Living As People of Faith During a Pandemic
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Under conditions of the current pandemic, Catholics may feel isolated and disconnected from the broader faith community. The "new normal" we are experiencing may seem far from normal, but will apparently continue for some time to come. Under such circumstances it is important to remember that the church is both a spiritual and a physical community; or, as one commentator put it, the buildings may be empty, but the church is not.
Here are some suggestions which may help you nurture your spiritual life during these unusual and challenging times.When Mass Is Not Available
In the absence of Mass and other sacramental celebrations, there are several alternatives which can help Catholics stay connected to the Body of Christ present in the community of faith:
• Watch the Mass broadcast or live-streamed on the Internet.
> All Waterloo parishes livestream weekend and holy day Masses and most funeral Masses. Find the
schedule of Masses and livestreaming here.
> The Archdiocese of Dubuque live-streams Archbishop Jackels’ Mass each Sunday at 9:00am on the
diocese’s website here. A Mass in Spanish follows the English Mass at approximately 10:00am.
> St. John Abbey in Collegeville live-streams daily Mass at 5:30pm, Saturday Mass at 11:30am and Sunday
Mass at 10:30am here.
> Word on Fire live-streams Bishop Barron's daily mass at 9:15am (CDT) here. These masses are recorded
and can be viewed later.
> The EWTN network broadcasts daily Mass on cable television and the Internet at 7:00am (CDT) here.
Related Links
> Order of the Mass and Mass Prayers
> Prayerful Participation in an Online Mass
> Keep the Lord's Day
> Tips for Transforming the Couch Into a Pew
• Pray and Reflect On the Readings of the Mass.
The readings for Sunday and daily Mass are available online from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' website here. This is an excellent opportunity to use the ancient Christian practice of Lectio Divina (holy reading) which originated in the early monasteries. You can learn more about Lectio Divina here and find a step-by-step process for holy reading here. This process can be used by an individual or in a small group. You may wish to gather your family or a small group of friends to discuss the readings in person or in an on-line conversation.
In addition to your own reflections, you may wish to consult a published commentary or reflection. A wide variety of commentaries and reflections are available for the Sunday readings, including God's Word Among Us, Pathways to God, and The Word of God from Vatican News. A guide to more commentaries and reflections is available here.
• Pray and Reflect On the Meaning of the Mass.
In normal times, the Mass often becomes something of a habit which Catholics do without reflecting on the real meaning and purpose of the Eucharist. During the pandemic, when personal access to the Mass is limited, is a good time to reflect more intentionally on how and why the Catholics consider the Mass "the source and summit" of our lives.
Use these resources to reflect on the Mass
> Guide to the Mass
> "Body of Christ"--Reflective Guide to the Catholic Mass
> Why the Mass Is a Challenge
> Bishop Barron on the Mystery of the Mass (audio)
> Bishop Barron on why Catholics misunderstand the Eucharist (video)
> Bishop Barron on the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist (video)
> History of the Mass (video rental)
> How the Pandemic Taught Me to Appreciate the Mass
• Make a Spiritual Communion.
Spiritual Communion is an ancient spiritual practice in the Catholic Church used in particular by those who cannot attend Mass and receive sacramental communion in person. It has been highly recommended by various saints and spiritual masters including St. Alphonsus Liguori, St. Jean Vianney, St. Padre Pio and St. John Paul II. St. Thomas Aquinas defined Spiritual Communion as "an ardent desire to receive Jesus in the Holy Sacrament and a loving embrace as though we had already received Him." In effect, a Spiritual Communion unites us spiritually, if not physically, with Jesus present in the Eucharist, the community of faith, and in Creation.
Making a Spiritual Communion consists of four components: an act of faith, an act of love, the desire to be united to Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, and welcoming Jesus into our hearts. This is the spiritual communion prayer offered by Pope Francis:
“My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament of the altar. I love You
above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive
You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart ...
I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be
separated from You.”
> Download a guide to making an Act of Spiritual Communion here.
