Even though church buildings have been closed and public Masses cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, you can still celebrate Mass.
Most of the parishes across Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains are now offering livestreamed Masses. These include daily Mass and Sunday Mass.
St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta, are also opening up their doors to digital audiences, celebrating their regular daily and Sunday Masses, including their 11am Solemn Mass celebration with accompaniment by the St Patrick’s Cathedral Choir.
“It’s absolutely essential that we stay spiritually connected [during this time],” Fr Chris del Rosario, assistant priest of St Patrick’s Cathedral Parish, Parramatta, told Catholic Outlook.
“Eastertide reminds us of God’s salvific power despite humanity’s many failings. God never gave up on us, therefore we shouldn’t give up on Him. By extension, this entails that we support each other spiritually by praying for each other. In doing so we live out Christ’s teachings, ‘Whatever you did for the least of these, you did to me.’ (Mt 25:40).
“I can’t wait until we can all return as a community and celebrate Mass together in our churches. But until that day, we ought to keep praying and allowing God to transform us.”
St Patrick’s Cathedral are streaming their Masses on their public Facebook page at the following times:
- Monday to Friday – 6.30am and 12.30pm
- Saturday – 8am
- Sunday – 6pm (Vigil), 8am, 9.30am, 11am Solemn Mass and 6pm.
The St Patrick’s Cathedral Choir will provide a Cantor and Organ to accompany the Sunday 6:30pm Vigil Mass, 9am and 6pm livestreamed Masses, and a small schola will accompany the 11am livestreamed Solemn Masses. On Solemnities, a Cantor and Organ will accompany the 12:30pm livestreamed mass.
The Solemn Mass will be livestreamed on their Facebook page as well as the Diocese of Parramatta’s YouTube channel.
Readings for the Mass, provided by Universalis, can be found here.
To see which parishes are offering online Masses, click here, or visit our Diocesan website – www.parracatholic.org/covid19/#online
