Most Catholics understand the need to suspend public Masses, and many of us thank the bishops for following the directives of public officials. Not all of us, though. There are some who think it is never right to suspend public Masses, for a wide variety of reasons. It is not my purpose here to evaluate that decision but to ask our bishops to be the shepherds we need in the time of the coronavirus.
With few exceptions, the bishops seem to be “missing in action.” Many of them already use social media, particularly Twitter, to connect with their flock, but besides livestreaming their Sunday Mass and putting links to where other Masses can be “viewed” in the diocese, they have not stepped up their “personal” presence to their flock. It seems only Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, has begun to match what some of their priests are doing. Bishop Strickland (as quite a few priests have) has taken the Blessed Sacrament in the monstrance out to the public. Why wouldn’t all of them be doing that and much more?
One would hope bishops would guide their priests in how to tend to their flock, but it seems now they need to learn from their priests.
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