By: Ben Diiorio
With the evolution of the pandemic, people of faith have struggled to congregate as freely as they used to. Recently, however, the state of Connecticut lifted certain restrictions on places of worship and are allowing larger groups of people.
Before March, 19, places of worship were required to limit head counts within their respective buildings. According to the CTPost, there is no longer a cap on how many people can conjugate.
People within the priesthood are excited and relieved to welcome more people in their presence again during services. The increased headcount will not only boost morale within the building, but also be a welcomed financial improvement.
“I’m very happy to see more people coming,” said Fr. Joachim Kenney, staff chaplain for Catholic life at Quinnipiac. “Our faith is meant to be lived in community. It’s strengthened and deepened when we come together to worship God at Mass and the other opportunities for prayer.”
There are close to 20 churches in the town of Hamden, Conn. With Easter on the horizon, churches in the area are taking precautions in order to ensure safety for all of their attendees while also providing an enjoyable experience and increasing revenue.
“Personally, I am amazed to see how much most people want to go back to church because they feel the need for it,” said Miguel De la Torre, both a Quinnipiac student and pastor. “A lot of people have come to me to tell me that. The economic situation of many churches will also improve and it was beginning to concern the pastors.”
De la Torre has been a member of the priesthood for decades and takes classes at the university to better his understanding of world culture. Currently living at Novitiate of the Legionaries of Christ in Cheshire, CT, he is a strong believer in unity and bringing people together through prayer as a form of healing and happiness.
“Many of them now go (to church) because they need it,” said De la Torre when asked about his thoughts on churches increasing their capacity. “They need some spiritual strength and contact with the divine alongside other believers.”
Some Quinnipiac students are also taking the weekend to recharge their batteries and participate in the religious festivities. The school decided to give students Good Friday as a day off, holding no classes and allowing their community to participate fully from Friday to Sunday.
“I think it’s great that so many families want to come celebrate Easter in person,” said Brendan Cavaco, a senior engineering student at Quinnipiac. “But I wish the people that only came to church twice a year (Christmas and Easter), began to come more often.”
While the reality of COVID in everyday life has impacted the overall experience one gets on holy grounds, one student sees this return to normalcy as a sign of good things to come.
“I do not have any worries with COVID transmission within churches,” said Ricky Keller, a senior finance student at Quinnipiac. “The correct safety precautions are taking place and we all know that there are risks going in person.”
Map by Anthony Nichols