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Pope Francis: Accompany, Don’t Condemn, Those Who Have Experience Failure In Marriage

March 1, 2014 Pope Francis Comments Off on Pope Francis: Accompany, Don’t Condemn, Those Who Have Experience Failure In Marriage

2014-02-28 Vatican Radio  (Vatican Radio) Pope Francis celebrated Mass in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta residence in the Vatican this morning. In remarks following the readings of the day, the Holy Father focused on the beauty of marriage and warned that the Church must accompany – not  condemn – those who experience failure in married life. He explained that Christ is the Bridegroom of the Church, and therefore you cannot understand one without the Other. The Holy Father also warned against giving in to the temptation to entertain “special pleading” in questions regarding marriage. The Pharisees, he noted, present Jesus with the problem of divorce. Their method, the Pope said, is always the same: “casuistry,” — “is this…Continue Reading

The Pope defines the mission of the Congregation for Bishops and the characteristics of the Apostles’ Successors

February 28, 2014 Pope Francis Comments Off on The Pope defines the mission of the Congregation for Bishops and the characteristics of the Apostles’ Successors

Vatican City, 27 February 2014 (VIS) – This morning, in the Sala Bologna of the Vatican Apostolic Palace, Pope Francis presided over a meeting of the Congregation for Bishops, whose prefect is Cardinal Marc Ouellet, P.S.S., and gave an address to those present regarding the mission of this congregation and the criteria that should determine the selection of a bishop, as well as the characteristics he should embody and his task in relation to the faithful entrusted to him. The Holy Father concluded by urging greater attention in scouring the fields in search of suitable pastors for this ministry, with the certainty that Christ never abandons His Church. Extensive extracts are published below: 1. The essential mission of the Congregation…Continue Reading

Pope to Christians: Practice What You Preach

February 27, 2014 Pope Francis Comments Off on Pope to Christians: Practice What You Preach

2014-02-27 Vatican Radio  (Vatican Radio) The incoherent Christian gives scandal, and scandal kills: those were the very strong words Pope Francis used today in his homily at Mass at the Casa Santa Marta. The Holy Father took his cue from a Confirmation administered during the Mass. The person who receives this Sacrament, Pope Francis said, “manifested the desire to be a Christian. To be Christian means to bear witness to Jesus Christ.” A Christian is a person who “thinks like a Christian, feels like a Christian and acts like a Christian. And this is coherency in the life of a Christian. Someone can be said to have faith, “but if one of these things is missing, he is not a…Continue Reading

Pope Issues letter To Families

February 25, 2014 Pope Francis Comments Off on Pope Issues letter To Families

2014-02-25 Vatican Radio  (Vatican Radio) Pope Francis issued a letter to Families on Tuesday in which he asks for prayers for the upcoming Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which is being convened to discuss the theme of “pastoral challenges to the family in the context of evangelization”. Below please find the Pope’s letter in English. Dear families, With this letter, I wish, as it were, to come into your homes to speak about an event which will take place at the Vatican this coming October.  It is the Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which is being convened to discuss the theme of “pastoral challenges to the family in the context of evangelization”.  Indeed, in…Continue Reading

Pope Francis: Daily Mass On Monday

February 24, 2014 Pope Francis Comments Off on Pope Francis: Daily Mass On Monday

2014-02-24 Vatican Radio (Vatican Radio) Pope Francis celebrated Mass in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta residence in the Vatican on Monday morning. In remarks that followed the readings of the day, the Holy Father spoke of Christian discipleship as an abiding in Christ – in His Church, to which Christ calls us and brings us to return – even those who are far away. The healing of the demoniac boy in the Gospel according to St Mark was the principal focus of Pope Francis’ reflections: “All the [noise and excitement created by the crowd gathered round the disciples, who had failed to liberate the boy], all the talk, ends in an act: Jesus lowers Himself [and] takes up…Continue Reading

Pope Celebrates Mass With New Cardinals

February 23, 2014 Pope Francis Comments Off on Pope Celebrates Mass With New Cardinals

