CNA Staff, Nov 18, 2020 / 11:10 am (CNA).- As COVID-19 cases have been on the rise among the incarcerated, Bishop Richard Moth of Arundel and Brighton has called on the British government to reinstate an early release program to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Bishop Moth, the English and Welsh bishops’ representative on prisons, sent a letter last week to British Justice Secretary Robert Buckland. The statement was a follow-up to a letter earlier this year, which highlighted the release of vulnerable people in prison, such as pregnant women and new mothers.
“As we face a second wave, I hope that you will consider measures to counter the growing number of Covid-19 outbreaks among prisoners and staff by extending the Early Conditional Temporary Release Scheme,” he wrote.
“Through releasing some prisoners who pose a low risk of harm and who are nearing the end of their sentences, it may be possible to ease pressure on the prison estate. This can also help to protect vital family support networks, which have come under increasing strain throughout the pandemic.”
Bishop Moth expressed gratitude for the efforts of government officials and prison staff to minimize coronavirus-related deaths but said there are still threats to the inmates’ emotional and physical health.
“We also recognise the very significant cost that has been paid in terms of prisoners’ mental and physical health, restrictions to rehabilitation activity, and reduced family contact. I am sure you will agree that this situation needs further attention.”
The Early Conditional Temporary Release Scheme was begun in April during the first spike of coronavirus cases in the UK. The program sought to release low-risk prisoners nearing the end of their sentence to reduce the risk of COVID-19 outbreaks in prisons.
The scheme was first suspended after errors occurred in April when six men were released mistakenly by prisons in Sudbury and Leyhill as well as an Isis young offenders institution in south-east London. Once the mistake was recognized, the men were notified and they returned to prison willingly, the BBC reported.
A recent report from the British prisons office noted an increase in coronavirus cases, up to 620 in September compared to 550 in August.
Since the coronavirus outbreak, Pope Francis has encouraged authorities to be sensitive to vulnerable prisoners.
“The joint commitment against the pandemic can lead everyone to recognize our need to strengthen fraternal bonds as members of a single family,” Pope Francis said
“I read an official memo from the Human Rights Commission that talks about the problem of overcrowded prisons, which could become a tragedy.”
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CNA Staff, Sep 4, 2020 / 03:00 am (CNA).- Catholic bishops across Europe have expressed support for an archbishop who was refused entry to his homeland of Belarus.
In a Sept. 3 statement, the presidency of the Council of Bishops’ Conferences of Europe (CCEE) said it hoped that Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz would be allowed to return home immediately.
“While ensuring their own prayers for the beloved pastor and for the whole Belarusian community, they hope for an immediate return home for the Archbishop of Minsk and a resumption of his episcopal ministry,” the statement on behalf of bishops from 45 European countries said.
The archbishop of Minsk-Mohilev was turned back by border guards when he attempted to return to Belarus Aug. 31 following a trip to Poland. He told CNA Sept. 1 that he was “very much surprised” and had demanded an official explanation.
The incident occurred amid ongoing demonstrations in Belarus following a disputed presidential election Aug. 9. The incumbent, Alexander Lukashenko, claimed victory with 80% of the vote. His challenger, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, was detained after she complained to the electoral committee, then fled to Lithuania.
The decision to stop Kondrusiewicz, a Belarusian citizen, from returning home has provoked international concern. Mike Pompeo, the U.S. Secretary of State, urged the Belarusian authorities Sept. 1 to readmit Kondrusiewicz to the country.
Belarusian authorities should allow the re-entry of Archbishop Kondrusiewicz, so he can tend to his flock during the ongoing protests. He and all Belarusian people must be allowed to exercise their fundamental freedoms, including freedom to worship. https://t.co/S5Gyiq7SdB
The archbishop had spoken out in defense of protesters following the election.
He demanded an investigation last week into reports that riot police blocked the doors of a Catholic church in Minsk while clearing away protesters from a nearby square.
Kondrusiewicz met with Interior Minister Yuri Karaev Aug. 21 to express his concerns about the government’s heavy-handed response to the protests.
He told CNA that he feared the country was heading towards civil war.
“The situation is very, very difficult, very critical,” he said.
Catholics in Belarus will hold a day of prayer Sept. 7 for the archbishop’s swift return to the country.
