Stories for week of March 22, 2020

Ordered from most to least recent.

Released Friday, Mar. 27

 Some US bishops lifting meatless-Friday requirement during Lent
 Georgian Orthodox decry attacks on public worship
 ‘Don’t assume CO19 is God’s punishment,” says Australian prelate
 Pope asks faithful to join in worldwide prayer today
 In Tamil Nadu, Hindu nationalists disrupt prayer meeting
 Churches exempt from Ohio’s stay-at-home order
 Canadian province’s funding of Catholic school upheld
 Catholic agencies: Move refugees from Greek camps to other EU nations to avoid pandemic disaster
 Worldwide decline in number of priests, seminarians, sisters; Catholic population continues to rise
 Nun murdered in Gabon
 Pope donates 30 respirators to fight CO19
 Cardinal Tagle on CO19: ‘We cannot wash our hands of our responsibility towards the poor’
 Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre closed due to CO19
 Leading Polish prelate entrusts nation to Sacred Heart of Jesus, Immaculate Heart of Mary
 ‘It is the hour of contemplative life,’ Cardinal Ouellet tells Poor Clares
 At weekday Mass, Pope prays for those who are afraid, preaches on idolatry

Released Thursday, Mar. 26

 Mongolia’s first bishop dies at 101
 Italian missionary is first bishop to die of CO19
 Vermont bishop closes all churches
 New York bishops oppose marijuana legalization
 Cardinal Burke writes message on combating CO19
 Indian archbishop lauds Modi’s lockdown measure
 Portugal, Spain consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Immaculate Heart of Mary
 Indianapolis archbishop: No requests for Confession unless one is in danger of death
 Leading Brazilian prelate rebukes nation’s president on CO19
 Italian priest at guesthouse where Pope Francis lives tests positive for CO19
 Catholic ethicists, lawyers sound alarm about rationing of scarce health resources
 ‘We are before a mystery’: Pope celebrates Mass of the Annunciation
 Miraculous crucifix moved to St. Peter’s Square
 12 dead in recent days at Xaverian Missionaries’ motherhouse
 Decree intended to stop contagion, not prayer, Vatican official says

Released Wednesday, Mar. 25

 Vatican approves new options for Extraordinary Form
 Abortion halt brings death toll down despite epidemic in Texas, Ohio
 Irish bishops consecrate country to Mary’s Immaculate Heart
 Pope leads worldwide prayer for protection
 New Vatican directives for Easter Triduum without congregations
 Connecticut archdiocese: no public Masses through April 30
 Russian Orthodox patriarch approves liturgical prayers against coronavirus
 Kerala priest arrested after celebrating funeral Mass
 Epidemic leads Coptic Orthodox patriarch to offer public daily reflection
 Egyptian court calls for annulment of monk’s death sentence
 Bells of all French churches to toll for 10 minutes
 Vatican’s daily paper suspends print edition
 World Council of Churches, Anglican leader welcome Pope’s call to pray the Lord’s Prayer together
 3 Brooklyn priests contract COVID-19
 All Catholic churches closed in England and Wales
 Pope, in new video, calls for prayer to end pandemic
 COVID-19 claims its first Polish priest
 Pope offers Mass for those who have died while serving the sick
 USCCB committee chairman recalls St. John Paul’s encyclical on human life

Released Tuesday, Mar. 24

 Pope issues message for World Day of Prayer for Vocations
 New Orleans archbishop tests positive for COVID-19
 Catholic Health Association praises Affordable Care Act on its 10th anniversary
 Kathleen McChesney to receive 2020 Laetare Medal
 First US clergy fatality from COVID-19 is a deacon in Washington
 Pontifical North American College sends all its seminarians home
 Texas, Ohio order clinics to halt abortion procedures amid coronavirus
 Louisiana’s Catholic governor invites others of join in day of prayer and fasting
 ‘Every man for himself’ is not a solution to pandemic, Pope says in interview
 Iranian cleric pleads with Pope to help end US sanctions
 At least 50 Italian priests dead from coronavirus
 Earthquake causes severe damage to Croatian cathedral
 Kenya’s Catholic president declares national day of prayer
 Sunday Masses suspended in Bolivia; civil elections to proceed
 Let us not miss Jesus as He passes by, Pope preaches at Sunday Mass
 Pope, at Mass, prays for those suffering economically from the pandemic

Released Monday, Mar. 23

 Vatican failing to act in investigation of former Minnesota archbishop
 Anglican ordinariate will join Confirmation with First Communion
 New York archdiocese: no public services for Holy Week
 Pittsburgh diocese closes newspaper, lays off entire staff
 Celebrations for the 500th anniversary of the 1st Argentine Mass suspended
 ‘Remain calm,’ Peruvian cardinal urges nation
 Bethlehem’s Holy Family Hospital at risk
 Pope announces extraordinary Urbi et Orbi blessing, calls for common recitation of the Our Father
 Receive Christ’s light and ‘become light,’ Pope says at Sunday Angelus address
 Papal journey to Malta postponed indefinitely
 Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Charities call for congressional aid to nonprofits
 Leading European bishops raise a common prayer to God
 Cardinal Cupich asks parishes to ring bells 5 times a day as a common call to prayer
 Brasilia cardinal transferred, becomes nation’s primate
 Theme of 2nd Vatican Lenten sermon: Mary during the public life of Jesus
 Cardinal Farrell: Now is the time to rediscover the Sacrament of Marriage
 New plenary indulgences are ‘a great mantle of mercy,’ Vatican cardinal says
 +Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk, 85
 Pope offers Mass for families confined to home

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Wed8 April
Easter

Wednesday within the Octave of Easter

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Alleluia Verse, Ps 118:24:This is the day the LORD has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it. Today the Gospel relates the story of the disciples and Jesus on the road to Emmaus. Through the holy Eucharist we are drawn…

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