Forced seclusion and restricted personal freedoms amid the Covid-19 pandemic remind us that we are dependent on others and on God, the Primate of All-Ireland has said.
Noting that parishes and dioceses in Ireland have now begun to draw up their plans and “roadmaps” for a return to collective prayer as soon as it is safe to do so, the Archbishop of Armagh, Eamon Martin, pointed out that the Government has suggested that society is heading for a “new normal”.
Urging people to begin reflecting on their own “roadmaps” for the future, he said: “I am sure that many people are growing closer to God through this crisis, realising perhaps that the way they have been living their lives has been unsatisfying at a deep level.
“Our forced seclusion and restricted personal freedoms have certainly reminded us all that we are not invincible and we are far from being in control of everything; we are actually quite dependent – on others and on God.
“Life is precious and fragile; love and family is fundamental to our safety and well-being. Not only is our physical health important, but also our mental, emotional and spiritual health. They all need to be nourished if we are to truly ‘keep body and soul together’.”
Picture: The Primate of All-Ireland and Archbishop of Armagh, Eamon Martin, is pictured in Dublin on 26th August 2018. (CNS photo/Paul Haring).