The CCEE statement was issued by its secretariat in St. Gallen, Switzerland. The organization, which was officially established in 1971, has 39 members, comprising 33 bishops’ conferences, the Archbishops of Luxembourg, the Principality of Monaco, the Maronite archbishop of Cyprus, the bishop of Chişinău, Moldova, the eparchial bishop of Mukachevo, and the apostolic administrator of Estonia.
The group’s statement said: “The CCEE Presidency expresses the closeness of the entire European Episcopate to Msgr. Kondrusiewicz and to the Church in Belarus in this delicate matter and makes their own the appeal of Pope Francis ‘to dialogue, the rejection of violence and respect for justice and law.’ And, together with the Pope, entrust ‘all Belarusians to the protection of Our Lady, Queen of Peace.’”
The CCEE concluded by saying that Europe’s bishops “encourage everyone to commit themselves to peacefully resolve the conflict and to pursue, with confidence, the path of dialogue for the good of man and of society as a whole.”
The Holy Tunic of Christ on display in Argenteuil, France, in 2016. / Credit: Simon de l’Ouest, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Paris, France, Apr 24, 2025 / 11:00 am (CNA).
A rare exhibit of the Holy Tunic of Christ — believed to be the garment worn by Jesus during his passion — is drawing unprecedented crowds to the Basilica of Saint-Denis in Argenteuil, a suburb of Paris.
Open to the public from April 18 to May 11, the exhibit is galvanizing Catholic faithful across Europe. More than 400,000 pilgrims are expected during the 23-day event — more than double the attendance of the previous exhibit in 2016.
Argenteuil, a city that has seen significant Muslim immigration in recent decades, now finds itself at the heart of a surprising spiritual resurgence.
To accommodate the historic influx of visitors, the Diocese of Pontoise — which oversees the basilica — has launched a large-scale logistical effort. The monument will remain open daily from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., with overnight access on the three Saturdays following Easter.
An educational and spiritual path accompanies pilgrims as they venerate the Holy Tunic, with several hundred trained volunteers assisting to guide the faithful and maintain a smooth flow of visitors.
The exhibit of the Holy Tunic opened on Good Friday, April 18, with a solemn Mass celebrated by Bishop Benoît Bertrand of Pontoise, followed by a public Stations of the Cross procession through the streets of Argenteuil. Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin was originally scheduled to preside over the closing Mass on May 11, but the recent death of Pope Francis on April 21 and the upcoming conclave may alter the Vatican delegation’s presence.
The Holy Tunic has only been publicly displayed twice in the 20th century — in 1934 and 1984 — drawing approximately 80,000 visitors each time.
In a statement, the Diocese of Pontoise emphasized that the purpose of the exhibit is to offer believers “an opportunity to meditate on the passion of Christ and the profound meaning of his sacrifice.”
Speaking to the Catholic weekly Famille Chrétienne, Father Guy-Emmanuel Cariot, rector of the basilica, underlined the spiritual dimension of the event. “Our task is to organize the encounter between people and the Holy Tunic — then the Lord does what he has to do,” he said.
For Cariot, the relic is “an open book of the Passion,” capable of moving modern hearts. “More than the relic itself, it is Jesus who draws people in,” he added, inviting every pilgrim to contemplate the mystery of redemption.
The Holy Tunic of Argenteuil is considered one of the most precious relics in Christendom. According to tradition, it was discovered in Jaffa in the fourth century by St. Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine, and later gifted by Empress Irene of Constantinople to Charlemagne in the year 800. It was then entrusted to the Benedictine nuns of the Argenteuil abbey. After disappearing during the French Revolution, it was rediscovered in the 19th century and has since undergone several restorations.
The Saint-Denis Basilica in Argenteuil, France. Credit: BastienM, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
While scholars continue to debate its authenticity, the air of mystery surrounding the tunic has only deepened its veneration. For the faithful, it represents far more than a historical artifact: It is a tangible link to Christ’s passion — a sacred object that connects believers today with the redemptive suffering of Jesus.
Historian Jean-Christian Petitfils, author of “La sainte tunique d’Argenteuil: Authentique relique de la Passion du Christ”(“The Holy Tunic of Argenteuil: An Authentic Relic of Christ’s Passion”), argues that both scientific testing and historical indicators support the relic’s authenticity. Nonetheless, he acknowledges that gaps in documentation — and periods when the tunic vanished from the historical record — leave parts of its story shrouded in uncertainty.
