Titled “An Appeal for the Church and the world,” the three-page document (see full text below) was released in six languages on Thursday, May 7 at 7:30, local-time Rome.
Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, and Bishop Athanasius Schneider of Astana, Kazakhstan, have also put their names to the appeal, together with an international group of bishops.
The list of more than 80 signatories includes prelates and theologians, doctors (several from northern Italy), lawyers, journalists and heads of associations. American signatories include Michael Matt, Editor of the Remnant, and Steven Mosher, a renowned expert on China and President of the Population Research Institute.