VOL. 82 NO. 31 Electronic Edition GHANA’S NATIONAL CATHOLIC WEEKLY ESTD. IN 1938 SUNDAY, AUGUST 9, 2020 – SATURDAY, AUGUST 15, 2020 PRICE GH¢2.00 ‘CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, A THREAT TO DEMOCRACY’ Rev. Fr. Arturo Sosa, Superior General of the mistake, if we want to make the world more Jesuits has said democracy and efforts to build a fraternal and just.” “To discriminate against migrants is a great more just world in many countries, apart from danger and would be a sign of a world that we do human lives and jobs, are also being threatened by Fr. Sosa the coronavirus pandemic. Continued on page 3 “Democracy can be one of the victims of the pandemic if we do not take care with our political condition,” he told the Vatican News in an interview on July 31 on the eve of the feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits. Stop Attacks on Peace Pope Francis, also a Jesuit, joined Fr. Sosa and his confreres for a feast-day lunch at the Order's headquarters, near the Vatican. Council – Nana Dr. Asante Fr. Sosa said “At this time, for example, many Story on page 3 governments, including so-called democratic governments, are taking the path of authoritarianism.” Jesuits, inspired by St. Ignatius and other Catholics, he added, know that being close to the poor is always important, but especially during this Pope Says COVID-19 pandemic. “If we are not capable of looking at the world up Pandemic Should Raise close, sharing the point of view of the poor, which is the point of view of the crucified Jesus, then we will make mistakes in our decisions,” he said. Questions About Faith According to him, many governments are using the pandemic as an excuse to restrict or end their Story on page 2 assistance to migrants and refugees, “which is a great President Launches First Ghana- assembled Volkswagen Vehicles See page 12 2 THE CATHOLIC STANDARD Electronic Edition Sunday, August 9 – Saturday, August 15, 2020 CATHOLIC Pope Says COVID Pandemic Should Raise Questions about Faith World News stay healthy, mourn the dead by Cardinal Walter Kasper and published in late July by the them that Christ is present, as and protect others, the P a l l o t t i n e F r . G e o r g e Vatican publishing house, and He promised, where two or coronavirus pandemic Augustin, Director of the includes essays by: U.S. three gather in His name”, the s h o u l d b e p r o m p t i n g “Cardinal Walter Kasper Paulist Father Mark-David Pope said. Christians to reflect on their Institute for Ecumenism, Janus, who was struck by the A s t h e p a n d e m i c faith. Theology, and Spirituality”. virus; the Czech theologian continues, he said, Christians "The pandemic poses "It reminds us that we Father Tomas Halik; Swiss should turn more resolutely to fundamental questions about have forgotten and neglected Cardinal Kurt Koch, who God, "our help and our aim," happiness in our lives and some of the important things in succeeded Cardinal Kasper as and should listen more about the treasure of our life and makes us reflect on President of the Pontifical carefully to the cry of the poor Christian faith," the Holy what is truly important and Council for Promoting and of the earth. Father wrote in the preface to a necessary and what is less C h r i s t i a n U n i t y a n d Theological reflection on s h o r t b o o k o f i n i t i a l important or only apparently Archbishop Bruno Forte of t h e p a n d e m i c a n d t h e Pope Francis theological reflections, so," Pope Francis wrote. Chieti-Vasto, Italy. experience of the past months, prompted by COVID-19 and In addition to the preface While the initial period of Pope Francis added, should its global impact. by Pope Francis are essays by lockdown was "a painful time give rise to "new hope and new ope Francis says, Originally published in Cardinal Kasper and Fr. of eucharistic fasting" for solidarity." -- CNS b e s i d e s t h e German with the title, "Being Augustin. many Catholics, it also showed i m m e d i a t e P Christians in the Coronavirus The Italian edition, titled considerations of trying to Crisis," the book was curated "Communion and Hope," was Pope Francis Appoints New Europe’s Economies Plunging into Personal Secretary he Holy See press office said on August 1 that 41-year-old Coronavirus Recession Rev. Fr. Fabio Salerno would succeed Rev. Msgr. Yoannis TLahzi Gaid, as the Pope's new Personal Secretary. h