Pope Francis creates coronavirus commission to respond to pandemic

Vatican City, 16/04/2020 - "Pope Francis has created a new commission that will address the challenges the world is facing in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and what it will inevitably face in its aftermath," the Vatican announced in a statement released on April 15, 2020

The statement issued by the Vatican says that the objective of the commission, which will be led by the Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development, is "to express the Church´s concern and love for the entire human family in the face of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19).

The dicastery will work with other Vatican offices to coordinate the work, which includes "an analysis and reflection on the socio-economic and cultural challenges of the future and proposed guidelines for addressing them," the Vatican said.

Cardinal Peter Turkson, the dicastery´s prefect, in an interview with Vatican News published shortly after the announcement said

"The commission is divided into five working groups focusing on a specific aspect of the pandemic and has met twice with Pope Francis to discuss ways in which it can help local churches, especially in poor areas.

"Pope Francis is convinced that we are experiencing a change of era and is reflecting on what will follow the crisis, on the economic and social consequences of the pandemic, on what we will have to face and, above all, on how the Church can offer itself as a sure point of reference to the lost world in the face of an unexpected event".

With regard to the functions of each working group, Cardinal Turkson indicated the following:

"The commission´s first working group, which is dedicated to listening to and supporting local churches, will work in cooperation with Caritas Internationalis, as well as the office of the papal almoner, the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, and the Vatican pharmacy.

"This group has already established mechanisms to listen to local churches to identify real needs and assist in developing effective and appropriate responses, including coordination with apostolic nuncios and bishops´ conferences.

"A broad perspective is needed. No one should be forgotten: the prisoners, the vulnerable groups. We need to share good practices".

"The second group will be dedicated to the research and study of the pandemic and to reflection on society and the post-coronavirus world in coordination with the Pontifical Academy for Life, the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences".

"This group has the task of watching the night, like the sentry, to perceive the dawn. This requires connecting the best minds in the areas of ecology, economics, health and public safety. We need the concreteness of science, and we need prophecy and creativity.

Other working groups will focus on communication, relations with other countries to assist and share valuable research information, and funding for the commission´s relief efforts.

Cardinal Turkson stressed the need for the commission and the importance of looking ahead so as not to be caught off guard.

"The health crisis has already triggered an economic crisis. The risk is that a social crisis will be triggered if this economic crisis is not addressed immediately. One crisis risks being followed by others, in a cycle in which we will be forced to learn slowly and painfully how to take care of our common home".

"Unity is essential to face the pandemic, so the current crisis is not the time for indifference, selfishness or division".

"He also called for the relaxation of international sanctions, the reduction or cancellation of the foreign debt of poor countries and an end to conflicts and arms trafficking. Instead, countries should use their wealth to heal people and save lives.

"We are rediscovering how much the fate of each of us is linked to that of others. We are rediscovering the value of the things that matter and the futility of so many things that we once considered important.