L'Aquila Earthquake Day of Mourning

It is a very sad Good Friday in L'Aquila Italy. It is a national day of mourning for the victims of Monday's L'Aquila Earthquake. Pictured above is the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, presiding over the official State funeral.

Good Friday until Easter Sunday is the only time of the year when churches do not serve communion, but a special exception was made by the Pope for the services.

Chicagoans would do well to consider that yesterday it was found that much of the destruction death and injury from the Earthquake could have been completely avoided if required building codes and inspections had been followed. Unfortunately, corruption prevented that from taking place. As a result nearly 300 people are dead, 17,000 people are living in tents or in their cars with all possessions lost, and farm and domestic animals are in great distress.