U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on religious leaders to join together in countering “inaccurate and harmful messages” as the world fights the COVID-19 pandemic. In a May 12 video meeting on the role of faith leaders in addressing the challenges of the current health crisis he pointed out how “extremists and radical groups are Read more
Posts Tagged ‘COVID-19’
Pope’s words on interfaith prayer against coronavirus sparks controversy among Catholics
Monday, May 18th, 2020Pope Francis is being accused of “blasphemy” and “sacrilege” by some Catholics for participating in an interfaith prayer Thursday with Muslims, Jews and Christians, calling on God to end the coronavirus pandemic. The Abu Dhabi-based multifaith Higher Committee on Human Fraternity formed after the pope’s historic visit in 2019 to the Arabian peninsula. Its nine Read more
Will pandemic end Asia’s fascination with the West?
Thursday, May 14th, 2020
Asia’s fortune hunters, career-focused students and professionals are set to abandon their dreams of life in the developed cities of the Western world as Europe and the United States struggle to ward off the deadly COVID-19 pandemic. Many admit that Asia’s honeymoon with the West has come to an end as Asian nations are predicted Read more
Crowded into camps, refugees are sitting ducks for COVID-19
Thursday, May 14th, 2020
The number of refugees in the world may decline this year, but not for a good reason. Today, there are about 70 million forcibly displaced people worldwide, of whom 41 million are internally displaced in their own countries and 26 million are refugees, forced to flee their homelands. Refugees and displaced persons live under conditions Read more
Ramadan celebration under lockdown
Thursday, May 14th, 2020
Salman lives in the West Bank with her husband, Steve Sosebee—founder of a medical relief NGO called the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund—and two children, aged two and 13. Salman spoke to TIME about what the holy month of Ramadan has been like under lockdown in the Palestinian territories. We live in the Holy Land, in Read more
Caritas warns of spiraling poverty, asks for solidarity
Thursday, May 14th, 2020
Caritas – the Catholic agency for justice, peace and development, has warned of spiralling poverty across the European Union (EU) in the wake of the coronavirus crisis. “Solidarity is now more urgent than ever for reducing poverty in Europe and worldwide, especially given the devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic”, Caritas-Europa says. “We urge EU Read more
Pope to stop livestreaming daily Mass
Thursday, May 14th, 2020
Pope Francis will stop livestreaming daily Mass from the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta guesthouse on 19 May as public Masses are set to resume in Italy this weekend. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni says on 18 May, Francis will celebrate his daily morning Mass at the tomb of St. John Paul II inside St. Peter’s Basilica. Read more
US bishops concerned at ethical disparitities in COVID in deaths
Thursday, May 14th, 2020
US bishops are concerned about disparities in COVID-19 infection and death rates, especially among Afro-Americans. “Our hearts are wounded for the many souls mourned as African American communities across the nation are being disproportionately infected with and dying from the virus that causes COVID-19,” the said in a press statement on behalf of four U.S. Read more
The kindness of strangers
Thursday, May 14th, 2020
Bushra Alkhafaji and her daughter Nada are New Zealand citizens who arrived in Iran in February for an annual trip, with flights paid for by Bushra’s Iran-based daughters. On a short visit to Isfahan during the holiday, Iran announced inter-city travel restrictions so Bushra and Nada were separated from relatives and had to find temporary Read more
Lack of cultural and spiritual consideration In COVID-19 Response Bill
Thursday, May 14th, 2020
The Salvation Army is concerned that cultural and spiritual wellbeing was not being considered alongside physical wellbeing, in the Health Response Bill. “This Bill worries us deeply. There is no allowance or trust for religious gatherings, which further indicates this Government’s low view of spirituality as a fundamental part of overall wellbeing,” Salvation Army Māori Read more