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Pope Francis reverses decision to close churches in Rome
Washington Examiner ^ | March 2020 | Nicholas Rowan

Posted on 03/14/2020 2:19:20 AM PDT by CondoleezzaProtege

Pope Francis on Friday reversed a decision to close all the Catholic churches in Rome amid Italy's coronavirus outbreak.

The pope on Thursday had made the decision to close all churches to prevent the disease's further spread. But after further conversation about the matter, he decided that leaving churches closed would pose the spiritual risk of making people "feel more isolated." Priests in Rome are now advised to discern for themselves whether or not to remain open.

"Be very close to the people of God, make each one feel loved and accompanied, help everyone to perceive that the Church does not close the doors to anyone, but that she worries that no 'little' person risks life or is forgotten," Cardinal Angelo De Donatis wrote in a letter to priests in Rome. "Also bring, with all the necessary precautions, the comfort of the sacraments to the sick, ensure the help for the needs of the poor and those who have no one to rely on, avoid all those situations of contact between people who can create a danger to health."

The letter came only hours after Francis said in a Friday homily directed at pastors that they should not take "drastic measures" to combat the threat of the coronavirus.

"Let's pray for this, that the Holy Spirit may give to pastors the ability for pastoral discernment so that they might provide measures which do not leave the holy, faithful people of God alone, and so that the people of God will feel accompanied by their pastors, comforted by the Word of God, by the sacraments, and by prayer," Francis said.

Italy has nearly 12,500 cases of coronavirus, and the country of 60 million people is on a nationwide lockdown. The country has the most cases of the virus in Europe.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonexaminer.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: catholic; church; coronavirus; culture; italy; popefrancis; rome
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One of the wisest things he's ever done.
1 posted on 03/14/2020 2:19:20 AM PDT by CondoleezzaProtege
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To: ebb tide

PING!


2 posted on 03/14/2020 2:20:01 AM PDT by CondoleezzaProtege
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To: CondoleezzaProtege

He closed them and reversed himself. No common sense.


3 posted on 03/14/2020 2:29:54 AM PDT by Sacajaweau
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To: CondoleezzaProtege

Blind squirrel moment. The Churches should NEVER have been closed!


4 posted on 03/14/2020 2:33:19 AM PDT by Ann Archy (Abortion....... The HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: Sacajaweau

Which time was he infallible?


5 posted on 03/14/2020 2:44:27 AM PDT by Bellflower (Who dares believe Jesus? He says absolutely amazing things, which few dare consider.)
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To: Bellflower

Good question!

Actually, infallibility as the Church interprets it, doesn’t apply in this case because he was not speaking “ex cathedra”, or “from the chair,” on matters of dogma. I think that’s only been done about 7 or 9 times (I could be wrong!) and the last time was in the 1950’s (again, I could be wrong!) I guess I need to check that out, now that I’m thinking of it.

I have to admit that he made the right call to reverse the decision.


6 posted on 03/14/2020 3:01:00 AM PDT by mrs. a (It's a short life but a merry one...)
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To: CondoleezzaProtege
What about the Sign of Peace and Communion?

Those continue?

7 posted on 03/14/2020 3:05:26 AM PDT by SkyPilot ("I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6)
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To: CondoleezzaProtege

He was right the first time. He will now have blood on his hands, if he didn’t already.


8 posted on 03/14/2020 3:14:41 AM PDT by firebrand
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To: SkyPilot

In our Archdiocese, Communion continues, but we don’t drink from the chalice. The Sign of Peace is no-contact - wave, nod, smile - last Sunday the deacon suggested the Vulcan hand sign. hahahaha


9 posted on 03/14/2020 3:20:43 AM PDT by mrs. a (It's a short life but a merry one...)
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To: CondoleezzaProtege; All

It strikes me as peculiar that Italy almost seems to be have been targeted with being the major European country with the most reports of this disease. Despite the fact that Francis made every effort to assure the Chinese Commies the church would work with that regime. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3787853/posts


10 posted on 03/14/2020 3:55:55 AM PDT by mosesdapoet (mosesdapoet aka L.J.Keslin posting here for the record hoping somebody might read and pass around)
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To: CondoleezzaProtege

He should set an example by mingling with many,many people.


11 posted on 03/14/2020 3:59:10 AM PDT by HighSierra5
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To: firebrand

Let’s hope he is right about this. I don’t think he is, but let’s hope so.


12 posted on 03/14/2020 4:00:29 AM PDT by conejo99
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To: CondoleezzaProtege

It’s also one of the few times he’s ever mentioned God — or even anything of a religious nature — in a public statement.


13 posted on 03/14/2020 4:04:01 AM PDT by Alberta's Child ("Oh, but it's hard to live by the rules; I never could and still never do.")
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To: CondoleezzaProtege

Guess the panicky pope decided to do the right thing and not continue to be chicken little.


14 posted on 03/14/2020 4:37:06 AM PDT by yldstrk (Bingo! We have a winner!)
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To: Ann Archy

You are right.


15 posted on 03/14/2020 4:37:22 AM PDT by yldstrk (Bingo! We have a winner!)
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To: SkyPilot

Hold two fingers up. Have the priest doling out the communion and those receiving wear gloves. There are ways. Have everybody bring their own bread. Bless it. Eat it.


16 posted on 03/14/2020 4:39:24 AM PDT by yldstrk (Bingo! We have a winner!)
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To: firebrand

No, the churches should never, ever close. Period.


17 posted on 03/14/2020 4:39:49 AM PDT by yldstrk (Bingo! We have a winner!)
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To: CondoleezzaProtege

What a donkey.


18 posted on 03/14/2020 4:42:56 AM PDT by exPBRrat (.)
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To: yldstrk

If it was up to me I would bring matzoh and the acknowledged finest red wine in the world. Romanee Conti. Costs a fortune but if I ever had a bottle it would be appropriate.


19 posted on 03/14/2020 4:53:20 AM PDT by xp38
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To: CondoleezzaProtege

No, don’t close it. Keep it open then Communist Pope Francis finds out -

NOBODY come. Not even his personal charm would draw a crowd.


20 posted on 03/14/2020 4:54:38 AM PDT by Sir Napsalot (Pravda + Useful Idiots = USSR; Journ0List + Useful Idiots = DopeyChangey)
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