As we prepare to celebrate Holy Week and Easter within the Christian tradition and persons clamour to post and then log onto opportunities to experience a “virtual” Easter, I would like to offer an alternative and that is to do nothing. Or, rather, experience “absence” in a very real way. The absence that Mary and Read more
Being locked down due to COVID-19 and immobilized has its upsides. One can spend quality time with oneself as one is free from the myth of Sisyphus that has set the clock of our life from morning to night. Now that we have time on our side and no concern about the deadlines of the Read more
Corona viruses are RNA viruses as are influenza and measles viruses and consist of a family of viruses with a similar physical structure that looks like a golf ball with many small golf tee spikes projecting out from their surface. The result under a microscope gives the virus particle the appearance of having a halo Read more
The whole world is now infected. The coronavirus continues to circle the globe, bringing the usual rhythms of life and commerce to an almost total standstill. The pandemic caught most countries and their people completely off-guard and unprepared. And many are already saying that this global crisis will force all of us to radically re-think Read more
“All Masses Cancelled.” That sign went up today outside my local church. Who could have imagined it just a couple of weeks ago? Most Catholics recognise it’s a sensible decision: large gatherings are just what we do not want at the moment. The loving thing right now is to keep our distance, lest we transmit Read more
Self-isolation. Quaratine. Lockdown. The outbreak of COVID-19 and its subsequent dissemination across the globe has left a shock wave of disbelief and confusion in many countries. Accompanying this wave has been a spike in racist terms, memes and news articles targeting Asian communities in North America. Asian Americans report being spit on, yelled at, even Read more
Plagues of global proportions might seem biblical, but coronavirus is creating new challenges for faith leaders. Last week in Australia, many churches, mosques and synagogues decided proactively to cancel their normal worship services. These were not easy decisions for groups for whom being a gathered community is central to their identity and practice. Australia’s largest Read more
The coronavirus pandemic has quickly swept the globe, throwing just about every human institution into chaos. Faith communities are no exception. With gatherings restricted in size or prohibited altogether, many houses of worship are fighting to stay connected, rapidly weighing technological options to keep as many people as possible engaged. This involves a good deal Read more
New Zealand is in “Lock Down”. Life as we have known it is completely changed as the nation, along with the rest of the world, wages war against an invisible but deadly enemy, Coronavirus, or COVID-19. You may have already been “self-isolating”; the “Lock Down” extends that directive to nearly everyone. Only essential services remain Read more
After a few weeks of social distancing, even — we hate to say it —Netflix is starting to get old. Same goes for all of the audiobooks and podcasts you’ve downloaded to cure your boredom. Luckily, there are countless virtual tours of museums, theme parks, and gardens to enjoy in these times. St Peter’s Square Read more