Wayne Hellmann OFM Conv. is the minister provincial of the Province of Our Lady of Consolation of the Order if Friars Minor Conventual, with its headquarters in Southern Indiana. Our friars here in Angola belong to this province. Friar Wayne sent the following letter to friends of the Order:

Dearest Friends of the Friars:
 
In the most unusual way, probably for the first time in our Catholic history, we celebrate the holiest and most ancient days of our Easter Triduum by abstaining from gathering together as the People of God. Yet, this is the central feast of our faith: He is risen! Current global circumstances dampen the Alleluia of our Easter cry.
 
I personally remember with fondness and joy the several times I was privileged to participate in a celebration of the Easter Triduum in Rome, even the Easter Vigil Liturgy in St. Peter’s. And then came the excitement of Easter morning: thousands of pilgrims in St. Peter’s square for the Easter Urbi et Orbi Blessing. It was a wonderful witness of love for our rich tradition and love for festive celebration!

This Easter, however, both the spaces at St. Peter’s, inside and out, will be empty, shrouded in eerie silence. Heartbreaking!

Amidst steady rain, Pope Francis delivered his “Urbi et orbi” blessing to an empty St. Peter's Square during the coronavirus pandemic.


I mention St. Peter’s as a symbol for what is now the case in nearly every Catholic/Christian community on the globe. Yet, if we pause and think a little deeper, this situation for many of our fellow Catholic brothers and sisters is not new.

I think of Catholics in Japan who persevered and lived their Catholic faith for nearly 200 years without the Eucharist and without any public celebration. Or, in more contemporary realities, I think of Catholics in Amazonia who are deprived not only of celebrations of the Liturgy but also more and more deprived of their homeland and natural environment.
 
This impoverished reality includes so many others: for example, those who are aged and sick, but also Catholics of the Eastern Churches in Syria and the Middle East who continue to suffer incredible devastation. The list goes on.

Maybe this year we are called to be in solidarity with them. The majority of Catholics across the globe, even without a pandemic, are deprived of regular access to Easter liturgy. Are they thereby less Catholic?
 

Remnants of an Armenian Catholic church in Syria, 2018. Millions of Christians in the world are denied access to the Mass all year round.


The reality is that our liturgies and celebrations are vitally helpful for nourishing and sharing our faith, but we know God’s grace is not limited to sacraments. St. Peter’s is empty but nevertheless, even alone in the square, our principal pastor, Pope Francis, is there. He encourages us. He calls us to actualize the reality of our “domestic churches” within our homes. We can still open our hearts to enter into deeper communion within the whole Body of Christ.

During the Triduum this year, he encourages us that carrying " ... His cross means finding the courage to embrace all the hardships of the present time.” This accomplishes ultimately what our liturgical celebrations intend, namely, to open our hearts and “make room for the creativity that only the Spirit is capable of inspiring.” By that Spirit, “we uncover our common belonging, … our belonging as brothers and sisters."
 
Precisely therein is new life of fullness, joy of Easter sending us together on the way to Emmaus. I find solace in the pope’s example and in his words, especially for this Easter. For the first time in my memory, I am to be deprived of full assembly for the Easter Triduum. In case you may have missed Pope Francis’ prayer and encouragement, I have attached links to both. You may find them helpful. I did.

Prayerfully,

friar Wayne

"In every age, Christians have suffered for their faith, from the Roman Coliseum to the recent beheadings perpetrated by ISIS. Brave women and men, embracing the cross of Jesus, have gone to their deaths rather than deny their faith, and the blood of these martyrs serves as the 'seed of Christians', enlivening faith in others. Today, the witness of martyrs continues in an especially intense way in the Middle East, where priests are murdered for offering Mass and families are driven from their homes for displaying a cross.

"With this Marian Prayer Program, we honor the martyrs over the centuries as we call particular attention to the suffering of today's Christians ... Featuring the newly commissioned icon of Our Lady Help of Persecuted Christians, the prayer program is the latest in a series of efforts undertaken by the Knights of Columbus to aid those who suffer for their faith. ..."

- from the introduction to the the prayer booklet used that evening

Since Women's Care Center of Northeast Indiana in Auburn is presently expecting a little over 200 babies, the clothing needs for the children is on going. These pjs are especially significant, because, as one of the center's moms put it, "pajamas are usually the last thing I'd spend money on." The Crib Club at WCC-Auburn makes that very doable for clients using coupons they earn when attending parenting classes at the center.

My daughters and I were blessed to be given the opportunity to participate in the March for Life on Washington D.C. 2018. Thanks to the Knights of Columbus for offering us a partial scholarship to cover the cost of the trip.
 
My daughters Katherine and Sarah took the initiative to get us to attend, and I was thrilled to be along. My girls had been asking me for months to go on this trip. I wasn't sure we could go and hadn't heard much about it so I didn't plan anything very far in advance. Once I decided to try to get us on a bus, I called Stan Fisher from the K of C and he directed me to a K of C bus in Indianapolis with 4 empty seats left.
 
We drove down to Indianapolis and boarded the nice, large travel bus arranged by the Knights. We were thankful that the trip was so well planned. We slept on the bus, then departed for breakfast with a little time to tour the various monuments in D.C. before checking in at our hotel.

The next morning, we rode the same bus to the march itself and collected our lunches and signs – prepared as well by the Knights of Columbus, who had gathered from all over the USA. The turn-out was enormous. The Knights led us to our positions and we listened to the National Right to Life Committee president give a brief, moving speech.
 
Then we began our one-mile march next to all the other pro-life marchers. One group said the rosary, another sang hymns. We passed a few bands who played uplifting songs. Before we knew it we had completed the march. The whole trip went so smoothly from the beautiful weather to the wonderful people.
 
Sarah said she wants to go next year already; but the next time she would like to go with the youth group so she can participate in the rally at the stadium.
 
If you would like any of the prayers or literature we prayed and handed out, ask Father Bob and we will get you a copy.
 
God Bless,
Shannon, Katherine, and Sarah Schlosser