Again, having to go there; remain calm, faithful and obedient despite the crazies

Dear friends, followers, brothers & sisters in Christ -

It is my sincere hope to remain calm and come across as charitable; I think it will be a challenge but I'll try, I promise I will try.  Recently Louisiana is getting some really bad publicity because of a certain "church" in a town called Central.  They have a "pastor" that, well, is out there.  They have been both vocal and defiant concerning the Coronavirus crisis especially here in Louisiana.  Not only congregating hundreds of people we recently learned that others are bused in from across south Louisiana.  Of course that implies that they are bused back from whence they came.  Finally, yesterday, a glimmer of hope as "pastor" was charged with at least 6 counts of rules violations regarding orders during the crisis.  These charges are misdemeanors and he responded immediately by holding church services last night, defiant, loud and proud and proclaiming that somehow he and his magic just don't allow that Corona voodoo in. Enough about him and that "church".  I'm a church guy and would be fine with good 'ole JBE, governor of Louisiana, shutting that entire operation down.  In a million years I never thought I would say this but in a million years I never thought an entire globe, the whole wide world, would be dealing with an out of control pandemic, one that still has more questions than answers and of course has no cure, no treatment, no nothing yet.  I certainly will acknowledge that progress is being made but we all know what we know, and what we don't know.  My entire faith, the Church started by Christ on the confession of Peter is working to bring the Mass and more to the faithful via online services and video streaming.  And real Pastors and Ministers are figuring out all kinds of creative and heroic ways to keep the faith alive in those who need comfort, hope and healing.

Sadly, there are a few Catholics out there closer to "church pastor" than the local authority, that means our Archbishop, and the Church Magisterium.  Holy Mother Church, Church Universal, has declared that Masses and other Sacraments cannot proceed in a manner that we all wish they could.  These few but sadly vocal malcontents take to Facebook and other platforms to "preach" that we are being duped, not just by the government but by legitimate and valid ecclesial authority.  Calling bishops and priests, and yes, the Pope, all kinds of names, subscribing to all kinds of conspiracy whack-a-doodle theories is just not being Catholic, not being faithful, not being helpful.  Someone you influence, and for the love of God Almighty how you can influence anything let alone anyone is beyond me, will buy in and sadly, get sick and die.  You are no better than 'pastor" of the "church" getting too much press.

For all of us we have sacrificed not only our usual faith traditions but perhaps our jobs, our routines, our likes, our children's education for the sake of not only staying alive but not infecting others, others that could include the folks you dearly love.  My prayer is somehow these "crazies" will be seen for what they are.

This carries over sadly to the secular.  The impromptu parties down by the lake or the river, the second line parades, the fact that wholesale shipping for things like flowers, plants, snowballs, etc. are essential.  The many things the science based are sharing with us, you know frontline doctors, nurses, specialists, lab workers, scientists, are real.  No one who has treated a patient with Covid-19, who has nursed someone back to health or worse, watched them die a horrible death claims this is fake, or a sham, or a governmental and even church conspiracy.

Here's what we are called to do: be faithful and be obedient.  Be less independent and way more compliant.  Probably not the way I would normally talk but this is real, this is a world-wide pandemic, this is an international and national medical emergency.  Staying home if possible, responsible social distancing, washing hands and disinfecting are all tools in the toolbox.  And so is personal, private pray at home, so is watching video masses, so is reading Scripture at home, so is checking on family and friends from a distance, so is expressing your thankfulness for every blessing, all that your faith life offers, all the gifts of God, all the heroic being and doing by our Priests, ministers, Bishops, and health care heroes too!  All of this is our calling right now.  And we are called to run far away from those who dismiss the crisis, those who refuse to practice social distance and more, and those who always see the conspiracy in absolutely everything and folks like "pastor" at that "church" and all easily influenced by that foolishness.

As I asked and prayed previously; stand and say firm, follow prudent direction, seek all the help you need in the secular realm and seek out the rich deepness of that spiritual font that continues to nourish you even while we are separated one from the other.

God Bless those who truly follow Truth.