Court to consider request for media gag order in Cardinal Pell trial

Canberra, Australia, Nov 7, 2018 / 05:10 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Catholic schools in Australia have secured an increase in funding from the government following an outcry from Catholic leaders, but some Australians have been questioning the Church’s… […]

Tokyo, Japan, Mar 11, 2020 / 04:00 am (CNA).- More dioceses in Japan have shut down Mass for the coming weeks in response to the ongoing outbreak of the coronavirus nationwide.

The majority of Japanese dioceses have now suspended all public worship.

10 dioceses of 16 have now suspended public Masses, according to Satoh Takaharu, a spokesman for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan

This comes after reports and pronouncements from various individual bishops across the nation regarding temporary church closures.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan says that the bishops have not made any sweeping or mandatory prescriptions on the virus outbreak, and the matter is left to the discretion of individual diocesan bishops.

“The CBCJ is not in a position to issue such directives as the situations vary in dioceses and the dioceses are taking necessary measures accordingly,” said Satoh.
 
Additionally, the CBCJ went on to say that decisions on the matter are not in any way influenced by the Japanese authorities. Churches are making precautionary choices by their own judgement.

“The CBCJ is not in contact with the Japanese government to decide what to do on Masses,” said Satoh.

As of March 10, 587 people in Japan have contracted coronavirus, and 10 have died.

Other religions’ places of worship in Japan have also closed temporarily, including mosques. Native Japanese religions — Shinto and Buddhism — do not have weekly obligations of attendance and have been less impacted by the outbreak.

The Archdiocese of Osaka, led by Cardinal Thomas Aquino Manyo Maeda suspended March 13th public Masses yesterday, and is expected to introduce additional measures this week.

Dioceses that had previously implemented Mass cancellations are now extending them.

The Archdiocese of Tokyo has now cancelled public Masses through March 29th, as well as all public church gatherings besides weddings and funerals.

“The other day, it was announced that Masses all throughout Italy, including the Diocese of Rome, had been suspended. In Japan, it is not yet clear when the infections will peak,” said an official update on the Archdiocese of Tokyo website posted today.

The update continues, “For events other than Masses, as much as possible kindly consider postponing or canceling them, except only for small gatherings. In case of holding such events, in addition to hand disinfection, kindly provide sufficient ventilation, keep a distance between each other, and try to finish as quickly as possible.”

The announcement from the Archdiocese of Tokyo also stressed that the dispensation from Mass is not a dispensation from religious observance, and urged Catholics throughout the community to worship in private for the time being.

“Since we are not relieved from our duty to pray on Sundays, let us find time to offer our Sunday prayers, in spiritual communion with the whole Church community.”

The news comes on the heels of worldwide church closures in countries affected by the coronavirus outbreak, including Pope Francis’ own Diocese of Rome.

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Manila, Philippines, Mar 4, 2020 / 06:18 pm (CNA).- After a recent military attack in the southern Philippines, a bishop has called on the government and rebel forces to withdraw soldiers from tribal communities.

Bishop Valentin Dimoc, Vicar Apostolic of Bontoc-Lagawe and the Filipino bishops’ chair for indigenous peoples, has asked both state and non-state military to leave tribal lands alone following reports on displaced communities and civilian violence.

Nearly 100 families were reportedly forced to flee from Diatagon, a village in the Surigao del Sur province, Feb. 29. Government troops had swept through the area looking for communist rebels, the human rights group Karapatan said, according to UCA News.

Three people were injured during a shootout among the houses of the village. The attack also injured a five-year-old child.

Army spokesman Ezra Balagtey blamed the rebels for the violence in the village. He said they were trying to prevent “the establishment of a government school for tribal children,” UCA News reported.

Bishop Dimoc issued an appeal to the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples and Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process. He encouraged the establishment of “peace zones” which would prohibit any arm groups from entering the tribal areas.

“The military and the communist (rebels) must honor such policy,” said the bishop, noting that it will help diminish displacement, violence, and bloodshed, LICAS News reported.

On Feb. 29, communist leader Jose Maria Sison said the group was still open for peace talks but not with government officials. He said he would rather negotiate with clergymen than politicians.

Three Filipino bishops accepted roles as negotiators at the 43rd Samar Island Partnership for Peace and Development.

Bishop Crispin Varquez of Borongan expressed hope that these peace talks would lead to an end to the insurgency, which has affected Samar’s economy and development.

“We are more than willing to cooperate and do the work for peace and progress of the island,” Bishop Varquez said, according to Philippine News Agency.

[…]