5th Sunday of Lent - Something Never Seen Before

What strange times we are living in. In our life of faith we face many different challenges and living through this period of isolation is certainly one of them.  
On a personal note, I did not expect that my first Lent, Passiontide, and Easter as a priest would be lived-out in this way. 

In the first time in this Parish's history, the Church has been closed, along with all other public places of worship in order to stop the spread of COVID-19. We have been celebrating daily Masses for you, the people of the parish, and from today (29th of March 2020) you are able to join with us in the celebration of the Eucharist from your homes through live streaming or watching the pre-recorded videos. 
When this Church was built I do not think something like this would ever have been imagined. With a tripod set-up and radio mics on we celebrated Mass, which was broadcast live to many homes. For me, it was a strange and nerve-racking experience because it is a situation none of us have encountered before. Seeing an empty Church is always a sad sight, but from today onwards there is the sight of the camera and tripod and we know many of you are joining with us in an act of Spiritual Communion. The feedback already has been very encouraging and we know that many people from within the Parish and beyond have been able to participate. 
Please do spread the word about the live streaming and recording of Mass. You do not need to have a Facebook account to watch the live feed or the videos. 

Author

This post was written  by Fr. Ryan Service
​Priest of the Archdiocese of Birmingham.