BUDAPEST, Hungary (CNS) - The ultimate purpose of the Eucharist is mission, Mary Healy, a professor of Sacred Scripture at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, told the 52nd Interna- tional Eucharistic Congress. More than 60 participants from nearly 40 countries on five con- tinents are in Budapest for the Sept. 5-12 congress, which will close with a Mass celebrated by Pope Francis. In the United States, some churches "have signs posted at the exits to the parking lot, so that you see them every time you leave the church on Sunday morning: 'You are now entering mission territory,'" Healy said in her Sept. 6 address. "They have the right idea. In the Eucharist, the whole pattern of Christ's re- demption is made present to us." Healy is a member of the Pon- tifical Biblical Commission, a body of scholars that engages in research for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. At the Congress' opening Mass Sept. 5 in Heroes Square, Cardi- nal Angelo Bagnasco, president of the Council of European Bish- ops' Conferences, said the Eucha- rist "goes beyond all loneliness, all distance and all indifference." Ucanews.com reported that the Italian archbishop welcomed the representatives of Eastern Chris- tians with whom he works and prayed "to build Christian unity" so that "our witness may be cred- ible." Cardinal Bagnasco told young people from Catholic schools at the Mass that "faith is not a series of prohibitions, but rather a great 'yes' to joy, even when it is demanding, because love is a serious thing." The congress, which is held every four years and was post- poned from 2020 because of COVID-19 restrictions, aims to deepen knowledge and respect for the Eucharist. The theme is All my springs are in you." Celebrating Mass Sept. 7, Arch- bishop Jos Palma of Cebu, Phil- ippines, spoke about the experi- ence of being family each time the Eucharist is celebrated. Right at the start of the Holy Mass, we let go of our social status and the many things that divide us, for we become one family of believers," the arch- bishop said in his homily. "It is also in every Eucharist where we let go of our titles and call each one as brothers and sisters, and we ask the Lord to make my sacrifice and yours be acceptable to the almighty Father.'" The con- gress is important because it deals with all aspects of life," Cardinal Grald C. Lacroix of Quebec told Vatican Radio. We're all in tune with the life of the church in our own regions, in our own countries, but to meet other Christians, other believers from all over the world, is such an uplifting experience," said Cardinal Lacroix, 64, who ad- dressed the congress Sept. 7. HO CHI MINH CITY, Viet- nam (CNS) - Archbishop Joseph Nguyen Nang of Ho Chi Minh City has encour- aged people in his archdio- cese, a COVID-19 epicenter, to cling to hope and sup- port one another. He said local people have been in lockdown for three months to contain the delta variant outbreak but remain at grave risk of in- fection, reported ucanews. com. Difficulties and chal- lenges now are no longer just food and medical and financial supplies, but psychological and spiri- tual suffering because our loved ones are infected or have passed away hastily without immediate crema- tion. They will return in urns of their ashes," he said. The Center for Disease Control in Ho Chi Minh City reports an average of 241 deaths daily. Arch- bishop Nang noted priests and religious have died of COVID-19, while many oth- ers have recovered. Binh An Parish recorded 70 deaths during July and August, and many other parishes have 10-20 deaths. Many families have two or three dead relatives, while some families have no one left, ucanews.com reported. How can our hearts not ache when we witness these distressing scenes and see children left alone because their families died from COVID-19?" Archbishop Nang asked. Ucanews.com reported he pledged priests and parishes will care for and bring up those who are or- phaned by COVID-19. Noting that if one mem- ber suffers, all members suffer, the archbishop said the local church is in com- munion with people bear- ing emotional and physical pain. We grieve and cry just as Jesus himself did when he stood before the coffin of the son of the widow of Nain and the tomb of Laza- rus," he said. The archbishop urged people to send out this message: Do not lose hope. He quoted St. Paul: "Praise be to the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God." Archbishop Nang said he and local priests celebrate daily Masses with special prayers for those who have died of COVID-19, and he said Catholic families should recite prayers for the dead. The archbishop also asked local Catholics to do everything possible to make the message of hope come true by prayers, vis- its, consolation, encourage- ment, sympathy and aid. No one is disappointed by their indifference and ig- norance. Our hope is anchored firmly and securely in the mystery of the cross and resurrection of Christ, and we are guaranteed to never be disappointed when we walk in the dark," he said in his letter, posted Sept. 1. Sister Mary Tran Ngoc Thao Linh, a member of Tan Viet Lovers of the Holy
Anglican bishop to join Catholic Church
MANCHESTER, England (CNS) - The Anglican bishop of Ebbsfleet stepped down from office after announcing that he will become a Roman Catholic. The resignation of Bishop Jonathan Goodall was announced by Anglican Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury in a Sept. 3 statement released by Lambeth Palace. Bishop Goodall is a former ecumenical secretary to a previous archbishop of Canterbury and was ordained in 2013 to serve as a flying bishop" of a diocese erected to cover tradition- alist parishes that would not accept women priests. "I am deeply grateful to Bishop Jonathan for his ministry and many years of faithful service," Archbishop Welby said. "My prayers are with him and Sarah, both for his future ministry and for the direction in which they are being called in their continuing journey of dedicated service to Christ," he said. He continued: "With regard to the see of Ebbsfleet, we will be starting a process of consultation with colleagues and others - including the parishes to whom Bishop Jonathan ministers - to determine what the next steps will be."
