Pope Francis and the Virus

With Italy having some of the highest fatalities due to the Wuhan virus social life has changed; so too, life as a Catholic — even for the pope.

A month ago — St. Peter's Square jammed with people — now empty and silent.

The Holy Father delivers his daily Angelus homilies from an empty room.

Attendance at his daily Mass — sparse.

The weekly general audience — a handful of clerics and no laity.

Last week reports surfaced the Wuhan virus was now behind the walls of the Vatican, even in the pope's residence.

People living at the pope's residence had the Wuhan virus, forcing the pope into seclusion in his quarters, no longer taking his meals in common, spending the majority of his time in his apartment.

Friday during an historic ceremony imploring God to have mercy, he venerated the miraculous 16th century crucifix that had ended a plague in Rome — adding a blessing to help end the virus.

But this followed some confusing references to the virus by Pope Francis.

Catholics around the globe were perplexed when he said the virus was nature taking revenge on humanity, claiming "nature is throwing a tantrum so that we will take care of her."

It's leaving Catholics wondering if he's really seeing this with a spiritual view or merely a worldly understanding.