“To survive and flourish in such a world (of uncertainty), you will need a lot of mental flexibility and great reserves of emotional balance. You will have to repeatedly let go of some of what you know best, and feel at home in the unknown.”Yuval Noah Harari.
Indeed, ‘for the times they are a changin …’ so rang out the words of the 1960s anthem. Will they ever be the same again post-Covid? I doubt it. Perhaps they shouldn’t be!! We continue to plough on into the dark unknown of pandemic. Accusations can become a norm as to the best way forward. Conspiracy theories abound on social media. The reality is what it is. We need to protect ourselves, and especially our very stretched NHS staff.
Whilst we jostle on a European level for access to vaccines, we easily forget the less well off countries delegated to the lower rungs of that ladder of ‘first come, first served’ mentality. “Whilst 39 million doses have been administered to at least 49 better off countries, 25, yes 25! doses have been administered in lower income countries.” The World Health Organisation.
Again, can I thank you for supporting our efforts to protect you, especially the vulnerable, in maintaining shutdown of our churches. It hasn’t been easy trying to do the best thing, but I do feel it best to err on the side of safety. I continue to reflect and pray daily as to the next best step to taken in ensuring you are safe. A keen ear to numbers, local and national, and how pressured our medics are, continues to be the important barometer.
Sadly, Fr. Robert Riedling has returned home to Australia this week. His decision to return had to be made quickly in view of the special flights laid on by the Australian government to repatriate Australian citizens abroad in this present pandemic. Fr. Robert has been a great support to me this past year whilst residing in St. Bede’s Presbytery. His contribution to the parish of St. Patrick’s in Langley Moor has been immense. We wish him well. His parents will be delighted to have him home.