Considering worship without congregational singing are words the Rev. John Witvliet, an expert on Christian worship, never thought he would hear himself say. “Based on the science that we are learning about this week, we are urging and I am personally urging extreme caution,” said Witvliet, director of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship in Read more
COVID-19’s impact on liturgical praxis has left us reeling! Significant liturgical decisions have left the liturgical ministry by all the baptised out in the cold and refocused the Mass as a clerical experience. John N. Collins addresses the issues of priest and presbyter and as a factor in clericalised worship decision in ‘“Is it just Read more
A pandemic being fought with a lockdown imposed on the whole population affects all areas of life. Organised religion normally involves congregations gathering, the word ‘church’ is based on the word ‘assembly’. The respiratory virus can spread with disastrous effects in a closely packed crowd and for very good reasons public gatherings were banned during Read more
While to a certain degree returning to “business as usual” will not likely happen, that does not mean the vast majority of humanity; those who hold most of the world’s wealth and power will not use every advantage at their deposal in trying to hold onto broken, corrupt, unjust systems – what St. Pope John Read more
The Catholic parishes in Palmerston North, comprising the Holy Spirit Cathedral, Palmerston North, Our Lady of Lourdes and Foxton intended to live-stream Sunday Mass from the Cathedral. Under the current law, up to 10 people are permitted to make up the church service. With such a limitation, it became abundantly clear that the parishes would Read more
As churches reopen and parishioners begin returning to their church buildings there’s a familiarity, but the environment might feel different because of new social-distancing measures. For example, in Houston, a young adult woman who went to Sunday Mass the first weekend in May when her parish reopened for public Mass, said her initial excitement changed Read more
Some states are beginning to lift COVID-19 restrictions, like releasing residents from stay-at-home orders, reopening retail and hospitality businesses with limited capacities, and even allowing elective surgeries. Research has shown that many people are struggling with feelings of isolation and loneliness. People are longing to get back to life as “normal” after weeks of physically Read more
As a faith leader, I firmly believe that God sometimes allows devastating events to impact our lives to help us redefine or rediscover our priorities and core values. Though the long-term effects of the coronavirus are yet to be determined, what is clear is that the crisis has forced every one of us to change Read more
An Auckland boarding school for boys says it is well placed to assist post-COVID-19 when some people to find themselves struggling financially. All students at Dilworth – currently 575 in total – receive a fully-funded scholarship, worth about $35,000 a year. The costs of the school are covered by the Dilworth charitable trust, which is Read more
Vatican City is making plans to gradually ease the quarantine restrictions aimed at preventing the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). The Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin has been meeting with the Roman Curia to discuss gradually reopening Holy See offices as Italy prepares to end its national lockdown on 4 May. The heads of Read more