Pope Francis

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Video, with English commentary, of the link

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope-francis/mass-casa-santa-marta/2020-03/pope-pastors-mass-parable-tenants-infidelity-promise-covenant.html
Pope offers Mass for pastors
13 March 2020, 09:33

Pope Francis’ intention for Mass on Friday was for pastors, asking the Lord to give them strength and the ability to “choose the best ways to help”.
By Vatican News

Beginning his Mass on Friday morning at the Casa Santa Marta, Pope Francis reminded everyone that we are “uniting ourselves to those who are ill and to their families”.  He then announced his intention for the liturgy which manifests that he understands the dilemma that priests in Italy find themselves in.

“I would also like to pray today for pastors who need to accompany the people of God during this crisis. May the Lord grant them the strength and the ability to choose the best ways to help. Drastic measures are not always good.  Therefore, we pray that the Holy Spirit might grant pastoral discernment to pastors so that they might perceive measures that might not leave the holy, faithful people of God alone, and so that people of God might feel accompanied by their pastors”.

Later, during his homily, the Pope reflected on the parable of the tenants presented in the Gospel of the day (Matthew 21:33-46).
 

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Video at the link

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope-francis/mass-casa-santa-marta/2020-03/pope-mass-families-prodigal-son.html
Pope’s Mass intention is for families
14 March 2020, 10:00

Pope Francis offers Mass at the Casa Santa Marta on Saturday morning for families and especially for parents so that they might “manage this difficult situation well”.
By Vatican News

“We continue to pray for all who are ill due to this pandemic”, Pope Francis introduced the Saturday morning liturgy at the Casa Santa Marta. Then he specified his intention for the day:

"Today, I would like to ask a special prayer for families: families who from one day to the next find themselves at home with their children because the schools are closed for security reasons and they need to manage a difficult situation, and manage it well…with peace and joy as well. And in a special way, I think of those families who may have a disabled person among them. The welcome centers for people with disability are closed…. So let's pray for families, so that they don't lose peace in this moment and that they might succeed in bringing the entire family forward with strength and joy."

The Gospel of the day, the Parable of the Prodigal Son, so dear to the Pope’s heart, was the subject of his homily.
 
YouTube video at the link below--
Pope Francis-Holy Mass at Casa Santa Marta 2020.03.14
https://www.youtube.com/user/vatican

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https://www.ncregister.com/blog/edward-pentin/coronavirus-latest-italys-bishops-call-for-all-churches-to-be-closed

Mar. 14, 2020
Coronavirus Latest from Rome
Latest updates from the Eternal City in lockdown since March 10.
Edward Pentin

UPDATES (Rome time)

March 14, 4.48pm

Actions taken by the Church hierarchy in Italy such as halting public Masses and “spectral images” from the Vatican are helping to fuel “fear and panic” and depriving the hearts of the faithful of the desire for eternal salvation which makes us “capable of facing trials and death,” Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò has said in a reflection on the coronavirus crisis.
 
March 14, 3.30pm

The Vatican has said Pope Francis has decided to continue having the Masses he celebrates daily in Santa Marta televised. They will now also include Sunday Mass. His Angelus address on Sunday and his General Audience on Wednesday will also again be televised from the apostolic palace, to “comply with the rules imposing a ban on gatherings in order to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus,” the Vatican said.
 
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/follow-live-coronavirus-updates-here
Follow LIVE coronavirus updates here
The situation is rapidly changing. LifeSiteNews will be providing live updates relevant to our readers on this page.
Sat Mar 14, 2020 - 1:23 pm EST

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https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2020/03/pope-to-celebrate-holy-week-without-the-presence-of-the-faithful/

Pope to celebrate Holy Week without the presence of the faithful
Inés San Martín  Mar 14, 2020

ROSARIO, Argentina - Despite Easter being nearly a month away, the Vatican announced on Saturday that this year’s Holy Week celebrations led by Pope Francis will be held without the presence of the faithful.