Learn More About Spiritual Communion
> The How and Why Of Making a “Spiritual Communion”
> A Short History of Spiritual Communion
> No Mass? Practice Spiritual Communion
> An Invisible Communion
> Follow the Saints--Make a Spiritual Communion• Use this time to make a "Spiritual Confession"
In the absence of mortal sin, Catholics are not required to confess their sins to a priest. In the case of mortal sin when a priest is not available, Catholics are encouraged to make a Perfect Act of Contrition, which is defined as an act of sorrow made solely out of love for God and no other reason.
Here's how to celebrate a Spiritual Act of Reconciliation when sacramental penance is not available or you are unable to go to Confession: examine your conscience, and identify those behaviors or attitudes which are hurtful or harmful to others or yourself; make a sincere Act of Contrition, and form a sincere intention to avoid those behaviors or attitudes. If possible, make amends to anyone you have offended or harmed.
> Download a guide for making a Spiritual Act of Reconciliation here.
> There are a variety of Examinations of Conscience on our website here.
> This might be a good time to try an Ignatian Examen in place of the more traditional Examination of Conscience. In addition to specific acts, an Examen typically examines life more broadly and identifies patterns or habits which are harmful to our spiritual growth. The Ignatian Solidarity Network provides an "Examen for Life During Covid-19" here.
Learn More
> Read the Pope's advice about Confession during a quarantine
• Pray for those who have died in the absence of a public service.
One of the most painful things about pandemic restrictions is the inability to console family and friends in person when a loved one dies. For the time being, other expressions of consolations may have to suffice (phone calls, cards, texts or emails, and the messaging opportunities offered by many mortuaries) until we can offer our sorrow again in person or attend public services that were postponed until the pandemic passes.
> Download a prayer service you can use at home to pray for those who have died without benefit of a wake or funeral Mass here.• • •
When Lenten Services Have Been Cancelled orf Curtailed
In the Archdiocese of Dubuque all public Lenten services, including Communal Penance and individual confessions, have also been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Private confession is possible by appointment with a priest.)
Here are some alternatives which can help Catholics observe the lenten season:
• Watch Lenten services broadcast or live-streamed on the Internet.
> Blessed Sacrament Parish live-streams the Stations of the Cross, Adoration, and Marian devotions on
their website (see the schedule here).
• Engage in Lenten practices you can do privately at home.
> Stations of the Cross. Although most Catholics are familiar with Stations of the Cross which take place in church during Lent, anyone is able to reflect privately on the Stations. Traditional images and prayers for the Stations of the Cross are available here and here. The Scriptural Stations of the Cross recommended by Pope St. John Paul II are available here. Bishop Robert Barron's provides a reflection on the Stations of the Cross here and you can find a virtual Way of the Cross online here. The EWTN network broadcasts Stations of the Cross during Lent (see the schedule here). Pray the Stations of the Cross in the manner of Ignatius' Examen here.
> Lenten Retreats. Many religious organizations provide a variety of Lenten retreats which can be accessed at home or downloaded for use in a small faith-sharing group. You can find a variety of such retreats on our Lenten Resource page here and can register to receive a daily lenten reflection here.
Learn More About Lenten Opportunities
> Online Lenten Calendars, Reflections, Prayers, Retreats and Videos
> More Lenten Opportunities• • •
If You Want to Continue Growing in Faith
Difficult times often challenge us to rethink, renew and deepen our commitment to be faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. Exactly because we may lack many of the things we usually rely on to nourish and support our faith, the unique circumstances of a pandemic may invite us to examine how we are growing and practicing our faith.
• Evaluate your growth in faith . . .
As a general rule, most Catholics don't know this unless they intuit it from their personal experience, but the fact is that individuals grow through various "stages" of faith. That's because faith is a relationship, and like any relationship it grows and matures--or stagnates and dies. Often enough, individuals feel like they are "losing" their faith when in fact they are growing from one stage to another.
What triggers growth from one stage to another is usually some difficult or traumatic experience, which means that for some of us the coronavirus pandemic could be the event which launches or completes our growth into a more mature level of faith. Such events often raise questions or doubts about who God is, how God works in the world, what difference God makes in my life, why the life, death and resurrection of Jesus is important, how and why participation in an organized religious community makes a difference.
