BOTH SADNESS AND ENCOURAGEMENT IN THIS COVID-19 LENT

We are posting Chris McPhee’s letter of encouragement of the Province in these lockdown Coronavirus times – how we might manage it well.

But, first, a sad postscript to yesterday’s news from Abzalon, Superior General. This message arrived today.

“We communicate to you that today our confrere Fr. Alfonso de Nijs has passed away in Belgium. Our condolences to his family and to our confreres of the Belgian Province.

Andre Claessens MSC
We also ask you to pray for Andre Claessens (member of the General Team) and for Paul Verbruggen, both of whom have tested positive for COVID19.  Andre is in Belgium at the moment. Our solidarity and prayers are with the entire MSC community at Borgerhout, in Belgium.”

Dear Brother MSCs

“All of us will strive to remain united in Spirit…”  [CS#30]

I think it goes without saying that we are living in one of the most challenging times we’ve ever experienced.

As Provincial, during these times, my question to all of us is: how might we care for ourselves and others during this time?

My simple advice would be this; take healthy breaks from political discussions, social media and the news – especially ABC24 and the like.  We need to set boundaries and to have limits on how we engage in these activities.

At this time, we need to focus on our physical, social, emotional and spiritual needs. Experts are saying that we need a minimum of one-half hour of downtime each day.  In fact, from where I am sitting, for many of us, the need is more.

From our own MSC traditions – things like, the Office, daily prayer, spiritual practices of meditation, contemplation, creating art, mindfulness, spiritual reading [or just a good novel] can and will refresh us with focus and peace. Again, it’s important to ensure there’s time for these activities each day.  This includes spending time being connected with people who give us a sense of community; especially those on their own, overseas, or new to our MSC community coming from overseas — in effect, increasing our personal MSC community both locally and virtually.

Who in our Province needs to be contacted to see how they are – they may even live overseas?  As a line in Constitution 30 says; “…All of us will strive to remain united in Spirit...” How do we remain united in Spirit when we are all in lockdown?  How do we stay connected as we are being directed further and further into isolation?  Now is the time we need to be creative with ways of being united with our brothers – things like skype, a phone call, Zoom, WhatsApp, Viber and the list could go on and on.  Even think about setting up groups that will keep you connected such as WhatsApp or Messenger groups. 

How do we stay connected, especially to those who are living on their own?

This week, I invite all of us to contact someone – maybe a younger MSC – maybe an older MSC – maybe an MSC we have never really spoken to.  Maybe just get the directory out and find someone that you feel you’d like to connect with. As Constitution 33 reminds us; “True Community does not come about all at once.  It grows by God’s grace and the constant effort of each member.  It needs to be built up each day…

Maybe this is an opportune time whereby we can start to think and be creative in new ways as to how we build up our MSC community.

Finally, I sense, at this moment a fair amount of our MSC’s are feeling anxious or distressed about COVID19.  May I suggest a few techniques that could help:

• Recognize that your concern is a valid reaction. Be present and mindful of your emotions to observe when they escalate.
• Maintain your regular routines and social connections to ensure that you’re not isolating yourself. [Refer above]
• Seek accurate information from reliable resources.
• Be aware of the spread of inaccurate or exaggerated information on social media platforms.
• Limit exposure to constant news updates [refer above].
• Distinguish possibility from probability.
  • For example, it might be possible that you will get infected, but what is the probability? How likely is that to happen?
• Challenge the need for certainty.
  • If you are trying to rule out absolutely all possibility of negative outcomes – such as coming into contact with someone who is sick, touching a surface that a sick person might have touched, determining whether or not someone might be infected – then it would be difficult to lead a productive lifestyle. This illness, like all previous viruses will affect some people and not others.
• Distinguish between productive and unproductive worry.

Signs of unproductive worry:

• You worry about unanswerable questions.
• You worry about a chain reaction of events.
• You reject a solution because it is not a perfect solution.
• You think you should worry until you feel less anxious.
• You think you should worry until you control everything.

Signs of productive worry:

• There is a question that has an answer.
• You are focused on a single event, not a chain reaction.
• You are willing to accept imperfect solutions.
• You do not use your anxiety as a guide.
• You recognize what you can control and what you cannot control.

As I said earlier, practice relaxing rituals, such as meditating, exercising, or engaging in deep breathing exercises.

Let’s stay positive and together as we pray and trust that we will all be safe under the protection and guidance of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

In His heart,

Chris R McPhee msc