Angelus News | February 26, 2021 | Vol. 6 No. 4

WORLD
SAINTE CATHERINE LABOURÉ CARE HOME/DAVID TAVELLA
France: COVID-19
no match for world’s
oldest nun
At 117, Sister André Randon is the
second-oldest person in the world and,
as of this month, the oldest survivor of
COVID-19.
Sister André was one of 81 residents at
the Sainte Catherine Labouré care home
in Toulon, France, to test positive for the
coronavirus in January. The Daughter
Sister André Randon on Feb. 10. of Charity, who was isolated from other
residents during her illness, was asymptomatic and reportedly unaware she even
had the virus.
A spokesman for the retirement home noted that through it all, the sister, who
is blind, showed no fear of the disease.
“No, I wasn’t scared because I wasn’t scared to die,” Sister André told France’s
BFM television. “I’m happy to be with you, but I would wish to be somewhere
else — join my big brother and my grandfather and my grandmother.”
After beating the virus, the nun celebrated her 117th birthday on Feb. 9 with a
feast that included foie gras, red wine, champagne, and cake.
A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE — Pope Francis
made history Feb. 6 when he named
Xaviere Missionary Sister Nathalie
Becquart one of two undersecretaries
of the Synod of Bishops, making her
the first woman with a right to vote at
synod meetings. Sister Becquart is the
former director of youth evangelization
and vocations for the French bishops’
conference. Synod Secretary General
Cardinal Mario Grech said the nomination
is part of the pope’s desire “that women
be more involved in the processes of
discernment and decision-making in
the Church.”
CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE/PAUL HARING
Father Pedro Opeka with children housed by the Akamasoa Community.
Madagascar’s landfill missionary
nominated for Nobel Peace Prize
A missionary priest known for his work serving the poor living on a landfill in
Madagascar has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
This year is the second time that Vincentian Father Pedro Opeka and his Akamasoa
Community, which has ministered to the poor in Madagascar for more
than 30 years, were nominated for the award by the prime minister of Slovenia.
Akamasoa began as a group of Malagasies leaving the slums and building their
own homes under Father Opeka’s instruction, and has expanded into housing,
vocational, health, and educational support for thousands.
Pope Francis visited Father Opeka, who is from Argentina, during his 2019 trip to
Madagascar, where he called the community an example of “living faith translated
into concrete actions capable of ‘moving mountains.’ ”
CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE/BAZ RATNER, REUTERS
El Salvador prays for an
election season exorcism
El Salvador’s Catholic cardinal is
asking his country to pray for its “liberation
from Satan” as political violence
threatens national stability ahead of
upcoming elections.
“The devil is running loose in El
Salvador, there are many demons on
the loose,” said Cardinal Gregorio
Rosa Chávez during a Feb. 1 homily.
He connected the day’s Gospel
reading, in which Jesus frees a person
from demonic possession, to the Jan.
31 shootings of a truck full of people,
including children, in which at least
two people died.
While accounts differ on how the attack
unfolded, the killings are believed
to have been politically motivated.
“Let’s entrust to the Lord … this
country that has so many demons,” the
cardinal said. “May God help us so we
can have a civilized campaign, as it
should be.”
4 • ANGELUS • February 26, 2021