SW News: Indian Latin Catholic Church organizes national prayer service for grieving nation As the second wave of COVID-19 ravages in India, the nation’s Latin Catholic bishops have announced a National Prayer Service on August 7.
The prelates have urged all the faithful to join in them prayer for all who are affected by the coronavirus pandemic. The one-hour prayer service will be held from 8.30 am to 9.30pm. The prayer service will be simultaneously held at the tombs of St Thomas the Apostle in the south Indian metropolis of Chennai, St Teresa of Kolkata in the state of West Bengal, St Francis Xavier in Goa as well as the Marian Basilicas of Bandra (Mumbai), Sardhana in Meerut, Shivaji Nagar in Bengaluru and Vailankanni in the state of Tamil Nadu.
 “Those who lost their dear ones to the virus had to resign themselves to having a dismal funeral rite accorded to their beloved. Many are still in the hospitals, struggling under the grip of the invisible enemy. Many others lost their jobs and are finding it hard to make ends meet,” the bishops said in the circular.
This comes in the wake of India reporting more than 410,000 COVID deaths.