Lockdown and Faith - Mike Campbell Shares His Experience of Virtual Church

Lockdown and Faith - My Experience of Virtual Church

By Mike Campbell

‘When two or three gather in my name, there am I with them’ (Matthew 18:20). Presumably this also applies to; ‘When two or three are gathered virtually in my name, there am I with them’. When churches were locked down in March a group of our parishioners swung into action and set up virtual church (Vurch) almost immediately. This followed a conventional church service with hymns sung by the members who sang in the real church (with the rest of us muted!), readings for the appropriate Sunday, the appropriate prayers and bidding prayers and the prayer of St Alphonsus for spiritual communion.

Virtual church is well attended with usually over 50 Zoom ‘participants’ which would equate to over 100 people taking part, just about half a usual Mass attendance. It is very egalitarian, with different people hosting and reading each Sunday and even included women reading the Gospel! After the official bidding prayers the ‘chat’ function is used so people could personalise their own intentions. Everyone was greeted at the beginning, and at the end of the service we were divided into breakout groups for a chat - like coffee after Mass, with the noticeable difference that you didn’t choose whom you chatted with. This meant we got to know quite a few people who before we only knew by sight.

It was noticeable that our Parish Priest did not join in, but he did give his encouragement. He said Mass on his own. I am certain God is present at these services, and I have found myself spiritually refreshed and renewed by them. There is a real feeling of community spirit and it is amazing the talent and commitment of so many of the congregation.

In contrast, on occasion, we would watch a live stream Mass but the sight of the priest being able to receive the Host and we relegated to spectating and the prayer to St Alphonsus gave rise to mixed emotions; the priest could join in the meal and eat, but not us. This must have been what is was like before Vatican II, when the laity took very little part in the proceedings. It certainly felt less spiritual than Vurch.

Some people I have spoken to admitted that they don’t miss Mass, and that Vurch is satisfying their spiritual needs and provides a stronger sense of community that Mass did.

Now, however some Churches are opening to Mass. Ours, for various reasons, will not open for a while. I am divided. Part of me would love to be physically present at Mass, and to receive Our Lord in communion. It’s not so much the receiving, however, as the personal prayer which seems to happen more easily after Communion. On the other hand, if I do go to Mass it will be in a different parish, away from my natural community.

About half our potential congregation do not join in Vurch, and it is largely the more elderly who are missing. They are discriminated against joining in by a lack of ability in IT and their lack of facilities for electronic communication. This also holds true, I think, for our Parish Priest. 

Ironically, this discrimination means they were unaware that neighbouring parishes are now opening for Mass, since this information was also disseminated electronically, and one has to book places electronically. Several people (elderly) whom I spoke to were shocked that they had not heard about the possibility of Mass and said how much they missed ‘actual’ Mass. There has been no attempt by the diocese or our church to contact people by conventional means such as phone calls or letters, presumably because of the huge effort it would involve. 

There is a real division between the ‘haves’ with means of electronic communication, and the ‘have nots’ and one unsolved problem is how to engage those for whom technology is an anathema.  In theory, Vurch would be ideal for the housebound and disabled even beyond lockdown, but in practice it would be difficult.

The absence of the Eucharist has highlighted for me that Mass is not just about gathering in His name. Jesus is present in gatherings but is somehow ‘more’ present when there is the Eucharist, perhaps as an ‘outward sign of inward grace’.  Having served as an Extraordinary Minister for Communion I can testify to the joy that people gain by receiving the Eucharist. Yes, the fact that people from the Church come and visit them is very important, but so is taking communion. However, so often there is a division in perception, with the clergy emphasising Mass with the Eucharist, and for the laity the emphasis is on community.

This lockdown has shown the laity can survive without the Church, but I feel something is missing. I am not sure how long the laity could survive without the Eucharist. As Tom O’Loughlin has pointed out, the Mass is a meal at which we are fed, and we need nourishment to survive. Of course, with fewer priests, it is unclear how the situation in the Church can enable the laity to be regularly fed,  but that is a debate to be had in future.  I am sure Catholic Peoples Weeks will be one of the key sources for future discussion.

Mike Campbell