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Fifty-third year, number 13 (2.640) Vatican City Friday, 27 March 2020

The Pope recites the Our Father in spiritual communion with all the Christians of the world

Mercy for humanity so greatly tried

Special Indulgences

In the current pandemic

PAGE 4/5

Indications

Paschal celebrations

PAGE 6

Sunday Angelus

Together against the virus

PAGE 8

General Audience

Life should be defended

PAGE 3

Message for World Day of Prayer for Vocations

Words of Vocation

CONTINUED ON PA G E 7

“Words of Vocation” is the theme of the 57th World Day of Prayer forVocations which will be celebrated on 3 May, fourth Sunday of Easter.The following is the English text of Pope Francis’ Message for the occasion.

In spiritual communion with Christiansthroughout the world, on Wednesday, 25 March,Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, PopeFrancis recited the “Pater Noster” to implore for“mercy for humanity so greatly tried by thecoronavirus pandemic”. The following is atranslation of the Pope’s introductory words whichhe offered in Italian on live steaming, from theprivate library of the Apostolic Palace at noon.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,Today we made an appointment with allChristians throughout the world to pray to-gether the ‘Our Father’, the prayer that Jesustaught us.

As trusting children, we address our Father.We do it every day, several times a day.However, at this time, we want to imploremercy for humanity, so greatly tried by thecoronavirus pandemic. And we do it together,Christians of every Church and Community,of every tradition, age, language and nation.

Let us pray for the sick and their families;for healthcare workers and those who assistthem, for the authorities, law enforcementagencies and volunteers and for the ministersof our community.

Many of us today are celebrating the In-carnation of the Word in the womb of the Vir-gin Mary, when her humble and total [reply]:“Here I am”, reflected in the “Here I am” ofthe Son of God. We too entrust ourselves intoGo d’s hands in full confidence and with oneheart and one soul, let us pray:

Pater Noster

Dear Brothers and Sisters,On 4 August last year, the 160thanniversary of the death of theCuré of Ars, I chose to write a let-ter to all those priests who dailydevote their lives to the service of

Go d’s people in response to theL o rd ’s call.

On that occasion, I chose fourkey words — pain, gratitude, encour-agement and p ra i s e — as a way ofthanking priests and supportingtheir ministry. I believe that today,on this 57th World Day of Prayerfor Vocations, those words can beaddressed to the whole people ofGod, against the backdrop of theGospel passage that recounts forus the remarkable experience of Je-sus and Peter during a stormynight on the Sea of Galilee (cf. Mt14:22-33).

After the multiplication of theloaves, which had astonished thecrowds, Jesus told his disciples toget into the boat and precede him

to the other shore, while he tookleave of the people. The image ofthe disciples crossing the lake canevoke our own life’s journey. In-deed, the boat of our lives slowlyadvances, restlessly looking for asafe haven and prepared to facethe perils and promises of the sea,yet at the same time trusting thatthe helmsman will ultimately keepus on the right course. At times,though, the boat can drift offcourse, misled by mirages, not thelighthouse that leads it home, andbe tossed by the tempests of diffi-culty, doubt and fear.

Something similar takes place inthe hearts of those who, called tofollow the Teacher of Nazareth,have to undertake a crossing andabandon their own security to be-come the Lord’s disciples. The risk

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page 2 L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO Friday, 27 March 2020, number 13

VAT I C A NBULLETIN

Pop e’s prayer intention for themonth of March

In the prayer intention for the month of March entrusted to the Pope’sWorldwide Prayer Network, the Holy Father invites the faithful to pray“that the Church in China may persevere in its faithfulness to the Gospeland grow in unity”. The Church in China today, “looks to the futurewith hope”, the Pope said, and she calls on “Chinese Christians to betruly Christian and to be good citizens”. As the video shows images ofpeople praying, Pope Francis encourages Chinese Christians to promotethe Gospel, “but without engaging in proselytism”, in order to “achievethe unity of the divided Catholic community”.

Although the first Christian missionaries arrived in China in the sixthcentury when Syrian monks introduced the Eastern Church, it was in the20th century that a growth in the number of Baptized people occurred.According to some estimates there are currently some 100 million Christi-ans in China accounting for 7.1 % of the country’s population. Indeed,China in the future could be home to the largest Christian community inthe world. Translated into nine languages, the video for the Pope’s prayerintention for March was produced and distributed by La Machi agency,in collaboration with Vatican Media, and can be viewed on www.thep op evideo.org.

Pope Francis’ visitto Malta postponed

The Apostolic Visit of Pope Fran-cis to Malta, scheduled to takeplace on Pentecost Sunday, 31May, has been postponed to alater date due to the coronaviruspandemic.

The Director of the Holy SeePress Office, Matteo Bruni, madethe announcement on Monday, 23March: “Due to the ongoing worldsituation, and in agreement withauthorities and the local Church,the previously announced Apostol-ic Visit to Malta has been post-poned to a later date to be de-termined,” reads the statement.

AUDIENCES

Friday, 20 March

Cardinal Luis Antonio G. Tagle,Prefect of the Congregation for theEvangelization of Peoples

Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turk-son, Prefect of the Dicastery for Pro-moting Integral Human Develop-ment

Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi, Prefectof the Congregation for CatholicEducation (for Institutes of Study)

Saturday, 21 March

Cardinal Marc Ouellet, PSS, Prefectof the Congregation for Bishops

H.E. Mr Louis Léon Boguy Bony,Ambassador of Côte d'Ivoire, for thepresentation of his Letters of Cre-dence

Cardinal Dominique Mamberti, Pre-fect of the Supreme Tribunal of theApostolic Signatura

Cardinal Kurt Koch, President ofthe Pontifical Council for PromotingChristian Unity

Monday, 23 March

Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, Presid-ent of the Pontifical Council forC u l t u re

Archbishop Salvatore Fisichella, titu-lar Archbishop of Voghenza, Presid-ent of the Pontifical Council forPromoting the New Evangelization

Cardinal Miguel Angel Áyuso Guix-ot, President of the Pontifical Coun-cil for Interreligious DialogueFr Juan Antonio Guerrero Alves, S J,Prefect of the Secretariat for theEconomy

CHANGES IN EP I S C O PAT E

The Holy Father accepted the resig-nation of Bishop Martin TetsuoHiraga from his office as Bishop ofSendai, Japan (18 Mar.).The Holy Father accepted the resig-nation of Bishop David CristopherMcGough from his office as Auxili-ary Bishop of the Archdiocese ofBirmingham, Great Britain (18M a r. ) .The Holy Father appointed as Aux-iliary Bishops of Birmingham: FrCanon David Ernest Charles Evans,assigning him the titular episcopalSee of Cuncacestre. Until now hehas served as episcopal vicar forBirmingham; and Fr Stephen JamesLawrence Wright assigning him thetitular episcopal See of Ramsbiria.Until now he has served as epis-copal vicar of Worcester (18 Mar.).

