Vatican

Vatican City, Mar 11, 2020 / 11:19 am (CNA).- Cardinal Peter Turkson sent a message Wednesday encouraging Catholics to see the sacrifices required to slow the spread of coronavirus as a chance to deepen their relationships with God and their neighbors.

“Prayer is our strength, prayer is our resource. Here then is the favorable moment to rediscover the fatherhood of God and our being children,” Turkson said in the March 11 message.

He encouraged “the most tested communities” to not experience “everything as a privation.”

For those who cannot gather for the celebration of Mass, he said, “we are called to an even more deeply rooted journey on what sustains the spiritual life: prayer, fasting, and charity.”

“If we cannot meet in our assemblies to live our faith together, as we usually do, God offers us the opportunity to enrich ourselves, to discover new paradigms, and to find personal relationships with Him again,” he said.

The prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, Turkson addressed his letter to health workers, chaplains, the sick and their families, volunteers, civil authorities, bishops in charge of pastoral work in healthcare, the heads of bishops’ conferences, and all people of good will.

His message was sent as countries around the world increase measures to fight the spread of coronavirus.

In Italy, public Masses were canceled starting March 8. Most dioceses in Japan have also suspended public Masses.

Worldwide, there are 109,577 confirmed cases of coronavirus, and 3,809 deaths.

The new strain of coronavirus causes a respiratory disease, COVID-19, and has a fatality rate of roughly 3%. The vast majority of cases and deaths have been in China.

In his message, the cardinal reminded Catholics of Christ’s words in Matthew’s Gospel: “when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.”

He also recalled the many times Pope Francis has encouraged Catholics to keep the Bible nearby and to pray with scripture.

“The effort made to contain the spread of Coronavirus is accompanied by the commitment of each individual faithful for the greater good: the reconquest of life, the defeat of fear, the triumph of hope,” he said.

The cardinal noted the importance of solidarity during this time and asked people to think of their “neighbor, office colleague, school friend, but above all the doctors and nurses who risk contamination and infection to save the infected.”

Turkson asked political and economic authorities to not neglect social justice amid the new economic crisis caused by the virus and to continue to look for ways to support health workers all over the world, especially in the places in most difficulty.

“So let us pray to God the Father to increase our faith, help the sick in healing and support health workers in their mission,” the cardinal said.

“We ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate the efforts of scientists, health workers and governments, and we entrust all the populations affected by the contagion to the intercession of the Virgin Mary, Mother of humanity.”

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Vatican City, Mar 11, 2020 / 06:05 am (CNA).- Following prison riots in Italy, Pope Francis offered Mass for prisoners and persecuted Christians on Wednesday during his televised daily Mass.

“Today, in a special way, I would like to pray for tho… […]

Vatican City, Mar 11, 2020 / 05:01 am (CNA).- Pope Francis said Wednesday Catholics must spread the Gospel to a world which hungers and thirsts for the justice of Jesus Christ.

Speaking via livestream, the pope said March 11 that in the heart of every… […]

Vatican City, Mar 10, 2020 / 03:19 pm (CNA).- The Pontifical Academy of Life said Tuesday that only one attendee of a Vatican conference held in Rome ten days ago has tested positive for COVID-19.

“We confirm that this is a single registered cas… […]

Vatican City, Mar 10, 2020 / 06:29 am (CNA).- The Italian police closed St. Peter’s Square Tuesday following the Italian government decree extending quarantine measures to all of Italy to slow the spread of coronavirus.

The Italian authorities have jurisdiction over the square, which they closed shortly before noon on March 10.

Italian police told CNA the square is closed and no one may enter except for work purposes.

Swiss guards at St. Peter’s Square confirmed to CNA that tourists and pilgrims are not allowed to enter the basilica to pray because if the square is closed the basilica is also “automatically” closed. One said they are waiting for more information.

