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 14 (2.641) Vatican City Friday, 3 April 2020 Go d’s consoling embrace Holy Father presides at an extraordinary moment of prayer and special ‘Urbi et Orbi’ blessing Something more than fear of loneliness and abandonment ANDREA MONDA The English author C.S. Lewis, who had been recently widowed after his wife’s death from a tumour, wrote a letter to comfort his seriously ill friend Malcolm. In it, he recounts the Passion of Jesus who had been abandoned by all, flogged and unjustly condemned to death, and who felt so alone that he addressed the Father from the Cross with the words: “My God why have you forsaken me?” A very unique way to comfort. Some time earlier Jesus had been asked an anxiety ridden question on death: “Do you not care if we perish?”. It had come from the disciples who had awakened Je- sus from his sleep at the stern of the boat in the storm in the Sea of Galilee. Pope Francis lingered on this scene narrated in the Gospel of Mark and echoed this question several times during his dis- course yesterday afternoon in Saint Pe t e r ’s Square. The Pope then prayed be- fore the icon of the Salus Populi Romani and before the crucifix of the Church of San Marcello which had been moved for the occasion and placed in the square in front of the Basilica, in the rain. The wooden face displays a grimace of suffering that seems to ask: “Do you not care if I perish?”. Jesus died alone, condemned by his people, abandoned by his friends. He died alone from the ter- rible suffering resulting, not only from his wounds, but above all from the suf- focation caused by being nailed to the cross. A crucified [person] dies from as- phyxia. Yesterday almost 1,000 people died from the coronavirus throughout Italy. They died alone from asphyxia, unable to breathe. The most dreadful as- pect of this pandemic is precisely the loneliness to which it condemns us to live and, above all, to die. All this scares every man and woman, but it mysteri- ously offers something more to Christi- ans. Christians know that Jesus contin- ues to suffer in these brothers and sis- ters, as if completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions (Colossians 1:24). At the end of his letter to Malcolm, Lewis writes: “I think it is only in a shared darkness that you and I can really meet at present; shared with one another and, what matters most, with our Master. We are not on an untrodden path. Rather, on the main-road”. For the Pope's homily, see page 4/5 page 2 L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO Friday, 3 April 2020, number 14 Bishop of Jalapa. Until now he has served as parish priest of La Sagrada Familia Parish, member of the Col- lege of Consultors and vicar forane VAT I C A N (31 Mar.). cil and of the College of Consultors Bishop-elect Moscoso Miranda, ULLETIN (25 Mar.). 60, was born in San Luis Jilote- B peque, Guatemala. Before entering Bishop-elect Kuboš, 54, was born the seminary he studied accounting in Trstená, Slovakia. He was or- AUDIENCES Bishop-elect Semaan, 39, was and philosophy; once in the semin- born in Beirut, Lebanon. He holds a dained a priest on 18 June 1989. ary he studied theology. He was or- Thursday, 26 March degree in philosophy and theology; dained a priest on 3 January 1987. The Holy Father appointed Bishop a licence in canon law. He was or- Jean-Baptiste Tiama as Bishop of Archbishop Giacomo Morandi, titu- dained a priest on 24 June 2006. The Holy Father accepted the resig- Mopti, Mali. Until now he has lar of Cerveteri, Secretary of the nation of Bishop Ignacy Dec from served as Bishop of Sikasso, Mali Congregation for the Doctrine of his office as Bishop of Świdnica, Po- the Faith (27 Mar.). CHANGES IN EP I S C O PAT E land (31 Mar.). Cardinal Robert Sarah, Prefect of The Holy Father accepted the resig- nation of Archbishop Nicolaus Adi The Holy Father appointed Bishop the Congregation for Divine Wor- The Holy Father accepted the resig- Marek Mendyk as Bishop of Świd- nation of Archbishop Antonio José Seputra, MSC, from his office as ship and the Discipline of the Sacra- nica. Until now he has served as tit- López Castillo from his office as Archbishop of Merauke, Indonesia ments ular Bishop of Rusuccuru and Aux- Archbishop of Barquisimeto, Vene- (28 Mar.). iliary Bishop of Legnica, Poland (31 H.E. Mr Mario Juan Bosco Cayota zuela (25 Mar.). Zappettini, Ambassador of Uruguay, The Holy Father appointed Fr Rami