Catholic organisations and Church leaders are responding in a variety of ways to the global challenge of coronavirus.
The World Movement of Christian Workers has prepared a four part Review of Life focusing on the the issue.
Caritas International sees the crisis as an opportunity to promote awareness “of our shared human nature and how interconnected the political, economic, social, spiritual and cultural dimensions are.”
Warning that “unjust systems created the environment for the spread of diseases, how fragile our lives are, and how vulnerable we were before the virus,” Caritas International president, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle called for a “pandemic of love and solidarity” around the globe.”
Lamenting that “partisan interests (are) emerging ” and that some are seeking to take advantage of the crisis for selfish purposes, Pope Francis has insisted that “the Christian response to the pandemic and to the consequent socio-economic crisis is based on love.”
At the level of liturgy and public prayer, the COVID-19 pandemic has also disrupted our experiences as never before, according to an article in Catholic Outlook.
“Providing pastoral care to the sick and dying in high-risk environments alongside health professionals engaged in medical care, has necessitated the development of innovative approaches to this vital work,” the says.
The ACU Centre for Liturgy is also organising a free public lecture, “Liturgy, Prayer, Pastoral Care and Pandemics,” that will be presented live online from New York, USA by Sr Professor Julia Upton rsm of St John’s University (New York) on Monday October 12 via Zoom.
The Australian Sisters of Mercy have also compiled a list of prayer resources on the subject.
RESOURCES
Review of Life on the Coronavirus (World Movement of Christian Workers)
Caritas: Amid the virus, cultivate a “pandemic of love and solidarity” (Catholic Outlook)
Pope Francis: Confront COVID with unbounded love (Catholic Outlook)
Pope Francis, Prayer to Our Lady, Health of the Sick (Sydney Archdiocese)
Prayer Resources (Sisters of Mercy)
ACU to host online public lecture on ‘Liturgy, Prayer, Pastoral Care and Pandemics’ (Catholic Outlook)