This Month in the Diocese An E-Publication of the Diocese of Antigonish

Vol. 5 Issue 11 July 2020

ChurchesarereopeningforMassstartingJuly4,followingclosureinMarchtostemthespreadandensuresafetyoftheircommunitiesduringtheCovid-19pandemic.Itisasignofhopetobe

abletoofferMassinpersonagain,butCovid-19remainsapublichealthconcern.FornewprotocolsandwhattoexpectwhenreturningtoMass,seePage2.

… To Our New Website What Can We Learn? Honouring St. Anne Thankyouforyourpatienceandprayers!Ournewwebsiteisinoperation,andsoisourfirstpop-upshop:SeePage4

Fr.PaulAbbassshareshisreflectiononchallengesposedlocallyandindividuallyfromtheglobalpandemic:SeePage3

TheannualSt.AnneMissionhasbeencancelledthisyearduetoCovid,butreverenceforhistoryandtraditioncontinues:SeePage4

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FiveQuestions:onwhattoexpectwhenreturningtoMassinperson.ChurchesbeginreopeningJuly4afternearlyfourmonthsofclosureduetotheCovid-19pandemic.Thethreattopublichealthposedbythevirusremains.ThismeansgatheringinpersonforEucharistwillbeanewanddifferentexperience,forallofus.

1.IwanttoattendMassatchurch.WhatshouldIdotoprepare?Covid-19isstillathreattopublichealth.Asaresult,churchesareopeningtolimitedattendanceandwithspecificprotocolsforeveryone’ssafety.YoushouldfirstcheckwithyourparishforMasstimes,registrationandanyotherrequirementsinplace.Then,ensureyouareingoodhealthbeforeattending.Itisrecommendedthatyouwearamask.Ifyoufeelunwellorhavehealthissuesthatcouldputyouatrisk,itisrecommendedyouworshipathome.

2.IfIamunabletoattendMass,amIstilldispensedfrommySundayobligation?Yes.BishopKirkpatrickhasindicatedthatthosewhomaynotbeabletoattendSundayMassforhealthreasonsorduetocapacityrestrictionsaredispensedfromtheirobligationtoattend.Parishesareencouragedtocontinuelivestream,videoandradiobroadcastofMassessoparishionershavetheoptiontoworshipathome.SeePage3forChurchesOnlineandAnActofSpiritualCommunion

3.WilltherebesingingandtheSignofPeace? Acantororpriestmayleadinsong,butthereistobenocongregationalsingingatthistime.Hymnbooks,missalsandothermaterialswillberemovedfromthechurchaswell.InMasseswheretheSignofPeaceisinvited,offeranodandasmiletoyourneighbour.Handshakingisnotpermitted.

4.Whataboutcollection?Thecollectionwillnotbetakenatthetraditionaltime.Whenyouareexitingthemainbodyofthechurch,youwillbeabletomakeyourtraditionaloffering.Usherswillstandbyandprovidesecurity.YouarealsoencouragedtodonatethroughPre-authorizedcontribution(PAC)ande-transfertoyourparish.YoucanalsousetheDonatelinkonthediocesanwebsite:ourbusinessofficewillforwarddonationstoyourparish. 5.HowwillIreceiveHolyCommunion?CommunicantsarerecommendedtowearamaskastheylineupforHolyCommunion,2meters(6ft.)apartfromothers.Theyaretoleavetheirmaskonwhentheyreply“Amen”(physicallydistanced)andduringtheperiodwhentheHostisplacedintheirhand.Theysteptooneside,andatthatpointremovethemaskinordertoconsumetheHolyEucharist,affixingthemaskafterconsumptionandreturningtotheirplace.ItisdesirablethatthepriestremindthepeoplethattheyaretoplaceoneopenhandupontheothertoreverentlyreceivetheSacredHost.Forthesafetyofthefaithfulandourclergy,aswellasfollowingthestrongrecommendationofmedicalauthorities,HolyCommunionistobereceivedonlyinthehandatthistime.Sinceeachcommunicanthastherighttoreceivecommunioneitheronthetongueorinthehand,thetraditionalpracticeoftheoptionofreceivingonthetonguewillberestoredassoonasthepublichealthsituationallowsforthat.AmidthejoyofreturningtopublicMass,itisimportanttorememberwearestillinthemidstofapandemic,andourprimaryconcernmustbeforthelifeandhealthofthewholecommunity.Wemustcontinuetoprayforthepeopleinourcommunityandourworld,aswebegintomoveforwardandhealfromthedevastationofthispandemic.MayGodblesseachofyouandthosethatyoulove.https://www.antigonishdiocese.com/welcome-back-to-a-safe-worship-environment/

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LearningfromtheChallenges:AreflectionbyFr.PaulAbbassLatelyIhavebeenaskingmyselfwhatwecanlearnfromthechallengespresentedbytheCovidvirus.Ilearnedtworelatedthings.FirstIlearnedthatbyworkingtogetherandsharinginthesacrificesnecessarywecanfacethisparticularchallenge.SecondlyIlearnedthatworkingtogetherandsharinginthenecessarysacrificesisnoteasy;infact,itcanbeextremelydifficult.Whichinturncausedmetoaskmyselfwhythisisso,especiallyasinmanyinstancesweheardpeoplespeakingofthemanypositiveoutcomesoftheexperienceofthelastcoupleofmonths.Peoplespokeaboutthebenefitofhavingmoretimewithfamily,ofthejoythatcomesfromreachingouttoothersandbeingmoreconsiderateoftheneedsoffamily,friendsandtotal