The decision, which was made as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic, marks an unprecedented move in modern times - yet leaving open the possibility of a public celebration of the Easter Sunday Mass.

The announcement was published on the website of the Holy See’s Pontifical Household, meaning the office that, among other things, coordinates the official audiences the pope has with heads of state. It is also the office that organizes most of the pope’s public schedule and distributes tickets for papal Masses, audiences and other ceremonies.

“The Prefecture of the Pontifical Household announces that, because of the current global public health emergency, all the Liturgical Celebrations of Holy Week will take place without the physical presence of the faithful,” reads the statement that was originally posted only in Italian, but later, also in English.

This means that the Palm Sunday Mass; the Chrism Mass on Thursday; the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Thursday, which Pope Francis has always held in detention centers or with asylum seekers; Good Friday’s commemoration of the Lord’s Passion; and the Easter Vigil on Saturday, will all be celebrated by the Argentine pontiff without the faithful.

The notice also says that, at least until Sunday, April 12 - Easter Sunday - all of Pope Francis’ Wednesday general audiences and the Sunday Angelus prayer will be streamed online, with no faithful present in the square, as has been the case in recent weeks.
 

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https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2020/03/vatican-backtracks-on-holy-week-coronavirus-statement-situation-still-being-studied/

Vatican backtracks on Holy Week coronavirus statement; situation still ‘being studied’
Elise Ann Allen  Mar 15, 2020

ROME - After a Vatican office announced Saturday that all Holy Week liturgies would be livestreamed rather that celebrated publicly amid Italy’s coronavirus crackdown, a day later their communications department walked part of that back, saying the method for celebrating Holy Week is still being studied.

On March 14, the Prefecture for the Papal Household, the office in charge of organizing papal audiences and meetings with heads of state, published a statement on its website saying that “because of the current global public health emergency, all the Liturgical Celebrations of Holy Week will take place without the physical presence of the faithful.”
 
However, in a March 15 statement on the matter, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni seemed to reverse part of the prefecture’s statement, saying the pope’s liturgical celebrations during Holy Week “are all confirmed.”

Regarding the question of whether people will be able to attend the celebrations, Bruni did not offer a definitive answer, but simply said that “methods of implementation and participation are being studied which respect the security measures put in place to avoid the spread of coronavirus.”

These methods, he said, will be communicated “as soon as they are defined,” and will be “in line with the evolution of the epidemiological situation.”
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2020-03/vatican-coronavirus-easter-triduum-celebrations.html

COVID-19: Vatican Holy Week celebrations without public participation
15 March 2020, 10:54

The Prefecture of the Papal Household announces that Holy Week celebrations in Rome will take place without the physical presence of the faithful, in an attempt to contain the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.
By Vatican News
 
Pope’s Daily Mass, Angelus and Audience

On Saturday, the Holy See Press Office issued the following statement: “Faced with the situation that has arisen because of the coronavirus, the Holy Father has decided that the Holy Mass he celebrates in Santa Marta at 7am every morning, will continue to be broadcast live next week”.

"In order to comply with the rules imposing a ban on gatherings in order to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus", continues the statement, “the Holy Father’s Sunday Angelus prayer and General Audience on Wednesday March 18 will be broadcast live on television, as well as on the Vatican News website, and the images will be distributed by Vatican Media to the media that request them, so as to reach the faithful all over the world”.

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Video, with English commentary, at the link

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope-francis/mass-casa-santa-marta/2020-03/pope-samaritan-woman-truth-third-lent.html
Pope’s Mass on Sunday for those guaranteeing public services
15 March 2020, 08:57

Those “working to guarantee public services” were on the Pope’s heart as he celebrates Mass on Sunday at the Casa Santa Marta.
By Vatican News

Pope Francis began his Sunday morning liturgy at the Casa Santa Marta by recalling those who are sick and suffering. Then he asked us all to pray with him especially “for all those who are working to guarantee public services: those working in pharmacies, supermarkets, transportation, police officers…so that social and civil life can go ahead”.
His homily focused on the passage of the Samaritan Woman proposed for the Gospel reading for the Third Sunday of Lent.

