Living in a pandemic for nearly a year allowed countless individuals to pursue new hobbies and tasks to keep themselves preoccupied. Some even took this time to realign with their beliefs and their faith. Earlier in quarantine, however, non-essential establishments and institutions—including churches—were closed in compliance with safety protocols. That being said, some may wonder: Have people belonging to different faiths been able to adapt?
Considering that the Philippines is a predominantly Catholic country, it does not come as a surprise that many Catholic families—mine included—were affected by the indefinite closure of churches during the first half of 2020. My devout mother had to rearrange her room to create a makeshift altar. When she is not at work, you can find her there listening to homilies or praying the rosary; it appears that this pandemic will not hinder her
religious practices.
Much like my family, attending online mass is a common practice adopted by many other Filipino households. Although starkly different from standing in front of a pew while holding hands during the Ama Namin (Our Father), online masses manage to marry the communal and spirituality aspects of physical worship. Although online masses have become an avenue for deeper intimacy with family, the communal element that physical worship offers remains lacking. Despite this limitation, various options such as faith sharings continue to work towards bringing the Catholic community together.
With Metro Manila moving into General Community Quarantine (GCQ) back in July of 2020, it was also time for the resumption of religious practices beyond online mass. As with all experiences, it was not a matter of going back to the way things were pre-pandemic; our Catholic leaders prepared well for this opportunity. Until today, strict health guidelines continue to be observed. Worship in the Holy Infant Jesus Parish in Barangay Merville, Paranaque, for instance, portrays how new regulations impact the Catholic experience.
Upon entering, attendees must be wearing facemasks and face shields at all times. They also undergo temperature checking with the use of the scanners provided. The parish also enforced limited seating capacity by placing stickers on areas you can sit on, along with an occupancy cap of two people per pew. Additionally, alcohol dispensers were made available in the aisles and you may sanitize yourself without direct contact. For those who would still not be able to attend physical mass, live streams are conducted for them.
In the past year, I have only gone to Church once—on Christmas Day—because my mother said it was a special occasion. It was a better experience than I initially thought; social distancing was practiced and the church volunteers ensured everyone’s safety.
However, this isn’t meant to encourage people to go out and resume “normal” life. Rather, it is a testament to whether one’s faith can adapt to the signs of the times. Being in quarantine shows that living out our faith isn’t restricted to the confines of a physical church. I still managed to feel a religious experience through other avenues—nature, family, and even in helping other people. At this point in time, what we need the most is to be safe, not only for ourselves but for the community. Personally, that’s what it means to be a Catholic in quarantine.
