18 April 2020
Saturday in the Octave of Easter
The Covid crises has certainly reshuffled the deck. Who could have imagined this scenario a year ago, a plot presumably left to script writers and TV series? Unfortunately, pandemics have been a protagonist in the human drama since the beginning of written history. Ever since we were neighbors with what was soon to be dinner, virus crossings from beast to man has been an unfortunate reality. However, another reality has been the Catholic response to sickness and disease. We may take pride in our heritage and note that the Roman Catholic church has excelled in the advancement of education and health care. Long before hospitalization became a profit industry, men and especially women established institutions of health care especially for the poor and disadvantaged. Educational institutions were our pride as well, where we taught people how to maintain both spiritual and physical health. There is a tired rumor on the internet that Pope Pius IX was against vaccinations, which is false. The Catholic church led the charge in the inoculation of indigenous people in the Northwest starting in 1862 against smallpox. It is at times such as these when good decisions need to be made based on sound intellectual judgment guided by a morality grounded in the truths of faith. May our tradition of health care and education continue to move humanity towards its fullest potential, body and soul.