Catholics in Diocese of Metuchen find new ways to stay connected to their faith

PISCATAWAY – As pews sit empty in churches around the four-county Diocese of Metuchen because of social distancing due to the coronavirus, Catholics in the diocese are finding new ways to stay connected to their faith.

In absence of being able to gather for daily or Sunday Mass, and now Holy Week, parishes around the diocese have opened their churches, virtually, to their parishioners or anyone else who wishes to virtually attend Mass, Eucharistic Adoration or other Lenten programs. In some parishes, Masses are offered in multiple languages, such as Spanish, Polish and Latin. A list of livestreamed Masses and services from around the diocese can be found at www.diometuchen.org.

“For many of our parishes, the livestreaming of the Mass is not instinctual,” said Anthony P. Kearns III, Esq., chancellor and spokesperson for the Diocese of Metuchen and head of its coronavirus task force. “As Catholics, we are accustomed to gathering together as the Church, the body of Christ, for the offering of Mass, which is at the center of our lives as Catholics. When we gather as a whole assembly, with our priest leading us, the congregation of the faithful and all the ministers, we participate with Christ in His offering of Himself to the Father and we acknowledge the great things God has done for us. Then we receive Christ's own body and blood in Holy Communion, which animates us to then go forth and do the works of mercy."

While all Catholics are now urged to make a "spiritual communion" in the absence of being able to be physically present for the Mass, indeed the works of charity and mercy are going forth from the people. Many of our parishes through their St. Vincent de Paul Societies and social ministry programs are creatively working to assist the elderly and the poor. Catholic Charities continues to operate in all four counties, even working remotely too, in order to provide vital and life-giving services to those in need. 

“As Catholics we are called to be fully engaged in helping our brothers and sisters in need, to lighten their burden,” said Kearns. “This is what the Church has done in every age, and this is our moment to be fully engaged in the sufferings and needs of others.”

While not every parish was digitally prepared for the coronavirus and what it would mean for their parishioners and their faith lives, even those with limited experience using technology have increased their digital footprint to meet the growing needs of their flock.

“Although this is a ‘new normal’ and certainly has brought about new challenges for many of us, we realize that we are in this together, and just as God does not abandon us, we must continue to be there for our people too,” said Kearns. “With that in mind, many of our parishes and pastoral ministries have increased their digital presence, serving their people where they are, even if that means remotely going to them in their own homes by way of social media, video messages, phone calls and video calls. Now, more than ever, people are looking for prayer, faith, and hope, and we are doing all we can to be present for them and with them.”

In response to the need to be present to people, especially in these times, the Diocese of Metuchen launched a digital initiative called, One Church Together, in which directors of diocesan offices and ministry leaders gather remotely with the faithful using phone and video conferencing to pray, reflect and connect. For those unable to join live, each video session, if not livestreamed directly through Facebook Live, is posted to the Diocese of Metuchen’s website and social media pages: @diocesemetuchen.

In a video message to the faithful of the Diocese of Metuchen, Bishop James F. Checchio reminded those watching that they are “together virtually and united.”

“Certainly, I miss seeing you, I miss being with you in your parishes, I miss praying with you, so whatever opportunities we have to do that, I certainly look forward to them and I hope you do too,” said Bishop Checchio. “So know of my love and prayers for you, know that I'm thinking about you all the time – from our elderly, to our students who are working from home, to our young adults, to our families, our married couples, to everyone – I carry you all in my heart and my prayers and certainly bring you to the altar each day and remember you throughout the day.”

Though churches in the Diocese of Metuchen will remain open for private prayer, there will be no distribution of blessed palms and there will be no public gatherings (inside or outside Churches, in cars, etc.) during Holy Week this year, in accordance with the “Decree in Time of COVID-19” issued on March 19 by the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments by mandate of the Supreme Pontiff.

In a decree for Holy Week and Easter, issued on March 26 and signed by the Most Rev. James F. Checchio, Bishop of Metuchen, Catholics in the Diocese of Metuchen were encouraged by the Bishop to strive to stay engaged in prayer, even more so in these challenging days.

“Everything in our priestly being wants to bring (the faithful) together, but we cannot risk endangering our beloved flock nor ourselves,” the decree states. “Therefore, religious activities that would encourage groups of faithful to come to our churches are discouraged and in fact, not allowed by the state at this time. We are strictly following the guidelines from the Holy See too.”

The new directives promulgated by Bishop Checchio, adds to those directives already in place, which include:

• The faithful are granted a dispensation from abstaining from meat on Fridays for rest of Lent, except Good Friday which is universal law and a day of fasting and abstaining from meat.
• All parish and school offices will remain closed until further notice, though priests will remain available and responsive to the faithful.
• All weddings are to be postponed.
• All baptisms are to be postponed except in the case of emergency.
• While a public memorial can be scheduled for a later date, the burial of the dead will need to occur before that date – diocesan cemeteries will remain open for visits in the afternoon hours and all weekend subject to some changes of hours due to staffing concerns. Subject to the restrictions of the Governor's Executive Order, only at-need interment services will be performed at diocesan cemetery locations. A committal service with the immediate family, limited to 10 persons or less, will be arranged between the funeral director, clergy and the family to take place outside of the funeral home within the requirements of the Executive Order. The funeral director will accompany the deceased to the cemetery for burial. Essential staff of the diocesan cemeteries will perform the interments. The pastor/priest will celebrate a private Mass without a congregation on the day of burial, if no public memorial is scheduled and/or if the family requests it, and the priest will inform the family that he has or will do so.

“As we prepare for Holy Week, even though we will not be physically connected, I encourage everyone to join us virtually in the spiritual celebration of the Paschal Mysteries,” said Bishop Checchio. “We need prayer now more than ever, and we especially pray that through these sacrifices, the joys of Easter will likewise be heightened for us too!”

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