In the Pope’s Holy Week message, Francis reaches out to those whose lives have changed most because of COVID-19. In a video message, he speaks of the difficulties and suffering these weeks have brought many people, for those with sick people at home and those who are in mourning. “I can imagine you in your Read more
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is “morally culpable” through its negligence and repression, lies and propaganda for allowing coronavirus (COVID-19) to spread. It is having a lethal effect on the world’s poor, a cardinal from Myanmar says. “The Chinese regime led by the all-powerful Xi Jinping and the CCP — not its people — owes Read more
Taiwan has made several donations to both Vatican offices and religious orders in a show of solidarity during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Italy is experiencing high death counts related to COVID-19. Basic sanitary supplies and medication are hard to come by – so the Taiwanese Embassy to the Holy See stepped up with some. Just Read more
A new ‘Mass in Time of Pandemic’ and a special intention to be used during this year’s Good Friday liturgy have been approved by Pope Francis. Francis approved the two new liturgical texts for use during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Cardinal Robert Sarah, the prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship, wrote the decree accompanying Read more
Known in the Vatican as “Don Corrado” – the Papal Almoner leads alms-giving in the city of Rome on the pope’s behalf. Cardinal Konrad Krajewski’s parish is the street, and no virus will stop him from helping the poor, he says. On Sunday, he toured around the Roman parishes and told them that “washing the Read more
A parish in the Philippines has canceled an ‘online general absolution’. Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Parish in Quezon City, Philippines had advertised the event would be available by livestream, and was set to take place on April 3. On Thursday, the parish issued a retraction and an apology. “Fr. Nelson wants to correct Read more
Authorities have quarantined an estimated 40,000 people after a Sikh religious preacher who died of Covid-19 is feared to have caused community spread of coronavirus in India’s Punjab state. Baldev Singh, the 70-year-old Sikh guru, died on March 18 in Shahid Bhagat Singh Nagar district, 11 days after he returned from Germany via virus-stricken Italy. Read more
The decrease in the number of consecrated men and women is “worrying,” according to the Vatican statistics office. While the number of religious brothers in Africa and Asia continues to increase, the number of religious brothers worldwide experienced an 8 percent drop between 2013 and 2018. During the same period, the number of women religious Read more
Britain’s DIY home abortion policy during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic has shocked the Catholic bishops of England and Wales. The Auxiliary Bishop John Sherrington of Westminster says changing the rules to allow abortion pills to be taken in homes would “further endanger women” during a time of national crisis. The British government is waiving a Read more