Archbishop Nelson Perez Speaks About What The Faithful Can Expect After All Public Masses Were Suspended Due To COVID-19

Eyewitness News spoke with Archbishop Nelson Perez Friday morning about the coronavirus’s impact on the church.

6:48, WELCOME BACK, A MIDTHE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK THISWEEK THE ARCHDIOCES OFPHILADELPHIA NOW SUSPENSION OFALL PUBLIC MASSES UNTILFURTHER NOTICE, THIS IS BIGCHANGE FOR MANY OF THE FAITHFULL.JOINING US LIVE ON THE PHONETHIS MORNING, IS ARCHBISHOP OFPHILADELPHIA, NELSON PEREZ,GOOD MORNING, ARCH.BISHOP, THANK YOU FOR TAKINGTIME TO JOIN US.GOOD MORNING, THANK YOU FORHAVING ME.FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE THIS ISNOT GOING TO BE TYPICAL WEEK.TYPICAL SUNDAY.WHAT'S YOUR ADVISE FOR THOSEWHO MAY BE HAVING SOMEDIFFICULTY ADJUSTING TO ALL OFTHE RECENT CHANGES?WELL, IT CERTAINLY ISUNSETTLING, BUT THIS IS THETIME TO GO INTO OUR PERSONALPRAYER LIFE AND READING THESCRIPTURES, AND FOR USCATHOLICS THE ROSARY, THEPRAYING OF THE ROSARY IS SUCHA SOURCE OF CONSOLATION,PRAYING TOGETHER WITHFAMILIES, JUST THE OTHER, JUSTLAST NIGHT, GROUP OF YOUNGPEOPLE SENT ME PICTURE OF THEMGATHERING AROUND THE TABLEPRAYING THE ROSARY TOGETHERAND PRAYING WITH EACH OTHER.AND THAT'S A SOURCE OF GREATCONSOLATION.THIS IS TIME FOR FAMILIES TOCOME TOGETHER IN THEIR HOMES,YOU KNOW, IN A PLACE THAT'SSAFE AND CERTAINLY SUPPORTEACH OTHER AND WALK WITH EACHOTHER.AND SPEAKING EVERYCONSOLATION, IN TIMES OFCRISIS, PEOPLE L OFTEN TURN TOTHE CHURCH FOR COMFORT.AND TO BE PART OF LARGERCOMMUNITY, SO HOW CAN PEOPLESTILL FIND WAYS TO REALLY STAYSPIRITUALLY CONNECTED?WELL YOU KNOW WE'RE BLESSTHAT THIS PARTICULAR MOMENT INHISTORY WITH SOCIAL MEDIA, ANDJUST LAST SUNDAY I CELEBRATEDTHE 11:00 MASS FROM THECATHEDRAL.AND WE HAD CLOSE TO 50,000OVER 50,000 PEOPLE IN THISVENUE OF SOCIAL MEDIA TUNE IN,LOTS OF OUR PARISHES,STREAMING, THEIR DAILY MASSES.AND EVERY DAY.SO I WOULD TELL THE FATEFUL TOCHECK WITH THEIR PARISHES,THESE ARE WAYS THAT WE COULDCERTAINLY BRING CONSOLATIONAND PEACE TO OUR HEARTS AT ATIME THAT'S VERY UN LET SINGFOR EVERYBODY.ABSOLUTELY, THAT'S SOMEGOOD ADVICE, THERE, WHATADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TOPEOPLE REGARDLESS OF RELIGION,THOUGH, IF THEY FINDTHEMSELVES FEELING OVERWELMEDORANGES US DURING THIS TIME?I THINK IT IS SO IMPORTANTTO PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALLYOUR FRIENDS.YOU SNOW TO TALK IT OUT.TO AIR A LITTLE BIT WHAT'S INTHE HEART AND WHAT'S TROUBLINGYOUR HEART.AND THAT'S WHY GOD GAVE USFRIENDSMENT -- GAVE US FRIENDSAND FAMILY.WHILE WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TOBE IN CONTACT WITH THEMPHYSICALLY, WE COULD CERTAINLYTHROUGH THE PHONE AND JUSTPICK UP THE PHONE AND SUPPORTEACH OTHER, FAMILIES ARECOMING TOGETHER IN THAT WAY,BY TEXTING, BY CALLING.THIS IS A TIME FOR US TO COMETOGETHER AND AND AS A HUMANFAMILY.ABSOLUTELY SO IMPORTANT TOCHECK IN ON OUR LOVED ONES.AS THIS CORONAVIRUS CRISISCONTINUES, IT SEEMS LIKE THERECOULD POTENTIALLY BE SOMECHANGES LEADING TO UP HOLYWEEK SERVICES AT THE VATICAN.HAVE YOU HEARD ANYTHING, ANDARE YOU BEGINNING TO CONSIDERHOW SERVICES MAY NEED TO BEDIFFERENT HERE?OH, CERTAINLY LOOKING ATEVERYTHING RIGHT NOW.AND AGAIN, AVAILING OURSELVESOF THE GIFT OF TECHNOLOGY ANDSOCIAL MEDIA.YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CAN'T GO TOTHE CHURCH RIGHT NOW FOR MASS,SO OUR BIGGEST THING,QUESTION, IS HOW DO WE THENBRING THE CHURCH TO PEOPLE?AND WE ARE DISCUSSING ALLSORTS OF VENUES, WE JUSTFINISHED AN ON-LINE ROSARY FORLIKE EIGHT DAYS, SIX DAYS ORSEVEN DAYS.WAIST HAD OVER 1,000 PEOPLECOMING IN AND PRAYINGTOGETHER.SO, CERTAINLY, GOD HAS GIVENTHIS BLESSING OF TECHNOLOGYAND THE MEDIA ITSELF, AS WE'REDOING RIGHT NOW, WHICH I'M SOGRATEFUL FOR YOU GUYS.THAT'S THE WAY NOW WE HAVEBRING THE CHURCH, FATE,CONSOLATION, AND PEACE TOPEOPLE.

OUR ARCHBISHOP NELSONPER WINTER WEATHER ADVISORYSOME GREAT ADVICE IN TERMSEVERY STAYING CONNECTED DURINGTHIS CRISIS.