Courage to own one’s truth

Pope Francis characterized Jesus’ meeting with the Samaritan woman as a “dialogue, an historical dialogue. It’s not a parable. It happened”, he said. Jesus meets a woman, a sinner and “for the first time in the Gospel, Jesus manifests His identity. He manifests it to a sinner who has the courage to tell Him the truth”. And based on that truth, “she went to proclaim Jesus. ‘Come. Perhaps He’s the Messiah, because He told me everything that I have done’ “.
 

YouTube video at the link below--
Pope Francis-Holy Mass at Casa Santa Marta 2020.03.15
https://www.youtube.com/user/vatican

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-03/pope-francis-angelus-gospel-christ-source.html

Pope at Angelus: Christ the source of living water
15 March 2020, 12:13

Pope Francis reflects on the Gospel passage recounting Jesus’ meeting with the Samaritan woman at the well before reciting the Angelus this Sunday.
By Vatican News

Pope Francis began by recalling how Jesus was on a journey with His disciples when He decided to take a break in Samaria near a well.

“Jesus is tired. He is thirsty”, said the Pope. When a woman arrives to draw water, He asks her for a drink. By doing so, added Pope Francis, Jesus broke every barrier, because the Samaritans were despised by the Jews.

The mystery of living water

“Jesus initiates a dialogue in which He reveals the mystery of living water to this woman, of the Holy Spirit, God’s gift”, continued Pope Francis.

“The focus of this dialogue is water”, he added. “On the one hand, water as an essential element that slakes the body’s thirst and sustains life. On the other, water as a symbol of divine grace which gives eternal life”.
 
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-03/pope-francis-prays-for-coronavirus-lockdown-angelus.html
Pope renews prayer for people isolated due to coronavirus outbreak
15 March 2020, 13:05

https://zenit.org/articles/angelus-address-on-third-sunday-of-lent-jesus-meeting-with-samaritan-woman/
Angelus Address on Third Sunday of Lent: Jesus’ Meeting with Samaritan Woman
March 15, 2020 15:02  Virginia Forrester

Video, with English commentary, at the link below--
Pope's Angelus of 15 March 2020
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope-francis/angelus/2020-03/video-pope-francis-angelus-15-march-2020.html
or
Pope Francis - Angelus prayer 2020-03-15
https://www.youtube.com/user/vatican

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https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2020/03/two-years-for-lobbying-one-year-for-filming-inside-the-vatican/

Two years for lobbying, one year for filming ‘Inside the Vatican’
Mark Pattison  Mar 15, 2020
CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

WASHINGTON, D.C. - For the upcoming PBS special “Inside the Vatican,” a crew from the BBC spent a year going inside talking with clerics and laity doing jobs of importance - including the gardeners and the “pietrini,” the crew that keeps St. Peter’s Basilica spotless.

But before that crew could begin its work, the production team spent two years lobbying Vatican officials for access.

“All documentary are underpinned by trust, and it’s about building trust,” Nick Kent, the documentary’s executive producer told Catholic News Service in a March 10 phone interview from London.

“The funny thing about the Vatican: There isn’t any one person in charge of access to the Vatican. There are little pockets of control, and you have to build up a kind of critical mass of support by collaborating with people and getting close to them,” Kent said. “The key thing is we took our time to do it.” He added, “I knew from the beginning if we took the typical approach to it, we would never get to do it.”

Once inside, “the challenge was trying to convince people inside the Vatican that we don’t have an agenda. A lot of journalists inside the Vatican have an agenda,” Kent said, whereas the documentary production team was interested “more about the nature of faith.” “Inside the Vatican” is scheduled to air Tuesday, April 28, 9-11 p.m. EDT on PBS. The documentary aired on BBC before Christmas.
 

