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Pope Francis: Family A Place Of Consolation

June 17, 2015 breaking Comments Off on Pope Francis: Family A Place Of Consolation

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis held his weekly General Audience on Wednesday in St. Peter’s Square. In remarks to the pilgrims and tourists gathered for the occasion, the Holy Father continued his series of catechetical reflections on the family. Specifically, this Wednesday’s meditation was devoted to the theme of loss in the family: the pain and suffering that the passing of a family member can bring, and the duty we have to comfort and console those who mourn. Please find the official English summary of the Holy Father’s remarks, below ******************************** Dear Brothers and Sisters, In our ongoing catechesis on the family, I wish to reflect on one of the more dramatic and painful events that every person, without exception, has…Continue Reading

Pope Francis: free our hearts to welcome the Lord

June 16, 2015 breaking Comments Off on Pope Francis: free our hearts to welcome the Lord

(Vatican Radio) Christians must learn to free themselves from ‘worldly noise and passions’ so that they can receive the grace of God in their hearts. That was the focus of Pope Francis’ words during his homily at morning Mass on Monday in the Casa Santa Marta, as Philippa Hitchen reports… Reflecting on today’s reading from St Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, Pope Francis noted that the Lord freely gives us his grace and that we must be ready, right now, to receive that gift. We need to prepare our hearts, he said, so that we do not “receive the grace of God in vain”. We must be attentive to God so that we can welcome his Word, rather than…Continue Reading

The Pope calls for increased attention for the environment

June 15, 2015 breaking Comments Off on The Pope calls for increased attention for the environment

(Vatican Radio)  Pope Francis has invited everyone to pay attention to environmental issues. Speaking after the Sunday Angelus in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis said his first encyclical will be published on Thursday, and he said: “This encyclical is aimed at everyone” Calling on everyone to accompany this event with renewed attention to environmental degradation, and the need to act to salvage one’s territory, the Pope said of his encyclical: Let us pray that everyone can receive its message and grow in responsibility toward the common home that God has entrusted to us”. The document entitled “Laudato Si’, On the Care of Our Common Home” will be launched at a Vatican news conference this week. The Pope’s appeal followed a…Continue Reading

Promote human person, social stability, Pope tells Italian judiciary council

June 14, 2015 breaking Comments Off on Promote human person, social stability, Pope tells Italian judiciary council

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis met with the Italian Superior Council of the Judiciary at the Vatican on Saturday. The Pope told council members it is important for all public authorities to use their office to promote the human person and to give stability and solidity to society. Globalization brings with it confusion and disorientation and can introduce concepts, norms and customs that are foreign to the social fabric, said Pope Francis. In a context of such “deep shocks” to a culture’s roots, the Pope said it is important for public authorities to use their office to “make the foundations for human coexistence” more “stable” and “solid” through “the recuperation of fundamental values.” “To these values, Christianity has offered the most appropriate…Continue Reading

Pope to Scouts: You are called to collaborate in the pastoral life of the Church

June 13, 2015 breaking Comments Off on Pope to Scouts: You are called to collaborate in the pastoral life of the Church

Pope Francis met this morning with thousands of members of the Association of Italian Catholic Guides and Scouts (AGESCI) in St. Peter’s Square. In his address, the Holy Father thanked the scouts, as well as their leaders and chaplains, saying that they are “a precious part of the Church in Italy.” “You offer an important contribution to the families in their educational mission to children, youth and young adults,” he said. The Pope expressed his hope that the scouts may always feel as a part of the greater Christian community. He also noted that they can bring new fervor to the evangelization and the capacity to build bridges in a society that has the “habit of building walls.” “You are…Continue Reading

Pope to Bishops of Latvia, Estonia: Promote the family

June 12, 2015 breaking Comments Off on Pope to Bishops of Latvia, Estonia: Promote the family

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Thursday received the members of the Episcopal Conference of Latvia and Estonia on their Visit ad limina Apostolorum.   In written remarks consigned to the Bishops, Pope Francis noted that the countries of Latvia and Estonia had been oppressed for a long time by regimes founded on ideologies contrary to human dignity and human freedom. Now, he warned the Bishops, “you must measure yourselves against other insidious dangers, such as secularism and relativism.” He encouraged them to work without tiring, having confidence “in the proclamation of the Gospel of Christ, the word of salvation for every man of every time and every culture.” The Holy Father reminded the Bishops that they are not alone in…Continue Reading

Pope: true Christians set out on a journey of mission, service

June 11, 2015 breaking Comments Off on Pope: true Christians set out on a journey of mission, service

(Vatican Radio) Journey, service and giving freely of oneself:  true Christian witness encompasses all of these characteristics.  That’s what Pope Francis stressed in his Homily at Santa Marta Thursday.  The Pope stressed that followers of Jesus are called to serve and to proclaim the Gospel freely – and not to be deceived by the belief that Salvation comes through riches. In his Homily, the Pope drew inspiration from the Gospel passage in which Jesus sends out his disciples to proclaim the Good News. A disciple of the Lord, he said, is called to set out on a journey that is not a “stroll” but a mission to proclaim the Gospel and spread the good news of Salvation. Announce the Good…Continue Reading

Pope: Marriage Between Man And Woman, No To Gender Ideology

June 10, 2015 breaking Comments Off on Pope: Marriage Between Man And Woman, No To Gender Ideology

(Vatican Radio) The challenges facing the Church in Puerto Rico were under the spotlight in the Vatican on Monday as Pope Francis met with the bishops of the Caribbean archipelago. Among the difficulties facing people there, the Pope mentioned the serious economic situation leading to widespread migration, unemployment, corruption, drugs trafficking and domestic violence. Stressing the need to focus on the pastoral care of the family, Pope Francis also spoke of the challenge of gender ideology in his prepared remarks which were handed to the bishops during the audience . In his discourse, the Pope again invites the Church to distance itself from ideologies and political trends and asks the Church leaders to bind together to address the many problems…Continue Reading

Pope Francis: Don’t Weaken Or Water Down Christian Identity

June 9, 2015 breaking Comments Off on Pope Francis: Don’t Weaken Or Water Down Christian Identity

(Vatican Radio) Witnessing to the truth of our Christian identity, without watering it down or losing its flavour: that theme was at the heart of Pope Francis’ words during Mass at the Casa Santa Marta on Tuesday morning. Philippa Hitchen reports: What exactly is our Christian identity? Pope Francis asked at the start of his homily, inviting his listeners to think of it as “a long journey” from ambiguity to a strong faith that we can bear witness to in our daily lives. It is true that we are sinners, he said, and that we fall down, but with God’s strength we can get up again and continue our journey. “Sin is part of our identity”, he stressed, but we…Continue Reading

Pope Francis: in-flight presser

June 8, 2015 breaking Comments Off on Pope Francis: in-flight presser

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis spoke with reporters on the return flight from Sarajevo to Rome on Saturday. In response to the journalists’ questions, the Holy Father touched on a number of topics ranging from global peace and security to the need for prudence in choosing what television programmes to watch and how much time to spend on-line. “There are two different elements here: method and content. Regarding the method or way of doing things, there is one that is bad for the soul and that is being too attached to the computer,” said Pope Francis. “Secondly, the content,” he continued. “[T]here is a lot of filth that ranges from pornography to semi-pornographic content, to programmes that are empty, devoid of…Continue Reading