Author Archive
Catholic News Agency
How to stay quarantined, stay married, and keep your friends
By Perry West Denver, Colo., Mar 21, 2020 / 04:00 am (CNA).- The policy of social distancing means that the newly-homebound are seeing less of coworkers than they did just weeks ago. They’re seeing fewer friends too. But they might be seeing a lot more of their family, or their …
Pope Francis: As humanity trembles from pandemic, let us unite in prayer
By Courtney Mares Vatican City, Mar 22, 2020 / 07:05 am (CNA).- Pope Francis has asked Christians around the world to unite in praying the Our Father prayer at noon on March 25 in response to the coronavirus pandemic. “In these days of trial, while humanity trembles at the threat …
Coronavirus in the Holy Land: How Catholics in the Jerusalem patriarchate are coping
By Andrea Gagliarducci Jerusalem, Mar 20, 2020 / 11:30 am (CNA).- As Easter is approaching, the Holy Land is enduring tough times: the sacred sites are shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic, and pilgrimages have come to an end. These events “meaningfully impact our religious communities, especially for the …
Two Roman convents isolated as 59 religious sisters test positive for coronavirus
By Hannah Brockhaus Rome, Italy, Mar 20, 2020 / 11:53 am (CNA).- Two convents, one in Rome and one in a town nearby the capital city, have been isolated as the majority of religious sisters in the communities tested positive for COVID-19. According to Italian news agency ANSA, 59 sisters …
A Franciscan friar is DC’s first known coronavirus fatality
By Jonah McKeown Washington D.C., Mar 21, 2020 / 04:07 pm (CNA).- A Franciscan friar is the first person known to have died as a result of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the District of Columbia. Br. John-Sebastian Laird-Hammond, OFM, was hospitalized with the virus last week, and died Friday, the Washington …
How are Catholics coping with school closures?
By Matt Hadro Washington D.C., Mar 17, 2020 / 03:00 pm (CNA).- The coronavirus pandemic has caused Catholic schools across the United States to close. With no clear timeline for when they might reopen, parents, students, teachers and schools are finding innovative ways to balance distance learning and home life. …
French Catholics begin novena as Lourdes closes for first time in history
By Courtney Mares Lourdes, France, Mar 17, 2020 / 05:30 am (CNA).- The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes has closed for the first time in over a century following new restrictions in France to slow the spread of the coronavirus. “For the first time in its history, the sanctuary will …
Amid coronavirus pandemic, pope’s Easter liturgies closed to public
By Hannah Brockhaus Vatican City, Mar 14, 2020 / 04:56 pm (CNA).- Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Pope Francis’ liturgies for Holy Week and Easter, which usually include the presence of thousands of people, will be held without public attendance this year. According to an online notice from the Prefecture …
Tornado hits historic Nashville church
By Christine Rousselle Nashville, Tenn., Mar 3, 2020 / 11:00 am (CNA).- An historic Catholic church in the Nashville neighborhood of Germantown was among several buildings seriously damaged by a tornado Tuesday night. The tornado’s main path struck about 100 yards away from the Church of the Assumption in the …
Parts of Notre-Dame plaza, crypt expected to reopen this spring
Paris, France, Feb 21, 2020 / 04:01 pm (CNA).- French officials are hopeful that parts of the plaza of Notre-Dame de Paris, as well as the church’s crypt, will be re-opened roughly a year after a fire ravaged the roof and much of the interior of the cathedral. Emmanuel Grégoire, …
