Pastoral Letter from our Bishop
Friday 12th June 2020
PASTORAL
LETTER OF THE RIGHT REVEREND JOHN ARNOLD
BISHOP
OF SALFORD
To
be distributed in June 2020
My dear brothers and sisters,
I want to write to you and assure you that my
thoughts and prayers are with you all, at this time. There are many resources
available on the Diocesan website and being circulated among parish
communities, by Catholic organisations and among small groups. It has been very
encouraging to see so many positive and practical initiatives during these
difficult times – not least in the live-streaming of Masses, liturgies, and
devotions. My thanks and sincere appreciation to all who have been so
imaginative in minimising the impact of physical isolation and allowing people
to feel included and a part of community in so many different ways. This
includes the contact by phone and other initiatives for those who do not have
access to the internet and live streaming.
All churches were closed in March by government
directive out of concern for the safety and well-being of people. Public
gatherings were banned as an attempt to limit the danger of contagion. And
safety must continue to be our priority as we move towards the re-opening of
churches. Even when churches are allowed to re-open on Monday 15th June, not
all churches will be able to re-open at once. It is intended that several named
churches, spread around the Diocese, will be ready to open for private prayer,
and are currently being prepared. Other churches will follow as quickly as it
can be assured that they are able to fulfil the conditions for cleanliness, and
social distancing. All parishes will be assisted in these preparations. It is
likely to be several more weeks before we will be able to celebrate Mass
publicly and, even when that is possible, social distancing will limit the
numbers of people able to attend – even in our largest church buildings. We
must all be patient. We are under no obligation to attend Mass during this
time, and making spiritual communion is a powerful way to welcome Christ into
our lives at home.
During this time, we have every reason to be
grateful to all who have been working on the frontline, in hospitals, care
homes, in the community and emergency services and all those ensuring vital
supplies. Many of them are our own parishioners. It is real faith in action.
It is important that we continue to remember those
who have died and those who have lost loved ones during this time. It must be
particularly difficult to have the funeral of a loved one under present
circumstances. In addition to any individual Requiem Mass or Memorial Service
for those who have died during this period, it will be important that each
parish has some form of special Memorial Services to which all the bereaved are
invited as an opportunity to support each other in faith.
The limitations on our personal freedom should not
restrict, in any way, our lived practice of our Faith. On the contrary, we are
being called to re-visit and develop our private prayer, our understanding that
– wherever we are – we are the Church, members of the Body of Christ. We are
invited to build that sense of “Church at home”, renewing the reality stated in
St John’s Gospel “Remain in me as I in you” (Jn 15:7), and “He is with you, He
is in you” (Jn 14:17). Christ lives in us wherever we may be. I am so impressed
by the many creative ways that people have found to encourage each other in
prayer. Hopefully, this will continue in our journey ahead, centred on Christ
and guided in prayer.
Pope Francis is adamant that we are best able to
express ourselves as Church when we can come together for the celebration of
the Sacraments, to pray together and then to go out as missionary disciples,
especially to the poor and the marginalised. But Pope Francis also recognises
that this is not always possible but that does not restrict us from being
Church and “ambassadors for Christ” (2 Cor 5:20). And during this difficult
time of not having access to our churches and while we are unable to
participate fully in Mass and other liturgies we can be in solidarity with
those many Catholics throughout the world who, because of persecution or
military conflict, are unable to receive sacraments for years on end. There are
many people, in the squalor of refugee camps, who have no access to a place of
prayer or sacrament. But they are very clearly Catholics to be admired for
their strength of Faith.
We must now be absolutely sure to think globally
and understand the impact that we have on one another throughout the world, and
how we depend on others as they depend on us.
We can no longer simply look inwards to our own
needs and welfare. In these last three months many of us have been living our
lives quite differently with our walking and cycling, reduced shopping. Is this
a sign of a “new normal”? The pandemic has taught us that we are all so closely
connected, across all nations, which is a lesson that Pope Francis has been
teaching, particularly in his encyclical letter “Laudato Si”, where he appeals
to us all to recognise our duties to all our brothers and sisters and our care
for our common home. It is said that we are the first generation that has
learned about the damage that we are doing to our environment and we may be the
last generation to be able to avoid irreversible damage for future generations.
The recent violence in the United States is a
further reminder of our need to think globally and to recognise the dignity of
every person of whatever colour, creed, or gender. We are privileged to be
entrusted with the challenge which, with the grace and power of God, working in
us and through us, we can achieve for our children’s future. Let us make the
pandemic a steppingstone to a brighter and safer world for all. Governments
will need to collaborate, globally. Industry and technology must develop in more
environmentally sustainable ways. Every one of us must be determined to promote
that global thinking and care in our homes and parishes and communities.
“Stay with us, Lord, on our Journey”
We ask the intercession of Mary, Our Mother, in a
prayer of St Pope John Paul II
‘Mary, woman clothed with the sun, help us to fix
our gaze on Christ amid the inevitable sufferings and problems of everyday
life. Help us not to be afraid of following him to the very end, even when the
cross seems unbearably heavy. Make us understand that this alone is the way
which leads to the heights of salvation. And from heaven, where you shine forth
as Queen and Mother of Mercy. Watch over each one of your children.’
Yours devotedly,
+ John Arnold Bishop
of Salford