According to Deacon Francisco Salvador Pontes Filho, president of the National Commission of Deacons, the number of permanent deacons who died between January 1st and April 10 is almost reaching the total number of deaths reported in 2020.

Archbishop John Wilson of Southwark made a pastoral visit to the church on Saturday. The archbishop spoke with clergy and a number of parishioners present at the church, assuring them of his closeness in prayer and offering them his support following the incident.

Pope Francis presides at the Stations of the Cross outside St. Peter’s Basilica, April 2, 2021. Image ©Vatican Media CNA Staff, Apr 2, 2021 / 03:00 pm MT (CNA).- Pope Francis led the Way of the Cross, featuring meditations prepared by children, at the Vatican on Good Friday evening. With Italy still facing coronavirus restrictions,

The former bishop of Hong Kong said March 30 that if he could, he would fly to Rome and kneel outside the pope’s residence until the decree was withdrawn.

Archbishop Stefan Hesse of Hamburg made his brief declaration live on YouTube March 18, saying: “I am of the firm conviction that taking responsibility is part of our duty to actively deal with this dark chapter in the best possible way and to move towards a better future for everyone, first and foremost for the victims themselves.”

He said that by visiting Iraq, he had fulfilled a dream of his predecessor Pope John Paul II, who had hoped to mark the turn of the millennium with a journey “in the footsteps of Abraham,” but was unable to travel to the ancient city of Ur.

Bishop Georg Bätzing told journalists at a press conference on Feb. 25 that it was necessary to respect the “personal decision of conscience” of those seeking to receive Communion.

In a joint statement Feb. 23, Caritas Europa and the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the EU (COMECE) said that “commitment to solidarity must be the decisive criterion in this historic moment.”