Cardinal Peter Turkson, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development has addressed a letter to the heads of Bishops’ conferences, Bishops in charge of pastoral work in healthcare, Chaplains, health workers, the sick and their families, volunteers, civil authorities and all people of good will encouraging them to see the sacrifices required to slow the spread of coronavirus as a chance to deepen their relationships with God and their neighbors.
Turkson said “Prayer is our strength; prayer is our resource. Here then is the favorable moment to rediscover the fatherhood of God and our being children.”
He encouraged “the most tested communities” to not forced to see “everything as a privation.”
For those who cannot gather for the celebration of Mass, he said, “we are called to an even more deeply rooted journey on what sustains the spiritual life: prayer, fasting, and charity.”
“If we cannot meet in our assemblies to live our faith together, as we usually do, God offers us the opportunity to enrich ourselves, to discover new paradigms, and to find personal relationships with Him again,” as Christ’s words in Matthew’s Gospel says: “when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you” he added.
His message was sent as countries around the world increase measures to fight the spread of coronavirus.
