In a recent edition of the Connect Newsletter, I wrote an article outlining 10 reasons you should visit your church today, but visiting a Church isn’t easy for everyone, particularly with some restrictions still in place and some Churches unable to open their doors.
Since that article was published, the government has announced that Churches and other places of worship will be able to have up to 50 people for Mass and private prayer, with an increase to the number of people allowed in some churches from 1 July.
With the current limit on Mass and private prayer, some will still miss out on the opportunity to go to their usual Sunday Mass, and life can be busy during the week, making finding time a difficult task. So, now we know why we should visit a church, and we know there will be opportunity to do so soon, let’s talk about how to fit in a visit during your day.
1. Make it a time for family
We’ve missed a few of the usual family gathering holidays during this pandemic. Easter, Mother’s Day, Anzac Day and no doubt more than a few birthdays. Now that restrictions are beginning to ease, we have a chance to reconnect with the relatives we haven’t seen for a while. Now that more people are allowed in Churches, why not organise to see your parents, perhaps a brother of sister at Church for a chance to chat and some reflection and prayer time.
2. Go on your way to the shops.
We’re all still busy and still have to head out for most of our supplies, if you can, why not try stopping in at your local Parish on your way to the shops, the doctor or anywhere else you might need to go.
3. Before/ after you drop the kids off for school
For many of the schools in the Archdiocese, the local parish is on site or just around the corner. This provides a perfect opportunity for you and the kids to stop in either before or after you kiss them goodbye for the day.
4. Daily Exercise
We can all still walk! Exercise has been an essential part of our lives throughout this pandemic, and now we can walk to Church. So put your walking shoes on, hit the footpath and set you Church up as a hallway pit stop.
5. St. Mary’s Cathedral
While many parishes are still unable to open, St. Mary’s Cathedral is open daily, with a full roster of cleaning staff and Cathedral staff ready to help. You can phone up to book a time to visit or to attend Mass. Take the whole family, and let the kids experience the incredible feeling that the historic Cathedral gives all who enter.