Price € 1,00. Back issues € 2,00 L’O S S E RVATOR E ROMANO WEEKLY EDITION IN ENGLISH Unicuique suum Non praevalebunt Fifty-third year, number 11 (2.638) Vatican City Friday, 13 March 2020 Pop e’s video message for Day of Prayer and Fasting Close to those in quarantine On Wednesday, 11 March, a Mass was celebrated by Cardinal Angelo de Donatis at the Shrine of Our Lady of Divine Love for the Day of Prayer and Fasting. For the occasion, Pope Francis sent a video message in which he addressed his prayer to the Virgin. The following is a translation of Pope Fra n c i s ’ video message. O Mary, You shine continuously on our journey as a sign of salvation and hope. We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick, who, at the Cross, united with Jesus’ pain, keeping your faith firm. You, Salvation of the Roman people, know what we need, and we trust that you will provide for those needs so that, as at Cana of Galilee, joy and celebration may return after this moment of trial. Help us, Mother of Divine Love, to conform ourselves to the will of the Father and to do what Jesus tells us. He who took our suffering upon Himself, and burdened Himself with our sorrows to bring us, through the Cross, to the joy of Resurrection. Amen. We seek refuge under your protection, O Holy Mother of God. Do not despise our pleas — we who are put to the test — and deliver us from every danger. O glorious and blessed Virgin. 2020 World Youth The Holy Father’s reflections via streaming Day Message Following the 7 March statement from the Vatican silicas. All public Masses throughout Italy have been Press Office to stream live Pope Francis’ Sunday An- suspended including weddings, funerals, as well as re- gelus (see page 8) and the General Audience (see ligious and cultural events. page 3), the Holy See has announced a series of addi- The above measures, which were also adopted to tional measures designed to avoid the risk of the prevent the spread of the virus throughout the various spread of COVID-19, aimed at guaranteeing both the Dicasteries and other entities, will remain in force un- safety and the participation of the faithful who are til at least 3 April 2020. quarantined or affected by the coronavirus. Along those lines, Pope Francis has decided to allow his daily Mass at the Casa Santa Marta to also be streamed live so as to be close to those who are at home. For this reason, his activities may be viewed on Vatican News and are made available for distribution To our subscribers in Italy by Vatican Media. In accordance with the measures adopted by the We would like to inform our readers Italian authorities to curb the rise of infections, the living in Italy that due to the COVID- Holy See has adopted further restrictions to help 19, the English edition of L’Osser- limit the gathering of people at security controls. vatore Romano is available only online They include the closure of the Vatican Museums, the until further notice. Excavation Office, the Museum of the Pontifical Vil- PAGE 4/5 las and of the museum centres of the Pontifical Ba- page 2 L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO Friday, 13 March 2020, number 11 began his mission as Apostolic Nun- cio in Costa Rica with the presenta- tion of his Letters of Credence to VAT I C A N H.E. Mr Carlos Alvarado Quesada, President of the Republic. The Holy Father appointed Bishop BULLETIN Gualtiero Sigismondi as Bishop of Orvieto-Todi. Until now he has LENTEN SERMON served as Bishop 0f Foligno, Italy, AUDIENCES Bishop-elect Betancur, 45, was and General Ecclesiastical Assistant On Friday morning, 6 March, Fr born in Donmatías, Colombia. He of Italian Catholic Action (7 Mar.). Marko Ivan Rupnik, S J, Director of Monday, 9 March holds a licence in philosophy and the Aletti Centre, delivered the first religious education and a degree and The Holy Father accepted the resig- Lenten Sermon in the Vatican’s Archbishop Carlos Castillo Mat- specialization in Canon Law. He was nation of Bishop Singaroyan Se- Clementine Hall. tasoglio of Lima, Peru ordained a priest on 23 November bastianappan from his office as Bish- H.E. Mr Séverin Mathias Akeo, 1999. op of Salem, India (9 Mar.). NECROLO GY Ambassador of Côte d’Ivoire, on a farewell visit The Holy Father accepted the resig- nation of Bishop Louis Portella STA R T OF MISSION Bishop Giovanni Innocenzo Mar- H.E. Mr Julio César Caballero Mbuyu of Kinkala, Republic of the tinelli, OFM, titular Bishop emeritus Moreno, Ambassador of the Pluri- Congo (5 Mar.). On 31 January, Archbishop Bruno of Tabuda, at age 78 (30 Dec. 2019) national State of Bolivia, on a Musarò, titular Archbishop of