Tuesday 19 May 2020

Easing of Restrictions

These are different times in so many ways. Some I have come to apprecite and some will never sit easy with me. The absence of frantic activity has left me time to explore my heart a bit more. There is much I could say but suffice it to say I believe that I am now in a better place personally than when we went into 'lockdown'. There is much that I miss and always will - human contact, meals with people and strangely enough, a trip home to Ireland! Most of my life I have lived away from home in Ireland and would never have thought there was much to it. Ah yes, but up to now I could from time to time reconnect with family, friends and the familiar that has shaped me. Now I am not sure when that will be possible. 

One lesson from this, is a deeper and greater appreciation of people who for various reasons, have left home and for the foreseeable future cannot return. I know some refugees but only now even begin to feel what some of them are missing of home. Enough of this for the moment.

At St Joseph's we are trying to work out how we might safely plan a phased reopening  of the church for Mass with people in the seats and no longer 'behind closed doors'. That will be such a joy. Yet, the dangers from the virus are still there and one illness - God forbid one death - would be irresponsible should the doors be unlocked before it is safe.

Finally, the YouTube transmissions of daily and Sunday Mass from St Joseph's - www.stjoeparis.org - have brought messages from people all over the world now part of Saint Joseph's Virtual Parish!                                                                                                                                                                      AT