Kasih Interfaith Dialogue 2021 - Rev Fr Dr Clarence Devadass

1. Confronting Life & Death
in Pandemic Times:
A Christian Perspective
Rev Fr Dr Clarence Devadass
Catholic Research Centre
4 December 2021

2. The Christian Faith
and the Pandemic Catholic Research Centre

3. Catholic Research Centre
Faith is both a personal
and communal
relationship. In the
assembly of believers -
we profess our faith
together and join our
hearts as we experience
ourselves as the
community of faith.

4. Our personal faith
brings us into a
relationship with God’s
people, and the faith of
the entire people
strengthens us in our
relationship with God.
Catholic Research Centre

5. As concern over
the spread of
coronavirus grew,
the communal
aspects of our
faith life were
severely disrupted.
Catholic Research Centre

6. Churches were
empty… persons
were replaced
with pictures.
Catholic Research Centre

7. Unusual
Not the
same
Not
like
Church
Too
robotic
Miss my
community
Catholic Research Centre

8. Not only did face to
face engagement
became impossible,
social emotional
support structures
were disrupted…
with consequences.
Catholic Research Centre

9. For many people,
the “crisis” was
trying to make
sense of all that
was happening
around us.
Catholic Research Centre

10. The “traditional”
meaning of life and
death is now
challenged and
people have had to
reconstruct the
meaning of life &
death due to the
multi-faceted
disruptions.
Catholic Research Centre

11. Facing death or
grieving the death of a
loved one has “forced”
many people to
confront the questions
about life and human
mortality.
Catholic Research Centre

12. The Christian
Vision of
Life and Death
Catholic Research Centre

13. Catholic Research Centre

14. The Christian life is a pilgrimage
Catholic Research Centre

15. There is only one
certainty in life…
that is, death.
Therefore, every
Christian seeks to
do everything
possible to arrive
at that transition
point “worthy” of
meeting God, our
Creator.
Catholic Research Centre

16. Catholic Research Centre

17. Faith in a Time of Crisis
Catholic Research Centre

18. Where is God?
Why is God
punishing us?
What is God
saying to
us?
Is this
the end
of the
world?
Why must
this
happen
to me?
Catholic Research Centre

19. The challenge
faced by Church
leaders is to help
people find
meaning and
answers in the
midst of chaos.
Catholic Research Centre

20. Whether spiritual,
existential, or
philosophical, the
questions were real in
the quest to find
equilibrium.
Catholic Research Centre

21. Death anxiety
cannot be seen on
its own – this only
leads to despair.
Human mortality
has to be seen in the
light of Christian
hope – of a life
beyond this material
world.
Catholic Research Centre

22. Often I found myself
“lost for words” because
some of these questions
come from a place where
people are hurting,
angry, and even
confused.
Catholic Research Centre

23. Catholic Research Centre

24. Facing
Uncertainties?
Catholic Research Centre

25. 1 Corinthians 13:13
Catholic Research Centre

26. FAITH
To assure people to
not lose faith in a
time of crisis. Even
in a time like this,
God accompanies
his people.
Catholic Research Centre

27. HOPE
To not lose hope in
times of adversity in
God and in
humanity. When
you have lost hope,
you have lost
everything.
Catholic Research Centre

28. LOVE
To show love
through means of
concrete actions
and support
structures. It only
further concretizes
faith and hope.
Catholic Research Centre

29. Facing human
mortality & death is
never easy, even for a
person of faith. We
cannot take away the
“human processes”
which include fear,
uncertainty, guilt, etc.
Catholic Research Centre

30. Faith offers the light at
the end of that tunnel,
that is, Jesus Christ,
who awaits with love
to fulfil the promise of
eternal life.
Catholic Research Centre

31. Isaiah 41:10
Catholic Research Centre

32. For a Christian,
faith and hope in
God must be the
anchor that this
journey is founded
on… the anchor
that holds us firm
and solid through
any storm.
Catholic Research Centre

33. The rite of baptism
assures Christians
of God’s
accompaniment
throughout one’s
earthly life.
Catholic Research Centre

34. Catholic Research Centre
The rite of Christian
funeral assures
Christians of God’s
promise and
accompaniment
into the eternal life.

35. Catholic Research Centre
Swiss theologian, 1905 - 1988

36. Catholic Research Centre