This year’s exhibit takes place in a city that has experienced profound socio-religious shifts in recent decades. Argenteuil, home to nearly 110,000 residents — around a third of whom have at least one parent of immigrant origin — has witnessed a sharp and steady decline in Catholic practice, even as Islam has become more visibly present in the public sphere.
Against this backdrop, the display of the Holy Tunic carries significant symbolic weight. It represents a revival of Christian memory and a reaffirmation of the Church’s enduring presence in a society undergoing deep cultural and spiritual transformation. For many, it is a moment of awakening — a testament that the Catholic faith continues to resonate, even in a secularized and religiously diverse environment.
The pastoral programming reflects this ambition. Daily solemn Masses are celebrated by different Church leaders, including Cardinal Louis Raphaël Sako, patriarch of the Chaldeans in Iraq, and Cardinal Juan José Omella, archbishop of Barcelona. Special days are devoted to children, along with scouting vigils and catechesis sessions for families, youth, and spiritual seekers.
In the lead-up to the exhibit, the Holy Tunic toured several French cathedrals between 2024 and March 2025, preparing the public and cultivating a spirit of curiosity and reverence.
This display also coincides with the broader revitalization of the Basilica of Saint-Denis — a spiritual and historical landmark of the Île-de-France region and traditional burial place of French royalty. A major restoration project is underway to reconstruct its north tower and spire, dismantled in the 19th century after a storm.
Since 2022, archaeological excavations have unearthed Merovingian tombs and rare Romanesque elements, paving the way for a full restoration of the west façade, launched in 2023 and scheduled for completion in 2029. The initiative is not only architectural but also educational, featuring a craft village and immersive displays.
Like the exhibit in Argenteuil, it bears witness to a shared drive to revive France’s Christian roots through the transmission and enhancement of its sacred heritage.
London, England, Apr 23, 2018 / 10:38 am (CNA/EWTN News).- On Monday a hospitalized British child at the center of a heated legal battle was granted Italian citizenship, part of an effort to delay shutting off his life-support, and to transfer him to a Roman hospital for additional treatment and medical evaluation.
Two-year-old Alfie Evans suffers from an unidentified degenerative neurological condition and has been under continuous hospitalization since December 2016.
On Monday the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) refused to intervene in what has been a highly sensitive and complicated case, paving the way for Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, where Evans has been receiving care, to shut off the infant’s life support.
After receiving the ruling from the ECHR Monday morning, the hospital scheduled Evans to be taken off life support later that day. However, according to Italian daily Avvenire, the official newspaper of the Italian bishops, Evans’ parents, Tom Evans and Kate James, were able to receive a last minute delay in order to clarify an aspect of the sentence.
Crowds of protesters lined the streets in front of the hospital Monday as they waited for the ruling, while Tom sent intermittent Facebook live posts from inside the hospital.
According to the BBC, some 200 protesters attempted to storm the hospital at one point, but were stopped by police, and backed off to the opposite side of the road.
In the meantime, Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano and Italian Interior Minister Marco Minniti granted citizenship to Evans, in hopes that being an Italian citizen will allow the infant to be transferred to Italy immediately.
The decision comes less than one week after Alfie’s father, Tom, came to the Vatican to make a personal appeal to Pope Francis on his son’s behalf. In a private audience with the pope before his Wednesday general audience April 18, Tom Evans plead for asylum in Italy for his family, so that Alfie can be moved to the Bambino Gesu hospital in Rome to receive treatment.
Pope Francis has made several appeals for Alfie, asking in his April 15 Regina Coeli address for people to pray for Alfie and others “who live, at times for a long period, in a serious state of illness, medically assisted for their basic needs.”
The pope also recently tweeted about Alfie, saying it was his “sincere hope that everything necessary may be done in order to continue compassionately accompanying little Alfie Evans, and that the deep suffering of his parents may be heard.”
Debate surrounding the case flared up when in February the court ruled that Alder Hey Children’s Hospital could legally stop treatment for Alfie against his parent’s wishes. The hospital has argued that continuing treatment is not in his best interest.
Despite Tom and Kate’s desire to take their son to Bambino Gesu hospital in Rome, several judges ruled in the hospital’s favor. The case has since drawn international attention.
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