Bishop-elect Evans, 66, was bornin Henley-on-Thames, Great Britain.He holds a licence in philosophyand theology. He was ordained apriest on 29 July 1978.

Bishop-elect Wright, 49, was bornin Stafford, Great Britain. He holds

a law degree and legal practice qual-ification, and a licence in theology.He was ordained a priest on 9September 2000.

The Holy Father accepted the resig-nation of Bishop Roberto OctavioBalmore Cinta, M J, as Bishop ofCiudad Valles, Mexico (19 Mar.).The Holy Father appointed FrRoberto Yenny García as Bishop ofCiudad Valles. Until now he hasserved as secretary for institutionalrelations of the Episcopal Confer-ence of Mexico (19 Mar.).

Bishop-elect García, 48, was bornin Mexico City. He holds: a doctor-ate in philosophy and in moral theo-logy; a degree in family therapy andin counselling. He was ordained apriest on 19 March 1996.

The Holy Father accepted the resig-nation of Bishop Armando JoséMaría Rossi, O P, as Bishop of Con-cepción, Argentina (19 Mar.).The Holy Father appointed BishopJosé Melitón Chávez as Bishop ofConcepción. Until now he hasserved as coadjutor Bishop of thesame Diocese (19 Mar.).The Holy Father appointed BishopPatrick Michael O'Regan as Metro-politan Archbishop of Adelaide,Australia. Until now he has servedas Bishop of Sale, Australia (19M a r. ) .The Holy Father appointed FrMoises M. Cuevas as Auxiliary Bish-op of the Archdiocese of Zam-boanga, the Philippines, assigninghim the titular episcopal See ofMaraguia. Until now he has servedas parish priest of the Cathedral ofthe Immaculate Conception in Zam-boanga City (19 Mar.).

Bishop-elect Cuevas, 46, was bornin Batangas City, the Philippines.He holds a degree in philosophyand theology. He was ordained apriest on 6 December 2000.

The Holy Father appointed Fr JoséAdolfo Larregain, OFM, as AuxiliaryBishop of the Archdiocese of Corri-entes, Argentina, assigning him thetitular episcopal See of Mauriana.Until now he has served as: guardi-an of the Community of the FriarsMinor in the Diocese of Merlo-Moreno; parish administrator of theVirgen de la Paz parish and provin-cial definitor of his Order (21 Mar.).

Bishop-elect Larregain, 53, wasborn in Adolfo González Chávez,Argentina. He holds a degree in pas-toral theology. He was ordained apriest on 19 March 2004.

SPECIAL ENVOY

The Holy Father appointed Cardin-al Luis Antonio G. Tagle, Prefect ofthe Congregation for the Evangeliz-ation of Peoples, as his Special En-voy at the National Eucharistic Con-gress in the Democratic Republic ofthe Congo, to be held in Lubum-bashi from 7 to 14 June 2020 (18M a r. ) .

AD M I N I S T R AT I O N OF THEPAT R I M O N Y OF THE

APOSTOLIC SEE

The Holy Father appointed Cardin-al Daniel Fernando Sturla Berhouet,SDB, Archbishop of Montevideo, Ur-uguay, as member of the Commis-sion of Cardinals of the Administra-tion of the Patrimony of theApostolic See (18 Mar.).

LENTEN SERMON

On Friday morning, 20 March, FrRaniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap.,Preacher of the Papal Household,delivered the Second Lenten Sermonin the Redemptoris Mater Chapel.

NECROLO GY

Bishop Sebastião Roque RabeloMendes (Dom Zico), titular Bishopof Ploaghe, Auxiliary Bishop emerit-us of Belo Horizonte – MG, Brazil,at age 90 (11 Mar.)Bishop Gilbert E. Chávez, titularBishop of Magarmel, Auxiliary Bish-op emeritus of San Diego, USA, atage 87 (15 Mar.)Bishop Justin Mulenga of Mpika,Zambia, at age 65 (20 Mar.)Bishop Soundararaju Periyanayagam,SDB, of Vellore, India, at age 70 (21M a r. )

number 13, Friday, 27 March 2020 L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO page 3

Each life should be defended, served and lovedThe Pope renews the teachings of ‘Evangelium Vitae’ within the pandemic context

On the 25th anniversary of “Evangelium Vitae”, Pope Franciscommented on John Paul II’s Encyclical Letter “within thecontext of a pandemic that threatens human life and theworld economy” during the General Audience on Wednesday,25 March. Rather than continue his catechesis on theBeatitudes, he highlighted the close and profound bondbetween “the Annunciation and the ‘Gospel of Life’”. Thefollowing is a translation of his remarks which he delivered inItalian on live streaming, from the library of the ApostolicPalace, due to the coronavirus emergency.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,Good morning!Twenty-five years ago today, onthis very date, 25 March, whenthe Church marks the Solemnityof the Annunciation of the Lord,Saint John Paul II p ro m u l g a t e dthe Encyclical Letter EvangeliumVitae, on the value and inviolabil-ity of human life.

The bond between the Annunci-ation and the “Gospel of Life” isclose and profound, as Saint JohnPaul emphasized in his EncyclicalLetter. Today we find ourselves re-viving this teaching within thecontext of a pandemic thatthreatens human life and theworld economy. It is a situationthat makes the words with whichthe Encyclical begins ever moredemanding. Here they are: “TheGospel of life is at the heart of Je-sus’ message. Lovingly receivedday after day by the Church, it isto be preached with dauntless fi-delity as ‘good news’ to the peopleof every age and culture” (n. 1).

