BY CAROL GLATZ
CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE
VATICAN CITY (CNS) - God can be found in the humanity of Jesus and in the people one meets in life, Pope Francis said. Jesus affirms that the true bread of salvation, which transmits eternal life, is his very flesh; that to enter into communion with God, before observing the laws or satisfying religious precepts, it is necessary to live out a real and concrete relationship with him," the pope told those gathered in St. Peter's Square Aug. 22 during his Sunday Angelus address. This relationship is nec- essary "because salvation came from him, in his in- carnation. This means that one must not pursue God in dreams and in images of grandeur and power, but he must be recognized in the humanity of Jesus and, as a consequence, in that of the brothers and sisters we meet on the path of life," he said. The pope reflected on the Sunday Gospel read- ing from St. John in which many of Jesus' followers were shocked or found it hard to accept what Jesus said about being the "bread that came down from heaven." Some turned their back on Jesus and stopped following him. But Simon Peter spoke on behalf of the 12 disciples, confirming their decision to stay with Jesus, saying: Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God." Commenting on the pas- sage, Pope Francis said Peter's response "is a beau- tiful confession of faith." But, he said, it was also important to understand the reason for the others' disbelief and rejection. Jesus' words enkindled great scandal: He was say- ing that God decided to manifest himself and ac- complish salvation in the weakness of human flesh. It is the mystery of incarna- tion," which may be shock- ing or an obstacle to faith for people today, too, the pope said. It is the "folly" of the Gospel for those "who seek miracles or worldly wisdom," and "the world is scandalized" that people can be nourished by the bread of the Eucharist. When Jesus explained his miracle of the loaves and fishes was a sign of "his sacrifice, that is, of the gift of his life, his flesh and blood, and that those who want to follow him must incorporate him, his hu- manity given for God and for others ... this Jesus was no longer liked, this Jesus throws us into crisis," Pope Francis said. We should be worried if he does not throw us into crisis, because we might have watered down his message," he added.
BY LUCIEN CHAUVIN
CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE
LIMA, Peru (CNS) - The Catholic Church continues to play a crucial role fight- ing the pandemic in de- veloping countries nearly 18 months after COVID-19 gripped the world. Catholic Relief Services is providing small loans and medical supplies in Nepal. The Tanzania Epis- copal Conference is secur- ing oxygen for hospitals. The Apostolic Vicariate of Iquitos, Peru, is running a front-line isolation center for people with the virus. The vast list of programs and campaigns, which is growing as variants of the virus unleash new waves, has altered the way the church has operated. The response has created good- will, but it also presents a host of new challenges for the church and society. The church should truly find a way to continue our efforts, but also explore new ways of fighting pov- erty. Most of the people tell us, 'We are going to die of hunger, not COVID.' This is the dilemma," said Jesuit Father Rigobert Minani, head of his order's social apostolate for Congo and Angola. A number of common threads are prominent among the efforts the church has taken in differ- ent countries. Food, protec- tive gear, medical attention and, most recently, access to vaccines are key issues.
TANZANIA
Father Charles Kitima, secretary-general of the Tanzania Episcopal Con- ference, said the principal work for the church in his country today is guaran- teeing that people who get sick with the virus have ac- cess to medical attention. The Catholic Church runs more than 500 health facilities in the country, and we need to make sure that our hospitals are ready to support anyone who comes to get assis- tance. People are poor, and they do not have insur- ance, and our mission is to care for life," he said. He said that while the church's work at the start of the pandemic was mak- ing sure there were masks and protective gear, today it is treatment and getting people vaccinated. A top is- sue is oxygen. The church-run Bugando Medical Center, one of the country's largest hospitals with 900 beds, was using around 100 cylinders of oxygen a day in May, but it is now up to 300 cylinders a day. Father Kitima said the church was working with the government and international agencies, in- cluding the U.S. Agency for International Development, to secure oxygen. He said the situation has improved noticeably with the coun- try's new president, Samia Suluhu Hassan. She took over in March after her predecessor, John Magu- fuli, a denier of COVID-19, died of the virus. We had been in a kind of tug of war with the government, which was saying there is no COVID. But since March, we have been on the same page and working toward the same goal," Father Kitima said.
PERU
Oxygen also has been a critical issue in Peru, where Breathe Peru, a pro- gram started by the Catho- lic bishops, has raised funds to acquire and in- stall oxygen plants around the country. The program also includes the private Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola and Peru's National Society of Industries. Breathe Peru has raised around $2.7 million, al- lowing it to install 25 me- dicinal oxygen plants and 3,000 ventilators, as well as offer other supplies. The program got its start with an initiative in Iqui- tos, in the northern jungle, that was the first city in Peru to be hit hard by the pandemic. The church in Iquitos mobilized quickly on many fronts, including organizing a public cam- paign to collect money for an oxygen plant. Bishop Miguel ngel Cadenas of Iquitos said the campaign worked on several levels. He said it created hope in the popu- lation when everything seemed bleak, and it got the government to act. Instead of one plant, the church was able to acquire five for Iquitos, which has a population more than 500,000 people. The campaign gener- ated goodwill during a time of desperation. The church had a very posi- tive impact," said Bishop Cadenas. Peru today has the high- est per capita number of deaths from COVID-19, ac- cording to Johns Hopkins University. Eastern neigh- bor Brazil is fifth, while Colombia, to the north, is 10th worldwide. CRS in Nepal is pre- paring an information campaign that will target young people, encouraging them to get vaccinated. The country has vaccinated around 9% of its 28 million people. Father Minani in Congo said the church needs to get ahead of anti-vaccine campaigns. There is false informa- tion about vaccines. The
Mexican diocese condemns murder of journalist
MEXICO CITY (CNS) - A Mexican diocese has con- demned the murder of a journalist in Veracruz state, saying the crime threatens freedom of expression. Radio journalist Jacinto Romero Flores was shot dead Aug. 19 in the town of Ixtaczoquitln, some 165 miles southeast of Mexico City. Romero covered crime and politics, according to media reports, and had been threatened for his work. "The Diocese of Orizaba re- grets the murder today of another journalist in our region ... Jacinto Romero Flores. His death adds to the other murdered journalists in our state, one of the most dangerous for practicing this profession," the diocese said in an Aug. 19 statement signed by its spokesman, Father Helkyn Enriquez Bez. "His death in this most violent way threatens the right to freedom of expression because society is deprived of (his) com- munication," Father Alfredo Mazahua said Aug. 21 at Romero's funeral Mass, according to local media. "Tak- ing his life affects the entire population and directly affects his family. I urge reflection to realize these val- ues." Romero was the fifth journalist killed in Mexico this year.
