Pope Francis sent a video message to the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress late Thursday, saying the suffering caused by the coronavirus emergency presents opportunities for meaningful change and concrete solidarity. “The pandemic has marked the lives of people and the history of our communities,” Pope Francis said in the message, which was embargoed until 3:15am Rome Time on Friday (6:15pm PST). “Faced with this and other realities,” he said, “we need the commitment, strength and dedication of all,” if we are to “look to the future” and “build tomorrow.” An annual recurrence first organized in 1956 by the Confraternity for Christian Doctrine and frequently boasting as many as 40 thousand participants, the Los Angeles gathering is this year taking place from February 18-21, and is being held online under the banner: “Proclaim the Promise!”