strangers.Othersspokeaboutrediscoveringtheirloveoffishingandonmystreetthereseemedtomorethanregularnumbersofyoungfamiliesoutforbicycleridestogetherorenjoyingawalkwiththeirchildren.Thereseemedtobeasenseofaccomplishing

somethingimportantbyworkingtogethertomakethissituationnotjustatimeofsacrifice,but,aswellatimeofsatisfactionincomingtorealizethatwewerehelpingandcontributingtothewhole.Andyet,thereisalmostasenseofpanicwhenpeopleconsiderthattheremightbearesurgenceincasesandtheneedtoreturntothepracticesthathelpedtokeepussafe.Workingtowardthecommongoodforaworthycauseisrewarding,butinsomewaysitgoesagainstmuchofwhatourculturehaspromotedoverthelastfewdecades.Insomanywayswehavebecomeaccustomedtolivingthelifestyleof“whatfeelsgoodformeisallthatmatters.”Infact,perhapstherealblessingthataroseoutofCovid19istheremindertoallofusthatwearenotjustindividuals:weareapeoplewhorecognizetheirneedforothers.Atthesametimewemayhavealsobeenremindedofthevalueofconsideringtheneedsofothersaheadofourown.Ibelievethereisafearamongmanythatoncethingsreturntonormal(whateverthatisorlookslike),thatwewilllosethatsenseofcommunityandcaringforothers.PerhapsthisisagoodtimetorecallthatthereisafaithimperativethatinvitesustokeepinmindthesocialmessageoftheGospel.Centraltothismessageisthatweareco-responsibleforoneanotherandfortheearth.ThisconvictioncallsonustoseeinotherstheimageofourcreatorandtotreatotherswiththereverenceandawethatweprofesstoholdforourGod.ReadFr.Paul’sreflectioninfullonourblog:https://www.antigonishdiocese.com/what-can-we-lear…om-this-pandemic/

Congratulations,Graduates!Nodistancing,protocols,orviruscantakeawayyouraccomplishments.Godblessyouandyourlovedonesasyoucelebratethismilestoneandprepareforthenextchapterinyourlives.---

www.antigonishdiocese.com

NotreadyorabletoreturntopublicMass?ParticipateinMassathomevialivestream,videoorradio,andoffer:

AnActofSpiritualCommunionMyDearestJesus,

IbelievethatYouarepresentinthemostHolySacrament.IloveYouaboveallthings,andIdesiretoreceiveYouintomysoul.SinceIcannot,atthismoment,receiveYousacramentally,comeatleastspirituallyintomyheart.IembraceYouasifYouwerealreadythereandunitemyselfwhollytoYou.Neverpermitmetobeseparatedfromyou.Amen.

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SaintAnne,PatronSaintoftheMi’kmaq,isveneratedinanannualmissiononornearherfeastDayofJuly26.Themissionin2020hasbeencancelledduetotheCovid-19pandemic,butremainsapowerfulexampleofpersonalfaith,historyandcommunity.Wearenotabletotakepartinamissionthisyear,butwecanshareinthestory.

Sante’Mawio’mi-ChapelIslandMissionStoryandphotobyGeorgePaul,DiocesanCommunicationsCommitteeTheinfluenceoftheconversiontoChristianityofGrandChiefMembertoualongwith210Mi’kmaqin1610canstillbefelttodayontheislandofMniku(nearPotlotek).AbbéMaillardwasthefirstmissionarypriesttovisitRichmondCountyandsaidthefirstMassontheislandonaboulderin1742.HisMi’kmawflocksettledhereandbuiltthefirstchapelin1754.Theboulderstillexiststoday.Thepresentchurchontheislandisthesixthchurch:thefifthoneburneddownonDecember11,1976.HistoricallytheislandhasbeenameetingplacefortheMi'kmaqofthe

maritimeprovincessincetimeimmemorial.TheMi’kmaqGrandCouncil,whichrepresentedtheMi’kmaqleadersofthesevendistrictsofAtlanticCanada,heldtheirannualmeetingtodiscusstheirgoalsandaspirationsandduringtimeofwardiscussedtheiralliances.TodaythisannualmeetingisreferredtoasSante’Mawio’miandthemissionariesincorporatedthisyearlyeventwiththecelebrationofSt.Anne.TodaymanyMi’kmaqcommunitiesinCapeBretonandNovaScotiado

nothavetheopportunitytogatherasoftenastheyusedto.TheChapelIslandMissionreaffirmsthegreatestMi’kmaqtrait,thesenseofcommunity.ThecontinuationofthisculturaltraditionreinforcestheimportanceofbeingMi’kmaq.MnikuhasbeendeclaredaNationalHistoricSite.ItisapartofCapeBreton’srichhistory,yourhistory. TolearnmoreofMi’kmawcultureandcommunitiesinourdiocese:https://www.antigonishdiocese.com/mikmaw-parishes/

www.antigonishdiocese.com

Haveyouseenournewwebsite?Wehaveafreshnewlookforouronlinepresenceandspacetoexpandouronlineofferings.Somenewfeatures:VaticanNews:updatedcontinuously,everydaySharinginPrayer:videoandprintreflectionstoinviteandsupportyourprayerlifeOurBlog:includinglocalnews,Bishop’slettersandupdatesonCovid-19protocolsBookshelf:withdownloadsorlinkstoEncyclicals,booksofinterestandfaithdocuments

Newonourwebsite:EmmausCentrehasopeneditsfirstpop-upshop!ItemscanbeviewedandorderedonlineforpickupatourEmmausCentrelocationinMembertou.Featureditemsincludegiftsforthatspecialgraduate.BrowsenowontheEmmausCentrepage.

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