A cloistered nun in New Jersey has some advice for Canadians forced to stay home and practise social distancing during the COVID-19 crisis.

Sister Mary Catharine Perry, who lives in Summit, NJ, gave this advice regarding the practice of social distancing: “Your normal day-to-day lives have structure imposed on them from the outside; you have to catch the train at a certain time to go to work, you have school recess at the same time every day. These things give you a sense of consistency and rhythm. Now that you are stuck at home, create a schedule for yourself and your family.”

St. Josemaria Escriva (1902-1975), founder of Opus Dei, was forced to practise “social distancing” during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) when he went into hiding. The communists were actively seeking to kill him, and in 1937 Father Josemaria hid in the Honduran consulate in Madrid for six months from March to September. 

Father Josemaria determined to make the forced inactivity in the consulate bear fruit. He drew up a timetable for himself and his companions. They had Rosary, meditations, reading, writing, studying, and cheerful get-togethers. Several hours a day, they studied foreign languages so they would be able to bring Opus Dei to different parts of the world.

In the consulate, Father Josemaria made good use of time. He wrote a great deal, read the classics, and re-read his theological text books.  

Father Josemaria and his companions eventually escaped from Madrid. In November 1937 they were hiding in the forest waiting for the arrival of other fugitives to complete the escape group, which smugglers would help to cross from the communist Red Zone to the Nationalist Zone. 

Father Josemaria and his companions drew up a daily schedule to be observed in the forest. They rose at 7 a.m. and prayed at 7:15. Their daily schedule included 15 decades of the Rosary, visiting the Blessed Sacrament, examination of conscience, a conference, a walk, and gathering wood.

Father Josemaria helped his companions make good use of time during their stay in the forest. He gave each specific tasks, such as taking care of the woodpile, keeping order inside the cabin, and writing in the day-to-day diary. They also took turns leading the Rosary. Each day, one of them would give a talk connected with his specialized subject. 

On March 14, 2020, Msgr. Fernando Ocáriz, the current Prelate of Opus Dei, offered some practical guidelines for confronting the extraordinary situation of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

He wrote, “In places where the norms regarding social contact are even stricter, we should try to create a positive environment in the homes of the associates, supernumeraries and friends, and also in the centres of the Work (Opus Dei). Let us try to discover the opportunities for friendship and fraternity that these circumstances offer us. Some attitudes and activities that can help in this regard are: facing hardships and unexpected annoyances with a sense of humour; not blaming anyone; thinking about a plan for reading and watching videos; planning games and entertainment so that the children or our brothers and sisters can have a good time; tackling projects that have been waiting for a more relaxed time; doing physical exercise at home, etc.”

Let us follow a schedule while staying at home. Currently, many faithful cannot participate Holy Mass in person, but it is still possible to participate in the liturgical prayers of the Church by reciting the Liturgy of the Hours. Downloadable applications such as iBreviary and DivineOffice allow the faithful to pray Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer with their electronic devices. 

There are also applications that help the faithful to practise popular devotions such as the Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet. These devotions are powerful spiritual supports in times of crisis.

Bishop Dominic Tang of Canton was imprisoned by the Chinese Communist for 22 years. During those difficult years of isolation, he kept up his spiritual life by praying 20 decades Rosary each day, using his fingers to count the Hail Marys.

Hopefully after the pandemic we will find our spiritual life has grown stronger.  

 

淺談「社交距離」                                                                                                 

因應新冠肺炎疫症,加拿大國民被要來留在家中,保持社交距離。新澤西洲一間修會的柏莉修女建議:「你們的正常日常生活具有從外部強加給他們的結構; 你們必須在特定時間趕火車去上班,你們每天都在同一時間放學。 這些東西使您有一種連貫感和節奏感。 現在你們被困在家裡了,要為自己和家人制定時間表。」

主業團創辦人、聖施禮華(1902-1975)曾被逼實施「社交距離」。當時西班牙內戰(1936-1939)爆發,聖人為逃避共產黨員的追殺,與同伴併力逃亡。

1937年,聖施禮華從三月到九月,在馬德里的洪都拉斯大使館躲藏。他決定把屈悶在大使館的日子,變蛻成滿有靈修善果的時機。他和同伴們制定每天的時間表:誦唸玫瑰經、默想、閱讀、寫作、研習和歡聚。他們每日用上數小時學習外語,以備將來把主業團帶到世界各地。聖施禮華神父傾力寫作之餘,又閱讀不同的優秀箸作,不斷重溫他的神學課本。

聖施禮華神父和眾伴逃離馬德里,在1937年11月,他們藏身在森林,等待其他逃亡的大夥兒,跟隨人蛇帶他們離開共產黨範圍。

在森林裡,施禮華神父定下眾人需要遵行的每日生活程序。他們清晨七時起來,十五分鐘後開始祈禱,每日誦唸十五端玫瑰經、朝拜聖體、省察、講座、散步和收集生火的木柴。神父又分派工作,使人整備木柴、打掃、輪流帶領玫瑰經和討論個別熟悉的議題;總之,人人要盡量善用在森林匿藏的日子。

較早前在3月14日,主業團現任監牧建議一些實際面對疫情的方法。他寫道:「有些地區在社交上受到更嚴格的規範,我們要在主業團團員及朋友的家中和主業團的中心製做正面的環境。讓我們在這些情況中一起發掘增進弟兄友愛的機會。有些態度和活動能幫助我們:用幽默應對困惑、避免歸咎他人、制定出閱讀和觀賞視頻的時間,設計遊戲和娛樂好讓孩子們和兄弟姊妹能有愉快的時候; 作平時沒有空閒時間作的項目; 在家中做運動等等。」

目前,很多信友未能參與彌撒,但仍可以按時在家中藉著誦唸日課經來參與聖教會的公共禮儀,下載如iBreviary及Divine Office程式 (中文則有[我靈頌主]),誦唸早晚課和其它經文。總括來說:制定每天生活的流程給自己遵守。

其他的程式也幫助我們作玫瑰經和慈悲串經等極受歡迎的敬禮,也是在非常時期的靈性良藥。鄧以明主教在中國共產政權下被單獨關押二十二年,他每天恆心地,用著指頭數唸二十端玫瑰經。但願在疫症過後我們的神修更有進步。