As the coronavirus pandemic spreads around the globe, the leader of the Catholic Church wants to unite people in a moment of prayer.
Pope Francis invited “every family, every member of the faithful, and every religious community” to join in prayer at 4 p.m. EDT on Thursday.
“Tonight, we are praying together, entrusting ourselves to the intercession of St. Joseph, Guardian of the Holy Family, Guardian of all our families,” he said in a video message ahead of the event. “In this unprecedented situation, in which everything seems to be crumbling, let us help each other hold fast to what really matters.”
President Trump declared last Sunday a National Day of Prayer for people in the United States to meet spiritually in a moment of solidarity against an illness that has killed thousands and wreaked havoc on global economies.
Though many are quarantined with the hope of slowing the coronavirus spread, church groups and communities are utilizing technologies such as Zoom to communicate digitally in this time of social distancing.
“Especially now, we are looking for ways in which we can remain connected to our faith and our community. Many of our parishioners have prayed together while apart, in their homes at the same time, and some of our prayer groups are planning the same strategy,” Rev. Michael Ward of Immaculate Heart of Mary parish in Scotch Hill, New Jersey, told local news website TAPinto.
“Taking part can be a spiritually powerful way to lift our hearts in a difficult time by being united in prayer at the same time throughout the world,” he added.
