Aged Religious - Double Elephant in the Room

[Donkey]

If our large aged population of religious wasn’t enough…there is the continued threat of Covid-19/no vaccine.

The world is carrying on or starting to carry on as usual in most places but there is no obvious and safe plan for our aged priests and bishops to work again in the vineyard safely…smell the flock.

God must have a plan in this pause while the rest of world carries on.

How many are there like me? Are you waiting and watching?

…left with these words…“Jesus I trust in you.”

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[Donkey]

All your words are beautiful and true.
…continued prayers for our Religious as they prepare to venture back into work.
A big part of me wants to keep them from facing this harm. I can imagine how St. Peter felt as he wanted to prevent Jesus from moving forward.

 

[anchorhold]

Are aged priests and religious not protected in your country? As in the UK and elsewhere. “Shielded” or " cocooned" away from risk of this infection by law. Free to pray of course.

 

[Donkey]

Actually they are as protected as anyone else. The problem is that while other denominations open up, I suspect the Catholic Church in the US will have far and few Mass times because sooo many are 60 +. I dare say that 80% of the priests in my diocese are 70 +.

Average age of the Catholic priest in the US in 2009 was 63. Go figure how old the average is now.

There was an article in a popular Catholic magazine about ten years ago discussing the increased unavailability of priests in personable ways . The article pictured a life size cardboard cut out of a priest. This is and will continue to be our new reality with or without a pandemic. The pandemic sure did fast forward the process.
The greatest difference the pandemic has made is that it has enabled the aged priest to witness it all from a distance rather than from the grave.

The elephants are in the room but few are willing to talk about it.

Discussion should be great but I think most people are confused, careless or clueless.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

My impression is that the older priests are just going to put a mask on and go about their business.
I’m pretty sure they are far more concerned about infecting their parishioners and others to whom they minister, than they are about themselves.

 

[Donkey]

Time will tell. Right now in my diocese, pandemic stagnation. The Southern Baptist Church down the road is open accepting ten people at a time.

I assume that each Catholic bishop per diocese will make returning to work optional per aged or vulnerable priest.
Stay tuned…right now…just televised airwaves.