The Vatican City State has its own legal order that is autonomous and separate from the Italian legal system, but the Holy See Press Office Director has repeatedly stated that Vatican City is implementing measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus in coordination with the Italian authorities.

Italian police closed St. Peter’s Square (under their jurisdiction) shortly before noon today. Swiss Guards told me this means the Basilica is also “automatically” closed.

People may continue to enter the Vatican, and the square, for work purposes. pic.twitter.com/Ode0YDF6Nc

— Hannah Brockhaus (@HannahBrockhaus) March 10, 2020

Scheduled Masses in St. Peter’s Basilica and Sant’Anna in the Vatican took place March 9 and 10 before the closure, as did confessions inside of the basilica, following a previous Italian government decree March 8 suspending all public religious ceremonies.

The thousands of priests who currently reside in the Diocese of Rome are still allowed to celebrate Mass privately after the diocese canceled public Masses on March 8 to abide by the government decree.

Churches throughout the city have also remained open for private prayer with some parishes choosing to offer Eucharistic Adoration. Religious communities in Rome have also told CNA that they have continued to attend private Masses in their residences.

Bishops from France offered a private Mass in the crypt chapel of St. Peter’s Basilica at the tomb of St. Peter March 9, and sat one meter apart during their ad limina meeting with Pope Francis later that day.

The nationwide quarantine in Italy restricts movement around the country and between regions. Restaurants and bars must close at 6pm and gathering in groups is forbidden.

People are encouraged to stay home, but may move around the city for work, to go to the grocery store or pharmacy, or for medical care. In public, people are asked to keep one meter of distance from each other.

Several Vatican officials told CNA that work inside Vatican offices continues despite coronavirus.

Employees and officials have been asked to remain one meter away from each other at all times, to restrict visits from guests, and to not gather around the coffee machine, one official said. He also said essential offices are fully staffed and open for the time being.

An official from another office said he “would be very surprised” if he were asked to work from home, as this is never done. He said for him, work “continues as normal,” but there is some uncertainty for the future.

The Holy See press office is open its regular hours with some employees working remotely. The communications office, where Vatican Media employees work, is working out a system for coverage with fewer employees in the office, but remains open.

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Vatican City, Mar 10, 2020 / 03:31 am (CNA).- At his morning Mass Tuesday, Pope Francis urged priests to bring the Eucharist to the sick and to accompany medical workers, as Italy begins its first day of a nationwide quarantine.

“We continue to … […]

Vatican City, Mar 9, 2020 / 05:18 am (CNA).- Pope Francis’ daily morning Mass, offered in the chapel of Casa Santa Marta, the Vatican guesthouse where he lives, is being livestreamed this week so people from around the world may join in prayer for those sick with coronavirus.

The livestream this week is “to allow those who wish to follow the celebrations in union of prayer with the Bishop of Rome,” Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said.

Video recordings of the pope’s 7:30 am Masses are usually made available for use by broadcasters, but not livestreamed. The livestreams can be found on the Vatican Media website and on YouTube.

At the start of Mass March 9, Pope Francis said he was offering Mass this week “for those who are sick from the coronavirus epidemic, for the doctors, nurses, volunteers who are helping them, for their families, for the elderly in nursing homes, for prisoners.”

He also asked everyone to pray together the entrance antiphon: “Redeem me, O Lord, and have mercy on me. My foot stands on level ground; I will bless the Lord in the assembly.”

Pope Francis was suffering from a cold last week, but from the video stream appears to be doing better. He carried out a normal schedule Monday, including an ad limina meeting with bishops of France.

The Vatican has taken measures to avoid large gatherings of people to help slow the spread of coronavirus in Rome, including the closing of the Vatican Museums.

As well, the pope’s weekly general audience will be conducted by video livestreamed to discourage people from gathering in St. Peter’s Square.

In his homily March 9, Pope Francis reflected on the day’s first reading, which is from the Book of Daniel.

The prophet’s letter is a “confession of sins,” the pope said. “The people recognized that they had sinned.”

