Coronavirus: Czech Republic. Bishop of Pilsen, “our hope must be more contagious than the virus”

(Bratislava) - Although the true sense of community experienced in Catholic churches cannot be lived these days due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the online world of faith in the Czech Republic has been flourishing in the past few weeks. The Czech Bishops’ Conference encourages people to look for community activities in the virtual world. The online portal “Man and Faith” provides opportunities to pray together the Rosary, the Way of the Cross, the Lauds, while also offering lectures, holy masses, reflections and many other ways to boost one’s spiritual life. Mgr. Tomáš Holub, Bishop of Pilsen, invites believers to take the most of all current limitations: “Although it may seem paradoxical, it’s the right time to revive our active mature faith and strengthen our faithfulness in prayer. Let´s not be just passive consumers of online services, let´s be men and women of prayer – each of us, both individually and in small communities as a domestic church”. Bishop Holub points to the fact that Christians may face the despair of Good Friday these days, but we are invited to cope with it, to fill our lives with that hope for goodness that brings fulfilment to every person: “Our hope must be more contagious than the virus!”.
Gigliola Alfaro