Archbishop ordered to life of prayer, penance
VATICAN CITY (CNS) - A retired Polish archbishop has been ordered to lead a life of prayer and penance, which includes a ban on taking part in any public celebrations - both secular and religious, according to Vatican News and international media. The sanc- tions against Archbishop Marian Golebiewski, 83, the retired archbishop of Wroclaw and a former bishop of Koszalin-Kolobrzeg, came after a Vatican investigation looked into alleged negligence in handling allegations of abuse against minors by priests under his authority. The official announcement was published on the arch- diocese's website Aug. 21. Vatican News' Polish desk reported that the investigation had been conducted regarding reported "omissions" by the archbishop and followed the provisions laid out by the Code of Canon Law and Pope Francis' "Vos Estis Lux Mundi" ("You are the light of the world"), which holds bishops ac- countable for interfering with, covering up or failing to address abuse accusations in their dioceses. The investigation covered his period leading the Diocese of Koszalin-Kolobrzeg from 1996 to 2004 and the Archdi- ocese of Wroclaw from 2004 to 2013, media reported.
Pope: Seek God through a relationship with Christ, others
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ood, protective gear, treatment, vaccines: Church fights COVID-19 around the globe
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THE CATHOLIC FREE PRESS AUGUST 27, 2021
Caritas plans for crisis at Afghanistan border
LAHORE, Pakistan (CNS) - Caritas Pakistan has alerted its diocesan units border- ing neighboring Afghanistan to help refugees fleeing the Taliban's takeover of the country, reported ucanews.com. Thousands of Afghans have entered Pakistan via the Chaman border crossing, one of the most active trade and travel routes between the coun- tries, according to media reports. However, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad claimed Aug. 18 there were no refugees entering the country, nor has Pakistan made preparation for Afghans seeking refuge. Amjad Gulzar, executive director of Caritas Paki- stan, told ucanews.com more than 200 families have already arrived in urban areas of Quetta. Caritas Pakistan staffers in Quetta and Islamabad-Rawalpindi "have posi- tioned themselves so that we can respond to the emerging humani- tarian crisis," he told ucanews. com. "Refugee crises are often protracted and require strategies that reflect both short-term needs. .. and mid- to long- term challenges ...," Gulzar said.
Pope accepts resignation of Spanish bishop
VATICAN CITY (CNS) - Pope Francis accepted the res- ignation of a Spanish bishop who had made controver- sial statements in favor of Catalan independence. The Vatican announced the resignation Aug. 23 of Bishop Xavier Novell Gom of Solsona. At 52, Bishop Novell was one of Spain's youngest bishops. Pope Francis ap- pointed Bishop Rom Casanova Casanova of Vic apos- tolic administrator of the diocese, the Vatican said. In a statement published shortly after the announcement, the Spanish bishops' conference said Bishop Gom freely presented" his resignation to the pope "for strictly personal reasons" in conformity with canon 401, paragraph 2 of the Code of Canon Law. According to the canon, a diocesan bishop "who has become less able to fulfill his office because of ill health or some other grave cause is earnestly requested to present his resignation from office. Bishop Novell took the deci- sion after a time of reflection, discernment and prayer, at the end of which he spontaneously presented to the Holy Father his situation and his resignation of the pastoral governance of the Diocese of Solsona," the Spanish bishops' conference said. church has to preach in fa- vor of vaccines," he said. The Jesuits in Congo and Angola are running a COVID-19 information campaign that features the provincial for Central Af- rica, Father Rigobert Kyun- gu, on a poster calling for people to wear masks and get vaccinated. The six Jesuit provinces released an open letter in May calling for "vac- cine justice" with four key points, including patent waivers for vaccines, vac- cine distribution prioritiz- ing the most vulnerable sectors, wealthy countries funding distribution through the U.N. COVAX program, and international financial institutions can- celing debt. We have to campaign for vaccine justice. As Pope Francis said in 'Fratelli Tutti,' people need to un- derstand that we are in this together, and we have to ensure that all people have the same care," said Jesuit Father Xavier Jeyaraj, director of the Jesuit Social Justice and Ecology Secre- tariat in Rome. Pope Francis and cardi- nals from Brazil, El Salva- dor, Honduras, Mexico and the United States released a series of public service announcements in August encouraging people to get vaccinated.
CNS PHOTO VATICAN MEDIA
People in St. Peter's Square attend the Angelus led by Pope Francis from the window of his studio overlooking the square at the Vatican Aug. 22.
CNS PHOTO COURTESY FATHER JOHN BENJAMIN MOYO
Patient Cecelia Phiri is assessed by Dr. Charles Nyasulu in the COVID-19 isolation center at St. John's hospital in Mzuzu, Malawi, Aug. 13.
CNS PHOTO VATICAN MEDIA
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