Madrid, Spain, May 12, 2020 / 13:01 pm
Cardinal Beniamino Stella, prefect of the Vatican Congregation for the Clergy, sent a letter to all Catholic priests in Spain, offering encouragement amid the coronavirus pandemic.
In the May 10 letter marking the feast of Saint John of Avila, the patron of Spanish clergy, Stella acknowledged the suffering of the Spanish people.
He said he has come to learn that more than 50 priests have lost their lives to the coronavirus, some due to pre-existing conditions and others "because despite taking available means of protection they were infected while taking spiritual care of the sick and serving other people in need."
The letter highlighted "the sacrifice of these priests and so many other people that have risked and lost their lives to bring healthcare, food, consolation, hope…which reminds us that God has given us life to share it, to give it generously."