Last Wednesday Maria Teresa Baruffi, who lives in the northern Italian town of Caravaggio with her family, received a surprising phone call while standing in line at the supermarket: It was Pope Francis, asking to speak to her son, Andrea. Several days prior, Andrea, who is 18, had sent a letter to Pope Francis to Read more
Posts Tagged ‘sign of peace’
Bishop clamps down on chatter at Sign of Peace
Friday, August 14th, 2015A Brazilian bishop has clamped down on chatter during the Sign of Peace at Mass. Bishop Milton Kenan Junior of Barretos issued a decree on the distribution of Communion, the exchange of peace and norms for extraordinary ministers. The bishop stated that during the exchange of peace, the faithful should avoid moving around too much. Read more
Ebola precautions prompt hands-off Masses in Texas
Tuesday, October 21st, 2014
A diocese in Texas has issued guidelines designed to prevent diseases like Ebola being spread because of physical contact in Masses. Fort Worth diocese is near Dallas, where three Ebola cases have been diagnosed. The guidelines include not taking the Blood of Christ at Mass and the faithful not holding hands while praying the Our Read more
Nigerian churches drop Sign of Peace as Ebola crisis grows
Tuesday, August 12th, 2014
Catholic dioceses in Nigeria have advised priests to skip the Sign of Peace at Mass as one of several measures against the spread of the deadly Ebola virus. West Africa is faces a worsening crisis from the disease. Nigerian priests in some dioceses have also been advised to refrain from giving Communion on the tongue, unless Read more
Vatican tells priests to stay at altar for Sign of Peace
Tuesday, August 5th, 2014
The Vatican’s congregation for worship has ruled that priests are not to leave the altar to make the Sign of Peace with the faithful at Mass. In a recent circular, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments listed several “abuses” of the Sign of Peace that are to be stopped. These Read more