December the 6th, 2020 – The ongoing coronavirus crisis has made just about everything ten times more difficult than it should be. While the horrific stories from hospitals circulate and the worrisome financial issues being faced by companies only add to what is a very bitter tasting broth, one Rijeka pastor has thought up a plan of sorts.
Many Croatian companies have rather successfully managed to turn to online sales in order to make ends meet as facilities close down, but could we have ever imagined that the church might do the same? This Rijeka pastor has let everyone who might need to know that although he can’t come and bless anyone’s home personally because of the risk of contagion, they’re free to ”do the blessing” themselves, as long as they send their payments.
As Index writes, due to the coronavirus epidemic, the Catholic Church in Croatia, more precisely its parishes throughout Croatia, could lose significant funds they regularly receive from the blessing of houses.
As such, one Rijeka pastor with a clearly keen entrepreneurial eye sent a letter out to the faithful, inviting them to bless their own homes, while the money that is donated to the Church during the blessing of the house can be paid by the faithful into a bank account. This was stated in a letter sent by a Rijeka priest from Skurinje, Novi list writes.
“I hope you’re well. We’re living in uncertain and difficult times, times that aren’t easy at all, so, we really need God’s blessing to protect us from the coronavirus pandemic now. Unfortunately, due to the epidemiological situation, this year I decided not to to visit families to provide that blessing, so that I wouldn’t end up being a potential carrier of the coronavirus infection and disease. I want to protect both you and myself,” writes the Rijeka pastor from Skurinje.
Furthermore, the letter lists the work that the parish from Skurinje has completed and all that it continues to plan to do.
“It’s customary for families to give the priest their annual financial contribution for the needs of the parish during the blessing of the family. If you feel that need and if you want to donate your contribution to the parish this year, you can do so by bringing it to the parish office, sacristy or by sending it to the parish’s bank account,” writes the Rijeka pastor from Skurinje, thanking (from the bottom of his heart) those who choose to do so for their generosity.
“Prepare some holy water, a Bible, a cross and a candle on the table for the blessing of the family. If you don’t have holy water in your families, you can come to church with a bottle and take some,” the Rijeka pastor said before congratulating all believers on the upcoming Christmas period.
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