Items

• 
  2022-04-27

  Poverty and the Pandemic

  My story touches on the importance of who holds the power over your life. Ultimately it is written to give an account to future generations so we never go back there again.
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  2022-04-26

  The world seen inside out

  During the pandemic, I felt isolated from everyone. I didn't know how much of that impact that could have brought me. There are things that helped me from that loneliness which is a contributing factor to many people I know. That factor, being Tiktok. The whole world has a sense of unity when posting on social media, but like the picture I added, it is like being inspected under a lense. Many people have received fame and glory from the app. They have a sense of belonging and that gives them power to wield us into thinking the same way they do. I don’t think they are even aware of the power they hold over a crowd. This is similar to Tumblr and the way it led a whole group of people to dislike each other. TikTok has brought interesting ways of bringing people together. It taught a plethora of people about different religions and culture. This is by introducing us with different foods, clothing and traditions. In the beginning people were mad, of course deeming it as ‘cultural appropriation’. Now that changed, and people are shifting to calling it ‘cultural appreciation’. I think if you are not insulting a whole religion or don’t intend to and you like something it’s fine to use, wear or eat. I’m Mexican and Catholic and if someone were to ask me questions of both I would be happy to answer them questions and I wouldn’t care if they ate the food I ate, if anything it’s a good thing. I realized how much people take a lot of things to heart, and I do it too. I’m still learning how to not let the little things get to me. However with religion/culture I don’t think anyone is out to get each other. If anything it makes me happy to see people being curious and exploring new ways of living.
• 
  2021-05-17

  Ministry During the Pandemic

  The experience of being a priest during the pandemic
• 
  2021-02-02

  With museums shuttered, Paris churches are 'well worth a mass'

  As France has continued to deal with lockdowns, one bright spot for the French people is that most of the churches remain open. These churches are serving, for many, as a source of art and culture as museums and theaters have remained closed. Despite the fact that many of the Catholic churches in France are missing some of their most historic items, the interest in the art and architecture of the cathedrals has been renewed during the pandemic.
• 
  2020-12-25

  A Pandemic Christmas

  Christmas was different for me this year. I grew up with a big catholic family so we have many traditions around the holidays. Christmas eve we all dress up, have a nice dinner, and go to mass. Then on christmas day we dress more casual, open gifts, and have a buffet style dinner. With COVID being a factor, I didn't get to see much of my family for the holidays. I spent the actual day with just my siblings and dad. Christmas Eve I didn’t get to see anyone or do anything, I just stayed home and took pictures with my dog in our matching Christmas pajamas (target has everything). I had to trade gifts with all my cousins and other relatives individually in an outdoor setting. Some of the gifts I dropped off and rang the doorbell. Other family members I would meet with in their front yard from a distance. This year was a bit lonely and we all agreed that when COVID is over (hopefully by next year) we will have a huge celebration.
• 
  2020-06-11

  Chaplain Reassures Long-Term Care Workers in Minnesota

  I found this image attached to an AARP article titled “How to Track COVID-19 Nursing Home Cases and Deaths in Your State.” The chaplain is holding a sign that reads, “You are not alone. You are loved.” The chaplain is expressing his faith through an act of service and love: supporting the frontline workers. It is a generous gesture, and one that I am sure resonates with the senior citizens at the care facility as well as their caretakers.
• 
  10/19/2020

  Maria Carney Oral History, 2020/10/19

  I interview my maternal (and only living) grandmother over the phone about her experience of Covid while primarily self-isolating in her mobile home. There is not so much direct question and answer but over the course of a somewhat rambling conversation pretty much all the topics get covered. Although she remains pretty spry for her age, there are some places where she loses the thread or misunderstands the conversation.
• 
  2020-06-06

