Ban on Public Worship in Mozambique amid COVID-19 Causing “much greater” Damage: Prelate

On March 5, Mozambique’s President Filipe Nyusi extended the ban on public worship as a measure to control the spread of COVID-19 in the country. The Head of State had placed a ban on religious and social gatherings on February 4. 

The Southern African nation has recorded 64,516 cases of the coronavirus including 725 fatalities and 50,380 recoveries. 

In his statement, the Argentinian-born Archbishop says religious gatherings play an important role in educating the people of God about COVID-19 measures. 

“All prevention measures, as is rightly pointed out, can do little without the responsible participation of each citizen,” he says and poses, “How do we educate ourselves to this responsibility, to this caring for one another? Don't religions have a contribution to make?” 

Amid the restrictions, Archbishop Zuanna calls on the people of God in the Southern African nation to view the measures as an opportunity to enhance worship in the families. 

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“Not being able to gather in community, not having our catechism meetings, makes us discover that the Church is a family of families, that our home has the vocation to be the ‘Church of the home, a space for the manifestation and growth of faith,’” Archbishop Zuanna says. 

He adds that not being able to participate in Sunday Eucharistic celebration “emphasizes that the Christian life is not reduced to a celebration, but that it is fruitful and manifests itself in daily family, work, and social life.”

Making reference to the Gospel of St. John, the Archbishop adds, “Not being able to receive the Body of Christ in the Eucharist regularly makes us discover the value of the words of the Gospel where Jesus says: ‘If anyone keeps my word, I and the Father will come to him and make our home in him’ (Jn 14:23).”

The Archbishop of Beira adds that not having catechism classes is an invitation for the faithful to “assume the necessity of our Christian formation with the frequent listening to the Word of God and to be the evangelizers of our children.”

“Our liturgies are an experience of encounter with God; but sometimes the external manifestations distract us from what is essential: personal prayer favors the encounter with Him,” he says.

Making reference to Easter triduum, the Archbishop says that the celebration will be marked while appreciating that the COVID-19 restrictions are indicating “the centrality of the family in the experience of faith and its transmission; living the faith in everyday life beyond the moments of celebration; giving thanks for the communion with God that is not limited to Eucharistic communion; listening to the Word of God with our children, cultivating personal prayer, showing our joy for the great feast of Easter.”

“Our closed churches resemble Jesus imprisoned and nailed to the cross; but it was even through this immobility that He manifested his closeness to our suffering humanity and saved us by conquering hatred, sin, and death,” he further says.

“May Mary, the courageous woman at the foot of the cross, rejoice with us when she meets the Risen One who tells us: ‘Peace be with you,’” Archbishop Zuanna implores.