MISSION AND MINISTRY | The global pandemic that began in January 2020 has challenged every aspect of our lives: Health and well-being, religion, economics, politics, and ethics have all been tested by a seemingly unrelenting wave of anger, grief, and fear.
In “Apollo’s Arrow: The Profound and Enduring Impact of Coronavirus on the Way We Live,” author Nicholas A. Christakis, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., writes, “Plagues reshape our familiar social order, require us to disperse and live apart, wreck economies, replace trust with fear and suspicion, invite some to blame others for their predicament, embolden liars, and cause grief. But plagues also elicit kindness, cooperation, sacrifice, and ingenuity.”
A webinar titled “Vaccination Is a Life Issue,” at noon PDT (3 p.m. EDT) on Aug. 31, 2021, will address some of the pressing issues raised by the pandemic from a Catholic and Christian perspective.
A panel of experts moderated by New York Times bestselling author Jeannie Gaffigan will answer questions such as: Is COVID-19 really a threat? Is the vaccine dangerous for me? Am I morally obligated to get vaccinated? Are there risks to fertility and pregnancy? Can we trust the government and the health care system?
Emphasizing Catholic and Christian perspectives and solutions, scientists, theologians, and health care professionals will sort out the real knowledge from the misinformation in an hourlong discussion aimed at improving understanding of this public health crisis and what each of can do to bring it to an end.
This event is free and open to the public, and will be streamed on Facebook Live at noon Pacific Daylight Time (3 p.m. EDT). Participants will be able to participate in the Q&A via the comments section.