As with every proclamation ofthe Gospel, this too should firstlybe witnessed. And I think withgratitude of the silent witness ofmany people who, in variousways, are doing everything theycan in serving the sick, the elderlyand those who are alone andmost destitute. They put intopractice the Gospel of Life, likeMary who, having accepted theAngel’s announcement, went tohelp her cousin Elizabeth whowas in need.

Indeed, the life that we arecalled to promote and defend isnot an abstract concept, butrather it is always manifested in aperson in flesh and blood: a babywho has just been conceived, amarginalized poor person, a sickperson who is disheartened or ina terminal ill state, one who haslost their job or cannot find one,a rejected or marginalized mi-

grant.... Life manifests itself tan-gibly in people.

Each human being is called byGod to enjoy the fullness of life;and, is entrusted to the maternalcare of the Church, every threatto human dignity and life cannotbut have an effect on her heart,on her maternal ‘womb’. To de-fend life is not an ideology forthe Church. It is a reality; a hu-man reality which involves allChristians, precisely because theyare Christian and because theyare human.

Unfortunately, attacks againstp eople’s dignity and life still con-tinue in our epoch, which is theage of universal human rights.Indeed, we are facing new threatsand new forms of slavery, andlaws do not always protect theweakest and most vulnerable hu-man lives.

The message of theEncyclical EvangeliumVitae is thus more cur-rent than ever. Asidefrom the emergencieslike the one we are ex-periencing now, it is acase of taking actionon the cultural andeducational level inorder to transmit tofuture generations, theattitude of solidarity,care and welcome, inthe full knowledgethat the culture of lifeis not the exclusiveheritage of Christians,but rather belongs toall those who, workingto build fraternal rela-tionships, recognizethe value of each per-son, even when theyare fragile and suffer-i n g.

Dear brothers andsisters, every humanlife, unique and unre-peatable, has value in

and of itself; it is of inestimablevalue. This must always be pro-claimed anew with the courage ofthe Word and the courage of ac-tions. It calls us to solidarity andfraternal love for the great humanfamily and for each of its mem-b ers.

Thus, with Saint John Paul II,who wrote this Encyclical Letter,I reaffirm with renewed convic-tion the appeal he addressed toeveryone 25 years ago: “resp ect,protect, love and serve life, everyhuman life! Only in this directionwill you find justice, develop-ment, true freedom, peace andhappiness!” (Encyclical Letter,Evangelium Vitae, n. 5).

APPEAL

In a short while, at midday, wePastors of the various Christian

communities, along with thefaithful of various confessions,will spiritually join together to in-voke God with the Lord’s Prayer.Let us unite our voices in a pleato the Lord in these days of suf-fering, as the world is beinggreatly tried by the pandemic.May our kind and merciful Fath-er grant the unanimous plea ofhis children, who in trustinghope, turn to his omnipotence.

I also renew to all my invita-tion to spiritually participate viathe means of communication inthe moment of prayer that I willpreside the day after tomorrow,on Friday [27 March] at 6:00 pmon the parvis of the Basilica ofSaint Peter. Listening to theWord of God and the Adorationof the Most Holy Sacrament willbe followed by the Urbi et OrbiBlessing connected to the PlenaryIndulgence.

SPECIAL GREETINGS

I greet the English-speakingfaithful joining us through themedia, as we continue on ourLenten journey towards Easter.Upon you and your families, I in-voke the strength and peace thatcome from our Lord Jesus Christ.May God bless you!

I offer a special greeting toyoung people, the e l d e rl y, the sickand newlyweds. Today, on theSolemnity of the Annunciation ofthe Lord, I entrust everyone tothe Mother of Jesus and OurMother. May she who said that“yes” in Nazareth, help you tosay “yes” every day to the Lord,who asks you to welcome himand to follow him in all the con-crete situations that you are ex-periencing. May God Bless you.

GENERAL AU D I E N C E

number 13, Friday, 27 March 2020 L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO page 4/5

To receive God’s forgivenesswithout having a priest

Salus animarum, the salvation of souls, is the supreme lawof the Church, the fundamental interpretative criterion todetermine what is right. This is why the Church alwaysseeks to offer in every way the possibility of reconciliationwith God to all those who desire it, to those who seek,await or are in any case aware of their condition and feelthe need to be welcomed, loved and forgiven. In thesetimes of pandemic emergency, with people seriously ill andin isolation in intensive care units, and with families whoare being asked to stay at home to avoid the spread of con-tagion, it is useful to remind everyone about the richness oftradition. Pope Francis did this during his homily for Massat Santa Marta on Friday, 20 March.

“I know that many of you go to confession for Easter, tofind yourself joined with God again”, the Pope said.“However, many will ask me today: ‘But, Father, where canI find a priest, a confessor as we cannot leave the house?And I want to make peace with the Lord, I want him to em-brace me, for my Dad to embrace me…. What can I do if Icannot find priests?’. Do what the Catechism says. It is veryclear: if you are unable to find a priest to confess you — thePope explained — speak to God, he is your Father, and tellhim the truth: ‘Lord I did this, this and this… I am sorry’,and ask him for forgiveness with all your heart, through theAct of Contrition and promise him: ‘I will confess later, butforgive me now’. And you will immediately return to God’sgrace. As the Catechism teaches us, you can draw near toGo d’s forgiveness yourself, without having a priest on hand.Think: it is time! And this is the right time, the opportunemoment. A well performed Act of Contrition, and thus oursoul will become as white as snow”.

Pope Francis was referring to numbers 1451 and 1452 ofthe Catechism of the Catholic Church promulgated bySaint John Paul II and edited under the guidance of thethen Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of theFaith, Joseph Ratzinger. With regards to “contrition”, theCatechism quoting the Council of Trent, teaches us that,among the acts of the penitent, “contrition occupies firstplace. Contrition is ‘sorrow of the soul and detestation forthe sin committed, together with the resolution not to sinagain’”. “When it arises from a love by which God is lovedabove all else”, the Catechism continues, “contrition iscalled ‘p erfect’ (contrition of charity). Such contrition re-mits venial sins; it also obtains forgiveness of mortal sins ifit includes the firm resolution to have recourse to sacra-mental confession as soon as possible”.

