April 3, 2020
Easter 2020 / Pascua 2020
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
None of us could have imagined even weeks ago, that we would celebrate Holy Week and Easter Sunday virtually.
I have been amazed and inspired by the creativity and initiative of our pastors, our people and our parishes to continue evangelizing all of Long Island.
Whether it is video-streaming Masses and Eucharistic adoration, conducting a virtual parish mission, or a health precaution sensitive Eucharistic procession through neighborhoods, you are all moving forward and trusting in the transformative power of the Risen Christ as we continue to experience the tragedies, trauma, unemployment, financial and economic distress of the COVID-19 crisis.
The light that streams from the glorified wounds of the Risen Jesus always touches and transforms our wounds and fears, and the wounds and fears of the world.
We remember in a special way this Easter Sunday and throughout the Easter season the souls of those who have died from the corona virus and their families, and those who, as Pope Francis says, are “writing the decisive events of our time: doctors, nurses, supermarket employees, cleaners, caregivers, providers of transport, law and order forces, volunteers, priests, deacons, religious men and women and so very many others.” We remember our families and the efforts of each of us to care for our families and our neighbors.
While we are all in pain that our Holy Week 2020 needs to be a virtual one, we do have a Pastoral Letter, The Great Week: A Pilgrimage with the Lord in Holy Week which can help strengthen, lift and inspire our virtual Holy Week celebrations.
This Pastoral Letter is a user-friendly, easily understandable synthesis of Holy Week and the Sacred Triduum, its liturgical theology, spirituality and history, designed to show the relationship between the Sacred Liturgies of Holy Week and Catholic Evangelization.
I encourage everyone to participate in all the Holy Week liturgies virtually through the Catholic Faith Network (see: catholicfaithnetwork.org for details) and through your own parishes streaming the liturgies.