The shadow of the crucifix loomed over the altar and the steps leading to it. Last week, Fr. Mike Schmitz pointed to its origin, an image of Christ crucified suspended in the center of the building, and spoke, of all the things in the world, about persevering through adversity.
He very likely did not know– if he did he did not mention it–that the parish from which he was addressing a worldwide Internet audience knew a thing or two about this topic. The parishioners hosting Father Schmitz were not only enduring a pandemic and the usual wordly Catholic opposition looming as closely as the cell phones in the pockets of each attendee.