“The Lord’s ways are not our ways.” Bishop Robert McManus, leader of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Worcester says, certainly defining the just completed, strange and challenging Lenten period.

“For Catholics, three or four months, if that’s what it turns into, without being able to attend Mass or receive the sacraments is very hard, but my hope is that once we’re able to return to Mass and the sacraments, we’ll appreciate being back together, and receiving the sacraments much more.” Bishop McManus states.

Bishop McManus has been repeatedly asked why he thinks the coronavirus has devastated the world during Lent. “Maybe God’s allowing this to happen now because He’s trying to tell us something.” Bishop McManus continues. “I hope people are really listening, and responding, as it’s a two - way street.”

“Our priests are trying to do so many things to reach people who need faith more than ever before.” Bishop McManus says. “I’m so proud of the way our priests in our parishes have responded to this challenge.”

There are about one hundred and twenty active priests in the diocese, half of them are over sixty years of age, and half under sixty.  When it became clear that the coronavirus was going to be devastating to the community and parishes, Bishop McManus asked twenty of the priests under fifty years of age to engage in a special ministry to the sick.

These twenty priests began calling on parishioners in hospitals, and going to hospitals when Catholics from around the diocese needed the sacrament of the anointing of the sick. “They did this with such an apostolic zeal, with priests getting multiple calls daily, and put themselves in potentially dangerous situations, and I’m so proud of them.” Bishop McManus continues.

On Palm Sunday, Catholics were invited to drive to, parish church parking lots, and stay in their cars in a line.  Lay people handed out palms, while priests stood at a safe distance and blessed the occupants of each car.  “A number of people were in tears.” Bishop McManus says. “This adaptation of distributing palms was a sign of our tangible relationship with the church.”

Throughout Lent, the diocese and individual parishes adapted and created new ways to reach out to Catholics as well as anyone else interested.  Masses from the Cathedral and from parishes all over the diocese were live streamed, shown on television, and posted on YouTube.

Bishop McManus laments that about sixty thousand Catholics attend Mass weekly in the diocese, which is only about twenty five percent of the Catholics here.  “However, during this Lent, we had something like forty - four thousand people viewing Mass, which is very encouraging!” he exclaims.

“Being able to only participate in the Mass online has, I hope, revived the reality of a spiritual communion, through the prayer that is shown during what would be the time people would receive the Body and Blood of Christ, and through prayers that anyone might be saying at that time of the televised Mass.” Bishop McManus continues.

According to Bishop McManus, social media has been a great blessing, a way to stay in touch with people. Had the pandemic occurred twenty - five years ago, media and social media would not have existed in the way they do now, and people would not have been able to stay in touch with one another as people are able to now.

Even with these means of communication, and televising Mass as well as other ministries and programs, people are still struggling with isolation and feeling separated from their faith.  Bishop McManus was saddened to receive many emails from people begging him to allow them to attend Mass.

“Faith tells me God is in charge ultimately, which is so difficult, especially for those who have lost someone because of this virus, or during this time.” Bishop McManus says. “But God will bring us through this.”

Bishop McManus suggests that this may be a time of fasting, fasting from the eucharist, the Mass, and the sacraments. “Hopefully, we’ll all come through this fast with a deeper appreciation for how important the sacraments are to our lives.” He states.  “We don’t realize what we have until we lose it.”

Throughout Lent, Bishop McManus has been visiting hospitals, and blessing the healthcare workers putting themselves in compromising situations in those hospitals. At UMASS, the blessing was broadcast to all the rooms, so every healthcare worker and patient could hear and see the blessing.

“As difficult as it is to believe, our faith tells us that everything works together for good.” Bishop McManus concludes.  As a people of God, we’re all called to live our life in faith.

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