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Photo gallery at the link

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-03/pope-francis-mary-prayer-crucifix-coronavirus.html
Pope Francis’ twin prayers for an “end to the pandemic”
15 March 2020, 18:21

Pope Francis left the Vatican on Sunday to visit two important pilgrimage sites in Rome to pray for the city and the world, in the midst of the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak.
By Vatican News

Two intense moments of prayer: one before the ancient icon of Maria Salus Populi Romani at the Basilica of St. Mary Major, and the other at the foot of a wooden crucifix that protected Rome from a great plague.

Pope Francis spent his afternoon on the Third Sunday of Lent seeking to underline his closeness to those who suffer by imploring the special protection of Our Lady.
Mary before the Cross

The Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, announced the Pope’s visits in a communique on Sunday.

“This afternoon, just after 4 PM, Pope Francis left the Vatican and made a private visit to the Basilica of St. Mary Major, to offer a prayer to the Virgin Mary, Salus Populi Romani, where her icon is kept and venerated. Then, after taking a walk along the Via del Corso – as if making a pilgrimage – he visited the church of San Marcello on the Corso, where a miraculous crucifix is housed. In 1522 it was carried in procession throughout the neighborhoods of the city so that the “Great Plague” might cease in Rome. With his prayer, the Holy Father pleaded for an end to the pandemic that has struck Italy and the world. He also implored the healing of the many sick people, remembered the numerous victims of these past days, and asked that their families and friends might find consolation and comfort. His prayer intention was also extended to healthcare workers, doctors, nurses, and all those working in these days to guarantee the smooth functioning of society. The Holy Father returned to the Vatican around 5:30 PM.”
 
Photo at the link
https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/15/world/coronavirus-pope-francis-blessing-trnd/index.html
Pope Francis gives his blessing to an eerily empty St. Peter's Square
By Alicia Lee, CNN
Updated 4:14 PM ET, Sun March 15, 2020

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Video, with English commentary, at the link

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope-francis/mass-casa-santa-marta/2020-03/pope-naaman-nazareth-indignation-homily-luke-kings.html
Pope Francis at Mass: May families find new ways of showing love
16 March 2020, 09:30

Once again, Pope Francis demonstrates his concern for families who are cooped up at home with their children, praying, “May the Lord help them discover new expressions of love”.
By Vatican News

“I am thinking of families who are cooped up”, Pope Francis began the morning liturgy at the Casa Santa Marta on Monday morning. “May the Lord help them to discover new ways, new expressions of love, of living together in this new situation. It's a beautiful opportunity to creatively rediscover affection…. Let's pray for families so that the relationships within the family at this moment might flourish always for the good.”

Pope Francis reflected on the behavior of Naaman and the people in the synagogue of Nazareth during his homily inspired by the readings of Monday of the Third Week of Lent (2 Kings 5:1-15; Luke 4:24-30).
 
https://zenit.org/articles/pope-at-santa-marta-its-a-beautiful-opportunity-for-families-to-creatively-rediscover-affection-full-text/
Pope at Santa Marta: It’s a Beautiful Opportunity for Families to Creatively Rediscover Affection (Full Text)
Prays for Families ‘All Cooped Up’ During Quarantine
March 16, 2020 10:58  Deborah Castellano Lubov

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2020-03/new-law-for-vatican-city-responds-to-current-needs.html

New law for Vatican City responds to current needs
16 March 2020, 13:55

Pope Francis establishes a new law for Vatican City State providing greater independence for the judiciary and simplifying judicial procedures.
By Christopher Wells

Pope Francis on Monday, 16 March 2020, promulgated a new law regulating the judicial system of Vatican City State. The new norms replace the previous law, which was originally issued by Pope St John Paul II in 1987 and amended by Benedict XVI in 2008.

According to a statement from the Holy See Press Office, the new law is intended to meet the requirements for greater efficiency required by the “current historical and institutional context”.

