Mission During Covid-19

By Dr. Donald R. McCrabb

The video conference call of 20 plus missionaries was only 10 minutes old when Brother Jose said, “I have to go. The national guard is closing Gallup. If I don’t go now, I won’t be able to get out.”

Every week from March through May, missionaries would come together on Thursday at noon for “Accompaniment and Solidarity” – the name of their video conference call so they could support each other, share information, and help keep alive the spirit of global solidarity when the United States of America was “sheltered in place.”

Brother Jose, the Guardian for the Franciscan Community in Gallup, New Mexico, serves the Navajo Nation. He also has responsibilities for his order which requires frequent travel. As he was departing, everyone promised prayers. Everyone on that call had a first-hand experience, through Brother Jose, of the impact Covid-19 was going to have on missionaries.

At first, missionaries were dealing with a lot of cancellation. The Diocese of Joliet had a mission trip planned to the Philippines. The Diocese of St. Cloud was going to host a delegation from its sister diocese in Kenya. The Diocese of Fort Worth had to cancel a trip to Honduras. Once all the logistics were taken care of, the concern turned towards those going on mission and the host countries. “A lot of people were excited about going and this was their first mission trip. How are we going to sustain their interest in mission?” asked Deacon Bruce Carlson from the Diocese of Joliet.

Survival was another question. Fr. Neal, a Glenmary Missionary in Tennessee, was not sure how he was going to pay the bills with the halt to Sunday Mass, people scrambling to stay connected with all the parishioners and finding ways to respond to their material and spiritual needs. Survival of the missions extended to the communities since they rely on the parish mission appeals over the summer. Dioceses were scrambling to do something, and many brainstormed creative alternatives to the in-person Sunday appeal, but most believed they would be lucky to get 25% of their regular mission appeal support.

A third concern was for global solidarity. Many people are suffering here in the United States of America – people are getting Covid-19, we have seen a lot of deaths, the economy is suffering, people are uncertain how to live and work through this pandemic, and the Church has not be able to come together to celebrate the Eucharist.

While things are bad here, missionaries know that it is much worse in other countries around the world. Missionaries in Haiti are doing basic health education, so the people know what the virus is, how it spreads, and the best ways to protect yourself and your families. Of course, it is hard to wash your hands if you do not have easy access to water. Many countries do not have the health care infrastructure that the US has so, while hospitals are being taxed to their limits and make-shift hospitals are being constructed, the clinics and hospitals in other countries are just being shuttered.

Too many countries are facing serious food shortages. Missionaries in South Sudan and Kenya reported substantial levels of rationing. “People get the equivalent of five bowls of cereal and a half can of tuna to live off every day,” said one missionary from Kenya. If the relief trucks do not come or get held up at the many check points, people will not eat that day. Reports are coming in that several countries in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean are facing near famine level shortages in their food supply. Fr. Frank reported that in Haiti, for example, the currency is weakened against the dollar and inflation is growing. “The value of people’s money has been cut by two-thirds, but the cost of food has increased 17%.” In several towns in Peru, Chile, and Bolivia, missionaries have set up community kitchens so people could pool together their resources to feed everyone.

Frustration and meaning are two other themes that have characterized these video conference calls. Missionaries care for others. That has become increasingly difficult to do when you are sheltered in place. So much of “mission” had to be cancelled. Missionaries scheduled to “come home” for a summer break have had to shelter in place. When they do come home – especially from “hot spots” around the world – they need to be isolated for 14 days to be sure they are not carrying the virus.

“How do we, and how do we help others, make sense of Covid-19?” asked Don McCrabb, Executive Director for USCMA. “Where do we get our courage to keep on during these difficult days?”

Quickly, missionaries would point to the faith of others. “The people believe in God. Their trust is in him.” Prayer was central for missionaries during these difficult days, especially being connected to those communities that have lost so many members to Covid-19. Some would share prayers or videos that they had found that provided some comfort. Others talked about the importance of simple acts of love – staying six feet apart, wearing masks, washing hands, and being mindful of the health of others. Still others talked about efforts to continue to tell the story of mission – how the Church is not “shut down” but has rather “opened up” to respond to the needs of others.

Accompaniment and Solidarity is one of the services USCMA provides missionaries. In June, the video calls shifted to bimonthly. The United States Catholic Mission Association is a national network of missionaries, the organizations that sponsor them, and the missions they serve. Today, missionaries are lay, religious, and ordained and many serve missions through their parish, school, diocese, or religious community. To learn more about USCMA, visit their website at www.uscatholicmission.org.