Pastoral Letter to the Pastors and People of the Archdiocese of Sydney in a time of pandemic

Hear from the Archbishop the Most Rev Anthony Fisher in a time of pandemic.

Apocalypse now?

Drought, fires, storms and n

ow plague. It can feel like the end of the world is coming.

In a sense it is. The world as we know it is being turned upside down – at least temporarily – as many get sick and some die from COVID-19, and so much of ordinary life is put on hold.

The Church is not immune. I was recently tested for COVID-19 and put into self-isolation myself and, though happily I tested negative, I know the disruption and anxiety people are experiencing.

But in times like these it’s important not to panic or lose heart. If this pandemic shakes us up and starts us thinking about who or what’s most important to us and what we should be doing with our lives, that can be a good thing.

Worshipping in spirit and in truth

One of the great Lent gospels is the story of the woman at the well. The woman asked some questions about worship. ‘The hour is coming,’ Jesus answered her, ‘indeed it is here already, when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth.’ (Jn 4:23)

What does that require of us at present? Several instructions have already come from health authorities and the Church. Outside gatherings of more than 500 people and indoors gatherings of 100 have been forbidden; in due course the public celebration of Mass may have to be suspended.

Individuals have already been asked, before attending liturgical celebrations, to consider their own health – both their potential to infect ot