactions to this crisis in different parishes then.

My own parish's reaction has been pretty poor (as far as I can ascertain). No one is communicating and it's disappointing. Part of the problem is the lack of tech skills of those in charge and a website (more of a page) that is rarely updated.

It's a pretty demoralising given that many of us want to help even if it is just ringing vulnerable and elderly parishioners or doing their shopping.

Glad to hear there is more activity happening in other places. If the church can't step forward now in a global pandemic; when will it?

Thank you btw Rafals yes I watch Church TV streamed from my parish church back at home in Ireland.

It will be interesting to see what happens after this. My bishop friend thinks that church attendance will fall by 10% as we just won't get some people back. Especially as people will just watch on line.

Fall by 10% because people won't come back because they've have so long of not going.

But also then fall by a further percentage due to the deaths of the older folk.
Even without covid, a lot of our parishioners were struggling with ill health during the winter, more than usual.

I am pretty sure our parish won't recover. It is not remotely vibrant. And makes no efforts to attract the young. (And even those that think they do; I am afraid a crappy folk band with an off-tune recorder is not enough.)

Sorry if that sounds harsh. Tbh, the biships imho should have devolved power down to the laity years ago but they have hung on to the power/control almost obsessively in my diocese and refused to change. Any young parishioner here who actually wants to do something meaningful with their faith (particularly if they are female) has moved on long ago. It's all too little too late.

bishops

And I suppose I was just hoping that this current crisis might have jolted them in to some positive action instead of a badly typed sign saying "don't worry, you are all forgiven for missing Mass"!

Live streamed Mass.
youtube channel thought for the day style
Eucharistic adoration live streamed very, very boring

Also, my parish priest is in the vulnerable category due to chemo. Lots will be due to age.

@Gingerwhale I feel like we must be in the same parish. Maybe we are - or maybe a lot of Catholic parishes are the same. I might email our priest and see what's going on.

To be honest, our priest is struggling with all this and feeling redundant.

It's the laity who started organising things, and it has pulled him out of despair and he has got on board.

Remember WE are the church. If you have an idea, Go for it, and push for it, and offer to organise it.
If someone takes your idea and makes it better, gracefully run with their idea instead.

Yes, I know, many elderly priests are struggling with this and I do feel for them. In my parent's parish, it is one elderly priests over-seeing four churches on his own. He is stretched at the best of time and in the vulnerable category. I'm not unsympathetic to his plight - and to all priests in a similar position - and I know I should be kinder about this.

It's just that this situation has been brewing for years and could have been rectified if trust had been placed in parishioners. And believe me, I have not been backward in coming forward isittheholidaysyet and any time I have suggested, cajoled, tried to initiate (not just me either!) I have been met with distrust, resistance, obfuscation and, in one case, mild verbal aggression, which left us all in no doubt who was boss!

We would love to have a priest who was humble enough to tell us he was struggling and feeling redundant frankly.

The church should be US - but in many cases - it simply isn't. It's not allowed!

I think this could be the last straw for me. I was hanging on my finger nails as it was.

Emailed news letter, live streamed masses. The highlight of these is the Priests dog wondering around the altar.

PayPal, text and standing order offertory requests.

gingerwhale

It's really really hard in that situation.
I think for now you may just have to link up with Catholic things online and see what comes to pass in the future.

I am blessed with a lively parish, with young families and youth. However it takes a lot of effort to sustain this and I realise that most parishes are miles away from that.
Also, our priest is young, it must be even harder for those who have no idea about technology and are supposed to be self isolating, themselves.

The younger end of the church are coming into their element at these times and I might suggest you connect with some of the younger organisations online. I know the diocesan youth services are generally stepping up to the plate. Organisations like youth 2000 are streaming things.
(Normally it might not be your thing, but in these days...)

If you are on facebook checkout "St Pio's Friary" and what Franciscan friars of the renewal are posting from the USA.
Keep an eye on the walsingham.org website they are live streaming 24/7.

Have you checked out other parishes near to yours?

Don't make any major life decisions now, spiritual or otherwise. (Like leaving the church)

Prayers for you.

My bishop friend was absolutely exhausted and hugely over worked before this happened. His diocesan emergency committee put him on lock down and it's doing him good. He needed an enforced rest. As I'm sure many priests do.

My priest is putting daily mass on Facebook. Not live streamed. Its working quite well the number of views is higher than the normal in week mass attendance.

Its not amazing because its quite hard to watch the longer masses when its just him. I like the live streamed masses on church service tv.

He's also very prompt to reply on Facebook which is good.

He's still putting the weekly newsletter on Facebook and other communications, charity drives etc.

I was going to say I’m lucky that my parish is more like isit’s but then I remembered I don’t live in the parish so it’s more choice than luck .

I think if helps if you have a priest that believes that the church is the people in it.

Most Catholic churches in our area are live streaming masses, and daily services.
I believe you can just Google any church and 'attend" the service.
I've found it all hugely comforting.

Sky has live mass in Rome

Chanel 588
EWTN Catholic

I've been watching the live streamed liturgies from one of the larger cathedrals. Thousand of people have watched them. Far more than would ever be there in person. It's amazing that it's reached so many people.

A very Happy Easter to everyone on here!

And thoughts and prayers to everyone who is working on the front line, or who can't be with their families and loved ones today.

Thank you very much for all of the responses. They are much appreciated.

I have indeed taken comfort from the streamed Masses.

Although it seems inappropriate to whinge today of all days, my op was really referring to what was happening with regard to keeping in touch with the lonely and the vulnerable/those with disabilities, the less well of etc etc, even if just by phone call, but with food parcels/trip to the pharmacy and general practical support? A message of hope, courage, and streamed mass are very important but I think we should be doing more. Even if each parishioner was given the phone number of five others and rang them to see if they needed support, it would be better than nothing!

Hope you all have as good a day as possible in the circumstances!