“Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9
It goes without saying that we are in the midst of incredibly challenging times. When life gets hard, our instincts often tell us to turn to our friends and families for support. How does this work during times of physical distancing and self-isolation?
Now more than ever, it’s important to maintain connections with the people we care about. Though we must remain physically apart, we are united through our faith, our love for one another, and God’s love for us.
When you feel sad about not being able to gather for Easter dinner with your extended family, video chat with them instead. If you’re missing coffee dates with your friends and neighbours, give them a call to let them know you’re thinking of them.
Unite with others in the faith community by viewing a live-streaming of mass, a service offered by many local parishes during this time. Previous masses can also be found online through websites such as dailytvmass.com.
In a time where it seems impossible to avoid negativity in the media, and when feelings of anxiety pose significant risks to mental health, seek out good news stories instead. Make an effort to share these stories with your loved ones to help put a smile on their face.
Share your own good news stories with us as well! We would love to see photos and videos of how you and your loved ones come together and adjust to celebrating and accessing Catholic education from home in this “new normal”. You can share with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram using #ShareYourGrACE and tagging @STARCatholic.
The work we are all doing in these unprecedented times is truly commendable. Continue to hold the line, take care of one another, and pray for each other. We will get through this, and we will do so together.
This column was submitted by STAR Catholic Schools. Donna Tugwood (donna.tugwood@starcatholic.ab.ca) is the local Trustee on the STAR Catholic Schools Division Board. STAR Catholic Schools has more than 4,400 students in 12 schools located in Beaumont, Drayton Valley, Leduc, Lacombe, Ponoka and Wetaskiwin.