e E u r o p e a n Msgr. Gaid, a Coptic Catholic Priest born in the Egyptian capital Cairo, served in the role since April 2014. The 45-year-old Eastern Union's statistics Catholic, the first to hold the position, will now work with the “Higher Ta g e n c y , t h e Committee of Human Fraternity”, a body formed after the Pope and the “ E u r o s t a t ” r e p o r t s Grand Imam of Al-Azhar signed the Document on Human Fraternity in significant economic falls Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in February, 2019. within the 27-nation bloc. The new personal secretary, Fr. Salerno currently works in the A c r o s s t h e E U , t h e Secretariat of State's Section for Relations with States, also known as the economic contraction was Second Section. In the new role, he will become one of the Pope's closest nearly 12 percent. collaborators. Its figures show the EU Fr. Salerno was born in Catanzaro, the capital of Italy's Calabria economy shrank by 18.5 percent region on April 25, 1979. He was ordained Priest in the Metropolitan in the April-to-June period. It had *Atrium of the EU Council building in Brussels. Archdiocese of Catanzaro-Squillace on March 19, 2011. already fallen 5.2 percent in the He acquired a doctorate in both civil and church law at the first three months of the year. Its their coronavirus outbreaks under control have begun to see a Pontifical Lateran University in Rome. Following studies at the overall Gross Domestic Product has also rise in cases that are feeding fears of a second wave. Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, he served as Secretary of the declined by a record 12.1 percent. A spike in infections has led Belgium to ramp up Apostolic Nunciature in Indonesia and of the Permanent Mission of the Across the EU, the economic restrictions on social contact, while Spain has closed gyms and Holy See to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France. contraction was nearly 12 percent, largest nightclubs in Barcelona. Critics argue that the spike is also falls since 1995, according to the Eurostat In his new role, Fr. Salerno will work alongside Fr. Gonzalo linked to more testing. Aemilius, a Uruguayan who formerly worked with street children and agency. Worldwide, more than 600,000 people have reportedly The official agency reveals a grim appointed the Pope's personal secretary in January, replacing the died of coronavirus on a population of 7.8 billion people. Argentine Rev. Mgsr. Fabián Pedacchio, who occupied the post from outlook for several European nations amid Vatican News fears of a second wave of coronavirus 2013 to 2019, when he returned to his position at the Congregation of infections. Bishops. The country with the worst economic performance, Spain, has plunged into its Tchaoudjo, as well as to improve access to deepest recession in modern times. Sokodé Diocese in Togo Benefits from drinking water and health facilities in five France's economy has also been badly prefectures of the Diocese of Sokodé. The hit, with its GDP falling by 13.8 percent in the its Government COVID-19 Assistance beekeeping is targeted at the prefectures of second quarter. The French statistics agency Tchaoudjo and Tchamba, where cashews Parish Priests whose faithful are said the low point had come in April, with a he Catholic Church in Togo, and are grown. beneficiaries of the project. gradual recovery in May and June as in particular the Diocese of "Ours are concrete and effective "The government-run project is lockdown restrictions eased. But economic TSokodé, has recently benefitted gestures to enhance the Earth that is the under the Diocesan Caritas networks and activity was still well below average. f r o m t h e To g o g o v e r n m e n t ' s Mother of all, protect it, make it bear fruit S o k o d é , w i t h t h e O C D I a s t h e Italy, which was among the first programme of support for the with respect, attention, care, vigilance", said implementer, Fr. Silvano Galli, a Priest of European countries to be hit by the pandemic, vulnerable populations (PAPV). Fr. Piontek, linking the project with the the Society for African Missions, explained has reported a similar drop, with the economy Through the “Organisation de la encyclical, Laudato Sì. to the Agenzia Fides. contracting by 12.4 percent. However, the Charité pour un Développement Intégral Agenzia Fides fall was less steep than expected.