VOL. 82 NO. 26 Electronic Edition GHANA’S NATIONAL CATHOLIC WEEKLY ESTD. IN 1938 SUNDAY, JULY 5, 2020 – SATURDAY, JULY 11, 2020 PRICE GH¢2.00 ‘You Reap What You Sow’ We are convinced that the rule of law is based on “democratic principles that are inspired not only by the power Warn CENCO Bishops of the majority, but also by the recognition of fundamental moral people”, say the members of the Standing values respectful of human dignity, Committee of the National Episcopal life and intangible and inalienable Conference of the Democratic Republic of r i g h t s f r o m e v e r y m a n . A the Congo (CENCO) in a message on the Reconsider Portrayal parliamentary majority, however bill of reform of the judiciary deposited in legal it may be, loses its legitimacy the Parliamentary Assembly by the when it is disconnected from the government. of Jesus as White: interests and well-being of the Continued on page 3 Archbishop of Canterbury Story on page 3 Govt. Grants Page 13 Additional Incentives ‘We Must Rely on Our Strengths’ to Frontline Health Workers – COPAB to African States See back page Vatican Releases New Catechesis Directory Story on * Nun leads a practice for some of the children who will receive page 3 first communion before Pope Francis in Rakovski, Bulgaria. African Media Practitioners Recall Memorable Moments with U.S. Cleric Who “married” Media 2 THE CATHOLIC STANDARD Electronic Edition Sunday, July 5 – Saturday, July 11, 2020 CATHOLIC Archbishop Paglia Calls for Reform in Healthcare System World News from “the integrity of scientific an online meeting held between research, to its freedom in terms the Pontifical Academy, the of economic profit.” Dicastery for Promoting Integral Speaking at the forum, H u m a n D e v e l o p m e n t , a n d sociologist Gianni Tognoni, representatives of Latin American T h e P r e s i d e n t o f t h e denounced the "fragmentation" Bishops' Conferences (CELAM), of governments' and scientists' Pontifical Academy for Life, which comprises Colombia, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, responses to the crisis. Central America, Cuba, and Msgr. Hector Fabio has stated that "the whole Mexico. horizon of healthcare must be Henao, of Caritas Colombia, Archbishop Paglia disclosed expressed concern about the rethought, both at a regional that the Academy was working on and at an international level.” g r a v i t y o f t h e c u r r e n t a document on the elderly, "who environmental crisis and its He said this during the have been and continue to be the r e l e a s e o f a d o c u m e n t , *A group of doctors in face shields, working with COVID-19 impact on health, while most numerous victims of the infected patients (Brazil AFP). Archbishop Carlos Garcias “Pandemic and Universal pandemic.” Fraternity,” on March 30, after from Mexico emphasised solidarity and responses that the H e r e i t e r a t e d P o p e humanism” that should guide C h u r c h c a n p r o v i d e t o Francis's words of warning that our response to the pandemic populations in difficulty. we are living through an era of crisis. Bishop Alfonso Miranda, Many Germans Leave “epochal change”. According to Archbishop also from Mexico, discussed “We realise how 'timely' Paglia, the first concern of the the importance of generating the Catholic Church t h i s s t a t e m e n t i s , ” s a i d document is about universal hope and giving concrete A r c h b i s h o p P a g l i a , a n d access to the best opportunities answers in the face of the social “explained that there is a call on for prevention, diagnosis and crisis caused by the pandemic. international institutions to treatment – which, he stressed, ccording to official Bishop Elkin Alvarez rethink aspects relating to the “should not be reserved only s p o k e o f t h e s e r i o u s figures released on health of all members of the for a lucky few," adding that June 26, a record "disarticulation of institutions" A human family living in the the distribution of a vaccine as and the lack of responses to the 272,771 Germans exited common home: the planet." soon as it is available in the the Catholic Church in n e e d s o f t h e p e o p l e i n CELAM representatives future will be an important test Colombia. He was asked to 2019, compared to 216,078 expressed their desire to case. in 2018. accompany the reflection of the encourage “a dialogue” on The second concern is on Church in Latin America to This brings the total health problems and on the the definition of responsible number of Catholics in ensure that the Church itself is common good, describing it as s c i e n t i f i c r e s e a r c h . capable of generating hope and Germany to 22.6 million in “a first step to save lives.” Archbishop Paglia explained 2019, as against 23 million in solidarity. The Document, calls for that much is at stake, ranging Vatican News 2018. “an alliance between science and T h e p r o p o r t i o n o f Catholics attending church services has similarly fallen *Limburg Bishop Georg Batzing Pope Francis Donates Electric to its lowest level, with 9.1% speaking, March 3, 2020, after being Bicycle for Auction attending in 2019, compared elected the new president of the period. to 9.3% in the previous year. German Bishops’ Conference. Formal departures from Reacting to the decline, the Catholic Church in Bishop Georg Bätzing, Germany are sometimes President of the German promised “We will take the motivated by a desire to avoid Bishops’ Conference in a f i g u r e s p u b l i s h e d t o d a y the country’s church tax. If an June 26 statement, said that seriously and bring them into individual is registered as a he did not wish to “gloss the discussions of the Synodal Catholic then 8-9% of their over” the figures. Way.” “I find the very high The “Synodal Way” is a income tax goes to the Church. number of people leaving the two-year process that brings The only way to stop paying C h u r c h p a r t i c u l a r l y together lay people and Bishops the church tax is to make an *Electric bicycle donated by burdensome. We regret every to discuss four major topics: the official declaration renouncing departure from the Church way power is exercised in the Catholic membership, in Pope Francis to UNITALSI and we invite everyone who Church; sexual morality; the which case they are no longer has left or wants to leave to priesthood; and the role of a l l o w e d t o r e c e i v e t h e ope Francis has donated a new electric bicycle talk to us. The number of women. sacraments or a Catholic Pfor a charity auction. people leaving the Church Catholics now account for burial. The proceeds will be used to bring children from the shows that the alienation 27.2% of Germany’s population In June 2018, Pope cancer ward of Rome’s Gemelli University Hospital to between Church members of almost 84 million, down from Francis sent a 28-page letter to the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in France. and a life of faith in the 27.7% in 2018. German Catholics urging them Pope Francis's Second Personal Secretary, Church community has In a similar development, to focus on evangelisation in become even stronger,” the the Evangelical Church in the face of a “growing erosion Monsignor Yoannis Lahzi Gaid, delivered the bicycle German Bishops Conference G e r m a n y ( E K D ) , w h i c h and deterioration of faith.” to UNITALSI, the Italian “National Union of Transport represents 20 Protestant groups, President said. “Every time an ecclesial for the Ill to Lourdes and International Sanctuaries”. H e e x p l a i n e d “ O f reported on June 26, that its course, the declines are also membership fell by 440,000, community has tried to get out “The Holy Father has always been close to due to demographics, but from 21.14 million in 2018 to of its problems alone, relying children,” said Preziosa Terroni, the president of they also show first of all the 20.7 million in 2019. solely on its own strengths, UNITALSI's Rome-Lazio section, which organized the methods and intelligence, it fact that, despite our concrete Meanwhile, the number of auction. pastoral and social actions, admissions to the Catholic has ended up multiplying and we no longer motivate a large Church fell from 2,442 in 2018 nurturing the evils it wanted to She recalled a private meeting at the Casa Santa number of people for Church to 2,330 in 2019, while o v e r c o m e , ” h e w r o t e .