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  • Local

    Priests offer outdoor confessions in time of 'social distancing'

    3/27/2020

    BRAINTREE -- In a Lenten season of "social distancing," when Masses have been suspended and civic authorities are urging people to stay home to avoid spreading the COVID-19 virus, priests are looking for creative ways to minister the sacraments to their parishioners. A few in the archdiocese have been trying a new way of offering the Sacrament of Reconciliation: creating an outdoor "confessional" with a "drive-through" or "walk-up" setup.

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  • Local

    Catholic schools turn to virtual learning during time of closure

    3/27/2020

    BRAINTREE -- How do you keep a sense of normalcy in a time of crisis? How do you maintain a sense of community while physically isolated from friends, mentors, and colleagues? These are the questions that Catholic school communities have been wrestling with while transitioning to "remote learning" after schools were closed to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

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  • Local

    Cardinal O'Malley leads 'Virtual Lenten Retreat'

    3/27/2020

    BRAINTREE -- Though Catholics in the Archdiocese of Boston began the fourth week of Lent with Masses and other parish activities suspended, they had the opportunity to join Cardinal Seán P. O'Malley for a 5-day "Virtual Lenten Retreat" broadcast through CatholicTV, online and through social media.

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  • Local

    Tighter guidelines for churches, Pastoral Center closed following new directives

    3/27/2020

    BRAINTREE -- In response to a stay-at-home advisory issued by Gov. Charlie Baker, Cardinal Seán P. O'Malley has issued new, stricter guidelines under which churches in the Archdiocese of Boston should remain open to the public. The cardinal also urged populations vulnerable to COVID-19 to "exercise careful and prudential judgment" when deciding to visit a church.

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  • Local

    Parishes turn to Internet as Masses are suspended

    3/27/2020

    BRAINTREE -- Since the archdiocese announced on March 13 that all Masses were being suspended in order to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, many parishes have turned to the Internet as a platform for sharing the Mass and staying connected with their communities in this time of "social distancing."

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  • Local

    From Cardinal Seán's blog

    3/27/2020

    This week, following the recommended protocols for social distancing, I am celebrating Mass in the rectory of the Cathedral of the Holy Cross each day for all of our people, especially those who greatly desire to attend Mass but are unable to at this time.

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  • Local

    Cardinal OKs meat on Fridays for remainder of Lent

    3/27/2020

    BRAINTREE -- As the people of Massachusetts find themselves under a stay-at-home advisory and are being urged limits trips outside -- even to the grocery store -- Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley has lifted the obligation for Catholics in the Archdiocese of Boston to abstain from meat on Fridays for the remainder of Lent.

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  • World

    On Annunciation, dozens of bishops dedicate their nations to Mary

    3/26/2020

    Church leaders around the world used the feast of the Annunciation March 25 to entrust their nations to Mary and Jesus. Catholic leaders from 24 states sought divine help in ending the COVID-19 pandemic by consecrating their countries to Jesus and Mary during a March 25 ceremony in Fatima, Portugal.

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  • World

    What is a plenary indulgence?

    3/26/2020

    VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis said he will grant a plenary indulgence to the faithful who watch or listen to his extraordinary blessing "urbi et orbi" (to the city and the world) at 6 p.m. Rome time March 27.

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  • World

    Pope prays that world may overcome fear

    3/26/2020

    VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis offered his early morning Mass for vulnerable people and health care workers who live in fear that they or their loved ones may fall ill to the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the world.

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  • World

    Vatican asks bishops to help faithful celebrate Holy Week, Easter at home

    3/25/2020

    VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Vatican has asked Catholic bishops around the world, both in the Latin rite and the Eastern Catholic Churches, to provide their faithful with resources to support personal and family prayer during Holy Week and at Easter, especially where COVID-19 restrictions prevent them from going to church.

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  • World

    Italian doctors: Staff overwhelmed during pandemic; model must change

    3/25/2020

    VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Doctors working in the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy have launched an appeal in a major medical journal warning the outbreak in their province is out of control. The medical and humanitarian emergency unfolding before their eyes has made it clear that the Western health care system of centralized hospital care cannot handle this and future epidemics and needs to shift toward more community-focused care.

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  • Nation

    Coronavirus claims the Pittsburgh Catholic as diocese suspends publication

    3/24/2020

    CLEVELAND (CNS) -- The new coronavirus has claimed the Pittsburgh Catholic newspaper as a victim. Diocese of Pittsburgh officials informed the newspaper's 11 staff members in a conference call March 19 that they had decided to immediately suspend publication in large part because of the effects of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.

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  • World

    Vatican City has 4 cases of coronavirus

    3/24/2020

    Vatican City, Mar 24, 2020 CNA.- The director of the Holy See's press office, Matteo Bruni, said Tuesday there are now a total of four people connected to Vatican City who have tested positive for the coronavirus.

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  • Nation

    Priests: Celebrating Mass online with no congregants 'odd,' 'weird'

    3/24/2020

    WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Here is the church, and here is the steeple; Father says Mass, but where are the people? Imagine if you gave a Mass and nobody came. That's an emerging reality for priests as the phenomenon of livestreamed, YouTubed and other online Masses grows amid the pandemic. That's doesn't make it any easier, though.

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  • World

    Time: Lockdown's unexpected gift

    3/24/2020

    ROME (CNS) -- I was video chatting with my childhood friend yesterday. We haven't talked in almost a year and we were organizing a virtual happy hour with our high school friends. Why hadn't we thought about doing this before? I told my friend we had to organize this now because I have sage advice to give about my friends' futures.

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  • Local

    Tighter guidelines for churches, Pastoral Center closed following new directives

    3/24/2020

    In response to a stay-at-home advisory issued by Gov. Charlie Baker, Cardinal Seán P. O'Malley has issued new, stricter guidelines under which churches in the Archdiocese of Boston should remain open to the public. The cardinal also urged populations vulnerable to COVID-19 to "exercise careful and prudential judgment" when deciding to visit a church.

    Read more
  • Local

    Cardinal O'Malley to lead 'Virtual Lenten Retreat'

    3/23/2020

    Though Catholics in the Archdiocese of Boston are beginning the fourth week of Lent with Masses and other parish activities suspended, they now have an opportunity to join Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley for a 5-day "Virtual Lenten Retreat" broadcast through CatholicTV, online and through social media.

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  • World

    North American College decides to send all its seminarians home

    3/23/2020

    ROME (CNS) -- With more than half of its seminarians already back in the United States, the Pontifical North American College in Rome is sending its students home. "In consultation with our board of governors and the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See, we have asked all students at our two campuses to return to their home dioceses in the United States," said a notice posted on the seminary's Facebook page March 23, the day after students were informed.

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  • World

    Passing the time in lockdown: Sisters sew face masks

    3/23/2020

    ROME (CNS) -- While most of the work at a religious order's general headquarters continues in lockdown, a group of Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit found an additional activity where they could use their hands, do something together and be useful.

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  • World

    Pope prays for people in financial difficulty because of pandemic

    3/23/2020

    VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis offered prayers for everyone, particularly families, facing financial difficulties because of the pandemic. "Let us pray today for people who are beginning to experience economic problems because they cannot work due to the pandemic, and all of this falls on the family," he said at the start of Mass March 23.

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