CARDINAL SANDRI TO UKRAINIANS IN ROME: “ BE STRONG” – UKRAINE CRISIS: HOLY SEE REITERATES APPEAL TO OPEN HUMANITARIAN CORRIDORS

As I was coming home from some appointments this afternoon, I was on a bus whose route took it briefly to Via della Conciliazione, the broad avenue that leads from St. Peter’s Square east to Castel Sant’Angelo and the Tiber River. All, or most of , the buildings on Conciliazione are Vatican-owned and they house offices, congregations, and other dicasteries of the Roman Curia. In addition, some embassies to the Holy See have their offices in these buildings.

As the bus stopped at a red light, I saw that two of the embassies, in a building I know well, had blue and yellow banners – the national colors of Ukraine – in the windows outside of which their flags flew.

Here you see the Canadian flag –

And here, on the top floor, is the flag of Taiwan (Republic of China).

The embassy located one floor above Canada and below Taiwan is Malaysia.   You can see the partially unfurled flag.

Other embassies are further down on Via della Conciliazione but I did not get off the bus to check them.

Here is a photo of a salute to Ukraine on the Rome subway –

CARDINAL SANDRI TO UKRAINIANS IN ROME: “ BE STRONG”

The Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches tells the Ukrainian community living in Rome that they are not alone in this tragic moment and to confide in the power of prayer

By Lisa Zengarini

As Christians worldwide united on Ash Wednesday in a day of prayer and fasting for peace in Ukraine , the Ukrainian Greek Catholic community in Rome gathered in prayer in their Roman church around their pastor, Bishop Dionisij Ljachovič, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Exarchate of Italy.

Attending the event was also Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, who expressed his heartfelt closeness to the all the suffering Ukrainian people in this tragic moment for their country.

No words, only prayer

“We don’t have many words to say,” the Argentinian cardinal said in his brief remarks. “The words are those we sang and we recited invoking the intercession of the Mother of God, Queen of Ukraine. He insisted that in the face of so much shame for humanity and so much suffering the only weapon available is prayer.

“We have no words. We don’t have missiles, we don’t have guns, we don’t have tanks, we don’t have the force of violence that wants to impose itself at any price. We have the strength of humility of those who receive the contempt of the world and of the powerful of the earth. Our only weapon – in this we join our Pope Francis – in the face of so much shame for humanity and so much suffering is this we have done today: to pray.” Cardinal Sandri to Ukrainians in Rome: “Be strong” – Vatican News

UKRAINE CRISIS: HOLY SEE REITERATES APPEAL TO OPEN HUMANITARIAN CORRIDORS

Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations stresses the importance of humanitarian corridors to ensure the safety and protection of thousands of people fleeing ongoing hostilities in Ukraine.

By Benedict Mayaki, SJ

The Holy See has called for the opening of humanitarian corridors in the face of the increasing and concerning number of civilian casualties, as well as the damage to critical infrastructure that trails the war in Ukraine.

Speaking at the “Joint Launch of the Humanitarian Flash Appeal and the Regional Refugee Response Plan for Ukraine” on Tuesday, Archbishop Gabriele Caccia noted that the number of people fleeing ongoing hostilities and crossing into neighbouring countries is fast approaching 700,000, and is likely to increase due to disruptions to local supply chains, essential services, access to food and other basic goods

Reiterating Pope Francis’ appeal at the Sunday Angelus, he stressed the urgency of opening humanitarian corridors, as well as ensuring full, safe, and unhindered access for humanitarian actors to deliver assistance to civilian populations in need. Ukraine crisis: Holy See reiterates appeal to open humanitarian corridors – Vatican News

 

 

GOOD FRIDAY COLLECTION FOR CHURCH IN THE HOLY LAND – KING RICHARD III TO BE RE-INTERED IN LEICESTER CATHEDRAL

Just two news stories for today, one from the Vatican and the second from the Catholic Church in England and Wales – a fascinating bit of news.

GOOD FRIDAY COLLECTION FOR CHURCH IN THE HOLY LAND

(Vatican Radio) Parishes across the world year after year take up the traditional annual Good Friday Collection for the Church in the Holy Land. This year is no different and the prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, has written a letter to all pastors of the Universal Church in which he expresses the gratitude of Pope Francis, of his dicastery and of all the Churches “in the land of Christ” for their attention and generous response to the Collection.

The proceeds from the Good Friday Collection go to the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land. The Franciscans have been caring for the holy sites there since 1209. They also assist the poor, run schools, provide scholarships, and conduct pastoral ministries to keep Christianity alive in the land where it originated.

The Collection is still today the principal source that sustains the life and works of the region’s Christians. It helps Christians of many denominations remain in the region as living witnesses to Christ.

In his appeal to Catholics to donate generously this Good Friday, Cardinal Sandri noted that  “there are millions of refugees fleeing Syria and Iraq, where the roar of arms does not cease and the way of dialogue and concord seems completely lost. … This year presents a still more precious opportunity to become pilgrims of faith after the example of the Holy Father, who in May last year visited this patch of land, so dear to Christians, Jews and Muslims alike. It is a chance to become promoters of dialogue through peace, prayer and sharing of burdens.”

KING RICHARD III TO BE RE-INTERED IN LEICESTER CATHEDRAL

Press statement by the Catholic Diocese of Nottingham:.

On Monday, 23rd March 2015, just three days before Richard III is re-interred in Leicester Cathedral, the mediaeval Catholic parish church of Leicester, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, will celebrate Mass for the repose of his soul in Holy Cross Church, the current Catholic parish church and Dominican priory in Leicester city centre.

In order that as many people as possible can be accommodated safely and the liturgy celebrated in a dignified manner, admission to this Mass will be by ticket only; the ballot for tickets is now closed, and successful applicants will be notified within the next few days.

The following day, Tuesday 24^th March, Mass will be offered for the repose of the soul of Richard III in Holy Cross Church by the Dominican friars at 4.00 pm. This Mass will be open to the public, and no tickets are required. After Mass, the friars will process through the city centre to Leicester Cathedral, where they will sing Vespers, the Catholic Church’s evening service, at 5.30 pm.

Msgr. Thomas McGovern, the Diocesan Administrator of the Diocese of Nottingham, said: “We very much look forward to welcoming Cardinal Nichols to Leicester this month for the Mass which he will celebrate in Holy Cross Church in advance of the re-interment of Richard III, one of the last Catholic kings of England, in the city in which he was buried in 1485.”

Father David Rocks, OP, Prior and Parish Priest of Holy Cross Priory, said: “The Dominicans of Holy Cross Priory are looking forward to welcoming people from across the world to our beautiful church during the week when Richard III will be re-interred here in Leicester. More people than we could have ever hoped for have been in touch to ask for tickets for the Mass which Cardinal Nichols will celebrate on Monday 23^rd March, which is why we are pleased to announce another celebration of Mass on Tuesday 24^th March, before the friars depart for Leicester Cathedral to sing Vespers in the presence of the mortal remains of Richard III. No tickets will be required for this Mass, and everyone is welcome to come along.”