Thus, pending the opportunity to receive absolutionfrom a priest as soon as the opportunity arises, one can beforgiven immediately with this act. This had already beenstated by the Council of Trent in Chapter 4 of the Doctrinade s a c ra m e n t o Paenitentiae which says that contrition accom-panied by the intention to confess, “reconciles man withGod before this sacrament be actually received”. A path tothe mercy of God that is open to everyone who belongs tothe Church’s tradition and that can be useful to anyoneand is particularly useful to those who at this time, areclose to the sick at home and in hospitals.

Decree of the Apostolic Penitentiary

To the faithfulin the current pandemic

‘I am with you always’ (Mt 28:20)Note on the Sacrament of Reconciliation in the present emergency of the coron a v i ru s

The gift of Special Indulgences is granted to the faithful suffering from Covid-19 disease,commonly known as Coronavirus, as well as to health-care workers, family members andall those who in any capacity, including through prayer, care for them.

The seriousness of the current situation callsfor reflection on the urgency and centrality ofthe Sacrament of Reconciliation, along withsome necessary clarifications, both to thefaithful lay people and to the ministers calledto celebrate the Sacrament.

Even in times of Covid-19, the Sacramentof Reconciliation is administered according touniversal canon law and according to the pro-visions in the O rd o Paenitentiae.

Individual confession is the ordinary way tocelebrate this sacrament (cf. can. 960 CIC),whereas collective absolution, without priorindividual confession cannot be imparted ex-cept in situations where there is imminentdanger of death, as there is insufficient timeto hear the confessions of the individual pen-itents (cf. can. 961, § 1 CIC), or when there isa grave necessity (cf. can. 961 § 1, 2° CIC), theconsideration of which, is up to the diocesanbishop, after reviewing the criteria agreedupon with the other members of the Epis-copal Conference (cf. can. 455, § 2 CIC) sub-ject to the necessity of the votum s a c ra m e n t ifrom each penitent to obtain valid absolution,that is, the intention to confess in due timethe individual serious sins which at the timethey had no possibility of confessing (cf. can962, § 1 CIC).

This Apostolic Penitentiary believes that thereare cases of grave necessity as mentioned above atcan. 961, § 2 CIC, especially in places that aremost greatly affected by the pandemic contagion,and until the phenomenon subsides.

Any further detail can be referred to dioces-an bishops, always taking into considerationthe supreme good of the salvation of souls(cf. can. 1752 CIC).

Should there be a sudden need to impartsacramental absolution to several faithful atthe same time, to the extent possible, thepriest must forewarn the diocesan bishop or,if he is unable to do so, to inform him assoon as possible (cf. O rd o Paenitentiae, n. 32).

In this present pandemic emergency, it be-longs to the diocesan bishop to indicate topriests and penitents the cautious attentive-ness that should be adopted in the individualcelebration of sacramental reconciliation, suchas being in a ventilated place, outside theconfessional, the adoption of a suitable dis-tance, the use of protective masks, subject toabsolute attention to the safeguarding of thesacramental seal and the required discretion.Moreover, it is always up to the diocesanbishop to determine which cases are of gravenecessity and require collective absolutionwithin the territory of his own ecclesiastic cir-cumscription and depending on the level ofpandemic contagion: for example the entranceto hospital wards where there are infectedfaithful who are in danger of death, using asmuch as possible and with the necessary pre-cautions, means of vocal amplification so thatthe absolution may be heard.

Where necessary, the need and possibilityof forming groups of “extraordinary hospitalchaplains” in agreement with health authorit-ies, should be evaluated, even on a voluntarybasis and in respect of regulation for the pro-tection from contagion, in order to guaranteethe necessary spiritual assistance to the sickand the dying.

Where individual faithful should be in thepainful impossibility of receiving sacramentalabsolution, it should be remembered that per-fect contrition, coming from the love of God,

loved above all else, expressed by a sincere re-quest for forgiveness (one which the penitentis able to express in that moment) and accom-panied by the votum confessionis, that is, by thefirm resolution to receive sacramental confes-sion as soon as possible, obtains the forgive-ness of sins, even mortal ones (cf. CCC, n.1452).

Never before than at this time, has theChurch experienced the strength of the com-munion of saints, raising vows and prayers toher Crucified and Risen Lord, in particularthe Sacrifice of Holy Mass celebrated daily bypriests, even without people.

As a good mother, the Church implores theLord that humanity may be freed from such aplague, invoking the intercession of theBlessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy andHealth of the Sick, and of her Spouse, SaintJoseph, under whose patronage the Church,as ever, journeys throughout the world.

May Mary Most Holy and Saint Josephobtain for us abundant graces of reconcili-ation and salvation, in careful listening to theWord of the Lord that repeats to humanitytoday: “Be still, and know that I am God”(Ps 46:11), “I am with you always” (Mt28:20).

Given in Rome, Apostolic Penitentiary,19 March 2020, Solemnity of Saint Joseph,

Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Patron ofthe Universal Church

C a rd i n a l MAU R O PIACENZAMajor Penitentiary

KRZYSZTOF NYKIELRegent

“Rejoice in your hope, be patient intribulation, be constant in prayer”(Rom 12:12). The words written bySaint Paul to the Church of Romeresonate throughout the entire historyof the Church and guide the judg-ment of the faithful in the face of allsuffering, sickness and calamity.

The present moment in which thewhole humanity, threatened by the in-visible and insidious disease that hasbecome part of our lives for sometime now, is marked day after day byanguished fears, new uncertaintiesand, above all, by widespread physic-al and moral suffering.

Following the example of her Di-vine Master, the Church has alwayshad the care of the sick at heart. AsSaint John Paul II pointed out, thevalue of human suffering is twofold:“It is s u p e r n a t u ra l because it is rootedin the divine mystery of the Redemp-tion of the world, and it is likewisedeeply human, because in it, the per-son discovers himself, his own hu-manity, his own dignity, his own mis-sion” (Apostolic Letter Salvifici Dolor-is, n. 31).

Pope Francis, too, in these recentdays, has shown his paternal closenessand renewed his invitation to pray in-cessantly for those who are sick withthe Coronavirus.

