During the fasting period, some churches opened up their doors then opened up the dialogue, allowing parishioners to share their hopes and fears about a Donald Trump administration. St. Catherine of Alexandria in Riverside also offered a Lenten-style meal.
“This was not a peaceful election. The church can offer hope, love, [and] soup as a way to say we need to come back together,” says Deacon John DeGano, who lead the evening with prayer. “We allowed ourselves to be our lesser selves. Through reconciliation, we can stand with each other, we can smile at each other and it’s not going to hurt.”
Prayer was exactly what parishioner John Gascon needed after the contentious 2016 election.
“I felt a bunch of emotions….scared for a little bit, disappointed. At one point, I thought the best way to deal with this is to detach myself from the proceedings and be apathetic about it,” he said. “But then that’s not what we’re called to do. It’s not a faith of passiveness. It’s a faith of action.”
Joshua Betancourt also thought it was important to take part and include his children. The new parishioner feels upbeat about a Trump presidency.
“I believe that God certainly has appointed leaders in our country. We trust His divine providence to appoint that person whom He desires to be in office.”
No nervousness coming from parishioner Larry Landweer, either. As a member of several ministries, he says if we all do our part, everything will be okay.
“I’m not as concerned as a lot of people are,” he said. “Let Donald Trump do his thing.”
His wife, Mary Ann, is not so sure. Earlier in the day, she went to Mass, then ministered to the sick. She often meets caregivers that are undocumented and afraid. What might happen to them is just one of the many issues that trouble her.
“I’m just concerned that they’re going to try to undo in a very hasty fashion a lot of the things that were put in place,” Mary Ann said. “I know Obamacare is not the end all be all but it is something for people. And so I don’t want them to throw out the baby with the bathwater.”
She went on to say that the prayer and fasting called for by Bishop Barnes gave her a way to channel those fears.
“It was one of those days where I really thought about things. This was a good culmination. This was kind of a warm-up to Lent.”
And just like Lent, the faithful were asked to eat lightly but only on the day suggested for their parish in a calendar distributed by the Diocese. DeGano says that while fasting, we close our mouths in an effort to open our eyes.
“Fasting is a spiritual discipline that allows us to step back and evaluate ourselves,” he says. “ We can see what is distracting us, keeping us from prayer, from going to church. Perhaps then we can see God acting around us.”
DeGano didn’t endorse any candidate or party. He did ask attendees to pray that our new leader will remember the Common Good. Betancourt wants Trump to remember his promises.
“I want him to uphold what is good, what is true, what is sacred and those areas he advocated for which are important to Catholics.”
Others who attended the gathering are hoping for more civility. Parishioner Robert Lucero doesn’t like Trump’s tone.
“He should watch what he says,” Lucero asserted. “Words do hurt people.”
But still, he will pray for the President.
“I pray he’s going to do a good job for our country. Prayer gives me peace of mind.”
14-year-old Xavier Gonzalez said he wants peace for the entire country. With tightly shut eyes and tightly clasped hands, he made this request…
“That the hate would stop cause there’s a lot of hate going on between both sides.”
Mary Ann Landweer agrees…
“Maybe we can work together. Maybe there will be some middle of the road compromises.”
Natalie Romano is a freelance writer and a parishioner of The Holy Name of Jesus in Redlands.