Churches Closed during Coronavirus - Lack of Faith?

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Last time this article was posted here, I pointed out that the date was prior to any instruction to stay at a safe distance. The only thing is shows is that the normal way of conducting choir practices was very dangerous at this time. I am not saying we should have safe gatherings, goodness no. We have to limit everything that is unnecessary. I am only saying this article is from a time before changes made due to the corona virus.
 
Paul_Edwards said:
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Tis_Bearself:
I also strongly doubt that in USA, people would come out to 10 Masses a day. Most people do not want to go out during the lockdown
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Maybe if the FSSP and ICKSP were made personal prelatures it would solve the problem as they would have separate jurisdiction
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Personal Prelatures (Opus Dei) respects the norms of the geographic diocese in which they are located.

There is a larger issue here, there is a climate of suspicion and distrust of bishops prevalent in the West. To some extent this is related to the trend to undermine the authority of parents, especially the father. We see this on tv, where fathers are either ridiculous or abusive.

Every movie or TV show about religion glorified personal spirituality and “thinking for myself”, as opposed to following some religious authority.

There’s a whole network of faux “Catholic” websites that attacks every policy of the bishops, because they are policies of the bishops.
If the bishops stated that public Masses be held in schedule, you can be sure Church Militant’s “researchers” would find plenty of people who went to Church, caught the virus, and now blame the death dealing shepherds.
 
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Its called common sense - if this virus was as deadly as smallpox or Ebola or even worse would you be asking this question?
Much worse plagues have run their course but people did not understand how infections spread in the past - we do now so should we just ignore that and go on faith

Reminds me of a joke:
A storm descends on a small town, and the downpour soon turns into a flood. As the waters rise, the local preacher kneels in prayer on the church porch, surrounded by water. By and by, one of the townsfolk comes up the street in a canoe.

“Better get in, Preacher. The waters are rising fast.”

“No,” says the preacher. “I have faith in the Lord. He will save me.”

Still the waters rise. Now the preacher is up on the balcony, wringing his hands in supplication, when another guy zips up in a motorboat.

“Come on, Preacher. We need to get you out of here. The levee’s gonna break any minute.”

Once again, the preacher is unmoved. “I shall remain. The Lord will see me through.”

After a while the levee breaks, and the flood rushes over the church until only the steeple remains above water. The preacher is up there, clinging to the cross, when a helicopter descends out of the clouds, and a state trooper calls down to him through a megaphone.

“Grab the ladder, Preacher. This is your last chance.”

Once again, the preacher insists the Lord will deliver him.

And, predictably, he drowns.

A pious man, the preacher goes to heaven. After a while he gets an interview with God, and he asks the Almighty, “Lord, I had unwavering faith in you. Why didn’t you deliver me from that flood?”

God shakes his head. “What did you want from me? I sent you two boats and a helicopter.”
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I do not know if the SSPX are teaching this. You provide no link or source where one might verify this.

This is not correct Catholic theology. The accidents remain. That includes any pathogens on any part of the elements or the vessels in which they are contained.

You may take note that the lead in this vigilance due to the CORVID-19 Pandemic is coming from the Holy See.
 
Rosary_and_Chotki said:
Their argument is that the Catholic Bishops who close their jurisdictions lack faith in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, which cannot transmit harm or disease.
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I believe anything given to me through the Eucharist is a blessing from God.

I also believe God will let it be know to me when not to take the Eucharist because my faith is in living by God’s will not my own.
 
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Rosary_and_Chotki said:
Do you think it’s the right call for public health, or do the Bishops lack faith? I’m torn between both sides.
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I am torn as well. I understand that out of love for our neighbor we need to adhere to government policies and guidelines that reduce the risk of spreading this disease. On the other hand, our most dire need is to hear God’s word, to be convicted of sin, and brought to repentance through faith in Jesus Christ. This need supersedes all else as far as the Church goes. These are the two things being weighed. The question before us is given the risk, can we accomplish the latter without increasing the risk of the former? Many believe that the risk is such that we should and must look for alternative means of delivering God’s word, temporarily, so that we can nourish people’s spiritual needs as well as protect their physical health and well-being. It’s not my comfort zone, I really think Churches should meet, if the risk can be mitigated, so that we can hear God’s word, and receive his sacraments. But I can understand the trade-off if the risk is high, if it is indeed short term. My biggest fear is that this is likely to drag on for quite some time and that we will inadvertently set new norms and practices that will ultimately impede our mission to minister to people in both word and sacrament. We will have to be watchful in this regard and evaluate what messages we might be given in our practices under these unusual circumstances.

With regard to the argument that one lacks faith if they fail to meet, I don’t buy that. There is no promise given in scripture that participating in the sacrament will prevent one from physical harm. On the contrary, there is quite a bit in scripture that says we will suffer for our faith. This doesn’t mean we should purposely seek suffering or persecution mind you by being unwise, it just means that there is not necessarily a promise to deliver us from this in this lifetime.
 
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Our faith calls us to obey our bishops. And gatherings of the faithful are forbidden.
That should settle any doubts. God bless you.
 
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Hodos said:
On the other hand, our most dire need is to hear God’s word, to be convicted of sin, and brought to repentance through faith in Jesus Christ.
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Which can still be done without physically attending Mass. Radio, TV, and livestream are available and can be used depending on the technology available to you. And of course there is absolutely nothing preventing you from reading the Bible on your own, or saying a rosary, or LOTH, or whatever other devotions you like.
 
I do think that many of the people doing this lack supernatural faith. They have no trust that God will deliver them. But it is also God doing this to us, the means by which he does this just happens to be the people in authority in the Church
 
Like the Bishops of the old days who led processions of people in sack-cloth and ashes to end plagues, and succeeded? Like those Bishops right. Or were they imprudent to you, for having faith in God and not telling their flock to social distance?
 
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Famulus said:
Like the Bishops of the old days who led processions of people in sack-cloth and ashes to end plagues, and succeeded? Like those Bishops right. Or were they imprudent to you, for having faith in God and not telling their flock to social distance?
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The bishops in “the old days” probably relied on information that was up to date in their time. They had a little more information than their predecessors a century earlier, so they likely did things a little differently, a little safer.

They didn’t have access to the internet either, but if they had, they would have used it even if their predecessors didn’t; in fact you and I are using it. Lay Catholics in old times didn’t use it.

Pope Pius 11 used radio, which his predecessors had not used. Does that mean he had less “faith” than the Popes in old times?
 
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Is it not also a lack of faith in God to think he is bound by the Sacraments? We can take this time to learn faith in the mercy of God, as we are reminded this truth.
 
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