Catholic Masses

  • Search for Mass Times
  • Catholic Faith Articles
    • News Briefs
    • Catholic Church
    • Vatican News
    • Catholic Gift Ideas
  • Online Masses
    • Daily Catholic Mass Online
      • Daily TV Mass from Toronto
      • EWTN Daily Mass
      • CTVN Daily Mass
      • Sunday Mass by the Passionists
      • Daily Mass (In Spanish)
  • Pray with Us
Home Test page Italy’s bishops draw attention to suffering families in message to new prime minister

Italy’s bishops draw attention to suffering families in message to new prime minister

Credit: Curioso/Shutterstock.

Rome Newsroom, Feb 15, 2021 / 08:30 am (CNA).- The president of the national bishops’ conference has welcomed Italy’s new government with a message to Prime Minister Mario Draghi, who was sworn in Saturday.

Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti said the bishops are sure Draghi “will want to give priority attention to the people and families most marked by suffering, precariousness and the economic crisis.”

Draghi, an economist and banker, has formed a national unity government in Italy after being called in by President Sergio Mattarella following the collapse of the previous coalition last month.

Mattarella officially appointed Draghi prime minister in a ceremony Feb. 13. The new government is a mix of technocrats and politicians.

The Italian bishops watched the developments of the political crisis with “trepidation and concern,” Bassetti stated, emphasizing the importance of unity as the country faces “the heavy, even tragic, fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic,” including “new and widespread poverty.”

Bassetti added that “the Church in Italy will be an attentive and collaborative interlocutor, as has always been the case, in respect of mutual competences.”

Earlier this month, Italy’s national statistics office Istat reported that the country’s economy shrank by an estimated 8.9% last year, its biggest contraction since the end of World War II.

With over 420,000 jobs lost from February to December 2020, the Church in Italy has warned about the increasing number of “new poor” in the country.

The John Paul II National Anti-Usury Council has identified that in Italy, 3 million households, including families and family businesses — about 7.5 million individuals — are insolvent, and that 350,000 families are at risk of usury, especially by criminal organizations.

There is hope that the 73-year-old Draghi, president of the European Central Bank from 2011 to 2019, can save Italy’s economy, like he saved the failing euro during the Eurozone crisis.

“Super Mario,” as some have hailed the technocrat, was also formerly president of the Bank of Italy. Last year, Pope Francis named him to an honored position at the Vatican as one of 26 ordinary academicians of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.

In his message, the president of the bishops’ conference praised the new prime minister’s emphasis on European politics “with an eye to solidarity between nations, peace, sustainable development and social justice.”

“I would like to offer you my best wishes for the important and delicate task that awaits you and the new government in such a complex phase for the history of our country, of Europe and of the whole world,” Bassetti said.

He closed the message by saying “we accompany you with prayer.”


If you value the news and views Catholic World Report provides, please consider donating to support our efforts. Your contribution will help us continue to make CWR available to all readers worldwide for free, without a subscription. Thank you for your generosity!

Click here for more information on donating to CWR. Click here to sign up for our newsletter.


Catholic World Report

Feb 15, 2021CatholicMasses

Share this post:

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on PinterestShare on EmailShare on LinkedIn
What Coronavirus Taught Us about InequalityIraq announces Covid-19 restrictions ahead of papal trip
You Might Also Like
 
US Church in solidarity with the Church in Africa
 
John's last baptism

You must be logged in to post a comment. - Log in

CatholicMasses
1 year ago Catholic News, Church in Italy, Italy economy, Mario Draghi, News Briefs, VaticanCatholic Church, Catholic News, Church in Italy, Italy economy, Mario Draghi, News Briefs, Vatican7
Find Mass Schedules Near You

CatholicMasses.org allows you to search for Catholic Churches to find Mass times near you!

This unique feature helps while traveling.  Now along with Mass times, schedules and Catholic news you can also watch daily Catholic Mass online with your friends.

Try our free resource to “find Roman Catholic Churches near me” today!

St Alphonsus Liguori praised the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass as the best way to Honor God.  Join us as we celebrate Mass daily from various parishes around the world, online and offline, and please visit daily to pray with us as we recite the Rosary, offer daily scripture, readings, devotions and Catholic focused news. We bring you daily Catholic Mass from various parishes around the world and Catholic news.

Today’s Mass
Daily Mass Videos
  • Catholic Chicago
  • CatholicTVNetwork Daily Mass
  • Daily Mass from Toronto Canada
  • ETWN Daily Mass
  • Eucaristia en Vivo – Spanish Daily Mass
  • General Catholic Videos
  • Live video from Lourdes France
  • Masses from the Ascension Priests
  • Misa Hoy (en español)
  • National Shrine
  • News from a Catholic Perspective
  • News from CFN
  • Pope Francis and Vatican News
  • Rosary
  • Sunday Mass by the Passionists
What’s New
  • Archbishop Pezzi: Pope’s visit to Kazakhstan important for Russian Catholics
  • Kenya: Religious leaders appeal for peace in wake of elections
  • SIGNIS speakers call on communicators to embrace synodality, hope
  • Twenty years ago John Paul II entrusted the world to Divine Mercy with this prayer
  • Irish Capuchin: Poverty should not be the case in 2022
About

Providing up to date online access to information exclusively about Catholicism.

Visit our site map | Privacy Policy | About Us Page.

Streaming Catholic Mass Online

Watch Catholic Mass Online Today.

Find Churches Nearby
Email-Subscription

Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest news and event postings.

2019 © Catholic Mass Search - Search Catholic Churches and find Mass times while traveling.
Privacy Policy | About Us Page.
Truemag theme by StrictThemes
Change Location
Find awesome listings near you!