In particular, the new law provides for greater independence of judicial bodies and magistrates dependent on the Pope. It specifies the requirements for the appointment of judges and it simplifies the judicial system while increasing the staff of the court. Furthermore, it provides a head for the Office of the Promoter of Justice (prosecutor’s office), and sets out a standardized procedure for possible disciplinary action against certified advocates.
 
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2020-03/pope-francis-wants-independent-and-professional-magistrates.html
Pope Francis wants independent and professional magistrates
16 March 2020, 16:56

https://zenit.org/articles/vatican-publishes-law-no-cccli-on-vatican-city-state-judicial-system/
Vatican Publishes Law No. CCCLI on Vatican City State Judicial System
Comes in Wake of Regulatory Reforms in Economic-Financial & Criminal Matters
March 16, 2020 13:41  Deborah Castellano Lubov

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https://www.ncregister.com/blog/edward-pentin/coronavirus-latest-italys-bishops-call-for-all-churches-to-be-closed

Mar. 16, 2020
Coronavirus Latest from Rome
Latest updates from the Eternal City in lockdown since March 10.
Edward Pentin

UPDATES (Rome time)
 
March 16, 1.53pm

Despite the coronavirus, Pope Francis is continuing with hold private audiences, today meeting Cardinal Kevin Farrell, prefect of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life; Cardinal Beniamino Stella, prefect of the Congregation for Clergy; Paolo Ruffini, prefect of the Dicastery for Communications; and Cardinal Giuseppe Betori, Archbishop of Florence.

Last week, the Pope met French bishops on their ad limina visit, one of whom was Bishop Emmanuel Delmas of Angers who has since been tested positive for the Coronavirus.
 
Bishop Delmas was in Rome March 9-13 along with about thirty of his brother bishops from Western France. The Italian website Corrispondenza Romana reported March 15 that according to the French newspaper Courrier de L’Ouest, each of the bishops who came to Rome are “now in strict isolation.”
 
March 15, 7.43pm

The rector of the church of San Marcello al Corso, Father Enrico Casini, confirmed to EWTN that the Pope stopped in silent and private prayer for a few minutes in front of the Miraculous Crucifix. Afterwards he prayed in front of the church's statue of Saint Joseph. The whole community of the church was present including Father Enrico who reiterated how important the Crucifix is for the Romans.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2020-03/cardinal-konrad-krajewski-vatican-services-poor-continue.html

Papal Almoner: Vatican services for the poor continue despite coronavirus
16 March 2020, 15:08

The Vatican continues to offer shower facilities, sleeping quarters, and food assistance to the poor and homeless who often sleep rough around St. Peter’s Square.
By Devin Watkins

“Don’t ignore the poor Lazarus who knocks at your door.”

Cardinal Konrad Krajewski launched this appeal to those who encounter a homeless person.

The Almoner of the Office of Papal Charities said the Vatican continues to heed the cry of the poor despite the coronavirus outbreak.

“Though we maintain a safe physical distance, put on gloves, and avoid assemblies, we can still help those who are right beside us,” he said.
Critical moment of need

Cardinal Krajewski said this is a critical moment to help the poor.

In more normal times, homeless people can use the restrooms of cafes and restaurants, but now most are closed. “So we need to keep our shower facilities and restrooms open.”

The same goes for food assistance, he said. With restaurants closed, a charitable person is unable to offer someone a croissant or a cappuccino so they need somewhere to find food.

Helping those near the Vatican
 

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https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2020/03/as-coronavirus-spreads-so-does-popes-virtual-parish/

As coronavirus spreads, so does pope’s ‘virtual parish’
Elise Ann Allen  Mar 17, 2020

ROME - As many of the restrictions imposed early on by Italy to fight the COVID-19 coronavirus begin to be adopted elsewhere, the number of Catholics unable to get to Mass, or at least strongly discouraged from leaving the house to do so, is growing.

One novel attempt to fill that void is what might be called Pope Francis’s impromptu “virtual parish.”

