Covid-19: ‘Millions’ gathering for online Masses, says Archbishop Martin

Archbishop Eamon Martin says parishes right across the country have been “flooding the digital highways” and crashing webcam live-feeds in an effort to worship.

He was speaking as he celebrated Chrism Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Armagh.

During his homily, Dr Martin highlighted how much the Covid-19 pandemic had turned lives “upside-down in just a matter of weeks” but contrasted this with how adversity had also “brought out the very best in our people”.

“Covid-19 has driven our congregations indoors, forced us to stay apart, prevented us from having the public celebration of Mass and hindered us from offering the healing sacraments of reconciliation and anointing in the normal manner,” he said.

“It has heightened anxieties and fears amongst our parishioners and threatened their jobs and livelihoods. It has struck at the very heart of our ministry as priests, curtailing our normal outreach to the sick, the elderly and the dying. And, perhaps, saddest of all, it has cruelly restricted our capacity to draw close to families who are bereaved.”

However, the Archbishop said the past few weeks had also brought out the very best in people.

“It is humbling for us to witness the generosity and care of so many members of our congregations who are working in hospitals, nursing homes and in other frontline services,” he said. “We are amazed at the loving response of our young people, sporting organisations, community groups and charities who are reaching out to the elderly, the lonely and the vulnerable - preparing cooked meals and fetching groceries, stocking foodbanks and offering messages of encouragement and hope.”

The Archbishop added that, during these “days of increased seclusion”, many people have been thinking about “the way we have been living our lives, about faith and hope, about caring and loving, and, perhaps, living simpler lives in the future.”