So that all those who suffer due toCovid-19, may rediscover “the sameredemptive suffering of Christ” (ibid.,30) in the very mystery of their suffer-ing, this Apostolic Penitentiary, exauctoritate Summi Pontificis, trusting inthe word of Christ the Lord and con-sidering with a faithful spirit the cur-rent epidemic, to be lived in a spiritof personal conversion, grants the giftof Indulgences in accord with the fol-lowing disposition.

The Plenary Indulgence is granted tothe faithful suffering from Coronavir-us, who are subject to quarantine byorder of the health authority in hos-pitals or in their own homes, if, with aspirit detached from any sin, they willjoin spiritually via the media in thecelebration of Holy Mass, the recita-tion of the Holy Rosary, the piouspractice of the Via Crucis or otherforms of devotion, or if they will atleast recite the Creed, the Lord’sPrayer and a pious invocation to theBlessed Virgin Mary, offering this trialin a spirit of faith in God and charitytowards their brothers and sisters,with the willingness to fulfil the usualconditions (sacramental confession,Eucharistic communion and prayer

according to the Holy Father’s inten-tions), as soon as possible.

Health-care workers, family mem-bers and all those who, following theexample of the Good Samaritan, ex-pose themselves to the risk of conta-gion to care for the sick of Coronavir-us according to the words of the di-vine Redeemer: “Greater love has noman than this, that a man lay downhis life for his friends”. (Jn 15:13), willobtain the same gift of the Plenary In-dulgence under the same conditions.

Moreover, this Apostolic Peniten-tiary willingly grants a Plenary Indul-gence under the same conditions onthe occasion of the current world epi-demic, also to the faithful who offer avisit to the Blessed Sacrament, orEucharistic Adoration, or the readingof the Holy Scriptures for at least halfan hour, or the recitation of the HolyRosary, or the pious exercise of theWay of the Cross, or the recitation ofthe Chaplet of Divine Mercy, to im-plore from Almighty God the end ofthe epidemic, relief to those who areafflicted and eternal salvation to thosethe Lord has called to Himself.

The Church prays for those whoare unable to receive the Sacrament ofthe Anointing of the Sick and of theViaticum, entrusting each and everyone to Divine Mercy by virtue of thecommunion of saints and granting thefaithful a Plenary Indulgence on thepoint of death, provided that they areduly disposed and have recited a fewprayers during their lifetime (in thiscase the Church makes up for thethree usual conditions required). Forthe attainment of this indulgence theuse of the Crucifix or the cross is re-commended (cf. Enchiridion indulgen-tiarum, n. 12).

May the Blessed Virgin Mary,Mother of God and of the Church,Health of the Sick and Help of Chris-tians, our Advocate, help sufferinghumanity, save us from the evil of thispandemic and obtain for us everygood necessary for our salvation andsanctification.

The present Decree is valid not-withstanding any provision to thec o n t r a r y.

Given in Rome, fromthe seat of the Apostolic

Penitentiary, on 19 March 2020.C a rd i n a l MAU R O PIACENZA

Major Penitentiary

KRZYSZTOF NYKIELRegent

GRANTING OF SPECIAL INDULGENCES

The God of tenderness will heal us of all life’s wounds and of all the bad thingswe have done. Returning to God means returning to an embrace, the embrace of the Father.

(@Pontifex)

page 6 L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO Friday, 27 March 2020, number 13

Suspension of judicial activitiesExtraordinary and urgent measures to counteract the Covid-19 emergency and contain its negative effects

1. As of the day after the entry intoforce of the present provision anduntil 3 April 2020, trial hearings inprogress in all judicial offices shallbe postponed ex officio until after 3April 2020, with the exceptions in-dicated at paragraph 4.

2. As of the day after the entry in-to force of the present provision anduntil 3 April 2020, the deadline forthe fulfillment of any act of proceed-ings indicated at paragraph 1 is sus-pended, with the exceptions indic-ated at paragraph 4. Where the pro-ceedings begin during the period ofsuspension, its beginning shall bepostponed to the end of said sus-pension period.

3. As of the day after the entry in-to force of the present provision anduntil 3 April 2020 all statutes of lim-itations shall also be suspended forall intents and purposes, with theexceptions indicated at paragraph 4.

4. The provisions not affected bythe previous paragraphs are:

a. civil proceedings where it canbe reasonably foreseen that post-ponement is impracticable andwhere the delay in dealing with thecase could cause serious harm to theparties. At the request put forth bythe interested party or whereprovided, by the Promoter ofJustice, the President of the Judicial

Office or his delegate shall decidewithin ten days by incontestable de-cree. In the case of acceptance, thedeadlines detailed at paragraph 2and 3 shall begin to elapse from thetenth day after the request was putf o r w a rd , that is, from the notifica-tion or communication of the provi-sion that is deposited beyond theabovementioned deadline.

b. criminal proceedings for whichthe trial of first instance is not yet inp ro g re s s ;

c. criminal proceedings againstpersons who are detained or whowould otherwise be burdened bymeasures restricting their personalf re e d o m ;

d. At the request put forth by thePromoter of Justice or by the inter-ested party, the President of the Col-lege or his delegate shall decidewithin ten days by incontestable de-cree. In the case of acceptance, thedeadlines detailed at paragraph 2and 3 shall begin to elapse from the

tenth day after the request was putf o r w a rd , that is, from the notifica-tion or communication of the provi-sion that is deposited beyond theabovementioned deadline.

5. The President of the Tribunal,having heard in so far as their re-spective competence, the Presidentof the Court of Appeal or the Pres-ident of the Supreme Court, not-withstanding the ordinary powers ofdirection and organization of the ju-dicial offices and of the clerical of-fice can also adopt the followingm e a s u re s :

a. limit access to the judicial of-fices, whilst guaranteeing access topeople who must carry out urgentactivities;

b. limit opening hours of the judi-cial offices;

c. regulate access to judicial of-fices when appointments have beenmade, by reservation, even via tele-phone or telematic means of com-munication, ensuring that the con-vocation of users is scheduled forfixed hours;

d. provide closed door hearings ofcases that must take place accordingto provisions indicated at paragraph4;

e. shifts for administrative andclerical staff notwithstanding ordin-ary provisions.