Since March 9, after the Italy’s national lockdown was imposed, Francis has been livestreaming his daily Mass at the Santa Marta residence in the Vatican, which previously had always been celebrated in private, with a synopsis published by the Vatican media services. In addition, the pope’s weekend Masses are also being livestreamed; previously, his weekend liturgies were only publicized if they were open to the general public.

As of Monday morning, the papal Mass was attracting a live audience of about 6,000 people, the size of a large parish. Most were watching on Facebook and mostly in the Italian original, which is unsurprising given the 7:00 a.m. start time in Rome, which right now works out to 2:00 a.m. on the East Coast of the U.S.

There were, however, a hearty band of more than 900 English-speakers following the live translation provided by the Vatican on Facebook and Youtube.

Joining the pope each morning is a small cast of regulars, made up of members of his own household. In effect, the pope is trapped at home with his own family just like everyone else in Italy, where the total number of infections as of Monday evening was 24,747. The total number of deaths due to the virus was 1,809, and the number of people cured was 2,335.

The pope’s household includes three priests, two layman and a small cluster of nuns from the Vincentian Daughters of Charity, who have run the Santa Marta guesthouse since the late 1800s, when it was still operating as a hospice in the original building which used to exist on the site.
 

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Video, with English commentary beginning at the 1:00 time mark, at the link

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope-francis/mass-casa-santa-marta/2020-03/pope-homily-elderly-forgive-reconciliation-unity.html
Pope at Mass prays for the elderly
17 March 2020, 09:02

Before beginning Mass at the Casa Santa Marta on Tuesday morning, Pope Francis asks everyone to pray for the elderly “who are suffering in a particular way from interior solitude”.
By Vatican News

“Today I would like us to pray for the elderly”, were Pope Francis’ first words as he began Mass at the Casa Santa Marta on Tuesday morning. They “are suffering in a particular way at this moment: with great interior solitude, many times with a lot of fear. Let us pray to the Lord that He might be near our grandparents and all the elderly, that He might give strength to those who have given us wisdom, life, our story. May we also be near them with our prayer.”

During his homily, Pope Francis reflected on Jesus’ teaching on forgiveness from the day’s Gospel from Matthew (18:21-35).
 
https://zenit.org/articles/pope-at-santa-marta-lets-pray-for-all-the-grandpas-grandmas-all-the-elderlyfull-text/
Pope at Santa Marta: Let’s Pray for All the Grandpas, Grandmas & All the Elderly (Full Text)
Prays Again for Families to Rediscover True Affections at This Difficult Time
March 17, 2020 13:44  Deborah Castellano Lubov

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Novena information at the link

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/french-catholics-begin-novena-as-lourdes-closes-for-first-time-in-history-18355

French Catholics begin novena as Lourdes closes for first time in history
By Courtney Mares

Lourdes, France, Mar 17, 2020 / 05:30 am (CNA).- The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes has closed for the first time in over a century following new restrictions in France to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

“For the first time in its history, the sanctuary will close its doors for a while. Pray with us the novena to the Immaculate,” Mgr. Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, rector of the Lourdes sanctuary announced March 17.

No public Masses will be offered in the sanctuary due to national measures announced by French Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron on the evening of March 16.
 

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Video, with English commentary, at the link

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope-francis/mass-casa-santa-marta/2020-03/pope-homily-nearness-moses-law-jesus.html
Pope at Mass prays for those who have died because of the virus
18 March 2020, 09:02

The intention for Pope Francis’ Mass celebrated on Wednesday morning at the Casa Santa Marta is for those who died because of the virus, especially health care providers, “who have given their life in service of the sick”.
By Vatican News

“Today we pray for the deceased, those who have died because of the virus”, Pope Francis began the liturgy on Wednesday morning in the Casa Santa Marta chapel. He then continued asking that we pray with him for “for health care providers who have given their life in service for the sick”.

During the homily, he reflected on both readings of the day which, he said, focus on the law.

