Social media is the saviour of two Cumbernauld parishes

In theory, the ministry of Father John Campbell of Sacred Heart and St Lucy’s has diminished owing to the Coronavirus.

Yet the priest insists that the parishes are trying even harder to band together though their churches remain shut.

Father John admitted: “The biggest blow was when were asked to refrain from gathering for services. That’s been the hardest thing for me personally. I miss my people very much and I know they feel the same.

“We are a community still united though distanced from each other.

“One of the things that is helping us keep together is social media. We live stream Mass every morning at 10am.

“In these Lenten evenings we have one of our deacons in training giving a Lenten reflection at 7.30pm and on Sunday at 11am we have a ‘bring your own coffee and toast’ on google hangout where we can have an online café, from our own homes.

Many of our own parishioners are also heavily involved in the Cumbernauld Resiliance group gathering donations of cash and food, and distributing them to needy families.

“These crisis either bring out the worst in people or the best. All I have seen so far is good. People willing to help, assist, and support. We are learning a new way to be parish and hopefully a new way to be a community.

“Hopefully these lessons will last and enrich our future as the community of Cumbernauld. We long for the day when our church will re open for Mass and we’ll have a real party afterwards!’’

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