--- title: Lent and Easter During the COVID-19 Pandemic description: Pam Spano considers the changes that have occurred in her routines, especially the spiritual ones, since the beginning of the pandemic. image: https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2020-0423-PSpano-Logan-Square-Blossoms.jpg --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2020/04/23/lent-and-easter-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/#) # Lent and Easter During the COVID-19 Pandemic Apr 23, 2020 5:00:11 PM  |  by [Pam Spano](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/pam-spano) ![featured image](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2020-0423-PSpano-Logan-Square-Blossoms.jpg) [caption id="attachment_170887" align="aligncenter" width="800"]!["Lent and Easter during the covid-19 pandemic" by Pam Spano (CatholicMom.com)](http://catholicmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2020-0423-PSpano-Logan-Square-Blossoms.jpg) Copyright 2020 Pam Spano. All rights reserved.[/caption] Whether you are a cradle Catholic or a convert like me, this has probably been the strangest Lent and Easter of your lifetime. Not being able to attend Mass has been a painful and challenging experience. [tweet "This has probably been the strangest Lent and Easter of your lifetime. By @CatholicReally"] My husband, oldest son and I were last at church on March 13, 2020 to lead the singing for the Stations of the Cross at [St. Therese Chinese Catholic Church](http://www.chicagonow.com/being-catholic-really/2014/03/the-stations-of-the-cross-at-st-therese-chinese-catholic-church/#image/1). That Friday, Fr. Li announced the closing of the church. I felt like I had just walked into the funeral of a loved one. Shortly after that, my husband got the call that the [retirement home](http://www.chicagonow.com/being-catholic-really/2016/07/the-stations-of-the-cross-2/#image/1) where he is the choir director was also closed due to the pandemic. My heart broke for the residents. Mass is very important to them. This must be very frightening for them as they are all at high risk for the virus. During this time, my [*Magnificat*](http://us.magnificat.net/) and my [*Every Sacred Sunday*](https://everysacredsunday.com) journal became my church. Our combined parishes of St. Therese & St. Barbara began the process of making [videos](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzAgZ6h3s85o_fB3QSYO2VQ) for parishioners. My [Being Catholic … Really Facebook page](https://www.facebook.com/beingcatholic.really/) was a great source of comfort to me, as we all found ourselves in the [*Groundhog Day*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GncQtURdcE4) movie. People began to find ways to share their faith in ways we could not have done had this happened twenty years ago. [Boredom](http://www.chicagonow.com/being-catholic-really/2020/03/be-grateful-that-youre-bored-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/#/) set in quickly as I was used to going out and doing different things. I soon became grateful for the boredom. None of us were sick and we had toilet paper! Eventually, [I found things to do](http://www.chicagonow.com/being-catholic-really/2020/04/what-are-you-doing-during-the-covid-19-virus-quarantine/#image/1) and I began to [change my route when I walked](http://www.chicagonow.com/being-catholic-really/2020/04/going-outside-during-the-covid-19-virus/#image/1). There have been disappointments. I was to travel this year. My brand-new passport sits in a drawer waiting to begin the journey. I have been praying to St. Rocco (patron saint of pandemics) and St. Christopher (patron saint of travel) to end this. My own selfishness has emerged. As we continue on this unknown journey, I pray for all to be healthy, for our lives to return to “normal,” and that we all grow in faith, finding our own comfort and blessings in our new experience of church. --- *Copyright 2020 Pam Spano* ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2020%2F04%2F23%2Flent-and-easter-during-the-covid-19-pandemic%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2020%2F04%2F23%2Flent-and-easter-during-the-covid-19-pandemic%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2020%2F04%2F23%2Flent-and-easter-during-the-covid-19-pandemic%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Lent%20and%20Easter%20During%20the%20COVID-19%20Pandemic) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2020%2F04%2F23%2Flent-and-easter-during-the-covid-19-pandemic%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2020%2F04%2F23%2Flent-and-easter-during-the-covid-19-pandemic%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Pam Spano](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Pam%20Spano%202024.jpeg) ### [Pam Spano](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/pam-spano) Pam Spano converted to the Catholic faith as an adult over 30 years ago. Her conversion story started when she sarcastically said to her Catholic boyfriend at the time, "I suppose if we were to get married, you would want me to convert." He thought for a moment and said, "Well, I am worried about your soul." And so the journey began ... ## Related Blog Articles [ Is Thanksgiving the one holiday we can all agree on? Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2016/11/24/thanksgiving-one-holiday-can-agree) [ Facebook Memories During a Pandemic Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/facebook-memories-during-a-pandemic) [ Do You Veil at Mass? Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/do-you-veil-at-mass) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! 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