On May 11, 2007 I was appointed Bishop of Montauban and since my consecration on September 2, 2007, I have endeavored to fulfil my mission with dedication and concern for the common good. This mission is coming to an end as the canonical age of retirement approaches.
The weeks that we have just lived have been an ordeal that for some has led to death and for others to a struggle with illness. Many have suffered from such rigorous protective measures that their mental health has been more shaken than their physical health.
I think of all the elderly who were not affected by this virus. Of course, they had to be protected from it, but was it necessary to cut them off from their natural ties to the point where grandparents were forbidden to see their grandchildren?
If consistent preventive measures had been taken and if the necessary tools (such as masks) had been handed out from the outset, family tragedies would have been avoided. We are also well aware that some of these people even …More