Burden Of This Last Year
Allow me to make some observations of our parish family since the beginning of the pandemic a year ago. The generosity which our parish has demonstrated, whenever we have been asked, has been a tremendous blessing for so many others. When we asked for help for those who experienced immediate hardship because of the pandemic shut-down a year ago, many parishioners came forward. People volunteered to make masks and distribute them. Others shopped for those who were sick and in quarantine, and then delivered food and cleaning supplies to families in need. Still others made donations to our parish funds for our food pantry and our emergency “Fund for the Poor.” We have distributed significantly but the funds have never been depleted.
Some parishioners stepped forward by advocating for those workers who were being overlooked and not adequately protected early in the pandemic. We all became familiar with the term “essential workers,” but we did not always think about what kind of work they did. Many of them are our sisters and brothers in faith from our parish. Farmers, food processing workers, meat packing and canning industry employees, grocery store workers, health care personnel, auxiliary hospital workers like custodians, dieticians, pharmacists, laundry workers, etc. continued to work. Also, many public service employees continued to work – police and fire, sanitation and water, electricity and telephone. I cannot list all of those workers who, perhaps, wanted to stay home and avoid infection but went to work every day.
Then there are those who lost jobs in service industries like hotels and restaurants, and others in hospitality and entertainment areas. Many of those workers and entertainers have not been able to work for a year in their preferred employment.
Of course, schools have been a major concern during the pandemic. Virtual learning has become a new normal. We look forward to the day when not just a few schools offer in person education but EVERY school can welcome students to the classroom at the school, safely!
To all of the many volunteers and donors who have helped each other to bear the burden of this last year, I say “Thank you!” At the parish we have benefitted from those persons with video and technology experience, those ministers who came to make the live-streamed Eucharist the best that it could be, and those who have been willing to grab a rag and a bottle of disinfectant after Mass to clean pews, doors, bathroom fixtures, etc. Thank you all!
Peace, Fr. Andy