One aspect of my new life that I miss due to the pandemic is being able to attend daily Mass at St. Victoria Catholic Church. It served as a wonderful opportunity to start my day out in prayer and happiness with friends including Father Bob and his dog Arlo.

For me it was an occasion to wake up and to look forward to whatever opportunities the new day may bring to practice my faith. With the onslaught of the pandemic and the cancellation of the pre-parade St. Patrick’s Day mass at Our Lady of the Prairie Church in Belle Paine I realized that all of this was about to change. And as fate would have it on March 17 it would be St. Patrick’s Day that served as the last gathering of the faithful at St. Victoria Church and elsewhere by order of the Arch-Diocese of Minneapolis and St. Paul until the threat of the virus could be lessened or eliminated. The luck of the Irish would need to pause.

Although it was certainly sad that Mass at churches would no longer be allowed it was also understandable due to the nature of the virus and how it could be spread in larger social settings. Immediately churches of all different denominations sprang into action and looked at different ways that their message could continue to be brought to their parishioners. St. Victoria and Father Bob chose to “go live” each week with their 5 p.m. Saturday Mass which was also available to watch as a recording. It was fun to listen to friends and neighbors talk about other churches and how wonderful their Pastors were and asking if you get a chance to go ahead and to tune in and watch their Pastor and their church.

So that’s what I did. My first venture was a virtual trek with my friend Kathy Skinner to St. Theresa’s Catholic Church in Deephaven. I’m not exactly certain if this is proper but let it be known that we enjoyed a glass of wine while watching and participating in this Mass. What a beautiful church and its online video was well put together and presented. Next I figured what the heck and asked myself why not try going to a church somewhere out of state. I always wanted to visit St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York so I went online and sure enough – there was a weekday Mass for me to participate in. Not only was I impressed with its grandeur it made me want to go there even more than before so I moved it up a few notches on my “to-do bucket list.” My next weekday trek took me to EWTN but this was not so much what I used to for a weekday experience so I continued my journey elsewhere finding “Word on Fire” and Bishop Barron which I believe is video shopped out of Los Angeles. Bishop Barron is proof positive that God gives us all different gifts and strengths and that he is an excellent example of someone who has found his calling in being a preacher in the Catholic Church. The Barron’s Chapel has served as my go-to weekday service with other stops along the way including St. John the Baptist in Jordan and Chaska’s Guardian Angels. My online church seeking has also allowed me a visit to a recorded service of St. John’s Lutheran Church where my friend Pastor Snow presides just to hear how he uses God’s word to help others.

If you have not already done so go ahead and give it a try! Visiting other churches and participating in spiritual communion will give you a new perspective on everything including church lectors, cantors, deacons, priests, and bishops.

Here’s to hoping for a quick return to socially distanced in-person worship but in the meantime I plan on watching Mass at St. Victoria while I continue on my virtual visits to Catholic Churches from throughout our great country. Stay healthy and stay positive!

Redman is a member at St. Victoria in Victoria