MSC Magazine | Issue 4 | Summer 2020

Page 37| Missionaries of the Sacred Heart temperature can be lowered by cold air, regis- tering perhaps 34 degrees; “but I am still alive”! Staff members wear masks, as do the Sisters and I when around the residents. Social distancing is so important. This social distancing requirement has the unfor- tunate corollary of limiting visitors, which can be rather hard both on the family and on the resi- dent, especially so when there is some cause for celebration, such as a birthday. One of the im- portant practices here is to celebrate birthdays, as a way of recognising the uniqueness and val- ue of each person. At lunch the birthday person receives a bunch of flowers, a card and a cake with a candle. The Birthday Quartet then sings Happy Birthday, to- gether with everyone else. This famous quartet includes yours truly, preparing of course to trip the light fantastic. It also includes a resident who is a member of the Sydney Male Choir, so at least one of us can actually sing. We all have fun. Father’s Day should be happy but can be sad when the family must keep their distance. We made a special effort at Mass and afterwards at lunch. Those fathers (grandfathers and great grandfathers) who could were placed in a sepa- rate room, with suitable decorations and a par- cel of presents for each man. It was a special meal. I applaud these initiatives. When a resident is dying, then the family do come in, after due precautions, including wear- ing protective clothing. Otherwise family mem- bers can talk with their loved ones through a glass window: sad, but necessary. At least they can see each other. The home to date has not had a single case of Covid-19, and we want to keep it that way.