The Holy Father, in an audience granted to His Excellency Arch-bishop Edgar Peña Parra, Substitute for General Affairs of the Sec-retariat of State, on 17 March 2020, in order to counter the epidemi-ological emergency from Covid-19 and contain its negative effects onthe course of judicial activities, has decided to issue the extraordin-ary and urgent measures detailed in the annex to this Rescriptum.

The Holy Father has determined that the Rescriptum shall havefirm and stable effect, notwithstanding anything to the contraryeven if worthy of special mention, that it shall be promulgated bypublication in L’O s s e r v a t o re Romano, with immediate effect, and sub-sequently published in the official commentary Ac t a Ap o s t o l i c a e Sedis.

From the Vatican, 18 March 2020

Cardinal PIETRO PAROLINSecretary of State

Rescriptum ex audentia Sanctissimi

Eastern Catholic Churches

Indications for thePaschal Celebrations

Considering the rapid evolution of the Covid-19pandemic, including in many countries wherefaithful of the Eastern Catholic Churches live,the Congregation for the Eastern Churches in-vites the Heads of all the Churches sui iuris toissue norms in accordance with the measures es-tablished by the civil authorities for the contain-ment of the contagion and to encourage suchconduct with the other Christian Churches,Catholic and non-Catholic, present on the samet e r r i t o r y.

Considering the different ritual traditions andthe Easter celebrations according to their re-spective calendars, it is not possible to issue aunitary provision that would cover all the usespresent in each Church sui iuris.

Nevertheless, it seems appropriate to sharethe following recommendations:

— The feasts are strictly to be kept on thedays foreseen by the liturgical calendar, broad-casting or streaming those celebrations that arepossible, so that they can be followed by thefaithful in their homes.

— Consideration should be given to the ad-aptations that will be made necessary by limitedpresence at the liturgical service. The participa-tion of the choir and ministers expected bysome ritual traditions is not possible at thepresent time when prudence advises avoidinggathering in significant numbers.

— Those parts of the celebrations connectedto some rite outside the church are omitted.

— Remind the faithful of the value of person-al and family prayer, which is authentic ecclesialprayer and an important means of transmitting

Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments

DECREEIn time of COVID-19

Considering the rapidly evolving situation ofthe Covid-19 pandemic and taking into accountobservations which have come from EpiscopalConferences, this Congregation now offers anupdate to the general indications and sugges-tions already given to Bishops in the precedingDecree of 19 March 2020.

Given that the date of Easter cannot betransferred, in the countries which have beenstruck by the disease and where restrictionsaround the assembly and movement of peoplehave been imposed, Bishops and priests maycelebrate the rites of Holy Week without thepresence of the people and in a suitable place,avoiding concelebration and omitting the signof peace.

The faithful should be informed of the begin-ning times of the celebrations so that they canprayerfully unite themselves in their homes.Means of live (not recorded) telematic broad-casts can be of help. In any event it remains im-portant to dedicate an adequate time to prayer,giving importance above all to the L i t u rg i aH o ra r u m .

The Episcopal Conferences and individualdioceses will see to it that resources areprovided to support family and personal prayer.

1. — Palm Sunday. The Commemoration ofthe Lord’s Entrance into Jerusalem is to be cel-ebrated within sacred buildings; in Cathedralchurches the second form given in the RomanMissal is to be adopted; in parish churches andin other places the third form is to be used.

2. — The Chrism Mass. Evaluating the con-crete situation in different countries, the Epis-copal Conferences will be able to give indica-tions about a possible transfer to another date.

3. — Holy Thursday. The washing of feet,which is already optional, is to be omitted. Atthe end of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper theprocession is also omitted and the Blessed Sac-rament is to be kept in the tabernacle. On thisday the faculty to celebrate Mass in a suitableplace, without the presence of the people, is ex-ceptionally granted to all priests.

4. — Good Friday. In the Universal Prayer,Bishops will arrange to have a special intentionprepared for those who find themselves in dis-tress, the sick, the dead, (cf. Missale Romanum).The adoration of the Cross by kissing it shall belimited solely to the celebrant.

5. — The Easter Vigil. Is to be celebratedonly in Cathedral and parish churches. For the“Baptismal Liturgy” only the “Renewal of Bap-tismal Promises” is maintained (cf. Missale Ro-manum).

Seminaries, houses of clergy, monasteries andreligious communities shall follow the indica-tions of this Decree.

Expressions of popular piety and processionswhich enrich the days of Holy Week and thePaschal Triduum can be transferred to othersuitable days in the year, for example 14 and 15September, according to the judgement of theDiocesan Bishop.

De mandato Summi Pontificis pro hoc tantumanno 2020.

From the offices of the Congregation for DivineWorship and the Discipline of the Sacraments,

25 March 2020, on the Solemnity of theAnnunciation of the Lord.

Ca rd i n a l ROBERT SARAHP re f e c t

A rc h b i s h o p ARTHUR RO CHES e c re t a r y CONTINUED ON PA G E 7

number 13, Friday, 27 March 2020 L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO page 7

Indications for the Paschal Celebrations in the Eastern Catholic Churches

the content of the faith betweengenerations. Also arrange, and dis-tribute through the means of socialcommunication, aids that allow anadult of the family to explain to thelittle ones the mystagogy of the ritesthat under normal conditions wouldbe celebrated in the church with theassembly present.

— The riches of the Paschal celeb-rations, from Palm Sunday to EasterSunday, can also be valorised bysuggesting that part of them beprayed at home and in families, withthe aids to participation that are

usually made available in each com-munity every year.

— Priests who cannot celebratethe liturgy on their own pray thehours of the office, especially thepsalms and those prayers that donot require a response from thechoir and the faithful.

— On Holy Thursday, in the litur-gical celebration of the morning,some Churches sui iuris celebrate theconsecration of the Holy Myron.This celebration, not being linked inthe East to this day, can be movedto another date.

— On Good Friday, encourage use— alone or with the family — of the

precious texts that the oriental tradi-tions present on this day for prayeraround the Cross and the tomb ofChrist.

— On the night of Pascha, famil-ies may be invited, where possiblethrough the festive sound of thebells, to gather to read the Gospelof the Resurrection, lighting a lampand singing some troparion or songstypical of their tradition that thefaithful often know by memory.

— Any baptisms scheduled forEaster are postponed to anotherdate.

