Pope Francis invited people of all faiths to pray on May 14 for an end to the still-raging coronavirus pandemic. Meanwhile, Vatican News got a snapshot of people around the world who plan on participating in the unique initiative.
Meanwhile, Australia’s Syro-Malabar communities are being urged to join Catholics in India by observing fasting and prayer today, May 7 as the country faces a devastating surge in COVID cases.
The president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, Cardinal Oswald Gracias asked Bishops in India to nominate May 7 as a day to plead with divine intervention to save the country from the deadly pathogen, which is spreading across the country.
In his message to Syro-Malabar parishes and missions in Australia, Bishop Bosco Puthur encouraged people to “unite and fervently pray together to save humanity from this pandemic”.
“Along with our prayers, in this precarious situation we have a moral responsibility to financially assist our distressed brothers and sisters back home,” Bishop Puthur wrote.
“In addition to the strenuous efforts, so far undertaken by the central and state governments in India, the Lord of Mercy is calling upon us all to help the people and places in most dire need.”
Bishop Puthur requested that Syro-Malabar parishes and communities donate collections taken from masses this weekend be donated to help India fight COVID-19. Money raised will be forwarded to Caritas India, which will distribute the funds to the areas where it is most needed, according to CatholicOutlook.
Will you be joining believers around the world through prayer, fasting or by performing acts of charity on May 14. Let us know in the comments section below.
If that’s all it takes to end the pandemic, why on earth didn’t he do it a year ago? Or does it only work AFTER vaccines have started rolling out?