Pope criticises lack of unity in response to virus

VATICAN, Oct 05 (New York Times): Pope Francis criticised the failures of global cooperation in response to the coronavirus pandemic in a document released Sunday that underscores the priorities of his pontificate.

"As I was writing this letter, the COVID-19 pandemic unexpectedly erupted, exposing our false securities," Francis said in the encyclical, the most authoritative form of papal teaching.

"Aside from the different ways that various countries responded to the crisis, their inability to work together became quite evident. For all our hyperconnectivity, we witnessed a fragmentation that made it more difficult to resolve problems that affect us all," he added.