b'PHOTO: ROBIN JERSTADTaking a break from their pan- I thought I knew how to adapt to most situations, Marianist Brother Charles Johnson, director of thedemic isolation, eighth grade says Kay. But when the ice storm took out our elec- Marianist Community at Siena Woods, a health carestudents participated in a hay tricity, broke water pipes and forced us to haul water community in Dayton for senior Marianists, experi-bale race at Tecaboca.by hand thats when I realized how fragile I was, enced many losses after COVID surged through hisshe says. Maybe it was Gods way of teaching me community last fall. We lost nine Marianists in fourempathy. Not until the big freezethe fear and uncer- months, six of them to COVID, he says, his voicetainty it generateddid I understand what others had barely audible as he searches for words to describebeen going through since the start of the pandemic. the grief that still lingers in his community.In late August, the first Marianist died from theLoneliness and grief:virus, says Brother Charles, who was quarantined andWhen words arent enough never left his room for more than 35 days. During thatCatholic activist Dorothy Day once wrote: We have time, he also endured his own painful bout of the virus.all known the long loneliness, and we have learned I felt so helpless, he says. Men died, and wethat the only solution is love, and that love comes couldnt be with them. We couldnt go to their funerals.with community.We were able to bring the first two brothers here forCommunity was what Erin Bole, an English teacher a viewing and a prayer service. After that, we wereat a Catholic high school in Cincinnati and a Marianist shut down due to the virus.Lay leader, missed most while her school was in lock- I want people to know that these men werentdown. Thats when she turned to online resources to afraid to die, says Brother Charles. They had dedi-teach students and connect with friends. cated their lives to Mary and their faith but I dontA self-proclaimed extrovert, Erin had relied on her want them forgotten.outgoing personality to make friends quickly andBrother Charles spirits were buoyed this past yearrelate to her students. I have a strong community in by the love and support of religious and lay peopleCincinnati, but losing the ability to see friends and who sent cards, offered prayers and delivered mealsfamily in person left me with a deep loss of connection, during the worst of the shutdown. Now that the com-she says. Loneliness was the hardest part, she recalls. munity has been vaccinated, he is more hopeful. WeIt was tough. can have visitors, take walks outside and go to doctors12 Call 1.800.348.4732'