Mexican bishops, Scalabrinians address crisis
MEXICO CITY (CNS) - The Mexican bishops' migrant ministry and Scalabrinian missionaries have an- nounced plans for providing increased pastoral and material attention to migrants and asylum-seekers stuck in the southern Mexican city of Tapachula. The announcement came as desperation among migrants grows and caravans set out on long marches toward central and northern Mexico and the U.S. border. Sca- labrinian Father Julio Lpez, migrant ministry execu- tive secretary, also called for new policies toward the migrant population stuck in Tapachula, saying in a letter released Sept. 3, "We are facing a migratory crisis of great magnitude ... never seen before in Tapachula and which, if it continues this way, is a situation that could overwhelm the authorities or get out of hand."
Eucharist is source of joy, God's presence, speakers say
Vietnamese archbishop as COVID-19 surges: How can our hearts not ache?'
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Lebanon's future 'a matter of life or death'
BEIRUT (CNS) - Lebanon's Maronite Catholic bishops warned that the future of the crisis-stricken coun- try is "a matter of life or death," as the dire situation continues to unravel. In a statement following their Sept. 1 monthly meeting, the bishops denounced "the systematic humiliation of citizens" whether in banks, or in endless lines at gasoline stations, or with the lack of medicine and other essentials. This summer, Lebanon has been plagued by a crippling shortage of fuel and medicine, due in particular to the depletion of the central bank's foreign exchange reserves used to subsidize imports. Fuel and electricity shortages have forced Lebanon's hospitals to scale back operations. Power cuts last up to 22 hours a day. Violent skirmish- es and shootings have become commonplace at gas stations, where wait times to fill up typically exceed five hours. Motorists have resorted to sleeping in their cars overnight to secure a place in line. The Maronite bishops criticized the "irresponsible mismanagement of public interests and funds" and spoke of successive disasters caused by those in power.
Pope prays for Ida victims, Afghan refugees
VATICAN CITY (CNS) - Pope Francis offered prayers to the victims and families affected by Hurricane Ida, which devastated the southern and northeastern Unit- ed States. Pope Francis also offered prayers for count- less refugees fleeing Afghanistan in the wake of the Taliban's Aug. 15 takeover of Kabul and expressed his hope that "many countries will welcome and protect those seeking a new life." "I assure my prayers for the people of the United States of America who have been hit by a strong hurricane in recent days," the pope told pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square Sept. 5 during his Sunday Angelus address. Speaking about Afghani- stan, Pope Francis said he prays "for the internally displaced persons, that they may receive assistance and the necessary protection." He said, "May young Af- ghans receive education, an essential good for human development. And may all Afghans, whether at home, in transit, or in host countries, live with dignity, in peace and fraternity with their neighbors." Cross died of COVID-19 Aug. 24. She was 32, ucanews.com reported. In a letter to other nuns before her death, Sister Linh said the virus was the cross God offered her so that she wholeheartedly lived out her vocation of loving the cross. All people have their crosses to help them follow God and be- come holy. Thinking about life and death, I see that it is just the name of two different life forms. In fact, we never die, so I do not beg God to let me get well or live a long life," she said. If walking on a journey, what the traveler wants most is to be able to reach the destination as soon as possible, the nun said. If death comes early, it's probably a good thing. Although death is not our destination, it is a sign that we are very close to it," she said. On Sept. 2, the Center for Disease Control in Ho Chi Minh City reported that more than 91,000 patients were being given medical treatment in their homes, 21,000 others were in quar- antine centers and more than 40,000 were hospital- ized. Some 6.2 million peo- ple in the commercial hub of 9 million have been vac- cinated but only 350,384 are fully inoculated.
CNS PHOTO REUTERS
Customers search for food on nearly empty shelves depleted due to panic buying during spread of the delta variant of the coronavirus in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Aug. 21.
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Cardinal Grald C. Lacroix of Quebec, pictured at the Cathedral- Basilica of Notre-Dame de Quebec in 2019, addressed the 52nd International Eucharistic Congress.
CNS PHOTO PHILIPPE VAILLANCOURT, PRESENCE
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Philippine province bans religious gatherings
MANILA, Philippines (CNS) - Philippine health of- ficials have banned all religious gatherings in Catholic churches and mosques in Lanao del Sur province in Mindanao due to COVID-19 delta variant fears. A Health Department report confirming several delta cases prompted the autonomous Muslim region to close down places of worship, reported ucanews.com. The dreaded (delta) variant is here in the province. To avoid the spread of this deadly variant to our fellow Filipinos - Muslims and Christians - we have decided to suspend all religious gatherings in all churches and mosques," a provincial health official told reporters Sept. 6. "Mass public religious gatherings such as en- thronements, weddings, dialaga (Muslim engagement), kandori (prayer gatherings) ... and nonessential work gatherings are prohibited."
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