23 March 2020
With the Coronavirus pandemic causing masses across the country to be cancelled, there is now a large demand for virtual worship – and Catholic charity CAFOD hopes their weekly ‘Children’s Liturgy Live!’ will inspire families across the UK after the first session saw nearly 1,000 sign-ups.
Mothering Sunday usually sees families across the country flock to places of worship to celebrate and pray for motherhood and families around the world. This year, churches and cathedrals were physically empty but virtually filled to bursting with parishioners logging in online.
Everywhere from Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral to Leeds Cathedral and even St Illtyd’s in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, live-streamed masses, and charity CAFOD held their first-ever online children’s liturgy, broadcasting a Sunday reflection to over 500 families.
Lynda, who joined with her family in East Dulwich, London, said:
“We were all upset when Masses were cancelled, so it was so wonderful to have an uplifting liturgy, which was an utter pleasure to join and take part in – we’re all already looking forward to next week.”
CAFOD has a large range of online resources covering worship, prayer for adults, and prayer and education content tailored specifically for primary and secondary ages.
Jo Kitterick, CAFOD’s Head of Fundraising and Participation, said:
“Online sessions give families an opportunity to celebrate their faith in a way that is familiar at a time when we are being challenged and asked to do things so differently.
“During these tough times, it is so wonderful to be able to reach out to each other and to those who are feeling physically distant from the ones they love and their traditional places of worship - and virtually come together as a community and Catholic family.”
You can find a link to the next Children’s Liturgy Live! session, in addition to a recording of Sunday’s session, here: https://cafod.org.uk/Education/Children-s-liturgy
NOTES TO EDITORS
For further information and photos please contact: Elouise Hobbs, ehobbs@cafod.org.uk, Mobile: +44 (0)7954 077426 | Landline: + 44 (0) 2920 344 882 Or, CAFOD’s 24-hour media hotline on +44 (0)7919 301 429
CAFOD is the official aid agency of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, and part of Caritas International. Across the world we bring hope and compassion to poor communities, standing side by side with them to end poverty and injustice. Because we work through the local Church, we can reach people and places that others can’t.
ENDS//