Jesuit Fr. John Sullivan, pastor at downtown Toronto鱿鱼视频app Our Lady of Lourdes, said he鱿鱼视频app not suffering any more than his parishioners, but the sense of loss is real.
鈥淚t鱿鱼视频app extraordinarily different,鈥� said Sullivan. 鈥淪o much of the life of the Church and so much of the life we receive personally is through coming together. Really, through the celebration of the sacraments.
鈥淣ot to be able to do that 鈥� I mean, as priests we are encouraged to say private Masses 鈥� but the coming together as a community, you really feel that hole within you.鈥�
For the second Sunday of the COVID-19 Mass shutdown, Sullivan live-streamed his usual 11:30 a.m. liturgy from a mostly empty church (a small choir was present). Sullivan also kept the church open all day through the week for private prayer. Without libraries, community centres or even coffee shops open, many people from Canada鱿鱼视频app densest high-rise neighbourhood across the street have been dropping in.
鈥淛ust to see people, it was very beautiful and moving to see people come in. And especially most of them are over 70 years of age 鈥� they ventured out. You just get the sense of their own vulnerability, and yet they still come,鈥� he said.
But those drop-ins ended when Toronto churches were closed March 24.
In Brampton, Ont., St. Patrick鱿鱼视频app pastor Fr. Vito Marziliano has been celebrating Mass alone, but not lonely. 鈥淲hat I have is a list of parishioners on the altar. So when I celebrate Mass it鱿鱼视频app like having them there,鈥� he said.
With Holy Week celebrations certain to be different this year, Marziliano is considering taking the Blessed Sacrament on a tour of the parish with him on Holy Thursday, bringing it to the driveways of St. Patrick鱿鱼视频app parishioners. He might do the same on Good Friday with a crucifix for adoration at a safe distance.
Marziliano reminds himself that social distancing does not mean disconnection. 鈥淲herever we go, God is present. We connect with that as well,鈥� he said.
St. Brigid鱿鱼视频app pastor Fr. Carlos Sierra Tobon watched a small trickle of parishioners arrive one by one to the east end church on the first Sunday without Mass.
鈥淚 felt so sad, so bad,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ecause I felt myself being deprived of what is mine. Do you know what I mean?鈥�
He鱿鱼视频app quick to point out the loss of Mass is not his alone.
鈥淔or many parishioners, I would say they are regular church-goers, they feel it too. They have, I believe, the same feelings,鈥� he said.
Now that Sunday Masses are suspended, Sierra hopes Catholics come to better appreciate the Eucharist.
鈥淭hat is something that we took for granted for many years. Now that it has been taken away from us, we feel the emptiness,鈥� he said.
He believes Catholics are being tested. The question is whether they have developed an inner life of faith.
鈥淔irst we have to look inside of us,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he resources of faith, hope and charity that we hold within are the things we have to apply first to ourselves in these times, and then certainly to reach out to others鈥�. Looking within, many people find that they don鈥檛 have any resources.鈥�
Sullivan believes Catholics have answered the bell in trying times.
鈥淭he archdiocese has responded well, with care and concern for the faithful,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he faithful themselves, in all the different responses we receive from people, they鈥檙e very grateful.鈥