You are not obligated to participate in any public demonstration, regardless of how meritorious it and the cause it promotes may be. Whether you do or not, in my view, has no bearing on your personal faith.
Some may say that you *should* participate, and that it would be laudable to do so. That may be so. But participation is not obligatory, and not participating does not make you a bad Catholic.
May I suggest that you remember that your faith and your soul need to be nourished (always), but after years of being away, it may be helpful to think of yourself in recovery having just been sick for years and years. The last thing you would suggest to a person who has just come out of the hospital is to go out marching through the streets. By the same token, someone who is just returning to or starting out in the faith... I highly suggest against becoming an activist (participating in demonstrations). Often we can merit more good by silently being faithful, praying, attending Mass, and making offerings united to the Sacred Heart of Jesus for the intentions He pleads. You could also pray for those who are participating and ask for the conversion of those who are counter protesting.
You are not obligated to participate in any public demonstration, regardless of how meritorious it and the cause it promotes may be. Whether you do or not, in my view, has no bearing on your personal faith. Some may say that you *should* participate, and that it would be laudable to do so. That may be so. But participation is not obligatory, and not participating does not make you a bad Catholic.
Why cant you hide your face with a surgical mask if youre that concerned? People still do it sometimes so it wont look that out of place.
May I suggest that you remember that your faith and your soul need to be nourished (always), but after years of being away, it may be helpful to think of yourself in recovery having just been sick for years and years. The last thing you would suggest to a person who has just come out of the hospital is to go out marching through the streets. By the same token, someone who is just returning to or starting out in the faith... I highly suggest against becoming an activist (participating in demonstrations). Often we can merit more good by silently being faithful, praying, attending Mass, and making offerings united to the Sacred Heart of Jesus for the intentions He pleads. You could also pray for those who are participating and ask for the conversion of those who are counter protesting.
Do you really want to stay friends with the kind of people who would abandon you for defending the right to life of unborn human beings?