The situation of the Church in China has become increasingly worse since the signing of the agreement. The concordat with Nazi Germany in 1933 gave the Church freedom for a few months. Then crucifixes were removed from the schools; Catholic associations were brought back under the Nazi party; everyone was obliged to study Nazism. Fritz Stern: The concordat with the Holy See boosted Hitler's respectability in Germany and abroad.

For Fr. Francis Hu, a priest from central China, the "experts" celebrating the agreement have no idea of the real situation in China and the Church. Since the agreement was signed, the sale of Christian material on the internet has been blocked; churches and crosses continue to be destroyed; minors are prohibited from entering church or receiving religious formation. The agreement risks being just a political gesture, which has no relevance for Catholics in China.

At the Angelus Pope Francis urges forgiveness in families and society. In God "justice is pervaded by mercy, while our human attitude is limited to justice". Bearing a grudge is "like an annoying summer fly". Solidarity and closeness to all the victims of the fire that broke out in the Moria (Lesbos) refugee camp which the Pope visited in 2016. May the Churches work "in favor of dialogue and in favor of reconciliation" in places of conflict between civil society and political powers. The Collection for the Holy Land.

Francis affirms, generic commitments are not enough for an integral ecology and one cannot look only to the immediate consent of one's constituents or financiers. Far reaching vision is needed, otherwise history will not forgive us”.

According to a study by Economics and Peace (IEP) at least 1.2 billion people will live in areas at risk. Food insecurity and lack of water are accompanied by natural disasters. Critical situation in Central Asia and the Middle East. At the nation level, Pakistan and Iran face a toxic combination of threats.

During his regular press conference, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman expresses appreciation for the "successful" implementation of the Sino-Vatican agreement and promises "improvements in bilateral relations". But he does not explicity commit to anything. Chinese Catholics see the renewal as a forgone conclusion: China dominates the Catholic Church and needs diplomatic victories. The United Front is pulling against the agreement.

Francis met with the participants in ‘Snapshots from the Borders’, a European project. For the Pope, “The International Community has been content with military interventions, whereas it should have built institutions that can guarantee equal opportunities and enable citizens to assume their responsibility for the common good.”

The result of experiments carried out at Yale on brain tissues, on mice, on corpses of coronavirus dead. Many infected are affected by loss of sight, memory, coordination, speech and delirium. Virus thought to enter the brain through the nose.

The common good “duty of justice that falls on every citizen. And for Christians it is also a mission”. “Unfortunately, politics often doesn't have a good reputation, and we know why. This does not mean that all politicians are bad”. “Students and teachers, who have gone back to school these days, be the true architects of the future”.

During the Angelus, Pope Francis warned Christians against “gossip”. He notes that “The chatterbox is the devil because he is the liar who tries to divide the Church". Fraternal correction according to Jesus addresses two concerns, a communal one, “safeguarding communion, that is Church unity, and a personal one, which requires attention and respect for every individual conscience.”

On the Mother’s feast day, the superior of the Missionaries of Charity noted that “Mother's heart reflected the Heart of God.” Archbishop of Thomas D’Souza of Calcutta underlined the nuns' commitment to the hungry, the poor and the sick from COVID-19. “Many a COVID warrior [. . .] are in some way or other inspired by the life and example of Saint Teresa of Calcutta”.

From Yemen to India, a quarter of the world’s population faces water shortages. A growing population and increasingly irregular rainfall are two important factors. At least 17 nations are currently under high-water stress due to the lack of water. By 2040, one in four children in the world will live in water-stressed areas.

The Vatican Secretary of State travelled to the Lebanese capital to take part on behalf of Pope Francis in the Day of fasting and prayer the pontiff set for today. Card Parolin also met with leaders of Christian Churches and Muslim families. AsiaNews continues its campaign “Help devastated Beirut”.