Mary

The global Catholic Church coming together to pray for an end to the coronavirus pandemic represents the hope and faith of the people of God and how they find solace and strength together with Mary, said a theological expert in Mariology.

The pope said Mary, the mother of God, has been present during the COVID-19 pandemic and was by the side of all who died alone. (

Recognizing their welcome of and witness to Christ, Pope Francis has approved changing the liturgical feast of St. Martha to include her sister and brother, Mary and Lazarus, on the church’s universal calendar of feast days.

“Wow are we to be, as St. John Paul II says in one of his poems, ‘more with Him, / more with Him, not merely with oneself’? The answer is to imitate Christ, to imitate Mary — to make of ourselves a gift.”

here is no better way to pray than like Mary, who opened her heart to God with humility and trust, Pope Francis said Nov. 18 during his weekly general audience.

Pope Francis told participants at the annual International Youth Festival Medjugorje to let Mary inspire and guide them.

Alternating between English and Spanish, Archbishop Jose H. Gomez of Los Angeles said: “In this difficult time we turn to the Blessed Virgin Mary, mother of the church. She intercedes with her Son for all are affected in this way by the pandemic. … We implore her maternal care for her children.”

Pope Francis asked Catholics to make a special effort in May to pray the rosary, knowing that by doing so they will be united with believers around the world asking for Mary’s intercession in stopping the coronavirus pandemic.