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‘Worship in a covid space’ at Liturgy School 2021

“This time is a time when we have to find new ways to express what is core and central to our faith”, said Fr Kwesi Alleyne, parish priest of Church of the Assumption, Toco as he urged Catholics to see the opportunities for families to grow in faith during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Fr Alleyne and Chair of the Liturgical Commission, Msgr Michael de Verteuil were the featured speakers Monday, August 2, Day 1 of the ‘Liturgy School’ which has as its theme Liturgy & the Family. Lectures were held August 2–6; workshops, August 9–13, 16–20 and a panel discussion August 21.

Speaking on ‘Worship in a covid space’ during their talk on ‘Scripture, Family, Worship’, Fr Alleyne asked, “What is more central to our faith than Holy Week in which we enter into the paschal mystery?”.

He displayed images of the creative ways residents of Toco used palm branches to decorate their homes and usher in Holy Week 2020 when churches were closed.

This year the faithful were invited to wash the feet of family members on Holy Thursday and do the Stations of the Cross at home. Many chose to gather as a family to reflect on the day’s readings.

“Families journeyed for the first time together following the Triduum,” Fr Alleyne commented. He shared the example of a mother who early in the pandemic struggled to get her children to attend Mass, but at home during the pandemic they want to do the readings and share their views on the gospel.

Fr Alleyne saw a similarity in the current experience for Catholics and the people of Israel, exiled from Jerusalem.

“Their worship, their life as a people, centres on Jerusalem and all of their worship and their sacrifices happened there, they are promised this legacy would continue through the centuries.”

The destruction of the temple in 586 BC and exile to Babylon transformed their worship and their life. They had to come to an understanding of their relationship with God.

He said, “Without animal sacrifice, without a place to worship, to celebrate the sacrifices of the covenant, they have to find new ways to honour God and to worship.”

He cited Daniel 3:37, “We are reduced, O Lord, beyond any other nation” and that the prophets Ezekiel and Jeremiah underscored their worship had to change. The exiles had to turn to the Word.

“They become a people of the Word…many of their writings would come out of this period… the Psalms became core to their worship because again there is no physical sacrifices and different psalms came out of this era. ‘By the rivers of Babylon there we sat and wept’ Psalm 137:1. Their understanding of who they are and what their life of worship had to be, had to change, and evolve”, Fr Alleyne said.

The coronavirus experience has thrust worshippers into crisis like the Israelites. The experience has been marked by rising positive cases, quarantine, lockdown, mask wearing, closed borders, feeling imprisoned, mental difficulties, struggle. People long for the Eucharist and to worship together.

Fr Alleyne said the pandemic has given an opportunity to grow and be transformed as domestic Church, to allow the heart of the home to be renewed in the new ways by what is core to our faith—the Word of God and celebration of the paschal mystery. While not all families have done this, Catholics are invited to reflect and to grasp the opportunities. His presentation also discussed the Holy Family.

Msgr de Verteuil touched on passages to illustrate family worship in the Old and New Testament.

Tribute was paid to Helena Allum who died March 14. She was described as “one of the most hardworking and dedicated, creative members” of the Liturgy School organising committee. She was involved for almost 40 years, starting as a participant. —LPG