  Graduation Through the Virus

  In June of 2020, I graduated high school amidst a global pandemic. I attended St. Anthony High School, a private catholic high school in Long Beach, California. As a small school, myself and about 150 other senior students spent the months following quarantine procedures praying that we would get some sort of graduation to award and celebrate our hard work . After negotiating with the Arch Diocese of Los Angeles and adhering to the safety laws implemented by the governor, St. Anthony was able to provide a Baccalaureate Mass for their 2020 graduates in celebration of their four years of success, growth, and education. As one of those graduates, I was filled with immense gratitude to have been able to join with my friends and immediate family as I closed a chapter of my life, and stepped on to the next. St. Anthony High School was one of few high schools in the county to have been able to congregate in any way to celebrate the 2020 graduating seniors. Many schools had to divert to “drive by” graduations or even online ceremonies from home. With the amount of high school seniors we had, St. Anthony was able to host 4-5 different Baccalaureate Masses for the purposes of social distancing. This way, all seniors got the opportunity to wear their cap and gowns, dress from tassel to high heel, and experience what a graduation ceremony in the Catholic Church would be like. For this one day, the ability to come together and see many of my friends that I hadn’t seen for months brought so many emotions. There was much question prior to the mass as to whether we students would actually be able to get through with it. The safety of ourselves and the family’s of one another we’re of utmost importance, while our right to be acknowledged for our academic successes the past 4 years felt necessary. We 2020 graduating seniors of St. Anthony High School were so fortunate to be able to experience a graduation ceremony in the manner we were allowed.
• 
  2020-08-11

  Holy Saturday

  This is a story about the quarantine separating me, and most importantly others in my community, from participating not only in the sacrifice of the mass but also catechumens from receiving the sacraments of initiation during Holy Week. It's the most sacred time of the year for Catholics. It marks not only the anniversary of a deeply changing experience for me, but it's the time when I can see candidates enter the body of the church fully, and for that body to either be baptized or renew their baptismal vows.
• 
  April 1, 2020

  My grandmother’s funeral April 2020

  My grandmother passed away. These rules from the Archdiocese of Washington l impact how we have our funeral and burial in Washington, D.C..
• 
  April 27, 2020

  Plague Journal, Day 46: Regret, guilt, shame

  I'm keeping a Covid-19 journal. In the latest edition, The Kid, The Girlfriend, St. Paul, St. Augustine, three rabbis, Bill Wilson, a couple of therapists and I discuss notions of guilt, shame, sin, and apology.
• 
  04/01/2020

  Israel Duarte Oral History, 2020/04/01

  REL101 Oral History with "Israel"
• 
  2020-05-15

  We Will Find a Way

  This picture demonstrates the enormity of the Covid-19 situation that we are in as a country through the measures put in place to protect the priest and the baby being baptized. It is important that while we have to obey certain sanctions put in place, we still find, as a religious community, ways to practice our beliefs within the restrictions.
• 
  04/01/2020

  Father John Oral History, 2020/04/01

  Nicolas Contreras interviews Father John about how the pandemic has affected the Catholic Church, it's local parishioners, community impact, and religious services. Poor audio and background noise.
• 
  04/01/2020

  "Emma Telamontes" Oral History, 2020/04/01

  Traci Person interviews a student with the pseudonym "Emma Telamontes" on their religious experiences during the opening stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• 
  2020-04-01

  “To be honest, it has not affected my faith or belief at all..."

  “To be honest, it has not affected my faith or belief at all because I wasn't religious prior to this pandemic so I'm still not. The only time that I did feel the need to pray or have any religious art in my life was when I thought I was sick and I was scared that I might die so I prayed or anytime I start to feel sick and think that I'm getting sick I pray.”
• 
  2020-04-01

  “It really hasn't. I believe in God. I'm a Roman Catholic."

  “It really hasn't. I believe in God. I'm a Roman Catholic. A lot of people are likening covid-19 to the book of Revelations which really it doesn't apply. What this has taught me as a person... I still believe in God as a result of this. My belief is even stronger. I don't think this is something that God has sent his wrath to kill the majority of people in the United States or that it's causing… It’s causing people a lot of anguish. I will say that because people have… as a society we have become so reliant on freedom. It really kind of has taken us a step back and if you want to look introspectively at yourself in your beliefs this is teaching everyone or it should be teaching everyone what’s important in your life.”
• 
  2020-04

  “Covid-19 has affected my faith by not allowing me to attend..."

