CNA Staff, Sep 14, 2020 / 12:01 pm
Bishop Philip Egan of Portsmouth wrote Sunday to the people of his diocese encouraging them to return to churches for Mass and private prayer.
He wrote to Catholics and "to everyone of good will, to those 'with ears to hear', to anyone searching for God, and to all who wish to meet His Son, Jesus Christ and to know more about His Gospel. I say to you all: Come back! Come back to Mass! Come back to church for private prayer! Come back to visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament! You are truly welcome – we have missed you!"
Bishop Egan's pastoral letter, 'Come back to me' says the Lord, was issued Sept. 13.
He called the recent months of the coronavirus pandemic 'extraordinary', and noted the hard work of medical staff and key workers, as well as what has been done in the Diocese of Portsmouth by priests, parishioners, and chaplains.