The COVID-19 pandemic touched nearly every aspect of American life. Schools, offices, grocery stores, and churches faced daunting challenges in the early days of the pandemic in their efforts to operate while keeping their employees, members, and the broader community safe. For churches and religious organizations, concerns over COVID-19 led many to pause traditional in-person worship services. A recent Pew Research Centre study found that nearly one in three churches or religious organizations were completely closed in summer 2020, while others moved outside or online. By March 2022, most were offering some type of regular service, but only 43% of religious Americans reported that services currently being offered by their place of worship were back to their pre-pandemic operations.
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted religious participation for millions of Americans. In summer 2020, only 13% of Americans reported attending in-person worship services. This rebounded to 27% by March 2022, but rates of worship attendance were still lower than they were before the pandemic. However, the pandemic did not appear to affect one’s faith, with most adults reporting that their religious affiliation today was no different than it was pre-pandemic. In fact, one study showed that the experience of the pandemic may have even strengthened many Americans’ religious faith.
Three Kings parades across Poland draw 1.5 million participants
Three Kings parade Poland Three Kings parades went down the streets of 800 Polish towns and cities Jan. 6, 2023, for the feast of the Epiphany, with estimates of some 1.5 million people taking part in what is believed to be the largest street Nativity pageant in the world. | Justyna Galant/CNA
Three Kings parades Poland Three Kings parades went down the streets of 800 Polish towns and cities Jan. 6, 2023, for the feast of the Epiphany, with estimates of some 1.5 million people taking part in what is believed to be the largest street Nativity pageant in the world.
Three Kings parades went down the streets of 800 Polish towns and cities Jan. 6 for the feast of the Epiphany, with estimates of some 1.5 million people taking part in what is believed to be the largest street Nativity pageant in the world. This year, carols were sung not only in Polish but also in Ukrainian.
Jan. 6 is the feast of the Epiphany, which is commonly referred to as Three Kings Day, or the day of the three Magi. In Poland, it is a day off. In many cities across the country, colourful processions are held to commemorate the event, with participants remembering the journey of the three Wise Men who arrived in Bethlehem to pay homage to the new-born Jesus.
Patriarch Sako: Eastern Churches need “breath of fresh air”
Patriarch Sako began his message by noting that, over the Christmas period, he listened to the sermons of various Eastern clergy, and watched their television interviews.
“I found,” he wrote, “that the ideas put forward are outdated, and that what they said does not communicate with the current reality (…). Therefore, it does not move the recipients, nor does it give them hope, nor does it give them a feeling of reassurance and refreshment.” Such preaching, he warned, discourages young people from coming to church, and, “if the situation continues as it is now, future generations will be without faith.”
Part of this problem, he said, is that the Eastern Catholic Churches “did not benefit much” from the Second Vatican Council or 2010’s Special Assembly on the Middle East.
What is the solution? Priests, Patriarch Sako said, should bear in mind the close relationship – insisted upon by the late Pope Benedict XVI – between faith and reason, and speak “honestly, transparently, [and] rationally.” The Church, he stressed, should respond to “cultural and social changes”, just as Christ did.
“Truth and renewal are at the heart of the Church’s nature,” the Patriarch emphasised.
Given the precarious state of the Eastern Churches, Patriarch Sako went on to say, “priority must be given to the issue of unity”, which is “the only guarantee of our survival.”
Such unity, he stressed, does not mean erasing the “spiritual, cultural, and theological heritage” of each particular Church. Rather, “unity is about accepting differences and respecting them through mutual humility and fraternal encounter, working together based on the Gospel.”
“In division there is no future for us, in unity and marching together the guarantee of our survival,” he wrote, urging the Eastern Churches to adopt a synodal style of co-operation.
The Patriarch concluded his letter by drawing a parallel between the current situation of Middle Eastern Churches and the city of Constantinople before its conquest by the Ottomans. As enemy forces were gathering at the gates, he wrote, “Byzantine theologians were arguing about the gender of angels.”
Myanmar mass pardons include 300 political prisoners: UN
Among more than 7,000 prisoners granted amnesty by Myanmar’s junta this week were about 300 political prisoners, the United Nations said on January 7.
The military junta, which seized power nearly two years ago, announced it would free 7,012 prisoners to mark the 75th anniversary of Myanmar gaining independence.
It did not specify whether the amnesty covered those jailed as part of its brutal crackdown on dissent, but the UN rights office said political prisoners were among those released.
“It’s about 300 who were political prisoners,” spokesman Jeremy Laurence told reporters, citing “credible sources”.
He said that so far, 195 of those cases had been verified.
Kandhamal survivor among three Capuchin priests ordained
Kandhamal survivor among three Capuchin priests ordained in Odisha.
Bishop Sarat Chandra Nayak of Berhampur January 4, 2023 ordained Deacons Aspin Digal, Ramesh Parichha and Samant Nayak at San Damiano Capuchin Minor Seminary, Sindurapalli, Chatrapur of Ganjam District of eastern Indian state of Odisha.
“The priest is given a sacred power to serve God’s people, to lead them to union with God. He does this principally by teaching the people, shepherding them through leadership, offering pastoral care and spiritual guidance and sanctifying them through the sacraments. He has the role of priestly, kingly and prophetic,” said the Bishop Nayak in his homily.
