Please forgive me if I acknowledge that I am in that age group for whom “virtual” had a different and quite limited meaning. The very technology and mechanisms younger generations now take for granted were the stuff of science fiction as I was growing up. Our neighborhood had only several television sets on the block and one with a clear, uninterrupted picture, and that picture in color! Telephones of course were still in their infancy, attached to the wall, on a short cord that made placement of great significance. It was in the kitchen close to a counter or in the hall or the living room where there was a small piece of furniture designed to add convenience to the tasks of taking calls.
We were accustomed to and comfortable with the legacy of generations before us of “going to church” and “going to school...” where two or three are gathered. While the effects of the current pandemic are felt in many settings, from the grocery store to restaurant service in such circumstances, my thoughts as I write today go the experience of “school,” of education in this time influenced by multiple needs, to educate and to keep students, teachers, and staff safe.
And to “going to church...”
I encourage everyone who will read these words to pray daily for all students and their families, for teachers, administrators and staffs who aren’t living a science fiction sequence but real life. The tools have changed but the spirit and aspirations of everyone involved have not. And as for Church, I have known the benefit and comfort of having a choice of broadcasts of the Mass available each day, and certainly on Sunday. While the pandemic prevails, I encourage you who are at home living beyond science fiction to pray for our whole parish family, for those working and researching for “pandemic answers,” and for that day when we will be in each other’s presence, fully face to face!