Paris, France, Apr 14, 2020 / 11:01 pm (CNA).- For Fr. Pierre Amar, Notre-Dame de Paris has always been a masterpiece, “the very example of supreme beauty,” but now the Marian cathedral is also “a great burnt victim.”
One year … […]
Rome, Italy, Apr 14, 2020 / 01:00 pm (CNA).- A pastor at a church in Rome offered Easter Mass from the roof of the church so nearby parishioners could participate from their balconies and windows during the coronavirus lockdown in Italy.
Making the Ma… […]
CNA Staff, Apr 14, 2020 / 08:10 am (CNA).- French President Emmanuel Macron has echoed Pope Francis’ call for debt relief for the world’s poorest countries amid the coronavirus crisis.
In a televised address April 13, Macron appealed… […]
London, England, Apr 7, 2020 / 08:30 am (CNA).- The Archbishop of Westminster led calls for prayers for Britain’s Prime Minister on Monday after Boris Johnson was admitted to an intensive care unit.
Johnson tested positive for coronavirus 11 days ago and was taken to St. Thomas’ Hospital, London, on Sunday for worsening symptoms.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols issued an appeal for prayers for the Prime Minister in a tweet April 6.
“Prime Minister Boris Johnson has a personal fight on his hands against the vicious coronavirus and needs our prayers. Let us pray for him, all who are suffering and our NHS workers caring for them,” wrote the cardinal, who is president of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales.
In comments to CNA, Bishop Mark Davies of Shrewsbury said: “Seeing the Prime Minister stricken and incapacitated by the very threat we are presently battling surely reminds us of how we are all in this struggle together.”
“We are all praying for Boris Johnson at this time. As Christians, it is the communion of the saints which reminds us how our lives are so bound together. A doctrine which is shining through these days of isolation and confinement in a common struggle.”
The official account of the Catholic National Shrine and Basilica of Our Lady at Walsingham echoed Cardinal Nichols’ call for prayer, tweeting Monday: “We need to pray for our Prime Minister.”
Johnson announced that he had tested positive for the virus March 27. He went into self-isolation but continued working. On April 5, he was admitted to St. Thomas’ Hospital suffering from “persistent symptoms.”
Downing Street said in a statement April 6: “Over the course of this afternoon, the condition of the Prime Minister has worsened and, on the advice of his medical team, he has been moved to the intensive care unit at the hospital.”
“The PM is receiving excellent care, and thanks all NHS staff for their hard work and dedication.”
The Prime Minister’s spokesman said April 7: “The Prime Minister has been stable overnight and remains in good spirits. He is receiving standard oxygen treatment and breathing without any other assistance.”
“He has not required mechanical ventilation or non-invasive respiratory support.”
The Department of Health said April 6 that 5,373 of those hospitalized in the UK who tested positive for coronavirus had died as of 5pm local time on April 5.
Paris, France, Apr 7, 2020 / 07:00 am (CNA).- One year after the world watched the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris burn, the Archbishop of Paris will display the relic of Christ’s crown of thorns for veneration during a Good Friday broadcast.
&… […]
Turin, Italy, Apr 6, 2020 / 04:00 am (CNA).- Catholics around the world will be invited to pray virtually before the Turin Shroud on Holy Saturday as the world struggles to contain the coronavirus pandemic, Church officials have said.
The Shroud, which bears the image of a crucified man and has been venerated for centuries as Christ’s burial cloth, will be displayed via livestream at 5pm local time April 11.
Archbishop Cesare Nosiglia will preside over a liturgy from the chapel of Turin cathedral where the Shroud is kept in a climate-controlled vault. It will be broadcast live on television and social media.
The archbishop said he was responding to thousands of requests from people asking to venerate the Shroud amid a global crisis that has so far claimed nearly 70,000 lives.
“Thanks to television and social networks,” he said, “this time of contemplation will make available to everyone throughout the world the image of the sacred cloth, which reminds us of the Lord’s passion and death, but also opens our hearts to faith in His resurrection.”
