Malaysian Catholics ‘go livestream’ for Sunday worship

The Covid-19 pandemic which has crippled every sector of global industry and disrupted the normal lifestyle of people worldwide - saw Christians in Malaysia literally “going on their knees” before their personal computers, to partake in the celebration of the holy mass beamed livestream.

Mar 21, 2020

By Joseph Masilamany
The Covid-19 pandemic which has crippled every sector of global industry and disrupted the  normal lifestyle of people worldwide - saw Christians in Malaysia literally “going on their knees” before their personal computers, to partake in  the celebration of the holy mass beamed livestream.

The online Sunday worship, the first in the history of the local Church will be a unique feature beginning March 14 till March 29, in response to a recent pastoral letter issued by the Catholic Bishops of Peninsular Malaysia.

This was soon followed by announcements of Mass suspensions from the Arch/Dioceses in East Malaysia.

Other churches too including the Anglican communities in West and East Malaysia have also taken similar measures to stall the spread of the deadly pandemic.

So what was it like to celebrate the holy Eucharist via livestream?

The Nathans comprising retired technician Nathan Mariasoosai, his wife Rose and daughter, Juanita, who live in Alam Megah, cleared their dinner table of all other paraphernalia and placed an Acer PC on it, making sure it was fully charged to avoid a “low batt” situation midway.

The service commenced precisely at 10.30am beamed from the Church of the Divine Mercy, Shah Alam — with the main celebrant, Fr Andrew Kooi of the Holy Family Church in Kajang, greeting his “online flock”. He was assisted by Kuala Lumpur Archdiocese chancellor, Fr Michael Chuah who also  presented the celebration in sign language for the benefit of the hearing impaired.

With both pastors at the altar, the liturgy for the Third Sunday in Lent commenced and ended with all reverence and sanctity.

After the nearly hour-long celebration was over, Rose said, it felt like she was physically attending Mass in the church.

“There was so much solemnity and reverence in the home even before the mass, as we prepared ourselves spiritually for this new online form of Sunday worship,” she says.

I am grateful to the Church for providing this special service, otherwise we will be like sheep without our Sunday pasturing and left bereft of our pastor’s teaching for the week.

Her daughter Juanita, a special needs child educator, said, though I was not physically in church, I felt somehow included in the celebration. I also felt blessed at the holy  moment of consecrating the bread and wine. Our home felt like a sacred place where the silence and symbols of the liturgy came alive so enchantingly.

She added that although there was no distribution of holy communion, the alternative ‘spiritual communion’ was quite sufficient for the moment in the light of the critical pandemic situation outside.

“But I missed the physical fellowship among friends and other churchgoers though,” added Juanita.

“Online mass is not the same as our physical presence in church, but thanks to digital technology, we have some alternative way to keep holy our Sabbath day. This online service was well celebrated and I thank the Church for taking these measures to adhere to the call of the health authorities to help stall the spread of the virus,” says Arukanathan.

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