Ukraine: Prayer for Influenza A/H1N1The outbreak of influenza in the Ukraine is not a reason for deserting the churches. This was the reply of Card. Lubomyr Husar, in a declaration disseminated by the einformation service of the Greek-Catholic Ukraine Church, to appeals launched by the local and central authorities of the country to limit religious services in the churches because of the influenza epidemic. “Whoever is sick”, said Card. Husar, “should avoid going to Church. But whoever is healthy must use all the necessary precautions, and come to join the prayer for the health and recovery of those who have fallen ill.” According to AFP, as of yesterday 67 persons in the Ukraine have died because of influenza and consequent respiratory complications, but only 22 cases were officially recorded as influenza A/H1N1. Furthermore, sources of the Health Ministry state that the figures are “not very different” from those recorded in past years. In his declaration, the cardinal explained that “despite present cases of illness, there is no reason for panic” and he stressed that in the Greek-Catholic churches of the country handkerchiefs with appropriate solutions have been placed near the icons and crosses and during the Holy Communion priests will explain to people the rules for receiving the Eucharist. “Government representatives did not behave correctly ” continued the cardinal, “when they asked us to shorten and cancel holy services. The diffusion of the epidemic is not a reason for failing to intensify the prayers of the faithful.” He added, “There are many cases in the history of the church when, in situations of difficulties due to natural, epidemiological or political reasons, people have found comfort, support and protection precisely in the Church.” It is for this reason that Card. Husar has personally written a call to prayer for the sick. “Lord our God, you sent your son into the world so that he would take upon himself all our suffering and be covered with our weaknesses. In a spirit of obedience we ask of you to bless these sick persons, to give them physical strength, a strong spirit and patience with their illness. Portugal: Caritas in Veritate, a mission of truth Speaking during the Day of Reflection on the lates encyclical of Benedict XVI, organized by the Pastoral and Social Center of the Algarve Diocese, Msgr. Carlos Azevedo difende the proposal of “an economy where fraternity is present”, such as that envisioned by the Pope in Caritas in Veritate. The president of the Episcopal Commission for Social Pastoral defined the recent encyclical as “a document the reflects the enormous lucidity of a Pope who possesses a great capacity for social under standing and orientation,” and explained that “the document offers a reading of faith as human reality and must not be considered as a text of economics or sociology, nota n alternative proposal of socialism or capitalism. It is a Christian text that promotes Christian behavior that is opposite to neoliberal positions that presently dominate the world.” “In this sence”, continued the Auxiliary Bishop of Lisbon, “the words of the encyclical to not intend to propose tecchnical solutions nor to intervene in the polizie of States, but rather only to fulfill the mission of truth to which the Church is called, focusing attention to the central theme of authentic development of the human being as an interpretive key for understanding the comprehensive development of the community.” In stressing the importance of safeguarding the human person with respect to his social development, Msgr. Azevedo stated that “the same ecclesiastic organisms will have to be capable of opening to new solutions”, and recognized that “the family must play a fundamental role in the formation of the human person in all his dimensions, including the spiritual”.Scotland: Card. O’Brien expresses hopes for a visit of the PopeIn the past days Scottish Minister Jim Murphy and Card. Keith O’Brien were in Rome to request Scotland’s inclusion in the itinerary of the Pope’s future visit to the English Islands in September, 2010. The Scottish Minister also met with the British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, who had extended an invitation for the Pope to visit Great Britain last February and declared to the Scottish media that “it is too soon to say whether the Pope will come to Scotland next year.” A spokesperson of the Scottish prime Minister, Alex Salmond, also applauded the idea of a visit by Benedict XVI. “Let us give a warm welcome to the prospective of a Pontifical visit to Scotland next year” said Salmond. “The visit of John paul II in 1982 was an enormous success. A visit would be a marvellous occasion for all of Scotland, and the proposal of Card. O’Brien, last month, that the Pope speak to the Scottish Parliament, is an excellent idea”.
