When I talk to people about the COVID-19 virus, I try to start with some basic facts to make sure we are beginning from the same foundation. As a doctor, one of my biggest struggles is overcoming a culture of misinformation and a prevailing distrust of traditional sources of expertise. With the rise of the Read more
The policy of social distancing means that the newly homebound are seeing less of coworkers than they did just weeks ago. They’re seeing fewer friends too. But they might be seeing a lot more of their family, or their roommates. And that isn’t easy. For some, especially those who live alone, social distancing can bring Read more
Jesus wept tears, he wept because he was human. Jesus grieved, unashamed – his friend was dead. He remembered Lazarus’ face, his welcoming smile, his laughter. He remembered the hours they had sat talking; chewing the fat, shooting the breeze. Jesus wept for all that is passing. Lazarus was gone, dead and buried and Read more
There are few times stranger to start cohabiting with one’s partner than the week before a citywide lockdown. Less than two weeks after I moved the majority of my things across New York City, I found myself occupying a new, though by now not unfamiliar, apartment. Thanks to the restrictions of the lockdown, the geography Read more
We are entering truly unprecedented times for people of faith. Churches, synagogues, and mosques around the world have suspended regular worship services for an indefinite period of time. This coming weekend may represent the fewest people engaging in corporate worship in the last two millennia. This is uncharted waters for those in church leadership. Many Read more
Last summer I underwent radiation treatment. And every time I passed through the doorway marked “Radiation Oncology,” my heart seemed to skip a beat. While I was in little danger (my tumour was benign, and, yes, one sometimes needs radiation for that), I daily met people who were close to death. Every weekday for six Read more
If a priest is wearing a mask and standing three or six feet away from a penitent requesting the sacrament of reconciliation, is he really more present to a penitent he knows than he would be by telephone? Maybe, but maybe not, said Father Giorgio Giovanelli, a professor of canon law at Rome’s Pontifical Lateran Read more
An essential part of finding fulfilment in our lives is the ability to share them with others. As social beings, we crave connections with friends and family and thrive with social interactions in our weeks. For some of us, that may just being able to say good morning to our co-workers each day, and for Read more
“Instead of watching Mass on the computer, why don’t we read from the Bible together?” That’s how our eight-year old daughter reacted last Sunday when we gathered to watch the celebration of Mass at home, where we’ve been self-quarantined since last week. From the mouths of babes… Our daughter is used to seeing me as Read more
With the coronavirus forcing church closures and limiting access to sacraments, the Catholic Church has dusted off some old practices that perhaps had fallen into disuse, while also availing itself of new means of ensuring faithful can access the essentials. With increasing numbers of people confined at home with no access to Mass or confession, Read more