A group of doctors in Tuscany has received a bishop’s permission to distribute Holy Communion to those infected by the coronavirus. Bishop Giovanni Nerbini of Prato made the six doctors extraordinary eucharistic ministers, allowing them to give Communion to over 100 patients on Easter, according to Avvenire, the newspaper of the Italian bishops’ conference. Dr…
Sr Stan has appealed for support for Focus Ireland as a video of a child teaching other children how to avoid Covid-19 gained traction online. The video of the child who is homeless demonstrating how washing hands kills the virus has over 20,000 views across social media. Sr Stan said: “This crisis is additional stress for…
Vatican appoints new Directors to Financial Information Authority The Vatican’s Cardinal Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin, has appointed a new Director and Vice Director for the Financial Information Authority (AIF). Giuseppe Schlitzer enters as AIF’s Director, replacing Tommaso Di Ruzza who completed his five-year mandate as of January 20 this year. Schlitzer has held positions…
Japan diocese appointment surprises bishop Bishop Josep Maria Abella has said he was surprised to be announced new bishop of Fukuoka in Japan when almost all Church activities are suspended because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The 70-year-old Spanish priest said he was “perplexed” when the apostolic nuncio to Japan, Archbishop Joseph Chennoth, told him about…
To combat the effects of lockdown, Knock Shrine will broadcast pilgrimage Masses every Sunday at 3 pm, it has been announced. The Masses will be celebrated each weekend “for the pilgrimage groups that traditionally travel…for their own celebrations”. The pilgrimage will include Rosary at 2.30 pm, followed by Mass and Benediction at 3 pm. The…
Ruadhán Jones Humanity has failed to take care of the earth and its inhabitants, sinning against God and his gift of creation, Pope Francis has warned. Celebrating Earth Day, which fell during the “Easter season of renewal, let us pledge to love and esteem the beautiful gift of the earth, our common home, and…
Ruadhán Jones The Pope’s right-hand man on family issues has insisted that it was necessary to cancel global Catholic events due to the coronavirus pandemic. Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Prefect of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life spoke to Vatican News Radio about the decision to postpone the World Meeting of Families and World Youth…
Pope Francis began his morning Mass on Monday by praying for political leaders and calling on them to put the welfare of their people above their party’s interests during the coronavirus pandemic. “We pray today for the men and women who have a vocation to politics; politics is a high form of charity,” he said,…
As the world slowly starts to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, there is a risk it will be struck by an even worse virus – that of selfish indifference, Pope Francis has warned. This dangerous virus is “spread by the thought that life is better if it is better for me and that everything will…
A top Catholic humanitarian group has expressed concern for the tens of thousands of Iraqis displaced inside their country and dependent on assistance, because access to them has become severely restricted due to Covid-19. “The government in the northern Kurdish area of Iraq has been very careful and restrictive (with regard to measures to tackle…