蜜桃交友

By Pope

We are all invited to join an online prayer, promoted by religious around the world, for all those who are suffering from Covid-19 and from the injustice that may be preventing their adequate care.  

The initiative comes to life thanks to the collaborative effort of the International Union of Superiors General in Rome (UISG) with the Confederation of Latin American and Caribbean Religious (CLAR), and the Leadership Conference of Women Religious in the United States (LCWR).

Sr. Mary Barron, Superior General of the Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles, told Linda Bordoni the initiative stemmed from the desire 鈥渢o bridge the sense of solitude and isolation" experienced in lockdown, 鈥渢o support each other and to reinforce a sense of sisterhood鈥� in this time of global suffering. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 designed as a space of prayer and blessing for all those who have lost their lives or who are suffering from Covid symptoms right now,鈥� she said.

Sr. Barron noted that the pandemic has had levels of impact at different stages throughout the globe and that at this point the focus is particularly of countries like Brazil, Mexico, the US, India, South Africa, Egypt, Peru, Chile: 鈥渢hose who are at the worst moment of the pandemic for them鈥�.

鈥淚 Can鈥檛 Breathe鈥�

Sr. Barron pointed to the particularly poignant and evocative initial title of the prayer initiative, 鈥淚 Can鈥檛 Breathe鈥�, and to its clear reference to the injustice suffered by George Floyd when he was killed in police custody in Minneapolis on 25 May. That killing triggered widespread demands for racial justice, in the US and beyond, and demonstrations with thousands of protesters carrying placards with the words 鈥淚 Can鈥檛 Breathe鈥�: Floyd鈥檚 last words as he was being suffocated to death by a police officer kneeling on his neck.

That title, she said, 鈥渋s very, very striking and it was chosen specifically to be striking鈥�.

She noted that it resonates at two levels: the first being that it immediately recalls a very vivid and live injustice 鈥渁nd that makes us think also of the injustice that many people around the world experience especially with this pandemic, where they don鈥檛 have adequate treatment and healthcare鈥�.

Here in Italy, for example, Sr. Barron remarks, we are very privileged and blessed to have a good system that has done its utmost to care for people, although we witnessed the terrible impact of the virus on patients and their families.

After the initial publication of this article on Thursday morning, Pope received the information that the title of the Online Prayer initiative had been changed.

Injustice and lack of health-care

But in other parts of the world, she said, 鈥渁ccess to healthcare is not as easily available, and that depends a lot in which country you are born into, and whether you have access [to healthcare] or not".

鈥淪o that injustice of not having the right to adequate healthcare will be recalled in the online 鈥業 Can鈥檛 Breathe鈥� prayer," she said.

And of course, she continued, it is also linked with the fact that the Covid-19 virus directly affects the lungs and breathing.

So, she said, the online prayer is an opportunity to tune in to 鈥渢he whispers of those people who have died, isolated from their families, especially the poor,鈥� as well as many anonymous people who have died.

鈥淢aybe their final words were: I can鈥檛 breathe鈥�, she said.

Giving voice to the voiceless

Sr. Barron reiterated the concept of widespread injustice this initiative aims to highlight: 鈥淏reathing helps us to speak. We can have loud voices because we can control our breathing. And often, in the face of injustice, we can鈥檛 breathe: we are voiceless, we are helpless, and it really catches us in the throat鈥�.

So, she said, as religious, 鈥淲e sense that helplessness, that voicelessness when a sister or a brother doesn鈥檛 have fundamental rights, when people are living in situations of violence and are helpless and powerless to react鈥�.

She explained that as religious they try to walk with people, sharing their joys and sorrows, and so for them, 鈥渢his is about solidarity, sharing that solidarity across the world with our sisters; coming together to pray, in sisterhood; praying for our world and especially for those most affected鈥�.

Sr. Barron revealed that during the prayer there will be some words, there will be music that invites contemplation and deeper listening, there will be testimonies from different parts of the world. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 open to anyone who really would like to carve out a space to stop and pray with us,鈥� she said. 

鈥淲e don't expect miracles,鈥� she concluded, 鈥淏ut we wish to nourish our own spirituality, to give us the strength to face this difficult pandemic time with patience; and to be able - and ready - to accompany those who are most fragile and vulnerable.鈥� 

You can join the online worldwide prayer on Thursday, 23 July, starting at 3 pm Rome time, by logging in to the UISG where you will find a link to participate.

UPDATED at 10:11