Those who knew Father Witthauer said the priest was devoted to his parishioners and had a gift for being present for them. “I think Father Paul just wanted to give people the priesthood,” said Father T. Austin Murphy Jr., a former pastor of Our Lady of Hope and St. Luke in Edgemere.

The coronavirus pandemic has taken an emotional toll on Americans, with mental health professionals reporting they are getting more requests for assistance from people feeling helpless and experiencing anxiety and depression.

The Catholic Church’s commitment to dialogue with other churches and with other religions flows from the Gospel, but Pope Francis said he knows some Catholics disagree.

“We could always use more (people),” said Frazier, who prays outside the clinic once a week, throughout the year. “Still, I feel like we got a lot of participation. We had a baby saved in December and in January. We need to be here.”

Having witnessed or even experienced persecution for their faith, the Christians of Iraq must be careful not to harbor thoughts of revenge, Pope Francis told them.