Asia Bibi, the first woman to be sentenced to death for blasphemy in Pakistan, has called on the Prime Minister to help Christian girls in her country who are abducted, raped and forced to marry their captors.
“His homilies are precious because they are not only valid for back then,” said Fr Giulio Cesareo.
“Catholics miss their parishes and church buildings and seem eager to return, not just content with ‘virtual Church’,” said Brenden Thompson, CEO of Catholic Voices.
Footfall and income dropped by almost 50% over the last five years.
“We hope primary schools, families and especially young children will make use of the Child’s Bible Project in the classroom and at home,” said Dr Caroline Hull.
All this has exploded on our doorstep. The fact is that the poor and vulnerable will be the ones that will suffer most globally and locally in this pandemic - Fr Paddy Byrne.
Bishop Nulty asked Liam Lawton to co-ordinate a virtual performance because choirs were not able to come together to sing due to COVID-19 restrictions. They want the song to give people hope during these difficult times of pandemic.
Those on the Front Line should never be forgotten nor should those who died “painfully and horribly” from Covid-19 or those who mourn them and those who mourn others who have died in these slow months - Archbishop Michael Jackson.
"Parishes will work diligently to observe the new norms to ensure people can attend Mass safely," said Archbishop Diarmuid Martin.
“We have been buried for three months in the reality of closed churches. Over the next days, the stone will be rolled back. As with Jesus, it will be to a new way of being alive and being the Body of Christ,” said Bishop Donal McKeown, Diocese of Derry.
"We are grateful that the NI Executive listened to us," said Patrick Friel of the SVP, which wants the Dublin government to do the same.
Young adults are deeply connected to social media and online activity but they use social media less than was assumed in order to connect to faith or the church.
“We will perhaps look back on these years, remembering not just COVID-19 but also a pandemic of banality that expects little for and from human beings.”
Churches can now open for private and personal prayer, provided the necessary precautions are in line with the guidelines.
“We desire the opening of our churches and access to the sacraments. Until then, we are continuing to pray and prepare," says Cardinal Vin Nichols and four other archbishops.
85 per cent think we will value family more after this, 75 per cent say we will value the elderly more, and 31 per cent think society will become more spiritual – Brendan Conroy of The Iona Institute.
“The idea was to give people a lift as time went on. That becomes more and more important as people are beginning to feel cabin fever,” said Rathdowney parish priest Fr Martin Delaney.
Why did [the NGO] discriminate against Christians? Are they not citizens of Pakistan? We are all suffering from COVID-19 – Adnan, a Muslim in Karachi, quoted by AsiaNews.
