During these difficult and trying times our priests have done and continue to do amazing things to serve the Lord and fulfill their priestly duties for the sanctification of souls. Here is a re-cap of some highlights for what our priests have done in the Archdiocese of New York during the Coronavirus pandemic. The list is by no means an exhaustive one.
1. Live-stream the Mass
Priests set-up live-stream technology in their Churches to ensure that their parishioners could spiritually take part in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
Photo: Shannon Douglas, Unsplash / PD-US
2. Outdoor Eucharistic Adoration
There were priests who did drive-by Eucharistic Adoration where they brought Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament to their parishioners. They drove around their parish neighborhoods making stops to allow for people to adore our Eucharistic Lord from a safe social distance.
Also, priests had Eucharistic Adoration in their parish parking lots where the laity could adore the Hidden Christ from their cars.
Photo: Jacob Bentzinger, Unspash / PD-US
3. Drive-thru Confession
Priests offered their parishioners the Sacrament of Reconciliation by a person being able to come to Confession by the priest and the individual remaining in his own car. There were also priests that offered the Sacrament by having a designated area in their parish parking lot where he would be seated waiting for someone to drive up to Him for Confession. There was proper social distancing set in place as well as the maintaining of the "seal of the confessional."
4. Praying Virtually with Parishioners
Priests around the Archdiocese met online via Facebook Live and Zoom, a virtual meeting service, to pray together with their parishioners. They helped to begin prayer groups, such as a weekly parish Rosary, and continue parish ministries, such as a faith-sharing group or bible study, with the help of the laity.
5. Marian Processions
There was one parish that I know of in the Archdiocese of New York that did "Marian Processions" during the month of May to visit the children preparing for First Holy Communion. The priests and deacon went to pray outside of the homes of the children and their families, and the girls and boys were invited to wear their communion outfits for the occasion.
Photo: Laura Allen, Unsplash / PD-US