‘Though we may be quarantined, Jesus is not quarantined’
Bishop Jugis marks Palm Sunday with livestreamed service from near-empty cathedral during COVID-19 pandemic
CHARLOTTE — There were no crowds waving palm branches, no joyful singing, no elaborate liturgies to commemorate Palm Sunday and the start of Holy Week. No, Palm Sunday in the middle of a pandemic took on a somber, simpler tone.For the first time in the history of the Diocese of Charlotte, all public Masses have been canceled for Holy Week and Easter because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In Charlotte, Bishop Peter Jugis celebrated Palm Sunday Mass, the liturgy that begins with a commemoration of Jesus entering Jerusalem among a jubilant crowd, inside a near-empty St. Patrick Cathedral.
The private liturgy was livestreamed on the diocese’s YouTube channel.
Despite the unprecedented isolation measures that have shut down most public activities and worship services throughout North Carolina and the United States, the bishop’s homily was a hopeful one.
Bishop Jugis encouraged people to follow the example of Mary at the foot of the cross, and “to stay close to Jesus these days, when we hear so much fearful news about the spread of the virus and sad news about deaths cause by the virus.”
“Let us remember: though we may be quarantined, Jesus is not quarantined. He desires to be with us always and everywhere, and we can stay close to Him,” Bishop Jugis said.
Bishop Jugis recalled Pope Francis’ livestreamed event March 27, in which the pope stood alone in St. Peter’s Square and gathered the worldwide Church in a virtual prayer service to end the pandemic that has claimed more than 65,000 lives in the past three months. The worldwide coronavirus pandemic is not God's judgment on humanity, but God's call on people to judge what is most important to them and resolve to act accordingly from now on, Pope Francis said.
This time of trial is a time of choosing, the pope said. “It is not the time of your judgment, but of our judgment: a time to choose what matters and what passes away, a time to separate what is necessary from what is not. It is a time to get our lives back on track with regard to you, Lord, and to others.”
Parishes across the Charlotte diocese distributed palm branches for the faithful to celebrate Palm Sunday at home, since there are no public liturgies for Holy Week. At St. Mark Church in Huntersville, clergy and seminarians gave out blessed palms in a makeshift drive-thru line on Saturday. (Photo provided by Amy Burger)Bishop Jugis continued, “During this time of trial and testing, what matters is Jesus. During this time of trial and testing, what is necessary is Jesus.”
The bishop encouraged the faithful to choose to be with Christ, and not to choose discouragement and despair during the pandemic.
Show Gallery“In the midst of the isolation in which we are experiencing the loss of so many things, let us once again listen to the proclamation that saves us. Jesus is risen, and He is living by our side,” he said.
Holy Week and Easter services will continue with livestreams on the Diocese of Charlotte’s YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/dioceseofcharlotte, as follows:
• Chrism Mass – April 7 at 10 a.m.
• Mass of the Lord’s Supper – April 9 at 7 p.m.
• Good Friday – April 10 at 3 p.m.
• Easter Vigil – April 11 at 8 p.m.
• Easter Sunday – April 12 at 10 a.m.
— Catholic News Herald. Photos by SueAnn Howell, Catholic News Herald
Related story: Pope on Palm Sunday: Life, measured by love, is meant to serve others
