«The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a drastic change in the life of the local Church of Botswana. Amidst the crisis, most parishes have adjusted to the cultural change,» say, in a reflection sent to Agenzia Fides, the Congregation of the «Sisters of Calvary».
For five weeks the country has been in lockdown to prevent the spread of Covid-19. At this juncture, the nuns write, «The people of God have now come to understand the concept of the Family as the Domestic Church, the initial place where the young, baptized Christians learn their faith. God is honored, prayer is a normal event, and virtue is transmitted during this time of trial. They have slowly come to understand the possibility of spiritual communion when circumstances don’t permit the communal celebration of the liturgy. On – line Eucharistic celebration by the local clergy plays a role as they daily receive Gospel messages, although not all the faithful have the same opportunity.»
As for the life of their order, the «Sisters of Calvary» say that «the lockdown has forced the sisters to cancel all the
planned programs during the month of April and May including annual retreats and meetings. We were forced to stop our ministries such as prison visits and closure of preschools in order to adhere to government directives».
The sisters in their local communities ensure that the vulnerable are offered the basic needs. Sisters who work as social workers are involved in the distribution of food baskets to the community. On the other hand, wearing of masks is mandatory. The sisters are busy and tirelessly making masks in order to help the society adhere to the health regulations. Nonetheless, psychosocial therapy is offered through the media to ensure mental stability and motivation despite the social restrictions they have to respect and adhere to for safety and protection. Finally, the sisters take care of the environment around us «Compassion for creation and hands-on activity creates peacefulness and eliminates worry and anxiety posed by the Covid-19 pandemic», they conclude.
