By Eric Martin
Churches have been closed, weekly and daily Masses are being streamed online and reception of the sacraments such as baptism, confession, marriages and funerals are extremely limited.
While the effects of COVID-19 have well and truly had a significant impact for the Perth Catholic community, the Archdiocese as a whole is still open for business.
It was a little over a month ago, on 4 March, that the first of several statements were issued in relation to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID–19) following public health advice from state and federal governments.
“In my capacity as the Administrator of the Archdiocese of Perth, I am issuing the following directives, effective from Wednesday 4 March 2020, to all clergy, religious and the lay faithful across the Archdiocese of Perth,” Bishop Sproxton said last month.
“These preventative measures should be appropriately communicated to the congregation and the broader Catholic community.”
At first, the directives included instructions that all Holy Water be removed from the stoups in Churches and Chapels; that Offertory gifts be in closed vessels or, where this is not possible, vessels should be appropriately covered; the Sign of Peace be omitted at all Masses and that the distribution of Holy Communion under both species to cease.
Perth was the first city in Australia to experience a death caused by the virus, after 78-year-old James Kwan contracted the disease on board the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship.
By 19 March, the virus was starting to spread across the nation and Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB released a Pastoral Letter in which he addressed a heartfelt appeal to Catholics, to prayerfully and respectfully adhere to the decisions of the Church regarding COVID-19 health precautions.
“The decision I have taken, reluctantly and deeply conscious of its gravity, to temporarily suspend all public Masses in the Archdiocese of Perth, is based on my deep conviction that as a Christian community we must act in the best interests of all the members of our society,” Archbishop Costelloe said.
“We have a duty to remain responsive to the advice and directives of our government and our public health officials. As both Catholics and citizens we wish to be responsible and cooperative members within our society.
He explained that these measures were designed to slow down the transmission of COVID‑19.
“I know that this decision will cause great distress to some, and perhaps many of you. I want to assure you that I did not make this decision lightly,” Archbishop Costelloe shared.
“We make this sacrifice now for the well-being of our community because, as Jesus himself tells us, ‘by this everyone will know that you are my disciples – that you love one another as I have loved you.’”
Archbishop Costelloe went on to explain that the normal “Sunday Obligation” to attend Mass on either Saturday evening or Sunday does not apply to anyone at this time, with the exception of priests.
In response to this news, the Perth Archdiocese further mobilised the world of digital communication to ensure that the Catholic community is able to participate in the celebration of the Eucharist.
The weekend of Sunday 22 March saw the first in a series of livestream broadcasts of Sunday Mass produced for the faithful of Perth.
“At a time when the whole world seems to be falling into a darkness of fear and uncertainty as the Coronavirus spreads among us, we read in this Sunday’s Liturgy that Jesus is the bringer of light,” Archbishop Costelloe SDB said, during his first live homily.
Mass is now being streamed daily by the Archdiocese of Perth, celebrated by priests of St Mary’s Cathedral, at 12.10pm to the Archdiocesan website, YouTube and Facebook, as well as St Mary’s Cathedral website and social media platforms.
This week, Western Australia saw the number of cases of people with COVID-19 slowly rise to 527 as at 3pm Tuesday 14 April. Nationally the total of positive cases rose to 6,400.
There are currently 32 confirmed COVID-19 patients in Perth metropolitan hospitals (down from 54 this time last week), with 12 in ICU.
From pages 10 to 11 of Issue 24: Soul: ‘Nurturing the Spiritual Principle in Us’ of The Record Magazine