— The provisions issued by theMarch 19 Decree of the Apostolic

Penitentiary remain valid. Sincemany faithful are accustomed toconfessing in the period before East-er, where it is not possible to do so,let pastors indicate to the faithfulthe recitation of some of the richpenitential prayers from the orientaltradition, to be recited with a spiritof contrition.

C a rd i n a l LEONARD O SANDRI

P re f e c t

DON FL AV I O PACE

U n d e rs e c re t a r y

CONTINUED FROM PA G E 6

Message of the Holy Father for the 57th World Day of Prayer for VocationsCONTINUED FROM PA G E 1

“Christ Rescuing Peter from Drowning” by Lorenzo Veneziano

involved is real: the night falls, theheadwinds howl, the boat is tossedby the waves, and fear of failure, ofnot being up to the call, canthreaten to overwhelm them.

The Gospel, however, tells us thatin the midst of this challenging jour-ney we are not alone. Like the firstray of dawn in the heart of thenight, the Lord comes walking onthe troubled waters to join the dis-ciples; he invites Peter to come tohim on the waves, saves him whenhe sees him sinking and, once in theboat, makes the winds die down.

The first word of vocation, then,is g ra t i t u d e . Taking the right course isnot something we do on our own,nor does it depend solely on the roadwe choose to travel. How we findfulfilment in life is more than a de-cision we make as isolated individu-als; above all else, it is a response toa call from on high. The Lord pointsout our destination on the oppositeshore and he grants us the courage toboard the boat. In calling us, he be-comes our helmsman; he accompan-ies and guides us; he prevents usfrom running aground on the shoalsof indecision and even enables us towalk on surging waters.

Every vocation is born of thatgaze of love with which the Lordcame to meet us, perhaps even at atime when our boat was being

I; have no fear” (Mt 14:27). This,then, is the second word I wish tooffer you: e n c o u ra g e m e n t .

What frequently hinders our jour-ney, our growth, our choosing theroad the Lord is marking out for us,are certain “ghosts” that trouble ourhearts. When we are called to leavesafe shores and embrace a state oflife — like marriage, ministerialpriesthood, consecrated life — ourfirst reaction is often from the“ghost of disbelief”. Surely, this vo-cation is not for me! Can this reallybe the right path? Is the Lord reallyasking me to do this?

Those thoughts can keep growing— justifications and calculations thatsap our determination and leave ushesitant and powerless on the shorewhere we started. We think wemight be wrong, not up to the chal-lenge, or simply glimpsing a ghostto be exorcized.

The Lord knows that a funda-mental life choice — like marriage orspecial consecration to his service —calls for c o u ra g e . He knows the ques-tions, doubts and difficulties thattoss the boat of our heart, and so hereassures us: “Take heart, it is I;have no fear!” We know in faith thathe is present and comes to meet us,that he is ever at our side even amidstormy seas. This knowledge sets usfree from that lethargy which I havecalled “sweet sorrow” (Letter toPriests, 4 August 2019), the interior

discouragement that holds us backfrom experiencing the beauty of ourvo cation.

In the Letter to Priests, I alsospoke about pain, but here I wouldlike to translate the word differently,as fatigue. Every vocation bringswith it a responsibility. The Lordcalls us because he wants to enableus, like Peter, to “walk on water”, inother words, to take charge of ourlives and place them at the service ofthe Gospel, in the concrete andeveryday ways that he shows us, andspecifically in the different forms oflay, priestly and consecrated voca-tion. Yet, like Saint Peter, our desireand enthusiasm coexist with our fail-ings and fears.

If we let ourselves be daunted bythe responsibilities that await us —whether in married life or priestlyministry — or by the hardships instore for us, then we will soon turnaway from the gaze of Jesus and,like Peter, we will begin to sink. Onthe other hand, despite our frailtyand poverty, faith enables us to walktowards the Risen Lord and toweather every storm. Whenever fa-tigue or fear make us start to sink,Jesus holds out his hand to us. Hegives us the enthusiasm we need tolive our vocation with joy and fer-v o u r.

When Jesus at last boards theboat, the winds die down and thewaves are calmed. Here we have a

beautiful image of what the Lordcan do at times of turbulence andtempest in our lives. He stills thosewinds, so that the forces of evil, fearand resignation no longer havepower over us.

As we live out our specific voca-tion, those headwinds can wear usdown. Here I think of all those whohave important responsibilities incivil society, spouses whom I like torefer to — note without reason — as“courageous”, and in a particularway those who have embraced theconsecrated life or the priesthood. Iam conscious of your hard work, thesense of isolation that can at timesweigh upon your hearts, the risk offalling into a rut that can graduallymake the ardent flame of our voca-tion die down, the burden of the un-certainty and insecurity of the times,and worry about the future. Takeheart, do not be afraid! Jesus is atour side, and if we acknowledge himas the one Lord of our lives, he willstretch out his hand, take hold of usand save us.

Even amid the storm-tossed wa-ters, then, our lives become open top ra i s e . This is the last of our voca-tion words, and it is an invitation tocultivate the interior disposition ofthe Blessed Virgin Mary. Gratefulthat the Lord gazed upon her, faith-ful amid fear and turmoil, she cour-ageously embraced her vocation andmade of her life an eternal song ofpraise to the Lord.

Dear friends, on this day in par-ticular, but also in the ordinary pas-toral life of our communities, I askthe Church to continue to promotevocations. May she touch the heartsof the faithful and enable each ofthem to discover with gratitudeGo d’s call in their lives, to findcourage to say “yes” to God, toovercome all weariness through faithin Christ, and to make of their livesa song of praise for God, for theirbrothers and sisters, and for thewhole world. May the Virgin Maryaccompany us and intercede for us.

Rome, Saint John Lateran, 8March 2020, the Second Sunday ofLent

battered by the storm.“Vocation, more than ourown choice, is a responseto the Lord’s unmeritedcall” (Letter to Priests, 4August 2019). We willsucceed in discoveringand embracing our voca-tion once we open ourhearts in gratitude andperceive the passage ofGod in our lives.

