Church likely to undergo a transformation in the post-pandemic era
Students walk toward St. Thomas of Villanova Church on the campus of Villanova University near Philadelphia March 11, 2021. (CNS photo/Chaz Muth)
By Chaz Muth • Catholic News Service • Posted March 16, 2021
WASHINGTON (CNS) The churchgoing experience may be different once the threat of COVID-19 is minimized and church experts are forecasting fewer Catholics overall in the pews.
Fewer people attending church will require a radical restructuring of parish life in many parts of the U.S. in the post-pandemic era, said Matthew F. Manion, faculty director of the Center for Church Management at Villanova University near Philadelphia.
Elgin school mourns loss of teacher who poured her heart and her soul into job
St. Thomas More Catholic School eighth-grade teacher Missy Craig died unexpectedly last weekend. She s pictured waving at students during a car parade in the school parking lot in April, 2020, so teachers could get a little face-time with their students during the early stages of the pandemic. Rick West | Staff Photographer
Andrea Rivera, a former student at St. Thomas More Catholic School, signs a memorial sign near the entrance of the Elgin school for eighth-grade teacher Missy Craig, who died unexpectedly last weekend. She definitely shaped me to be the student I am today, said Rivera, 17, a senior at St. Edward Central Catholic High School.
AP
Roberto Mata gives his wife Mary Alice a kiss on the forehead by their Christmas tree.
CHAPARRAL, New Mexico Roberto and Mary Alice Mata, married for nearly 50 years, share smiles and hold onto each other’s hands inside their home. A Christmas tree is decorated with the names of family members, and photos of children and grandchildren cover an entire wall, with crosses scattered throughout.
The Matas fill their home in southern New Mexico with warmth and gratitude, a stark difference from the uncertainty and fear that has defined much of 2020.
The family is not immune from the year’s despair. In April, three family members tested positive for Covid-19. Roberto Mata spent more than six weeks in the ICU, as close to death as one can be.