More Pinoys want Masses resumed amid quarantine: church survey

SOME  62 percent of respondents in a survey want Masses in churches to resume in areas under the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) and general community quarantine (GCQ). 

“This survey, initiated by Radio Veritas, use(d) a stratified sample of 1,200 respondents nationwide for a +/- 3 percent margin of error (gathered through a text-based and online data gathering process). The following information is indicative of the respondents’ perception of the resumption of church Masses in MECQ/GCQ Areas inclusive of the dates covering May 1-15, 2020,” Bro. Clifford Sorita, head of the Veritas Truth Survey, said in a statement Tuesday.

He said 62 percent of the respondents wanted the Eucharistic celebrations to resume in MECQ/GCQ areas with the implementation of strict social distancing and hygienic practices while 16 percent were opposed, and 22 percent were undecided.

“When analyzed geographically, those living in the Visayas had the highest desire for reopening at 90 percent, followed by Mindanao at 80 percent, then Luzon at 55 percent,” Sorita added.

Those not in favor of the resumption were recorded in Luzon with 30 percent, followed by the Visayas at 7 percent, and Mindanao at 3 percent.

Some 17 percent of the undecided respondents were in Mindanao, 15 percent in Luzon, and 3 percent in the Visayas.

“This spiritual hunger for church Masses to resume is indicative of the need to maintain spiritual wellness in the midst of Covid-19. Social distancing will remain the greatest challenge to spiritual wellness because it will hamper religious gatherings within the faith experience of Catholic devotees,” Sorita said.

Citing Matthew 4:4, which says "man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God," he added that feeding the soul is just as important as feeding the body during these trying times.

Sorita said allowing the people to attend Mass would help them heal.

“But allowing people to attend church Masses under strict hygienic and social distancing practices is not just a way of nourishing the soul but a means as well of healing the community through a sense of communal solidarity in dealing with this traumatic health crisis brought about by Covid-19. Fear and anxiety will be our greatest concern under the new normal but faith and solidarity will help us endure,” he added.