The way God gives the law

Both readings focus on the law, Pope Francis began his homily: “the law that God wanted to give us” and which “Jesus wanted to bring to its ultimate perfection”. What drew the Pope’s attention was “the way God gives the law”. In fact, Moses marvels at how near God is and that no other nation “has its God so near as the Lord our God is whenever we call to Him”, Pope Francis quoted.

“The Lord gives His people the law by drawing near to them. They weren't prescriptions given by a far-off governor who then distances himself or of a dictator.  …. And we know through revelation that it was the paternal nearness of a father accompanying His people, giving them the gift of the law. A God who is near….
 
YouTube video at the link below--
Pope Francis-Holy Mass at Casa Santa Marta 2020.03.18
https://www.youtube.com/user/vatican

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-03/pope-francis-general-audience-make-mercy-air-you-breathe-5th.html

Pope at Audience: Make mercy the air you breathe
18 March 2020, 13:30

During his General Audience on Wednesday, Pope Francis re-calls “Mercy” as the first theme he chose to discuss as Pope, adding that as the new Bishop of Rome, he felt its message had to be transmitted.
By Francesca Merlo

The fifth beatitude, began Pope Francis, is different than the others: it is the only one “in which the cause and effect of happiness coincide”. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy”, he read. Those who exercise mercy, explained the Pope, “will be shown mercy”.

The theme of reciprocity we see here is not only a characteristic of this beatitude, continued the Pope. It is repeated throughout the entire Gospel. “How could it be otherwise? Mercy is the very heart of God!” he said.

The Pope then went on to mention a few examples of this reciprocity. In Luke’s Gospel, for example, Jesus teaches us that if we do not judge, we shall not be judged.
 
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-03/pope-francis-24-hours-for-lord-coronavirus.html
Pope appeals for 24 Hours for the Lord initiative
18 March 2020, 12:23

https://zenit.org/articles/holy-fathers-march-18-general-audience-catechesis-full-text/
Holy Father’s March 18 General Audience Catechesis: Full Text
March 18, 2020 14:47  Virginia Forrester

Video at the link below--
Pope Francis - General Audience 2020-03-18
https://www.youtube.com/user/vatican

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Pope Francis' interview with the Italian daily newspaper, “La Repubblica.”

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-03/pope-coronavirus-interview-repubblica-pandemic-covid-coronavirus.html

Pope Francis on facing challenges of the coronavirus pandemic
18 March 2020, 11:02

In an interview with the Italian daily newspaper, “La Repubblica”, Pope Francis says he is praying for an end to the coronavirus pandemic, and asks everyone to be close to those who have lost loved ones.
By Vatican News

"I asked the Lord to stop the epidemic: ‘Lord, stop it with your hand’. That is what I prayed for”. Pope Francis revealed the content of his prayer in an interview with Italian journalist, Paolo Rodari, published in Wednesday’s edition of “La Repubblica” newspaper. Pope Francis made this prayer when he visited the Roman churches of Saints Mary Major and Marcello on the Via del Corso last Sunday.

In the interview, Pope Francis offers advice about how to face the daily challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic: "We need to rediscover the concreteness of small things, the small acts of kindness shown to those who are close to us, family, friends. We need to realize that our treasure lies in small things. There are tiny gestures that sometimes get lost in the routine of everyday life, gestures of tenderness, affection, compassion, that are nevertheless decisive, important”, he says. The Pope gives the examples of sharing “a hot plate of food, a caress, a hug, a phone call... These are familiar, attentive gestures regarding everyday details that make life meaningful, and create communion and communication amongst us".
 
https://www.repubblica.it/vaticano/2020/03/18/news/coronavirus_pope_francis-251572693/?refresh_ce
Pope Francis on Coronavirus crisis: “Don’t waste these difficult days. While at home re-discover the importance of hugging kids and relatives”

An exclusive interview with the Pope: “Our behaviour has an impact on other’s life. I asked God to stop this epidemic with “his hand””
PAOLO RODARI  18 marzo 2020