In response to the difficult time communities all over the world are facing due to the Covid-19 virus outbreak, H.Em. Card. Angelo Bagnasco and H.Em. Card. Jean-Claude Hollerich SJ, respectively President of the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences (CCEE) and President of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), raise a common prayer to God for help, comfort and salvation.
In the prayer, the two Cardinals ask our Father, Creator of the world, to look upon his “children, who in this difficult time of confusion and dismay [are] seeking strength, salvation and relief” and ask all people of good will to pray to God to “heal the sick, comfort their families and give wisdom to our rulers”.
Bishops from all of Europe join Pope Francis in reiterating the closeness of the Church to all those struggling due to this outbreak: the victims, their families and all healthcare workers, volunteers and faithful who are in the frontline in caring for those affected and bringing them relief.
As recently stated by H.Em. Card. Peter Turkson, Prefect of the Dicastery for promoting Integral Human Development, the coronavirus emergency “is a propitious time to understand the value of fraternity and of our bonds with each other in an indissoluble way”. Cardinal Bagnasco and Cardinal Hollerich invite all persons, families and communities to pray and to behave responsibly in order to avoid the spread of the virus and to protect life.
According to recent reports from the World Health Organization, since December 2019, about 130,000 people from across 126 countries in the world tested positive for Covid-19. More than 4,000 have already died.
The Secretariats of CCEE and COMECE are also taking precautionary measures to ensure the safety and health of their staff and partners.