When the disciples seeJesus walking towardsthem on the sea, theyfirst think that he is aghost and are filled withfear. Jesus immediatelyreassures them withwords that should con-stantly accompany ourlives and our vocationaljourney: “Take heart, it is

page 8 L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO Friday, 27 March 2020, number 13

ANGELUS

“ respond to the pandemic caused by the virus with theuniversality of prayer”, Pope Francis said at the end of theAngelus on Sunday, 22 March, as he invited the faithful to jointwo spiritual initiatives, one on Wednesday, 25 March, and theother on Friday, 27 March. Earlier, the Holy Father hadcommented on the Gospel according to John, Chapter 9, for theFourth Sunday of Lent. The following is a translation of thePope’s words which he offered in Italian.

Pope Francis invites all Christians to recite the ‘Our Father’

Together against the virusDear Brothers and Sisters,Good Morning,At the centre of the liturgy of thisfourth Sunday of Lent there isthe theme of light. The Gospel(cf. Jn 9:1-41) narrates the episodeof the man blind from birth, towhom Jesus gives sight. This mi-raculous sign confirms Jesus’ self-affirmation: “I am the light of theworld” (v. 5), the light thatbrightens our darkness. Thus, isJesus. He operates illuminationon two levels: a physical level anda spiritual one: the blind personfirst receives the sight of the eyesand then is led to faith in the“Son of man” (v. 35), that is, inJesus. It is a journey. It would begood today if you were all to takea copy of the Gospel accordingto John, chapter nine, and readthis passage: it is so beautiful andit will do us good to read it onceagain or twice more. The wondersthat Jesus performs are not spec-tacular gestures, but they havethe purpose of leading to faiththrough a journey of inner trans-formation.

The doctors of the law — whowere there, a group — persist innot admitting the miracle, andask the healed man insidiousquestions. But he disconcertsthem with the power of reality:“One thing I do know, thatthough I was blind now I see” ( v.25). Amid the distrust and hostil-ity of those who surround himand question him incredulously,he gradually takes a path thatleads him to discover the identityof the one who opened his eyesand to confess his faith in Him.He initially considers Him aprophet (cf. v. 17); then he recog-nizes him as one who comes fromGod (cf. v. 33). Finally, he wel-comes him as the Messiah andprostrates before him (cf. vv. 36-38). He has understood that, bygiving him sight, Jesus manifests“the works of God” (cf. v. 3).

May we too have this experi-ence! With the light of faith, he

who was blind discovers his newidentity. He is now a “newc re a t u re ”, capable of seeing hislife and the world around him ina new light, because he hasentered into communion withChrist. He has entered into an-other dimension. He is no longera beggar who is marginalized bythe community; he is no longer aslave to blindness and prejudice.His path of enlightenment is ametaphor for the path of libera-tion from sin to which we arecalled. Sin is like a dark veil thatcovers our face and prevents usfrom seeing ourselves and theworld clearly. The Lord’s forgive-ness takes away this blanket ofshadow and darkness and givesus new light. The Lenten periodthat we are living is an opportuneand precious time to approachthe Lord, and ask him for hismercy, in the different forms thatMother Church offers us.

The healed blind man, whocan now see with both the eyes ofthe body and those of the soul, isthe image of every baptized per-son, who immersed in Grace, ispulled out of the darkness andplaced in the light of faith. But itis not enough to receive the light;one must become light. Each oneof us is called to receive the di-vine light in order to manifest itwith our whole life. The firstChristians, the theologians of thefirst centuries, used to say thatthe community of Christians, thatis the Church, is the “mystery ofthe moon”, because it gives lightbut it is not its own light. It isthe light it received from Christ.We too should be “mystery of themo on”: giving light received fromthe sun, which is Christ, theLord. Saint Paul reminds us ofthis today: “Walk as children oflight (for the fruit of light isfound in all that is good andright and true”) (Eph 5:8-9). Theseed of new life placed within usat Baptism is like the spark of afire, which first of all purifies us,

burning the evil in our hearts,and then allows us to shine andilluminate with the light of Jesus.

May Mary Most Holy help usto imitate the blind man of theGospel, so that we can beflooded with the light of Christand set out with him on the pathof salvation.

After the Angelus, the Holy Fathercontinued:

Dear brothers and sisters, dur-ing these trying days, as human-ity trembles from the threat of thepandemic, I would like to inviteall Christians to lift their voicestogether towards Heaven. I inviteall the Heads of Churches andthe leaders of every Christiancommunity, together with allChristians of various confessions,to invoke the Almighty, the omni-potent God, to recite at the sametime the prayer that Jesus, ourLord, taught us. I invite everyoneto do this several times a day, butto recite the Lord’s Prayer all to-gether this Wednesday, 25 March,at noon. On the day in whichmany Christians recall the An-nunciation of the Incarnation ofthe Word to the Virgin Mary,may the Lord listen to the united

prayer of all of his disciples whoare preparing themselves to celeb-rate the victory of the RisenChrist.

With this same intention, thisFriday, 27 March, at 6:00 pm, Iwill preside over a moment ofprayer on the parvis of SaintPe t e r ’s Basilica, before the emptysquare. I invite everyone to parti-cipate spiritually via the means ofcommunication. We will listen tothe Word of God, we will lift upour supplication and we will ad-ore the Blessed Sacrament, withwhich at the end, I will give theUrbi et Orbi blessing, which willbe connected to the possibility ofreceiving the Plenary Indulgence.

Let us respond to the pandem-ic caused by the virus with theuniversality of prayer, of compas-sion, of tenderness. Let us stayunited. Let us make our closenessfelt to those who feel most lonelyand tried. Our closeness to doc-tors, healthcare workers, nurses,volunteers…. Our closeness tothe authorities who must imposestringent measures, albeit for ourown good. Our closeness to thepolice, to the soldiers who con-stantly maintain order on thestreets, to ensure the implementa-tion of what the government asksto be done for the good of all.Closeness to all.

I express my closeness to thepeople of Croatia, which wasstruck by an earthquake thismorning. May the Lord givethem the strength and solidarityto face this calamity.

And do not forget: today, takethe Gospel and calmly, slowly,read chapter 9 of John. I will doit too. It will do us all good.

I wish everyone a HappySunday. Do not forget to pray forme. Enjoy your lunch. Ar r i v e d e rc i !

Jesus heals a blind man, stained glass window