Priests use technology to teach, preach, shepherd

It quickly became apparent that Father Dardis’ self-deprecation was unwarranted.
    

Like his brother priests across the Archdiocese of New Orleans seeking to remain connected with their flocks, Father Dardis seized the available technology at his disposal, retaining his human touch while offering up some pastoral, “big-picture” wisdom via YouTube.
    

The novice videographer used his inaugural 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% “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
    

Before signing off, Father Dardis reminded his parishioners that the current prohibition on celebrating 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 web page, 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 from the outset of the crisis, 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.”
    

In the wake of the cancellation of all public Masses in the Archdiocese of New Orleans, local priests are being creative and utilizing technology to be present to their faith communities and bring Mass to them in their homes.
    

Go to nolacatholic.org, scroll down to the NOLACatholic News section and click on “Taking Mass Online” to find a list of virtual Masses and prayer opportunities established by priests and parishes in the archdiocese. Continue to check this list daily for updates and follow us on Facebook for more opportunities in real time.
    

The Mass from St. Louis Cathedral will be live-streamed at 12:05 p.m. Monday through Friday and at 11 a.m. on Sunday.
    

Beth Donze can be reached at [email protected].