Abari, The Holy Father appointed Fr Archbishop John Alexius Bathersby, farewell visit Ildevert Mathurin Mouanga as Bish- Archbishop emeritus of Brisbane, Members of the Episcopal Confer- op of Kinkala. Until now he has Australia, at age 83 (9 Mar.) ence of France, on a visit ad limina served as rector of the Cardinal Archbishop Peter David Gregory Ap o s t o l o r u m Emile Biayenda National Major Smith, Archbishop emeritus of Seminary of Brazzaville (5 Mar.). Theme for World Southwark, Great Britain, at age 76 NEW DIO CESE Bishop-elect Mouanga, 53, was Day of Migrants (6 Mar.) born in Hamon, Republic of the The Holy Father established the Congo. He holds: a degree in philo- new Diocese of Ekwulobia, Nigeria, sophy and theology, a licence in and Refugees with territory taken from the Dio- Sacred Scripture and a doctorate in In a communiqué released by cese of Awka, making it a suffragan Biblical Theology. He was ordained the Holy See Press Office on New date set of the Metropolitan See of Onitsha. a priest on 16 August 1998. Friday, 6 March, the 106th He also appointed Bishop Peter World Day of Migrants and for ‘Economy Ebere Okpaleke as the first Bishop The Holy Father appointed Bishop Refugees will be celebrated on of Ekwulobia. Until now he has Gregory John Martmayer, Sunday, 27 September 2020. As of Francesco’ served as Bishop emeritus of the OFM. Conv., as Metropolitan Arch- the title for his annual Message, Diocese of Ahiara, Nigeria (5 Mar.). bishop of Atlanta, USA . Until now the Holy Father has chosen The organising committee of the he has served as Bishop of Savan- “Forced like Jesus Christ to Economy of Francesco has announced nah, USA (5 Mar.). flee”. The Message will focus on that the event, previously set for 26- CHANGES IN EP I S C O PAT E The Holy Father accepted the resig- the pastoral care of internally 28 March, will now be taking place nation of Cardinal Philippe Barbarin displaced persons (IDPs), who on 21 November in Assisi. The Holy Father appointed Fr Farly currently number over 41 mil- Yovany Gil Betancur as Bishop of from his office as Archbishop of Ly- on, France (6 Mar.). lion worldwide. Montelíbano, Colombia. Until now As the title suggests, the reflec- he has served as Adjunct Secretary The Holy Father accepted the resig- tion begins with the experience to the Episcopal Conference of nation of Bishop Benedetto Tuzia of of the young Jesus and his family Colombia (4 Mar.). Orvieto-Todi, Italy (7 Mar.). as displaced persons and refugees. This provides a Christo- logical grounding for the Christi- an action of welcome or hospital- ity. Over the coming months, the French Bishops on ‘ad limina’ visit theme will be developed in six sub-themes expressed by six pairs of verbs: to know in order to un- derstand; to draw near so as to serve; to listen in order to recon- cile; to share and thus to grow; to involve in order to promote; and finally, to collaborate and therefore to build. The change in date is due to the Again this year, the Migrants difficulties many people are facing and Refugees Section of the in travelling, both on an internation- Dicastery for Promoting Integral al and national level. The Holy Human Development will en- Father, therefore, in agreement with courage, prepare and support the committee, has set the new date the celebration of this day. Re- of his meeting to accommodate the sources are being developed and 2000 young people from 115 coun- a communication campaign will tries who are due to attend the soon get underway. Each month, event. information, reflections, and On 28 March there will be a meet- multimedia aids will be offered ing in the Papal Hall of the Sacred as means of exploring and ex- Convent of Assisi for a We b i n a r with The Holy Father met with members of the Bishops’ Conference of France in a private audience pressing the theme chosen this the young people of the participating during their visit ‘ad limina Apostolorum’ on Monday morning, 9 March. year by the Holy Father. countries. ANDREA MONDA TIPO GRAFIA VAT I C A N A EDITRICE Subscription rates: Italy - Vatican: € 58.00; Europe: € 100.00 - US$ 148.00 £ 80.00; Latin America, Africa, L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO L’OS S E R VAT O R E ROMANO Asia: € 110.00 - US$ 160.00 - £ 88.00; Oceania, North America: € 162.00 - £ 130.00. Editor-in-Chief Management Office: phone +390669899480; fax +390669885164; e-mail [email protected]. WEEKLY EDITION IN ENGLISH For India: The weekly English Edition of L'Osservatore Romano is published and distributed in Unicuique suum Non praevalebunt Photo Service Giuseppe Fiorentino [email protected] w w w.