I believe we were not expecting an extended lock-down for gatherings in our country. We thought we would, at least, be allowed to go back to where we were having been able to set up all the necessary protocols to protect the people (trainings, sanitizers, social distance, registration and more).
At the same time, I must confess we reacted very quickly to this extension generating many online initiatives at the service of the people of our diocese and beyond, considering that social media has no borders.
It has all been possible thanks to the availability of so many priests and laity. It is really amazing when one thinks about it:
- Daily podcast - MP3. This initiative - alternating English and Siswati - started during the very first lock-down and lasted until the end of the year. Though available on our webpage, it is sent every morning via WhatsApp to the over 1200 "Diocesan News" subscribers. It offers a brief time of prayer and reflection on one of the readings of the day. With the new lockdown and the beginning of the Lenten Season, we saw the need to go back to it;
- Weekly Lenten reflection - MP3. This is an initiative of our catechetical desk and helps us understand better this season of grace. It started on Ash Wednesday with a reflection prepared by Mrs Lupupa, one of our catechists. It was the first time a lay person shared an online reflection with the rest of the diocese;
- Daily celebration of the Mass. After offering the recorded or live stream celebration of the Sunday Mass, we decided to do it daily. There is a short reflection after the Gospel as we journey towards Easter. It is led by the priests of the Cathedral while the bishop (!) mostly deals with the technical side of the live streaming on Facebook;
- "Good night and God Bless". At the beginning of the Lenten Season I started leading a "live" time of adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. The first week it was done for half an hour at 1.00 PM. From the second week I opted for a "7 minute" night prayer at the end of the day (9.00 PM). It is called "From the Bishop's chapel - Good night and God Bless".
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| Bishop's chapel |
- The Sunday Positive Vibes - MP4. This is an initiative of Fr Francis Onyango IMC sent to our subscribers every Sunday evening. He started it for his own parish and I asked for it to be shared at Diocesan level. Sunday evenings need special "positive vibes" as we prepare to face the new week. In each one of them he deals with passion on topics related to our daily life. The one below is about "forgiveness".
- Bosco good night prayer - MP3 is an initiative launched not long ago by Fr Odise Lazri SDB for his parish and it is sent daily at 20H00 via WhatsApp.
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Though there are constrains (the cost of data, the impressive number of digital initiatives being done at Bishops' Conference and universal church level) each one of our initiatives have been well supported. It is clearly seen in the increase of page "LIKE" on Facebook and subscribers on YouTube.
We do not expect every Catholic to follow all of them. The diversity of initiatives help us support different spiritual needs.
We do hope and pray that restrictions will be lifted because there is a type of healing needed which cannot be offered through the screen of a phone or a tablet. There is a need to come together and pray for each other together.
