The Covid-19 Pandemic has made us all homebound to a significant degree; some call it ÒquarantinedÓ. This should have given us all a taste of what the homebound go through every day of their lives. Unless living with family, at best their relationships have been limited at best to one on one encounters with family and friends, sandwiched between doctorsÕ visits.
What inspired the two current co-authors to publish this book is a manuscript by an anonymous author that has been circulating among some of us for over 20 years. That author had the foresight and concern to minister to the spiritual needs of the homebound by creating a virtual five-day retreat for them. We co-authors on our part thereby strive to encourage both homebound and active members alike to expand their ministry well beyond one on one contacts. The homebound themselves should take the lead, but with active members assuming a significant helping role by providing for the spiritual and computer needs of the homebound.
It should not be considered a coincident that Holy Mother Church, late in 2020, the Year of Covid-19, has provided us with a heavenly intercessor for that very ministry. Blessed Carlo Acutis., In his short 15 years of life on earth, showed us how to use the computer to spread the Good News for young and old alike. His great devotion to St. Francis moved him to request burial in Assisi. How we pray that the International Third Order find a way to induct him posthumously into the Secular Franciscans!
ÒOh, First Millennial Blessed Carlo, help us to use the vast powers of the computer to evangelize our homebound and isolated members.Ó