Cardinal Vincent Nichols has sent us a message after the Prime Minister’s historic announcement last night (23 March) strengthening restrictions in an attempt to combat the spread of COVID-19.

The Cardinal stresses that we must all play our part to safeguard the NHS and to save ‘precious lives’.

“We’re going to play our full part in it. That was the call of St. Paul that we ought to be good citizens and today we ought to be good citizens playing our part in the protection of the vulnerable, in our support for the NHS and in the preserving of human life, which is so precious to God in the face of this virus.”

Cardinal Nichols also points to the Sunday just gone to demonstrate the strength of the Catholic community’s response and its committment to keeping prayer and worship at the heart of a new pattern of life:

“We’re beginning to reflect on the experience of the streaming of the celebration of Mass on Sunday and on yesterday’s week day. There are many, many encouraging signs. I’ve heard of congregations being 10 times the normal size. I’ve heard of families preparing together at home. Families having their own little children’s liturgy during the reading of the Word…

“…So we have to deepen our prayer. We have to use the Internet, and all the other things that we have, to encourage one another.”