By Matters India Reporter
Mumbai, April 28, 2020: Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay, has urged his priests to pay full salaries of March and April to those working in archdiocesan institutions.
“After consulting our bishops and the Finance Office, I am directing that the March and April salaries be paid in full even though our workers have not been coming due to the lockdown. We will review the situation in May,” Cardinal Gracias said in an April 27 video message to all the priests in the archdiocese.
The cardinal told the priests that he was addressing them during an “extraordinary period” when the government-imposed nationwide lockdown to contain the coronavirus pandemic. “The end of the lockdown is approaching, but please prepare yourself for a possible extension,” said the prelate who has been leading the Indian Church’s efforts to bring relief to people affected by the coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi first imposed the lockdown from March 25 to April 14, then extended it to May 3. Many say it could be further extended as pandemic shows no sign of abatement.
“Looking at the number of reported cases in our Archdiocese and the number of containment zones, it does not seem likely that the restrictions will be lifted. And even after these are lifted, I would expect that permitting of religious assemblies will take more time,” the cardinal said.
Bombay archdiocese covers Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra that tops the number of Covid-19 cases in India.
Cardinal Gracias urged the priests to be prepared for “an extended period” of church closure. Even after the lockdown is lifted, it would be several months before the country would overcome the coronavirus.
In that scenario, the archdiocesan authorizes will have to tackle maintaining social distancing after the churches are allowed to open. The cardinal raised the questions: “How do we restrict the numbers? How do we prevent the spread of the pandemic among our parishioners? How do we arrive at a new normal, which I hope will be temporary?”
He reminded the priests that funeral is the only religious service they are allowed to perform in the lockdown period.
“Death in a family is always traumatic,” he says and urged the priests to be kind and understanding to the relatives, “especially in this atmosphere when everybody is tense and nervous.” He wants his priests to assure the bereaved families that an appropriate Requiem Mass for the dead would be held once the situation returns to normal.
“You could be receiving requests and enquires regarding the Sacraments. In the interest of the safety of our people and in keeping with government regulations all the Sacraments: Baptism, Penance, Confirmation and Marriage have been stopped.,” the cardinal reiterated and added that the archdiocese has held up even priestly ordinations.
“Around May 3rd we will revisit the situation, after studying any new government directives and the medical situation,” the archbishop told his priests.
The cardinal also used the video program to enquire about the priests’ wellbeing. He urged them to read books and remain strong spiritually, intellectually and physically. “We must come out of this crisis,” he said and asked to do some exercise to keep them fit.
As you know I had set up a Disaster Management Team and we have a video conference every two days.
The cardinal also apprised the priests about the relief works undertaken by the archdiocese. According to him, 82 parishes are involved in relief programs such as distribution of food and provisions. Even 27 religious houses are also engaged in humanitarian works. “Altogether 67,000 families are being helped,” said the cardinal who said he was amazed and felt proud of his priests.
He said the Church is doing “admirably” well at the national level too under the leadership of Caritas India, its social action wing.
The cardinal promised to send a circular addressed to parish priests and heads of institutions in the archdiocese about “about our efforts and asking for help.”