Catholic activities for the coronavirus pandemic

Pope Francis recently prayed, “May the Lord help families discover new expressions of love in this situation. It’s a beautiful opportunity to creatively rediscover affection in the family.”

Whether your family consists of siblings, children, friends, or neighbors, the gift of caring strengthens us all. Here are suggested ways to use this time for good.

Grow in spirit

• While you wash your hands, say an Our Father or Hail Mary. Count how many times you say the prayer in order to reach 20 seconds, which is the length of time experts recommend we wash our hands.
• Organize a daily prayer with your parish, either by phone or via an online tool like Zoom or Skype. Prayer resources are available here.
• Watch the live-streamed Masses with Pope Francis from the Vatican.
• Read a few pages of Laudato Si’ out loud with your family each day. Share your thoughts on social media with the hashtag #LaudatoSi5 to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the encyclical.

Care for the community

• Get to know your neighbors. If you haven’t met them yet, knock on their doors or pass around a sheet of paper to ask for names, email addresses, and phone numbers. We are more likely to ask for and offer help when we know each other.
• Love your neighbor by offering a helping hand to those who need it, especially older people, people with young children, and people with underlying health conditions. Offer to walk dogs or shop for groceries, or just ask how they’re doing.
• If you have a small group in your parish, maintain it by using a video-conferencing tool, such as Zoom or Skype. If one does not yet exist, take this opportunity to form one. The Laudato Si’ Circles program offers a wealth of online resources and information.

Learn and take action

• Participate in training to become a Laudato Si’ Animator. You’ll use this time apart to deepen your faith, learn more about the climate crisis and its solutions, and connect with a vibrant online community.
• As you’re preparing meals at home, consider plant-based meals to grow in simplicity and protect creation. Find Lenten recipes here.
• Care for creation around your home by beginning to compost. Information is here.

You can read GCCM’s statement on the coronavirus here.

The pandemic has brought much suffering to the world. We pray with compassion for those whom it has harmed, and we pray for strength for those who are working hard to manage this crisis.

We renew our commitment to care for each other and to find, as Pope Francis says, “new expressions of love.”