catholicweekly.com.au 9 12, April, 2020 In brief Catholics push for Mass A TRADITIONALIST Catholic community in Berlin, The Friends of St Philipp Neri, is resisting the Berlin Senate’s order to suspend Masses and has taken its case to the Berlin Administrative Court. The community has ap- plied to the court for per- mission to hold services for up to 50 participants. In return, the communi- ty promises that, should permission be granted, the participants will stay at least 1.5 metres from each other when they en- ter and leave the church. It also promised to col- lect and keep the names, addresses and contacts of those who attend in xcase required by health authorities. A Bavarian church community has also protested against the Mass suspensions. The Bavarian Administrative Court has received a sim- ilar application from the community. - THE TABLET AID TO the Church in Need (ACN) has launched a na- tional prayer campaign for all those affected by the corona- virus pandemic. The charity has designed a special prayer card and will distribute more than 100,000 of them to individuals, bene- factors, priests and religious orders. It features an image of Our Lady Help of Christians, and on the back a Prayer During the Coronavirus Pandemic. It is also arranging a “spiritual bouquet” of Mass requests accompanied by a small suggested stipend that will be celebrated by priests in need in regions such as Africa, Asia, Latin America and parts of Eastern Europe. With churches closed and Sunday Mass collections ceased, priests in poorer communities may struggle to provide for their own needs, while bishops in Africa have also expressed fears about the inadequacy of their govern- ments to cope with the spread of the virus, said national di- rector of ACN Australia Mr Bernard Toutounji. Some seminaries have closed, while others stay open to try to provide for students rather than send them back to impoverished villages. “At a time where the major- ity of us cannot attend Mass, arranging a Mass to be cele- brated by a priest in need is a beautiful way to participate in the Eucharistic celebration,” Mr Toutounji said. “At the same time, you are giving an Easter gift to the Virus prayer card Donations will help priests, seminaries globally to keepministering and serving © The Bradi Barth Foundation poor and persecuted Church.” He added that 100 per cent of every Mass offering is sent to the priest in need, no admin- istration costs are taken. Mr Toutounji said the charity would post the prayer cards Australia-wide for free. “We are being asked to self-isolate and this feeling of being cut-off and alone can cause fear and unrest, even in those of faith,” he said. “Our national prayer campaign aims to combat this, we are encouraging all people to join us in praying this coronavirus prayer, asking Mary under her title of Help of Christians to intercede for us.” For more information about the prayer campaign visit www.aidtochurch.org/ coronavirus or call 1800 101 201. CARITAS AUSTRALIA has shifted its Project Compas- sion appeal focus to the world’s poorest communities which are most vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic. Caritas Australia CEO Kirsty Robertson said the spread of the disease repre- sents a growing risk for those it serves across 23 countries. Its affect in a place such as the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh, or conflict-torn communities in the Middle East would be “catastrophic” she said. “Communities like these have lacked sufficient ac- cess to proper sanitary living conditions and medical sup- port, even before the spread of COVID-19,” Ms Robertson said. “Imagine facing all of this in a country or marginalised community that is already experiencing poverty, with an insecure food supply, no fresh drinking water, and fewer hospital beds? “The situation for people in COVID-19 sees Project Compassion shift focus these communities is already highly precarious.” The United Nations has also highlighted the need for funding to help the world’s poorest countries which are ill-prepared for the pandem- ic’s onslaught. “Now, the virus is arriv- ing in countries already in the midst of humanitarian crises caused by conflicts, natural disasters and climate change,” said United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres at the launch of a humanitarian response plan on 29 March. “These are places where people who have been forced to flee their homes because of bombs, violence or floods are living under plastic sheets in fields or crammed into refu- gee camps or informal settle- ments. “They do not have homes in which to socially distance or self-isolate”, he said. Ms Robertson said the challenges caused by the vi- rus’ presence in this country were already great but that it was typical for Australians during crises, “to act in soli- darity and compassion with those who are even more vul- nerable”. Caritas Australia is the Catholic Church’s interna- tional aid and development agency and one of the world’s largest humanitarian net- works. To donate to Project Com- passion visit Caritas Austral- ia’s website, lent.caritas.org . au or call 1800 024 413. Enquiries:
[email protected] www.michaelgalovic.com The Resurrection, an artwork 45x35cm by Michael Galovic, 2020 Aid to the Church in Need is a Pontifical Foundation supporting the faithful wherever they are persecuted or oppressed. PrAyer during the coronavirus pandemic (Adapted from the USCCB) Mary, Help of Christians, we fly to you today as your beloved children. We ask you to intercede for us with your Son, as you did at the wedding in Cana. Pray for us, loving Mother, and gain for our nation and world, and for all our families and loved ones, the protection of God’s holy angels, that we may be spared the worst of this illness. For those already afflicted, we ask you to obtain the grace of healing and deliverance. Hear the cries of those who are vulnerable and fearful, wipe away their tears and help them to trust. In this time of trial and testing, teach all of us in the Church to love one another and to be patient and kind. Help us to bring the peace of Jesus to our land and to our hearts. We come to you with confidence, knowing that you truly are our compassionate mother, health of the sick and cause of our joy. Shelter us under the mantle of your protection, keep us in the embrace of your arms, help us always to know the love of your Son, Jesus. Amen. Aid to the Church in Need is arranging a spiritual bouquet of Masses for the needs of our world during this pandemic. Visit, www.aidtochurch.org/coronavirus . Now, the virus is arriving in coun- tries already in the midst of humanitarian crises caused by con- flicts, natural disasters and climate change.” António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General NEWS