"I had to tell her her husband of 54 years had died" - how coronavirus has been most challenging time for faith leaders

The "awful loss of life" in the city due to the coronavirus outbreak has devastated members of all communities and faiths, but Albert Sebastian Chait, the senior minister at the United Hebrew Congregation, says out of the tragedy he hopes for new opportunities.

He shares a prayer and message with readers that he hopes they will find comforting in what have been dark times. One of the most difficult for himself was, in his position as NHS chaplain, having to tell a woman over the phone that her husband, to whom she had been married for 54 years, had died.

Mr Chait said: "There has been awful loss of life. I have dealt with the happy and sad side of life at the moment. When it comes to things like this, people feel vulnerable and scared and they turn to faith.

"Being a minister and also the chaplain to the NHS, that is a huge challenge. I had to ring a woman and tell her that her husband of 54 years passed away. I have had some of the most challenging moments of my career but one of the things that keeps me going is people have seen a whole different side to society and I hope and pray this will be the beginning of something.

"I have been shouting out to my community that while the doors of society are in general shut and closed, the door of opportunity has never been more widely open. For me this has been the ethic of our congregation and community.

"While life is not as we know it, it has changed for everybody - where-ever you are, where you live, what you have and what you believe, this is something that has affected everybody. We have seen faiths come together in a way we have never seen before."

Prayer

The Chief Rabbi issued this prayer to congregations around the country.

"Heavenly Father,

We turn to You at this time of deep global concern, to bestow Your mercy upon all the inhabitants

of our vulnerable world, which is now so seriously afflicted.

Almighty God, who sustains the living with lovingkindness, supports the fallen and heals the sick,

grant consolation to the bereaved families and send a speedy and complete recovery to all who

have contracted the virus, as the Prophet Jeremiah declared:

“For I will restore health unto you, and I will heal you of your wounds, says the Lord”.

Bless with strength those who are suffering. Bless with resilience those in isolation. Bless with hope

those who are despondent. Bless with wisdom all those who seek a cure and bless with compassion

all those who offer comfort.

Bless the leaders of our nations. Give them and their advisors knowledge and foresight to act with

wisdom and sincerity for the wellbeing of all whom they serve.

Bless the doctors, nurses, all healthcare professionals and key workers who tirelessly seek to heal

and help those affected, while in so doing put themselves at risk.

Open our hearts in prayer and our hands in generosity to guarantee that the physical distance this

virus creates between us will be bridged through compassion and kindness.

Almighty God of healing and hope, at this time of heightened global awareness of our mutual

interdependence, enable all of humankind to appreciate the strength that comes from being united

in concern and love, rather than divided with hate and prejudice. As we look to the future, may You

endow all people with the capacity to build and sustain societies of unity, tolerance, harmony and

peace.

O Lord, our Rock and Salvation, lead us speedily from despair to hope, from fear to trust and from

the dread of death to the celebration of life

May this prayer of mine come before You at a propitious time.

And may this be Your will,

Amen.