April 3, 2020

Local deacon uses Facebook Live to connect in daily prayer

REGIONAL
By Carolee McGrath

Deacon Michael Forrest (Catholic Communications file photo)

HAMDPEN – From his home office in Hampden, Deacon Michael Forrest puts on his alb and stole and gets ready for evening prayer. He positions his computer and connects.

“Looking for a way to pray and worship with your brothers and sisters in faith? Searching for peace? Tonight at 7 p.m. we will be offering praise to God …” he writes in a Facebook message, letting people know of the nightly prayer service on Facebook Live.

Deacon Forrest was ordained last spring and is assigned to Christ the King Parish Ludlow. He and his wife have four children and three grandchildren. He said he felt that he needed do something to help people through the isolation caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.

“I was feeling frustrated as a deacon, trying to find a way to reach out to parishioners to let them know the church is there for them,” said Deacon Forrest.

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, Springfield Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski announced the suspension of all parish activities on March 13 to ensure the safety of all. Since the announcement, the news and guidelines have been changing rapidly with Gov. Charlie Baker announcing this week that the stay-at-home advisory will last through May 4.

As Deacon Forrest prayed for guidance, he said people started contacting him to lead them in prayer.

“They’re hungry for God, they’re hungry for community, hungry for a sense that they’re not alone,” he said. “We’ve had people who were never religious, people of other faiths, Jewish, Protestants, they’re praying along with us, putting in their prayer requests.”

At noon and at 7 p.m. daily, he goes live on Facebook, reading Scripture, offering a brief reflection, as well as prayer intentions which people can post. He also recites the St. Michael the Archangel Prayer.

“At night we start with the praise of God. We do the Serenity Prayer, then I just share with them things to help them to deal with their circumstances,” he said, referring to the anxiety and loneliness many people are dealing with. In the evening, they pray the Novena of Surrender and conclude with the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.

He said while this is not how he expected to minister to people, he felt called to continue to be the hands and feet of Christ through technology.

“It is growing each day. I feel as though God is speaking in this,” he said, adding that the time away from busy schedules is a chance to reconnect with God.

“God is saying, ‘I have so much more in store for you.’ He is calling to them, and they are listening,” said Deacon Forrest.

Deacon Forrest can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mforrest1.