Technology has become a "good ally", perfect for Guatemalan Churches, reaching thousands of faithful who are forbidden to meet for liturgies, due to the lockdown imposed to stop the spread of Covid-19. Both the Catholic Church and the Evangelical Church in Guatemala urge the faithful "not to lose faith in God and not to despair" in the midst of the pandemic.
"This terrible moment will pass quickly, God willing but, as holy people of God, we must protect life", says Father Donaldo Rodríguez, parish priest of San Pedro parish in the capital of Guatemala, in a message to the faithful.
Technology, explained the parish priest to Fides, has become a useful tool to bring the Word of God to the homes of Guatemalans, but it is also a challenge: "This reality has represented a real challenge for us. We did not know how to use the media such as the Internet, Facebook…", he says. And now, he notes, "even the priest's work has increased: sometimes I have to preach eight times on Sundays".
"The fact that the community does not physically come to church – he explains- and the fact that we cannot go to the communities does not mean that the need for God has been suspended: on the contrary, today it remains strong in the hearts of the faithful, especially in this time of difficulty.
The Word of God has the strength to bring consolation and hope among the people", says Father Rodríguez. And the faithful, he notes, seek closeness and the announcement of the Word of God through the Internet, which proves to be a useful means in this precarious situation.
Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Costa Rica still keep their religious (churches) closed. In Nicaragua only the evangelical churches have remained open.