He said he hoped that the ceremony would give strength to those suffering amid the pandemic.
“Yes, the love with which Jesus gave us his life and which we celebrate during Holy Week is stronger than any suffering, every illness, every contagion, every trial and discouragement,” he said. “Nothing and no one can ever separate us from this love, because it is faithful forever and unites us to him with an indissoluble bond.”
Turin is located in northwest Italy, not far from the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the country, which has led to nearly 16,000 deaths and a nationwide lockdown since March 10.
Archbishop Nosiglia announced last year that the Shroud would be displayed in December 2020 when Turin hosts an annual meeting organized by the Taizé Community. This would be the fifth time that the Shroud has gone on public display since the year 2000.
The last time the Shroud was presented to the public was in 2015. Pope Francis prayed before the relic during a visit to Turin on June 21 that year. Afterwards, he described it as an icon of Christ’s love.
“The Shroud,” the pope said, “attracts people to the face and tortured body of Jesus and, at the same time, urges us on toward every person who is suffering and unjustly persecuted.”
Rome, Italy, Apr 3, 2020 / 10:01 am (CNA).- The bishop at the epicenter of Italy’s coronavirus outbreak has said churches are serving as makeshift mortuaries as there are so many dead bodies “you do not know where to put them anymore.&rdquo… […]
Rome, Italy, Apr 2, 2020 / 02:00 pm (CNA).- Bishops throughout Italy visited cemeteries last week to pray and offer Mass for the souls of those who died after contracting the coronavirus. Among the 13,915 coronavirus deaths in Italy, at least 87 have b… […]
Rome, Italy, Apr 2, 2020 / 12:45 pm (CNA).- The coronavirus crisis is an opportunity for the wealthy, and wealthy countries, to forgive the debt of poor persons and countries, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples preached Sunday.
“Where are the tombs of society right now? Where are we lifeless?” Cardinal Luis Tagle asked during his homily in a Mass said March 29 at the Pontificio Collegio Filippino in Rome, reflecting on Christ’s raizing of Lazarus to life.
“Where do we smell, where is our stench?” he continued. “There are many people who are losing their jobs, especially the daily wage earners. And that lack of resources and the poverty could be one tomb right now of many poor people. Could those who can afford it, go to those tombs and release the poor people who owe them money? Release them from their loans, release them from their debts.”
“And we even appeal to rich countries, at this moment, can you forgive the debts of the poor countries, so that they could use their dwindling resources to support their communities, rather than to pay the interest that you impose on poor countries? Could the coronavirus 19 crisis lead to a jubilee, forgiveness of debt, so that those who are in the tombs of indebtedness could find life? Untie them, release them,” he exhorted.
Cardinal Tagle said that the day’s Mass points to that fact that Christ “will triumph over death.”
“Let me reflect on this part of the Gospel: this illness is not to end in death, but is for the glory of God. Jesus said this when he had been told of the sickness of Lazarus … Can we say the same thing now? Can we with Jesus say, this coronavirus pandemic is not to end in death, but is for the glory of God? Even when we see the rising number of dead people. And we are in solidarity with those who are grieving, grieving. But Jesus is inviting us to faith.”
He recalled the resurrection of the dead, prophesied by Ezekiel, and asked, “how do we find life in the midst of signs of death?”
“Who will open our eyes to see signs of life when there are so many signs of death? It is God, Jesus, but we need faith. I thnk one good thing about this Covid-19 virus – I say again with all sympathy to those who are grieving – but with the eys of faith we see also life. Many of us think that if we pay the highest premium of insurance? No. your insurance cannot ensure everlasting life.”
“This virus is making us aware that all our successes and inventions, good as they are in themselves, they do not guarantee life. So people are now turning to faith, to God,” the cardinal reflected.