You can learn more about the stages of faith here and find a self-assessment tool which might help you identify your stage(s) of faith here. The spiritual life encompasses more than just prayer and devotions or participation in the Sacraments; our Spiritual Growth discussions help individuals assess the state of their spiritual life and determine how they might want to grow in holiness. You can find out more about these discussions here. A variety of online retreats and learning experiences sponsored by various retreat centers is available here. If you're really serious about examining your faith life, you will find an online version of St. Ignatius of Loyola's Spiritual Exercises here.
Learn More About How Faith Grows
> Am I losing my faith?
> How to Find God When You're Losing Your Faith
> Spiritual Growth Opportunities in the Waterloo Parishes
> Virtual Opportunities to Learn and Grow• Re-examine your prayer life . . .
Under normal circumstances, many of us fall into certain patterns in our prayer, even when it becomes stale and routine. Unexpected events like a pandemic can jolt us out of these routines and encourage us to grow and change. This is a good time to review not just how much we pray, but how we pray. For some individuals, a quiet, reflective or spontaneous prayer works best; for others, a formula with prescribed words works better. The key to a healthy prayer life is to choose the form of prayer which best enables us to engage in a conversation with God -- not just to talk to God, but to listen to God in the various ways we might perceive God's voice in the people and events of our daily lives. (See "How God Speaks to Us" here.)
In the process of examining your private prayer life, you might investigate one of these traditional forms of Catholic prayer:
> The Liturgy of the Hours is the official prayer of the church which ordained ministers, monks and many religious men and women pray throughout the day. There are many adaptations designed for lay people, including a prayer book called Christian Prayer, and a variety of monthly prayer magazines like Give Us This Day, Magnificat, and Living Faith, all of which are offering their content free online during the coronavirus pandemic. The Liturgy of the Hours is a great form of prayer for people who like a highly structured format. A simple form of Daily Prayer is available on our Facebook page. You can learn more about daily prayer here and find daily prayer guides at Jesuit Prayer.org, 3-Minute Retreats, Pray As You Go, and Sacred Space.
Online Versions of the Liturgy of the Hours
> Order Christian Prayer
> Divine Office.org
> Give Us This Day
> Magnificat
> Sacred Space
> Living Faith
Related Resources
> Free e-book: Guide to Night Prayer for Lent
> Praying Together, Praying Apart--At-Home Prayers for Times of Healing, Illness and Death
> Daily Prayer Live from the Ecumenical Community of Taize in France
> Lectio Divina (Holy Reading) is a form of prayer which uses a text (usually from Scripture) as a starting point for prayer and reflection. It includes the opportunity to both listen and talk to God, and incorporates both a structured format and a spontaneous or personal element which is a happy medium for many people. The lectio method can also be used to reflect on and pray about the events of one's life, as in the example suggested by St. Francis de Sales here. A simple form of Daily Reading is available on our Facebook page. You can learn more about Holy Reading here.
Learn More About Lectio Divina
> Lectio Divina--A Beginner's Guide
> The Daily Examen is a component of the spiritual exercises created by St. Ignatius Loyola, and the one which he recommended above all others. It consists of a daily review of one's life and relationship to Jesus which focuses both on gratitude for God's blessings and an awareness of one's challenges. It is similar to, but different in tone from, the traditional Examination of Conscience which many Catholics learned as a child. A form of the Examen can be used at any time or on any occasion in life which calls for a review of the past and discernment for the future. A simple form of Evening Examen is available on our Facebook page. You can learn more about the Examen here.
Learn more about the Examen
> A Simple Life-Changing Prayer
> Rummaging for God--Praying Backward Through Your Day
> The Rosary is a traditional form of Catholic prayer which is prayed both in groups and privately. It is a form of prayer which combines both reflection and repetition. Traditionally, Catholics use the rosary to reflect on the mysteries of Christ's life which are divided into Joyful Mysteries (used on Mondays and Saturdays), Sorrowful Mysteries (used on Tuesdays and Fridays), Glorious Mysteries (used on Wednesdays and Sundays) and Luminous Mysteries (used on Thursdays). The Rosary is broadcast live daily on the EWTN network.