Newly ordained Jesuit priest dies in road accident
A Jesuit priest died January 10 in a road accident in central India a little over two months after his priestly ordination. Father Arun Bara died around 4 pm when his motorcycle was hit by a truck near Bandarchua village near Kunkuri in the Jashpur district of Chhattisgarh state. He was 33 and was ordained a priest on October 26, 2022. He was a Jesuit for 13 years.
Christian leaders in Odisha hold historical conclave
Leaders of various Christian denominations in Odisha have held a historical conclave to discuss the present and future of their community in the eastern Indian state.
The January 7 conclave at Hindustan Hotel International in the state capital of Bhubaneswar was the initiative of Christian leaders of in association with the Nabin Bodonaik Foundation.
As many as 300 Christian leaders from across the state attended the day-long event with a few distinguished leaders from other religions.
In his opening remark Manoj Bodonaik, one of the founding members of the conclave, said, “The main objective of the conclave is to unite the Odisha Christian Community beyond the denominational barriers and to promote consistent dialogue with the government machinery concerning the issues and challenges of the Christians in Odisha and seek permanent solutions to the challenges faced.”
The conclave was divided into four-panel discussions.
The opening session was chaired by Archbishop John Barwa of Cuttack Bhubaneswar.
Tea Garden parish marks 100 years of Catholic mission
A tea garden parish in the Dooars area of Jalpaiguri dis-trict of North Bengal inaugu-rated 100 years celebration of founding of Catholic community at Champaguri, near Naya Sy-lee Tea Garden near Nagrakata on 8th January 2023.
Bishop Clement Tirkey of Jalpaiguri presided over the solemn centenary inaugural Eucharistic with 20 priests, 40 religious Brothers and Sisters; and some 1,000 faithful.
The parish has some 1,020 families with about 4,000 Catholics spread out in 17 sub stations.
As the old parish church was in dilapidated condition and the new church construction was incomplete, the celebra-tions were held in the open.
While congratulating the faith of Christians of the parish, Bishop lamented the fact that “in 100 years, the parish could offer only two priests, one for diocese and another for Jesuit society.”
Parish Priest Fr Samir Tir-key says, “Spiritual preparation for all age group, catechism classes at grass root level, trai-ning for catechists, and on going faith formation through Small Christian Community programs at different tea gardens to be held regularly are being pla-nned.”
Centenary celebrations will conclude in October 2023.
The Pontifical Milan Fa-thers (PIME) started mission at Nya Sylee Tea Garden around 1911 and moved to Champaguri in 1923, to the same bungalow offered by the then Tea Garden Manager.
Hockey India president applauds Jamshedpur Jesuits’ daring mission
The president of Hockey India Padma Shri Dilip Tirkey has applauded the Jesuits of Jamshedpur province for reaching out to places where no one dared to go.
“The Jesuits dared forests and mountains and faced all odds in doing God’s mission and shaping the bright future of thousands of children,” Tirkey told a function to mark the platinum jubilee of the Jamshedpur Jesuit Society.
The young hockey icon from Odisha was the chief guest at the January 8 program at Loyola School in Bhubaneswar, the capital of the eastern Indian state.
“I am at the helm of affairs at this time as the hockey world cup starts from January 13-29 in Odisha. However, I could not refrain from coming over here and expressing my gratitude to the Jesuits who deserved the most for their total dedication. Hundred years back the Kolkata Jesuits’ mission reached Rourkela. We are the fruit of their mission,” said Tirkey, a former member of the Rajya Sabha.
As many as 1,500 people, including bishops, priests, religious, and laity, participated in the event.
The celebration was kicked off with a solemn Mass presided over by Archbishop John Barwa of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar. Jam-shedpur Jesuit provincial, Odisha Jesuits, and priests in and around Bhubaneswar concelebrated.
Jesuit Father Augustine Ezhakunnel, the superior of the Loyola School Community, welcomed the gathering before the Mass and declared the opening of the platinum jubilee celebration of the Odisha region.
India’s top court says conversions a ‘serious matter’
India’s top court has called forced and deceitful conversions “a serious matter” and sought assistance from the federal government’s top law officer in seeking steps to stop them.
“Religious conversions by force, allurement, etc… if that is happening then what should be done? What are the corre-ctive measures?” the Supreme Court bench of Justice M R Shah and Justice C T Ravikumar observed on Jan. 9 while discussing a petition.
The court also requested Attorney General R. Venkata-ramani to act “as amicus curiae or otherwise in any form” in the matter. The bench was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Ashwini Upadhyay, a lawyer and member of the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), seeking a national law to check religious conversions through force and other fraudulent means.
The judges brushed aside questions about the maintain-ability of the petition and the credibility of Upadhyay raised by P. Wilson, government counsel of the southern state of Tamil Nadu.
Wilson said the petition for a national anti-conversion law was politically motivated.
“Leave this matter to the legislature. There is no threat of conversion in our state. This is a politically motivated litigation. He [Upadhyay] has made Tamil Nadu, the state govern-ment, a party,” Wilson said, according to The Hindu.
The Court also directed the federal government to step in and make efforts to tackle the “very serious issue” of proselytization through deception, allurement and intimidation.
(See Focus)