  “Covid-19 has affected my faith by not allowing me to attend the weekly mass I usually would. And I feel that it's a sign from God telling us we all need to expand our faith.” “No, we have not been but they have been holding live masses on social media and I've been watching those from home.” “Yeah, it's honestly sad not being able to be with the community and everyone has to watch it from home.” “My church has been helping anyone that needs help and is reaching out to them but as a Christian community as a whole I'm not sure.”
• 
  2020-04

  "I don't think that it has really affected it that much..."

  "I don't think that it has really affected it that much um other than a positive way. I mean it always uh ur it made me feel strong in my faith and to uh trust that you know my higher power has a plan and that we will be able to get through this um through the practice of my beliefs."
• 
  2020-04-01

  “You know... I've kind of given that a lot of thought..."

  “You know... I've kind of given that a lot of thought just because so many people so many programs I've been watching people are saying like this is a punishment or that God is trying to say something and I actually don't feel like it's impacted my faith because I've already had so much happened to me in my past with the death of my children so this is just another glitch in life I guess.”
• 
  2020-04-01

  “I don't think it has really."

  “I don't think it has really. To a point I’d say my faith has more affected my thoughts on covid-19.” “Sure, we're not gathering in person anymore so no church on Sunday no school none of that. We do have church on Sundays it's like live streamed to everyone. It’s sent out on Facebook so everyone is still going to mass but that's been one of the changes. Some of the nuns there are holding virtual rosary and like prayer group Zoom prayer group and stuff like that. So, they're still trying to be connected as much as we can but definitely some technical changes for sure.”
• 
  2020-04

  “Covid-19 hasn't affected my faith in a negative way..."

  “Covid-19 hasn't affected my faith in a negative way but it does make you think about stories that we read in the Bible where God has sent us… you know I feel like maybe God is trying to send us a message for us to open our eyes with things going around in the world. It does wanna make me think.”
• 
  2020-04-28

  Priest giving blessings at Saint Juan Diego and Saint Mary's Catholic Church in Chandler, AZ on Easter Sunday and Divine Mercy Sunday.

  During Easter and Divine Mercy Sunday the priest at Saint Juan Diego and Saint Mary's went on to give blessings during these joyous days by having families or just people drive up in their cars like a drive-thru and the priest would extend their hand to give them the blessings.
• 
  2020-04-28

  REL A local Church notice

  This local church has signs posted all across their doors to update members on how they shall proceed in the midst of COVID-19, and how they will be able to remain connected through these unsettling times. They are continuing to do live stream masses. I found the wording of the note extremely special as they note "dispensed all of the faithful from the obligation" so that these members do not feel like they are doing a disservice or sin by not attending their normal mass routines.
• 
  2020-04-28

  How I attend mass on Sundays.

  This is a picture of my phone on my desk watching Sundays mass during the pandemic. Its pope Francis sunday's mass.
• 
  2020-04-27

  REL: Catholic Prayer Groups During Coronavirus Pandemic

  I recently had the chance to observe a Catholic prayer group, done remotely due to COVID-19. The meeting lasted about an hour. The group was made mostly of women and they performed the rosary, as a devotion to Mary. After this was complete the women went into discussion. What I found was that many of these women were struggling due to recent events. Unemployment, anxiety, and sickness were all cited as problems for them. They asked each other to pray for them. This sort of group therapy, creates a sense of security, belonging, and hope. Many expressed how important the meeting was to them, as they needed an outlet to express their fears. The talk therapy, coupled with the ritual of rosary, helped these women during a difficult time. It is a testament to how many religious people may cling to their faith in times of distress. Karl Marx famously called religion “the opium of the people”. This experience showed me that in a way this is true; it did place these women at ease with their situation. Marx expressed this in a negative light, but what I saw was a necessary attempt to seek out community amidst an ordered isolation. To these women, it seems not an opium but rather a medicine for mental and spiritual well-being.
• 
  2020-04-13

  Their Calling Was to Lay Hands on the Sick. Then Came the Coronavirus.

