Holy Family pastor reflects on two lessons of pandemic in video

Story by Beth Donze

“This is definitely a first. I’m not into YouTubing, and I don’t know how to make videos easily,” said Father Stephen Dardis, pastor of Holy Family Church in Luling, in a March 16 video to parishioners – his first since COVID-19 became a household name.

However, it became quickly apparent that Father Dardis’ self-critique was unwarranted. The priest used his camera time to dissect two matters of faith that have come to the fore since word of the pandemic broke:

• Lesson 1: Things of this world can never be 100 percent “dependable," only God is.

“The Lord reminds us that when the 'dependability test' happens, the world fails that test,” Father Dardis said. “The world is not dependable, so we (are not to) hold on to it; we don’t want to get too caught up in the anxieties that come from the world.”

Only one person can say, “I am with you always,” and “I will not abandon you,” and that’s God, Father Dardis said, encouraging his flock to lean on their faith and their families “like never before.”

• Lesson 2: The “fluidity” of the crisis – the changeable nature of information swirling about it – can be used by the faithful as a sort of wake-up call, Father Dardis said.

“Our response to (that fluidity), I suggest, should be endurance – meaning, be patient, wait, reflect, endure, do not react, pause, pray, keep silent,” Father Dardis said. “Avoid the need to have everything 'now,' to have everything answered 'now.'  Endure and wait for God’s timing. ‘Be still,’ the psalm says, ‘and know that I am God.’” (He also recommended Psalm 27 – “The Lord is my light and my salvation” – as a good Scripture with which to pray).

Mystical Body of Christ continues

Before signing off, Father Dardis reminded his parishioners that the current prohibition of public Mass did not mean that Catholics could not – or were not – “participating” in the Mass.

In addition to being able to view all regularly scheduled Masses on the parish webpage, he noted that Holy Family Church would remain open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. as a place of prayer for a few people at a time.

He said sanitary wipes would be available at the door, and requested that all do their part by wiping off door handles on the way in and out of church. And, as parish priests throughout the Archdiocese of New Orleans have done, Father Dardis asked those who needed help with tasks such as grocery delivery to contact him, and for those who were willing, to volunteer for this effort.

“Stay in touch!" Father Dardis said. "Stay close to one another. Pray for one another and stay close to our Lord."

Beth Donze can be reached at bdonze@clarionherald.org.