Look after your Spiritual Wellbeing

By Bishop Anthony Randazzo

My dear sisters and brothers in Christ,

So much is being said these days regarding physical and psychological wellbeing. It is a timely conversation, as countless people are challenged by the COVID lockdown foisted by the Delta strain of the virus. For many in our community and beyond, there is great disquiet and uncertainty. This anxiety is compounded because most are not used to being restricted, especially regarding movement in and around the community.

The physical dimension of being less active or mobile can intensify the mental anguish of ambiguity around employment and financial security, studies and education, infirmity and health care, and exclusion or separation from the community, especially from our church buildings.

Talking about issues, in this case physical and psychological needs, can be cathartic and liberating. However, if we draw a line joining those two points the result is a flat line, which lacks perspective and direction. Now is not the time to flat line. As human beings and as Catholic Christians, we are never merely physical or psychological. We are also spiritual. The Holy Spirit dwelling in us is the memorial of God-with-us. The spiritual life is not merely an optional extra, as if we put on or take off the Spirit like a fashionable piece of clothing. We are spiritual because the Spirit of God breathes divine life into us and animates us for eternal life.

These three points of reference: physical, psychological, and spiritual, are essential if the human person is to navigate life from this world to the next. They assist us in discerning who we are and where we are going. If any one of them is eliminated we flat line.

Not being able to gather in our churches for Mass, common prayer, and worship has placed a heavy burden on our community of the Church. However, the deprivation of these essential moments in our life does not dispossess us of the Spirit of God. God is ever-present to us through the beauty and grandeur of creation; by the eternal sacrifice of Christ crucified and risen; in the communion of the Holy Spirit. In these challenging times, I urge you not to forget this great mystery of faith. In the same way that each person needs to attend to their physical and psychological wellbeing, so too we have to consider our spiritual life and wellbeing.

There are many ways to do this, and so I encourage you to continue participating in live stream Masses; reading the Scriptures; praying the Rosary; reading the Lives of the Saints; praying the Liturgy of the Hours; making an examination of conscience; spending time in holy silence; praying before and after meals; attending to the needs of others via works of charity and kindness; fasting; praying for the dead; as well as considering other ways to sanctify each day.

We pride ourselves as being a free society, however the foundation of our way of life is grounded in responsible

freedom. Responsible freedom is the outcome of a life built by honesty, integrity, accountability, and justice. It is lived in charity and peace with commitment and steadfastness and is directed towards the common good. Freedom is not something that some possess, and others receive as a reward. Responsible freedom is not merely doing what I please, it is doing as I must, for the wellbeing of all, for the greater good. We enjoy this freedom only when we go beyond individual and mutual selfishness and reach out in faith to what reason recognises as objectively good and true.

In our State of New South Wales, the Public Health Orders have been very clear: we are to stay at home unless for one of four reasons – seeking medical attention, purchasing essential items, attending work if it could not be done from home, and exercising. Our community of the Church is making every effort to respond to these challenges. Our clergy, Catholic schools, and ministries of care have developed a range of initiatives to ensure our people remain connected and nourished in faith. It has been reassuring to learn of many initiatives being undertaken. It is important that we create moments for meaningful engagement with God and with each other, despite the lockdown limitations.

Our community of the Church is very much alive and active, despite the doors to our buildings being closed. I acknowledge one recent milestone worthy of celebration, the centenary of Our Lady of Dolours Church at Chatswood. In 2020, I visited Fr Jim McKeon and the parish to commemorate the laying of the foundation stone of one of the most beautiful churches in Broken Bay. This year commemorates the opening of the church building. For 100 years, our Catholic community has stood proud of the magnificent building, which is an outward sign of the interior faith of our priests and people. The online initiatives taken by Fr David Ranson and the team have been a marvellous and creative way to connect Christ’s faithful even though we are unable to gather faceto-face to celebrate.

You might wonder what you can do. The greatest thing we can do is to stay close to our faith. Through a personal encounter with Jesus Christ, we are given the promise of abundant life. We can pray for each other, pray for an end to this pandemic, pray for the safety of all those you love and Through a personal encounter with Jesus Christ, we are given the promise of abundant life. We can pray for each other, pray for an end to this pandemic, pray for the safety of all those you love of your neighbours, pray for health and peace in our time. You can also stay connected to the Church. The community of the Church which shares in a communion of life, charity, and truth is where together we become one in Christ.

Finally, I would like to express my gratitude for the many kind messages of support and prayers on the occasion of my fifth anniversary as a bishop. As I commence my sixth year, I humbly ask that you continue to pray for me, that I might serve and lead the local Church of Broken Bay with charity and kindness. Please be assured of my gratitude for all your efforts in continuing the mission to announce Jesus Christ to the world.