Cardinal Tagle noted that Christ went to Lazarus’ family “to express solidarity, sympathy, but beyond that, Jesus went to the tomb of Lazarus. And in the creed, we say he went the place of the dead. This going to the tomb of Lazarus is a prefiguration of his own entry to the place of the dead. We even say he descended into hell, the place of the dead, in order to restore life, commnion with God; the place of isolation becomes a place of communion.”
Martha, he recalled, was embarrased to let Christ go to Lazarus’ tomb, saying there would be a stench.
“But Jesus can stand our stench. Jesus says I can handle that; where is he buried? Don’t worry. And he goes to the tomb and calls him out back to life.”
“My brothers and sisters, what are your tombs?” Cardinal Tagle asked. “Where do we stench? Where do we smell?”
After discussing debt forgiveness, the cardinal likened spending on armaments to a tomb: “Many countries spend so much country for arms, for weapons, for their national security, can we stop wars please? Could we stop producing weapons please? Could we get out of that tomb and spend the money for real security?
“Now we we realize we don’t have enough masks, when there are more than enough bullets. We don’t have enough supplies of ventilators, but we have millions of pesos, dollars, euros, spent on one plane that could attack people. Could we have this permanent ceasefire, and in the name of the poor, let us release money for real security, education, housing, food?”
Cardinal Tagle exhorted: “Those of us who have been living more than four days in the tombs of anger, jealousy, lack of forgiveness, por favor, get out of that. And start talking, untie your mouth, but not for gossip, but for a word of love, a word of forgiveness. Time is short. We don’t know how long life will last. So get out of that tomb, meet your friends, meet people and utter words of forgiveness, understanding. Untie your heart, let it beat again. Let the heart of stone now be a heart of flesh, let it live.”
“And like Jesus, weep, because we love. And if we with Jesus visit our tombs and the tombs of other people, bringing life because of faith, we hope his tears would become tears of rejoicing. And Lazarus will sing again. It is true. This illness is for the glory of God. For today, please share with your families and your loved ones, your tombs, and see how Jesus is leading you out of the tomb, leading us to life.”
Rome, Italy, Apr 2, 2020 / 10:48 am (CNA).- The 16th-century crucifix which was present in St. Peter’s Square for Pope Francis’ Urbi et Orbi blessing last week was reportedly damaged by rain, but the priest in charge of the church where the cross traditionally hangs said it has not been seriously harmed.
Fr. Enrico Maria Casini, who is in charge of San Marcello al Corso in Rome, told CNA April 2 the damage to the miraculous crucifix from rain “is not serious,” from what he understands, and is expected to be returned to the church for Easter.
According to a Vatican source, the crucifix was not as badly damaged as some initially suggested and will be on public display again during the pope’s Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica April 5, as well as during the pope’s other Holy Week liturgies.
The wooden crucifix was moved from San Marcello al Corso to the Vatican March 25. Pope Francis prayed before the crucifix during his extraordinary Urbi et Orbi blessing in St. Peter’s Square March 27 for an end to the coronavirus pandemic.
During the holy hour and blessing, which was broadcast live, rain could be seen running down Christ’s body on the crucifix.
One Italian report characterized damage to the crucifix as including swollen wood, peeling paint, and eroding plasters.
The crucifix was venerated as miraculous by Romans after it was the only religious image to survive unscathed from a fire that completely gutted San Marcello al Corso May 23, 1519.
Fewer than three years later, Rome was devastated by the “black plague.”
Upon the request of Rome’s Catholics, the crucifix was taken in procession from the convent of the Servants of Mary in Via del Corso to St. Peter’s Square, stopping in each quarter of Rome.
The procession continued 16 days, August 4-20, 1522. When the crucifix was returned to San Marcello, the plague had disappeared from Rome.
The crucifix has since processed to St. Peter’s Square every Roman Holy Year – around every 50 years – and the crucifix has engraved on its back the names of each pope to have witnessed those processions. The last name engraved is that of St. John Paul II, who embraced the crucifix during the “Day of Forgiveness” during the Jubilee Year 2000.
© Catholic World Report