Learn More About the Rosary
> Mysteries of the Rosary
> Praying the Rosary
> Contemplative Prayer is a form of prayer once thought limited to mystics and professional religious people. In fact, many ordinary people are capable of contemplative prayer or one its common variations, and it's a good choice for individuals who are naturally reflective or find structured verbal prayer too impersonal. While contemplation in its strictest sense (sometimes called "centering prayer") includes a very specific and structured process, in a much broader sense contemplative prayer (sometimes called "welcoming prayer" or "active prayer") is what one practitioner called “a long, loving look at the real.” In short, it means becoming more conscious and more reflective about the many ways in which we experience God's presence (or absence) in daily life. Two resources to help you do that are here and here.
Learn More About Contemplative Prayer
> Centering Prayer
> Welcoming Prayer
> Active Prayer
> Simple Listening Prayer
> How God Speaks to Us
> Prayer of Lament is a form of prayer which arises almost naturally but often unintentionally out of painful situations in which we feel overwhelmed, abandoned or punished by the presence of brokenness, suffering and loss. Lament reminds us of our human vulnerability, but it is a prayer of faith and hope, not despair. While lament expresses our deep frustration with a painful situation it also expresses our trust in the God, revealed to us in Jesus Christ, who is already at work in the world, healing what needs to be healed and redeeming what needs to be redeemed. You can find examples of lament in the Psalms, in the prophets, in the Book of Job, and in the Book of Lamentation. Learn more and learn how to formulate your own prayers of lament here.
Learn More
> Biblical Laments—Prayer Out of Pain.
> Learning to Lament.
> Dare to Hope In God—How to Lament Well.
> Understanding and Practicing Biblical Lament.
> Five Psalms of Lament.• Examine how well you're living your faith . . .
Although safety precautions imposed by the pandemic may restrict some of our normal activities, it is important to remember that following precautions, limiting social contact, and resisting the temptation to hoard food and household supplies are in themselves, under the circumstances, a service to the broader community.
In addition, however, there may be new, more critical opportunities in shelters and foodbanks for healthy and able-bodied volunteers who are not members of an at-risk population and have not been exposed to the coronavirus. For others, there are urgent oportunities to reach out to individuals who live alone or in care facilities, are isolated from human contact, or whose loved ones are confined by the pandemic. It is possible to reach out to these neighbors, family members and friends while following safety precautions and maintaining a safe "social distance."
In a broader sense, unexpected and unusual events like the pandemic interrupt our normal routines and challenge our priorities. This is a good time to examine how well we are living the Gospel in our daily lives, even thought some of our options may be limited for the time being. We are frequently reminded that our love for God is always embodied in concrete acts of love for others, particularly poor, vulnerable and marginalized individuals and groups.
For parents, the most important act of love is raising children, and that is always a parent's highest priority. For the elderly, and those who are limited by health or other conditions, there are always opportunities to act with love and compassion toward the people who care for us. From time to time, however, we must recognize the opportunity -- and responsibility -- to reach out beyond our immediate social circles to those who, for any reason, do not have loved ones to care for them, and who cannot depend on government services to meet their basic human needs. One way to do this is to become a spiritual partner and supporter of organizations like Missio, Maryknoll, or the Catholic Near East Welfare Association.
In the process of this examination you might find these resources helpful: an Examen for Life Under Covid-19 here, and examinations of conscience based on Catholic Social Teaching here or the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy here.
Learn More
> How to talk to older persons about Covid-19
> The Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy During the Covid-19 Pandemic
> How to feed the hungry, support health workers migrants and service workers
> How you can help during the pandemic
> 7 ways you can help people during the pandemic
> Living Through Covid as a retreat
> Learn more about your spiritual gifts
> Take this Gifts & Talents Inventory• • •Related Links
> Pandemic Response in the Waterloo Parishes
> Faith Perspectives on the Covid-19 Pandemic
> Resources on Faith and the Covid-19 Pandemic
Copyright Protected by the Catholic Parishes in Waterloo
[Last Update: 02.19.21]