Online Mass

Churches have been closed in Sydney since the 21st of March.  So we have no choice but to go for online masses.  

At the onset, I would catch the masses from Toronto via Daily TV Mass on YouTube.  This worked out pretty well as I would catch the pre-recorded mass after I logged off from work.   The masses would be uploaded in YouTube at about 1PM Sydney time so it did not really matter if I logged off early or late, the mass would still be accessible in YouTube.

For our Sunday masses, we started off with a similar pre-recorded Sunday mass.  That was well and good since the readings seem to match the Lenten season.  However on the second Sunday of attending online mass, we realised that when they said pre-recorded, they really meant PRE-recorded because the people were shaking hands when offering a sign of peace.  By this time, we were at the height of social distancing so it was clear that the mass we were watching must have been a recording from at least three years ago to fall under the same Liturgical Year A as 2020.  

The next Sunday was Palm Sunday and I wanted us to catch a mass that had a more up to date homily.   We were fortunate enough to catch the online mass of our diocese with Bishop Vincent Long Van Nguyen officiating.  We were also lucky enough to obtain a piece of palm from a nearby palm tree.  (The parish usually has pieces of palm at the entrance of the church on Palm Sunday for the parishioners to pick up.)

On Easter Sunday, we "went" to Sydney and caught Archbishop Anthony Fisher's (online) mass at St. Mary's Cathedral.  Despite the social distancing rules, they still had a beautiful choir (standing 1.5 m apart from each other).  

For Divine Mercy Sunday, on the week after Easter, we tried to catch the mass at the Vatican and managed to attend the one officiated by Cardinal Tagle.  It was 4PM Sydney time which was 8AM in Rome.  

By this time, I found out that they were live streaming the morning masses at our parish in Facebook.  (Oh, the wonders of technology!)   So even if it meant that I had to get up earlier to catch the 7AM mass, it was worth it because it felt closer to normal seeing our parish priest and attending a live mass.

We look forward to the day that churches will re-open and masses will resume.  In the meantime, this prayer is the one we learn anew and keep close to our hearts.