  This article is about how the COVID-19 pandemic transformed the lives and ministry in total for 8 Manhattan Friars. The brothers are used to doing things in common. They pray twice a day, eat, and do everything together. With social distancing being put into effect in the NY area, all their normal routines are being challenged. What gives them faith is that the Catholic Funeral Liturgy says, “Life hasn’t ended, it has changed.”
• 
  2020-04-25

  Observations on Catholic Prayer Groups

  I recently had the chance to observe a Catholic prayer group, done remotely due to COVID-19. The meeting lasted about an hour. The group was made mostly of women and they performed the rosary, as a devotion to Mary. After this was complete the women went into discussion. What I found was that many of these women were struggling due to recent events. Unemployment, anxiety, and sickness were all cited as problems for them. They asked each other to pray for them. This sort of group therapy, creates a sense of security, belonging, and hope. Many expressed how important the meeting was to them, as they needed an outlet to express their fears. The talk therapy, coupled with the ritual of rosary, helped these women during a difficult time. It is a testament to how many religious people may cling to their faith in times of distress. Karl Marx famously called religion “the opium of the people”. This experience showed me that in a way this is true; it did place these women at ease with their situation. Marx expressed this in a negative light, but what I saw was a necessary attempt to seek out community amidst an ordered isolation. To these women, it seems not an opium but rather a medicine for mental and spiritual well-being. #REL101
• 
  2020-04-02

  Column: COVID-19 inspires a Catholic church to offer drive-thru confessions

  The article talks about how due to the effects of COVID-19 churches have had to close their doors to the public. With doing so it added a lot of limitations on what people can do as part of their faith. Thearticle follows a church in San Diego, California where confessions were made available in a "alternative" form. The Church was having confessions in the form of a drive-through, this would allow people to be cleansed from their sins, and still be considered "holy" by the time easter came around.
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  2020-04-16

  A Catholic diocese is reopening for Mass despite a statewide stay-at-home order

  The article reported churches for Masses in New Mexico will be the first to get reopened by The Catholic Diocese of Las Cruces. The diocese guarantees to only limit 5 people come in at a time to follow the public health order of banning gathering more than 5 people in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Las Cruces Diocese, thry believed churches are closely related to "essential activities" because people seek out hope and confinement in churches to stay peaceful and reduce the anxiety during this hard time.
• 
  2020-03-12

  How Religions Are Adapting to Coronavirus

  The article desrbies how churches, mosques and synogogues are adapting to the new way of pacticing their religions. A Catholic church in Seattle has removed it's holy water from the fonts and the communal chalice will no longer be used. A Synagogue in East Village are holding services via livestream for Purim for those who wish to stay home. However, congregants can still attend service in person with the following changes: no covering eyes with hands during the Sh'ma and no kissing the Torah during processional. And a Muslim mosque in Seattle has suspended jumah prayers for the next two weeks where the CDC has restritcted gatherings of 10 or more people.
• 
  2020-03-27

  Facebook Live Bloopers: Church Edition

  As more and more churches move online to some form of livestreaming, there are bound to be some hiccups along the way. This news article collected some of the hilarious mishaps that came about as a result of the coronavirus.
• 
  2020-03-13

  An advisory from the Bishop of Lansing releasing Catholics from mass obligations

  An advisory from the Bishop of Lansing releasing Catholics from mass obligations and reminding the congregation about how some parishes responded to the Spanish Flu seriously and that had a positive effect. "All Catholics within the Diocese of Lansing are dispensed from the grave obligation of attending Holy Mass on a Sunday. This applies to everybody and is particularly aimed at those groups most at risk from infection, including the elderly and those with compromised immune systems." #HIST5214