Thoughts on Thursday: Of COVID 19, Masks, and Work Days -- Handle all with Prayer!

• My husband and I start the morning each day with Mass. Only nine pews aren't blocked off in the entire church. Several people come in masked, but most of those who wear masks only put them on once Mass begins. I find that puzzling. Does the virus start flying around the church with the angels once Father rings the bell to announce the start of Mass? Is there no danger of contracting the virus or passing it along before Mass begins? Really...I'm just trying to figure out the logic. No one is closer than eight or ten feet except family groups and most in the church are more like 20 feet apart. Are people really masking because of the virus, or is something else going on?

• I'm a little grieved over the divisiveness generated by the virus. I've never been blasted so much --  even more than when I was sidewalk counseling and used to get screamed at. I've been accused numerous times of "being willing to kill people" because I opposed the draconian lockdowns...oh...and for not wearing a mask. Even in my parish, people were telling Father he should force parishioners to wear masks. One woman even suggested giving non-compliers goldfish for Communion. I wonder what this is doing to the unity of our little parish. The "experts" treat everyone like lepers who, even if they have no symptoms, are unclean and may infect others because they're asymptomatic. Is that the way we'll be treating each other from now on? Afraid to hug or shake hands or get closer than six feet? I hope not!

• We've been doing a lot of work around Camp Kreitzer during these strange times. Last weekend three of our children and their families came for a workday to help us out! Wow! So much got done! 



One of our work day projects was painting outdoor furniture

• I knew there was a reason we had all these kids and grandkids! One of the projects was painting outside furniture. After the kids painted my old directors chairs I released my inner child and used permanent markers to color the canvas seat and back covers.

New circle driveway at Camp Kreitzer

• Two days ago the pavers came and did the other half of our driveway which will reduce a lot of our work since the yard was taking over the gravel. (Can someone tell the global warming alarmists that you can't even subdue the earth in your driveway, much less the entire planet!) Then yesterday the tree guys came to take down a dead tree near our swings. We were worried branches might fall on our grandkids. Today I'm weeding and transplanting and sprucing up the yard. Life feels almost normal. If you are stressed out and having a hard time, please come visit us at Camp Kreitzer for a day. Bring your swimsuits. We'll pour you a glass of lemonade and have some snacks. Life is so stressful with all the isolation, but being outside in the sun is about the safest place you can be and we love company! We promise to socially distance and not touch you!

• Ever since our Masses were cancelled we've been going to Sunday Mass celebrated by the SSPX at the Warren County fairground in Front Royal. First we sat in our cars and listened to the Mass on conference call. Now we sit in the pavilion or on chairs in the driveway (with proper social distancing). I am so grateful to these wonderful priests who travel 2 1/2 hours to minister to the flock. Why couldn't every Catholic bishop in the country have been doing this? There are fairgrounds everywhere and many governors allowed outdoor services. The failure of most of our bishops to witness to the essential nature of the Mass is, in my opinion, going to have serious future repercussions. How many people will never come back? Actually, maybe they won't have to. Will the dispensations ever be lifted or will it be like the Friday abstinence? How many people observe that any more or replace it with another sacrifice. Darn few, I bet. Will that be the new normal for Mass. Walk on the treadmill and drink coffee while you watch the live-streamed parish Mass. 

• Larry and I have been praying more since COVID-19. Almost every day during the mercy hour we pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. When we pray our evening rosary we add prayers to St. Rock against the plague after every decade. I talk to my sister in a nursing home twice a day and we say a prayer and the St. Rock prayer at the end of every phone call. I think it's kind of like the soldiers in the foxhole recognizing how fragile life is and how important prayer is. I hope many people focus more on the spiritual. I wonder if anyone is researching that.

• Things are terrible for many people, but remember God's promise: "All things work together for good to those who love the Lord and serve according to His purpose. May God bless us all with strength, perseverance, hope, and a sense of humor!