In 1996, I was a newly ordained priest at a parish in Philadelphia. There, I met a little girl named Sarah. She was 10 years old, with long dark hair and the biggest blue eyes I had ever seen. Most of her time was spent at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia because a virus had damaged her heart. She loved rainbows and had made drawings of them in crayon. They were taped to the walls of her hospital room. For six months, the entire parish prayed for Sarah’s recovery.
On the day she died, I was driving on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, and the radio announcer was talking about a gigantic rainbow in the sky. It was so majestic that people were pulling off the road to gaze at it in wonder. I did the same and thought of Sarah in heaven.
One of Sarah’s aunts had been away from the Church for many years. Sarah’s suffering and death, rather than turn her aunt away from God, brought her back to the Faith. She has been a strong and faithful Catholic for these last 25 years.
I learned a very important truth as a newly ordained priest: God does not will evil, but He allows it, and He always brings some good from it. Sarah’s pain may have saved the soul of her aunt, the greatest gift anyone could ever give. We will all die someday, but our souls will live forever.
A pandemic is evil. Countless people in countries all over the world have gotten sick and died. Who will ever forget the first few days, weeks, and months of last year? It all happened so quickly. In a 48-hour period, schools were closed, students on spring break were told not to return to campus, businesses were shut down, streets were empty with no traffic at all. The social isolation was terrible. Older folks in nursing homes were denied visits even from immediate family members; people were dying in hospitals alone, with frantic nurses worrying about their own families at home, bravely working overtime, and with great compassion, holding their own cell phones to the ears of dying patients as their next of kin said goodbye.
Masses were canceled for months in countries around the world. This was unprecedented in our Church’s 2,000-year history. Who will ever forget the haunting image of Pope Francis celebrating Mass alone during Holy Week in a completely empty St. Peter’s Square? How can any of this be described as anything but evil?
And yet, when I was complaining to my brother-inlaw Dan about what a horrible year 2020 was, he paused. He told me he appreciated the time he was able to be at home with his adult kids and younger kids, who were either working or going to school from home. I then started to think about what other good has come from the virus.
I like to shake hands with friends, and even with strangers. I will never again take that, or visiting my family, for granted. My fear of getting loved ones sick, even if didn’t feel sick myself, was terrible. I have heard many people say they missed the Eucharist. To not be able to receive our Lord in Holy Communion was evil. But there are now more ways than ever to learn about the Faith at home with a computer. Many priests, religious, and fired-up laity are offering all kinds of webinars, seminars, and Bible studies online.
What other good came about as an unexpected result of the pandemic for you or your family in this past year?
BISHOP JOSEPH L. COFFEYis auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, and Vicar for Veterans Affairs. Ordained to the priesthood in Philadelphia in 1996, he served in parish ministry, as military chaplain around the world, and has been awarded numerous military honors.