Coronavirus, the bishops repair the tear with the government. Secretary General of the CEI: “Loyal collaboration, health is of primary interest”

“The dialogue with government institutions it is daily and under the banner of one loyal collaborationThe words of the Secretary General of the Italian episcopal conferenceMgr Stefano RussoThey are meant to repair tears with the government. Affirmations that come after days of tension between the CEI and Palazzo Chigi, protagonists of a negotiation, sometimes even very difficult, to decide when and how to return the faithful to mass. A shock that had its climax with a note from the episcopate in very light tones: “The Italian bishops cannot accept to see the exercise of freedom of worship“

Now, however, the Church and the Ministry of Interior have defined the rules for the participation of the faithful in the obsequies that can be celebrated from May 4th, when will be the Phase 2, that of coexistence with the coronavirus. Although “with the exclusive participation of family members and, in any case, up to a maximum of fifteen people, with a function to be performed preferably in theopen“As established by the government.

“Since Monday, Monsignor Russo said in an interview with the CEI media, we will have the opportunity to celebrate the funeral; we have been working for a couple of weeks Protocol for Eucharistic celebrations, which minimizes the risk of contagion: preserve the Health everything must be a primary interestThe number two of the Italian Episcopal Conference also returns to the recent words of Pope Francisco: “At this moment, when we begin to have provisions to leave quarantine, we pray to the Lord to give his people, all of us, the grace of caution and of obedience to the provisions, so that the pandemic does not return. “For Monsignor Russo” the words of the Holy Father are the essential figure for the way forward from here until the next few weeks. In those words there is no contrast with the Italian Church: the Pope has always supported our actions paternally “.

The secretary of the CEI also emphasizes that “the Church has polyphonic harmony, not opposite in their voices, but united by communion and of humanity. Ignoring prudence and obedience to the provisions would mean being blind and decontextualized compared to the experience of sadness and pain we are still dealing with The words of the Italian bishops also come from this passion for humanity. There is no escape forwardtherefore far from irresponsible towards rules or institutional breakdown. Comparison and dialogue with government institutions, even in some passages of strong tones, has never failed, under one’s banner mutual esteem“

Words that follow those of the CEI undersecretary, Don Ivan Maffeis, who said: “It would be serious if within the Church, although with different sensibilities, we were with Pope Francis in two different lines. Especially if the two lines are those of the Pope and the bishops. “Maffeis explained that” there has been one with the government in recent weeks. collaboration continuous, friendly and fruitful that led to face together a pandemic that surprised everyone. We were all impressed by what was happening, today we are much more aware of it. The relationship with the government has known gods moments of tension especially in recent days that has led to a note with very hard tones like the one we have published as Cei. I think in a relationship, if it’s true, there are times when you can and you have to raise your voice, without this becoming the style “.

“We are emerging, Maffeis continued, from a very harsh winter. A country that has been on its knees in these long weeks has the desire and the pretense of stand in every area of ​​life. As a Church there is a desire to return to one community life, held together. The prudence to which the Holy Father invited us sounds like a Bell precious not to abandon responsible behavior. It’s the call of a parent who says attention we are not out of the tunnel‘. The Pope’s call comes as healthy and he says ‘we are coming out of the tunnel but we have not yet come out.’

The CEI undersecretary looks with satisfaction to phase 2. “The date of Monday, May 4 – Maffeis explained – is the one related to the funeral. We will do a give a step forward significant in an area that unfortunately in recent weeks has seen many people die without the comfort of a family member, of affection. It is a significant first step that we have firmly called for. Obviously it is a first step. We don’t solve it with this step, but we think about how many people have been wounds of the death of family members without being able to greet them. On May 4 we returned to regain possession of an important sign for us believers. Along with this, the expectation is that we can return to the community life that is composed of celebrations, gather around a altar to the gods sacraments lived with all of God’s people. This does not mean ‘free everyone‘. We have to get into one transitional phase and enter together with great responsibility. “

Twitter: @FrancescoGrana