2014-02-23 Vatican Radio  (Vatican Radio) Pope Francis presided over Mass in Saint Peter’s Basilica on Sunday, one day after 19 bishops were added to the college of cardinals. Please find the English translation of the Pope’s homily below: “Merciful Father, by your help, may we be ever attentive to the voice of the Spirit”. This prayer, the opening prayer of today’s Mass, reminds us of something fundamental: we are called to listen to the Holy Spirit who enlivens and guides the Church. By his creative and renewing power, the Spirit always sustains the hope of God’s People as we make our pilgrim way through history, and, as the Paraclete, he always supports the witness of Christians. In this moment, together…Continue Reading

Pope Francis Creates 19 New Cardinals

February 22, 2014 Pope Francis Comments Off on Pope Francis Creates 19 New Cardinals

2014-02-22 Vatican Radio  (Vatican Radio) Pope Francis created nineteen new Cardinals on Saturday, the Feast of the Chair of St Peter the Apostle. The newly created Cardinals received the insignia of their office – the red biretta and the cardinal’s ring – in a streamlined ceremony conducted entirely in Latin. Eighteen of the new princes of the Church were present, while Cardinal Loris Capovilla, the 98 year-old former secretary to Bl. John XXIII and Archbishop-emeritus of Chieti-Vasto in Italy, was created in absentia.   A very special guest was on hand, as well: Pope-emeritus Benedict XVI, whom Pope Francis had invited to share in the occasion. The Pope and the Pope-emeritus embraced warmly and exchanged greetings before the ceremony began. In…Continue Reading

Consistory: Pope Francis Urges Cardinals To Follow Christ And Reject “A Worldly Mentality”

February 22, 2014 Pope Francis Comments Off on Consistory: Pope Francis Urges Cardinals To Follow Christ And Reject “A Worldly Mentality”

2014-02-22 Vatican Radio  (Vatican Radio)  In his first ordinary public Consistory, Pope Francis on Saturday is elevating 19 of the Church’s prelates to the rank of Cardinal.  At the start of today’s celebration in St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis warmly embraced his predecessor  Benedict XVI, seated not far from  the soon-to-be Cardinals. In his homily, Pope Francis urged the members of the College of Cardinals to allow themselves to be led by Jesus.  He reminded them too, of the need to think “as God does” and not to be “tempted to think as men do.” “We are all too human, sinners,”  he said, calling them to find hope in the Cross and warning them that “whenever a worldly mentality predominates,…Continue Reading

Pope Francis: Friday Mass in Santa Marta

February 21, 2014 Pope Francis Comments Off on Pope Francis: Friday Mass in Santa Marta

2014-02-21 Vatican Radio   “A faith that does not bear fruit in works is not faith.” This was the affirmation with which Pope Francis opened his remarks at Mass on Friday, following the readings of the day. The Holy Father offered the Mass in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta in the Vatican, for the intention of Cardinal Silvano Piovanelli, emeritus Archbishop of Florence, on his 90th birthday. The Pope thanked Cardinal Piovanelli for “his work, his witness and his goodness.” The world is full of Christians who often recite the words of the Creed, while very seldom putting them into practice – [and of] erudite [scholars] who reduce theology to a series of neat categories, neatly removed and…Continue Reading

During today’s General Audience dedicated to the Sacrament of Reconciliation the Pope launches an appeal for an end to violence in Ukraine.

February 20, 2014 Pope Francis Comments Off on During today’s General Audience dedicated to the Sacrament of Reconciliation the Pope launches an appeal for an end to violence in Ukraine.

2014-02-19 L’Osservatore Romano Concerned over the tragic news that continues to come from the Ukrainian capital of Kiev – where clashes between police and demonstrators have resulted in over 25 deaths and numerous injured  – Pope Francis today launched an appeal to all parties to “cease all violence” and “to seek harmony and peace throughout the country”. The appeal was made at the end of today’s 19 February Wednesday General Audience in St. Peter’s Square. During the Audience, the Pope continued his new series of catecheses on the Sacraments, reflecting this morning on the Sacrament of Penance. Dear Brothers and Sisters, Good morning! Through the Sacraments of Christian Initiation — Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist — man receives new life…Continue Reading