M a r. ) . A l - Ka b a l a n as titular Bishop of on a farewell visit The Holy Father accepted the resig- nation of Bishop Marcello Romano Arethusa for Syrians. Until now he Prof. Marco Impagliazzo, President from his office as Bishop of Araçuaí, has served as Apostolic Visitator for APOSTOLIC NUNCIO of the Sant’Egidio Community Brazil (25 Mar.). Syrian faithful living in Western Europe and procurator of the Patri- The Holy Father appointed Msgr Friday, 27 March The Holy Father accepted the resig- archate of Antioch for Syrians at the Luis Miguel Muñoz Cárdaba as Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turk- nation of Bishop Robert Joseph Holy See. He has taken the name of Apostolic Nuncio to Sudan and Er- son, Prefect of the Dicastery for Pro- Baker from his office as Bishop of ‘Flavian’. (28 Mar.). itrea, at the same time raising him to Birmingham, USA (25 Mar.). moting Integral Human Develop- Bishop-elect Al-Kabalan, 40, was the dignity of archbishop and as- ment, and his entourage The Holy Father appointed Bishop born in Zaydal, Syria. He holds: a signing him the titular episcopal See of Nasai. Until now he has been a Fr Abbot Guillermo Léon Arboleda Steven John Raica as Bishop of degree in philosophy and theology; Birmingham. Until now he has Counsellor to the said Nunciature Tamayo, OSB, President of The a licence in theology; a doctorate in served as Bishop of Gaylord, USA (31 Mar.). Subiaco Cassinese Congregation of oriental canon law. He was ordained (25 Mar.). the Order of Saint Benedict a priest on 16 July 2005. The Holy Father appointed Fr Ján LENTEN SERMON Saturday, 28 March Kub oš as Auxiliary Bishop of the The Holy Father accepted the resig- nation of Bishop Julio Edgar Cab- Prof. Andrea Monda, Editor-in- Diocese of Spiš, Slovakia, assigning On Friday morning, 27 March, Fr rera Ovalle from his office as Bishop Chief of L’Osservatore Romano him the titular episcopal See of Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap., of Jalapa, Guatemala (30 Mar.). Quiza. Until now he has served as Preacher of the Papal Household, Cardinal Marc Ouellet, PSS, Prefect parish priest and Dean in Kežm a ro k , The Holy Father appointed Fr José delivered the Third Lenten Sermon of the Congregation for Bishops member of the Presbyteral Coun- Benedicto Moscoso Miranda as in the Redemptoris Mater Chapel. Prof. Paolo Papanti-Pelletier, sole judge of the Tribunal of Vatican City State Prof. Franco Anelli, Magnificent Rector of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart Calendar for Holy Week Liturgical Celebrations Hon. Mrs Virginia Raggi, Mayor of Rome, Italy presided by the Holy Father Monday, 30 March H.E. Mr Giuseppe Conte, Prime As a result of the extraordinary Cathedra, in Saint Peter’s Ba- 10 April Minister of Italy situation that has arisen, due to silica, in accordance with the Good Friday the spread of the Covid-19 pan- Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, Presid- following calendar and without Celebration of the Passion of the demic, and taking into account the participation of people: Lord, 6:00 PM ent of the Pontifical Academy for the provisions provided by the Life Via Crucis on the parvis of Saint Congregation of Divine Wor- Peter’s Basilica, 9:00 PM ship and the Discipline of the 5 April Sacraments, with a Decree Palm Sunday of the OR I E N TA L CHURCHES 11 April dated 25 March 2020, it has be- Passion of the Lord Holy Saturday come necessary to provide an The Holy Father gave his assent to update in relation to the up- Commemoration of the entry of Easter Vigil, 9:00 PM the appointment by the Synod of coming Liturgical Celebrations the Lord into Jerusalem and Bishops of the Patriarchal Church of presided over by the Holy Holy Mass at 11:00 AM 12 April Antioch for Syrians of Fr Camil Father: with regard to both the Easter Sunday of the Afram Antoine Semaan as Exarch Resurrection of the Lord Calendar and the methods of 9 April for Syrian faithful living in Jerus- participation. Holy Mass at 11:00 AM. Holy Thursday alem, Palestine and Jordan, assign- Therefore, the Holy Father At the end of Holy Mass, Pope ing him the titular see of Hierapolis will celebrate the Holy Week Holy Mass of the Lord’s Supper, Francis will impart the Urbi et for Syrians. Until now he has served rites at the Altar of the 11:00 AM Orbi blessing. as parish administrator of the same circumscription (28 Mar.). 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.