They recognize that the Lord is faithful with them, “but we have sinned, been wicked and done evil; we have rebelled and departed from your commandments and your laws. We have not obeyed your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, our fathers, and all the people of the land,” Francis read.

“This is a confession of sin,” he said, adding that Catholics should do this, an examination of conscience, when preparing to receive the sacrament of reconciliation. “Understand what we have done before God: I sinned.”

Francis warned Catholics that to acknowledge one’s sins is not just making a mental list, however.

He compared making a list of one’s sins to writing a to-do list or a shopping list, things which remain “in the head.”

“A true confession should remain in the heart,” be felt in the heart, he urged.

Recognizing the sins we have committed, that we have not prayed well, “we get this feeling of shame. I am ashamed that I did this,” he said. “Shame for our sins is a grace. We have to ask for it.”

He advised people, when they go to confession, not only to name their sins, but to acknowledge also their feelings of confusion and shame about what they “have done to a God who is so good, so compassionate, so righteous.”

“Today, let us ask for the grace of feeling ashamed, of feeling ashamed for our sins. May the Lord grant this grace to all of us,” he prayed.
 

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Rome, Italy, Mar 8, 2020 / 01:30 pm (CNA).- The Diocese of Rome has canceled all public Masses until April 3 in response to the coronavirus outbreak. The announcement by the vicar general of the diocese, published Sunday evening, follows a decree by th… […]

Vatican City, Mar 8, 2020 / 12:00 pm (CNA).- Pope Francis issued a plea to the international community to halt the violence and mounting death toll in the Syrian civil war, now in its ninth year.

Speaking on Sunday during the recitation of the Angelus, the pope said that he had “great apprehension for the inhumane situation of these defenseless people, among whom so many are children whose lives are at risk.”

Since December, Russian and government forces have launched a series of sustained attacks on opposition towns and cities, bringing a new spike in the violence and accompanying humanitarian crisis.

The pope called on the faithful to “come together to express their solidarity with the Syrian people,” especially “those who live in Idlib, and in Northwest Syria.”

The northwestern city of Idlib has been the focus of sustained attacked from forces loyal to President Bashar al Assad. Fighting in the region has displaced nearly 1 million people from their homes since December last year.

Turkish-backed rebels have opposed the Syrian government’s offensive in the province, which is the country’s last rebel-held territory. A cease-fire in the province signed by the leaders of Russia and Turkey went into effect March 6.

On Sunday, Francis asked the international community to make the suffering of the Syrian people a “priority in respect to every other interest,” and insisted the world cannot “look away from this humanitarian crisis.” 

The pope led the Sunday Angelus prayer from the library of the Apostolic Palace, via video link, instead from the balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square. The decision for the pope not to appear in person was taken as Italy and Vatican City worked to respond to the spread of the coronavirus.

Despite the decision, pilgrims still gathered in the square for the prayers, including some holding signs and banners in support of the victims of violence in Syria.

On Saturday, the Vatican also announced that the pope would be saying his daily Mass in the Domus Santa Marta in private, without members of the faithful attending as guests, for at least the next week, and the Wednesday general audience would also be given via video.

The Italian government imposed a strict quarantine March 8 for northern and central regions of Italy, including Milan and Venice.

Most of the 5,883 people who have contracted Covid-19 in Italy have been in the northern regions of the country. The Italian Ministry of Health reported 76 confirmed cases in Rome’s Lazio region on the evening of March 7.

With 233 coronavirus-related deaths in Italy in two weeks — 85 of which have occurred in the past two days — Italy has had the most Covid-19 mortalities outside of China.

Italy’s museums, archaeological sites, concerts, and  movie theaters have all been closed until April 3, the Italian Minister of Tourism said March 8. All schools and universities will also remain closed throughout the country until March 15.

Pope Francis also said Sunday that he is “close in prayer to people suffering from the current coronavirus epidemic.”

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