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Johnny Ramirez, 22, a senior at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, is back home in Arizona, in an apartment overlooking the downtown district of Tucson. Even while the streets are quieter in the midst of “social distancing” due to COVID-19, Ramirez wanted a sacred space.
“I felt I really wanted to welcome the Lord into my place,” he said, dedicating a room in his apartment to prayer, which includes a crucifix in the corner, a picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe, holy water, a Bible, two rosaries and other items of religious significance. It’s the first time he’s ever dedicated a room to prayer, but wanted this time of isolation to be a chance to dedicate to the Lord.
“I pray here an hour or so, 30 minutes each day since there’s so much more time,” he said. “… I think just having this room, knowing there’s a place dedicated just for him, makes it more welcoming to pray here.”
Ramirez and other Catholics are working to make their homes more sacred as public Masses and most ministries have been canceled due to the virus.
‘Beauty out of the dust’
Amid the business of raising four children, Jennifer Tucker makes time for morning Scripture reflections in her living room chair, with religious images, her Bible and the book “Jesus Calling” on her prayer table. Jennifer and husband Matt Tucker, principal at St. Joseph Middle School and parishioners at St. Joseph Church in Conway, also have a “sacramental table” in their entryway, with family photos of first Communion, wedding photos and a crucifix. It was a natural transition to create a holy space for livestreaming Mass in their living room. Throughout Lent and Holy Week, their altar has evolved to match the liturgy, including fresh flowers from their garden to liturgical colors, including red and purple.
“The first time we did it, I could tell that it wasn’t set apart, it was too casual as far as the family having the feeling they were at Mass,” she said of their first livestream Mass. “After that I went ahead and thought, ‘I need to make this more special.’ So they’re not just looking at a computer screen, so it’s similar to the altar we see at church and it’d remind them of that. Just something to remind us we are celebrating Mass even though we’re not able to celebrate in the church.”
Jennifer Tucker said as someone who typically attends daily Mass, there are fruits coming out of this dark time. During livestream daily Mass, she was happy to see about 60 to 70 individuals
livestreaming a Monday Mass, more than those who attend in person. Tucker said her online watch party for Mass included a friend, a fallen-away Catholic, who watched during his lunch break with his Protestant co-workers, some of whom had never seen a Mass.
“He noted it was exactly what he needed” to hear in the homily, she said.
“I feel like the Lord is really — of course this is an awful time for many, but even in the midst of all this — he’s still making good out of the bad,” Tucker said. “Making beauty out of the dust and broken. God is using this online Mass to reach out to those souls he hasn’t been able to reach out to before now.”
Byron Newton, a diaconate candidate, and his wife Kalisa, parishioners at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Rogers, have set up a special table under their mounted TV, filled with religious items that mean something to the family — statues of St. Therese of Lisieux, St. Patrick and a ceramic angel their 5-year-old daughter Ezri brought out.
“I think for us it was pulling in things that already draw us into the faith,” Kalisa Newton said, along with allowing their children to contribute to the space.
“We kind of want to make sure it doesn’t feel like we’re sitting on the couch watching a movie,” Byron Newton said, adding they bring in chairs from the kitchen to act as “pews.” To entertain their children, Ezri, Myka, 2½, and Jace, 1, they have a basket of children’s Bible books, a rosary and stuffed lamb, things more “spiritually focused” rather than just their typical toys.
“I think the biggest thing is definitely I have a new appreciation of being able to receive the Eucharist every week and whenever we want with daily Mass … in our current situation, it has brought new focus to the importance of receiving Jesus.”
‘Peaceful time’
Ramirez, a cradle Catholic, fell away from his faith only to return to it this year as a member of Catholic Campus Ministry in Conway. While he misses CCM, a drawing from one of the ministry leaders that he won as a prize is hanging in his prayer room.
“Everybody’s journey in my spiritual life is here,” he said of the religious items that were all gifts that fill his prayer room. “It makes you less lonely I think because there are people in your life always there for you and praying for you as well.”
Having a separate space has allowed him to pray the rosary daily, journal and just spend time with the Lord.
“Having that space welcoming him into your own home, when everything goes back to normal it’ll remind you of a more peaceful time,” he said.
Deacon Tom and his wife Sharon Pohlmeier, parishioners at St. Joseph Church in Paris, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in September and have used this time to grow spiritually as a couple.
“It has certainly strengthened our prayer and meditation time,” said Sharon Pohlmeier, who works as the church secretary. The time has included morning and evening prayer, the Divine Mercy Chaplet at 3 p.m. along with a novena and a 6:45 p.m. daily family rosary. They connect via the Google Duo app with their five children, including son Father Erik Pohlmeier, and whoever is available to join in, along with the grandchildren.
“It’s wonderful because we get to see the kids every day and then we can chit chat just a few minutes before or after,” she said. “… It has really been a strong faith enrichment for us. One of the things we talked about too is that in countries where faith is taken away, faith becomes stronger.”
For livestream Mass, the couple have an altar that Deacon Pohlmeier built about 10 years ago when Father Pohlmeier would do home Masses. It includes an altar cloth, the Order of Mass book, candles, a crucifix and a drawing of the Holy Family from a grandchild. For Holy Week, other elements were added, including a statue of Jesus washing feet.
“It’s important because we can stay so connected to the Mass. When we watch Christ the King (Church in Little Rock) Mass every day at noon, we’re still connected to all the people who are watching that Mass or any Mass throughout the world,” Sharon Pohlmeier said.
