China has signed special agreements with South Korea and Singapore. Japan is vetting allowing air travel from Thailand, Vietnam, Australia and New Zealand. Cambodia plans to charge foreign visitors for the costs of anti-coronavirus checks. Indian borders remain closed.
Secretary of State Card Pietro Parolin met with the US and Israeli ambassadors yesterday. Israel and Palestine have the right to exist and live in peace and security within internationally recognised borders.
In the message to the Catholic Press Association during the Catholic Media Conference, Francis writes that “Only with that gaze can we effectively work to overcome the diseases of racism, injustice and indifference that disfigure the face of our common family.”
For Francis, “we often go to him only in times of need to ask for help. But God sees further and invites us to go further, to seek not only his gifts but [also] Him”. Above all, “the most important thing in life is to make life a gift”.
Unity and prophecy are the themes of Francis' homily on the day dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul. “It is pointless, even tedious, for Christians to waste their time complaining about the world, about society, about everything that is not right,” said Francis. “Today we need prophecy, but real prophecy: not fast talkers who promise the impossible, but testimonies that the Gospel is possible. What is needed are not miraculous shows. [. . .] We need lives that show the miracle of God’s love.”
The pontiff says that the love for Jesus should be put above family affections, that “kinship ties, if put first, can deviate from the true good”. He urges the faithful “to pray for the people of Yemen, especially the children, who are suffering because of the serious humanitarian crisis”.
The Maryknoll Missionary dedicated his life to creating mature communication between the Churches of Asia. He was also a member of the Pontifical council for social communications.
The new Directory for Catechesis, presented today at the Vatican, recalls the missionary responsibility of every baptized person and the urgency of finding new languages with which to communicate the faith. Catechesis, "must be intimately united with the work of evangelization and cannot be separated from it".
Over 500 signatories include Asian leaders Shirin Ebadi and Jose Ramos-Horta, the former Secretary of State Albright, and actor Richard Gere. The health emergency is a "formidable global challenge". The fight against coronavirus exploited to repress freedoms. The Philippines case: in the pandemic Duterte has strengthened its powers. The accusations to China.
In his general audience catechesis, Francis spoke of the "David prayer" which "teaches us to transform our joys and sorrows, our worries and our hopes, our fears and our victories into prayer". In his greeting in Spanish, he invited people to pray and be in solidarity with the victims of the earthquake that hit Mexico.
Speaking at the OSCE Human Dimension meeting in 2020, the Holy See delegation reiterated the media's responsibility in providing "fair and accurate" reports on religious issues. No to intolerance that nowadays is particularly pervasive in the digital world.
Mgr Li was already coadjutor bishop, recognised by the Holy See in 2017. Mgr Lucas Li Jingfeng had already prepared the "peaceful" transition from underground to official status. Provincial authorities are set to guarantee freedom. The Church is united in the diocese and across Shaanxi.
At the Angelus, Pope Francis comments on the "do not be afraid" of the gospel: hostility towards proclamation to silence it; persecution until death; the feeling of being abandoned by God. "Ensuring the necessary protection" for refugees. "Being more responsible for the care of the common home" and a greeting to the young people with the example of St. Luigi Gonzaga who died at a very young age, treating plague patients.
Pope Francis receives medical personnel from Lombardy and other regions affected by the coronavirus. Doctors, nurses, operators are "pillars" of society, to "nurture fraternity and civil coexistence". "The apostolic spirit of so many priests, who remained beside their people in caring and daily sharing".
Speaking at the 43rd session of the Human Rights Council, Vatican representative Ivan Jurkovič urged all states to "recognise, defend and promote" each person's basic human rights.
