Pope Francis

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Video, with English text, at the link...

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-11/pope-francis-december-prayer-intention-people-disabilities.html
Pope’s December prayer intention: ‘For people with disabilities’
28 November 2023, 16:00

Pope Francis releases his prayer intention for the month of December 2023, and invites everyone to pray that people with disabilities may be at the center of attention in our societies.
By Devin Watkins

“Let us pray that people with disabilities may be at the center of attention in society, and that institutions offer inclusion programs that enhance their active participation.”

Pope Francis offered that invitation to Christians in The Pope Video released on Tuesday to accompany his monthly prayer intention for the universal Church.

In the video, the Pope acknowledged that people with disabilities “are among the most fragile among us.”

“Some of them suffer rejection, rooted in either ignorance or prejudice, which then marginalizes them,” he added.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-12/pietro-parolin-represent-pope-francis-dubai-cop28.html

Cardinal Parolin to deliver Pope Francis’ speech at COP28
01 December 2023, 09:46

Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin will lead the Holy See’s delegation to Dubai to deliver Pope Francis’ contribution for the COP28 climate summit.
By Devin Watkins

The Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, told journalists on Friday that Cardinal Pietro Parolin will represent Pope Francis at the COP28 summit in Dubai.

“I can confirm that Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin will lead the Holy See Delegation already present in Dubai for COP28 to deliver, on Saturday, 2 December, the contribution that the Holy Father would have liked to pronounce,” said Mr. Bruni, responding to questions from reporters.

He added that Cardinal Parolin will participate in the inauguration of the Faith Pavilion at Expo City in Dubai on Sunday, 3 December, along with Cardinal Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot, the Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue.

Pope’s health situation
 

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256154/cardinal-parolin-will-represent-pope-francis-at-climate-conference
Cardinal Parolin will represent Pope Francis at climate conference
By Matthew Santucci
Rome Newsroom, Dec 1, 2023 / 09:00 am

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-12/pope-francis-france-seminarians-meeting-message.html

Pope: Priests lead people to Christ when conformed to Him
01 December 2023, 10:34

Pope Francis encourages seminarians in France to accompany people with “the smell of the sheep” in their pastoral ministry, while nurturing their own relationship with Christ.
By Devin Watkins

As over 700 seminarians from across France take part in a pilgrimage to Paris, Pope Francis has renewed his call for the Church’s ordained ministers to adopt radical self-giving and pastoral closeness.

In a message sent Friday and signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, the Pope assured seminarians of his prayers for their formation and ministry.

He noted that our secularized Western societies greatly need the “generosity and boldness of faith” that they represent.
 
https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/pont-messages/2023.index.html
Pontifical Messages 2023
Message of the Holy Father, signed by the Cardinal Secretary of State, to French Seminarians on the occasion of their meeting (1st December 2023)

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-12/pope-letter-study-canon-law-anniversary-justice-mercy.html

Pope tells Canon Lawyers God’s justice is indissolubly united with mercy
01 December 2023, 14:51

Marking the 50th anniversary of Consociatio Internationalis Studio Iuris Canonici Promovendo, an international association that promotes the study of canon law, Pope Francis invites members to conduct their work in a pastoral and missionary manner.
By Linda Bordoni

In a letter addressed to Professor Chiara Minelli, President of the Consociatio Internationalis Studio Iuris Canonici Promovendo, Pope Francis recalled the 50th anniversary of the association's foundation and expressed gratitude for the members' dedication to promoting the study of canon law.

Remarking on how the Consociatio unites experts in Canon Law from ecclesiastical and civil universities across the globe, he said “This synergy that has developed between different universities scattered across various nations is highly appreciable.”

This synergy, he continued, highlights the universal nature of the Church's legal tradition.

And noting that at the heart of Canon and Civil Law is the person, he explained that the peculiarity of Canon Law is the person as redeemed in Christ, as faithful in the Church.
 
https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/pont-messages/2023.index.html
Pontifical Messages 2023
Message of the Holy Father Francis on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the “Consociatio Internationalis Studio Iuris Canonici Promovendo” (1st December 2023)

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2023-12/parolin-benedict-xvi-s-legacy-will-bear-fruit-for-the-church.html

Cardinal Parolin: Benedict XVI’s legacy will bear fruit for the Church
01 December 2023, 13:46

As Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin presents this year’s Ratzinger Prizes to theologian Pablo Blanco Sarto and philosopher Francesc Torralba, he recalls the importance of Pope Benedict XVI's thought concerning the relationship between faith and reason.
By Michele Raviart

An attitude of “flying high with the two open wings of reason and faith, albeit always with humility, effort, and perseverance”: This is the legacy, “alive and set to bear fruit in the future journey of the Church,” that Benedict XVI leaves behind a little less than a year after his death.

Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin made the remarks during the presentation of the 2023 Ratzinger Prize, the first ceremony for the Prize since the death of its namesake. Cardinal Parolin described the former Pope as “a pastor and teacher of faith” and “a luminous and courageous example of dialogue.” Pope Benedict’s Magisterium, the Cardinal said, is “characterized by an awareness of the cultural and spiritual situation of the world,” and of the tensions between peoples and between man and creation.
 

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256161/2023-ratzinger-prize-reflects-on-theological-legacy-of-late-pope-benedict-xvi
2023 Ratzinger Prize reflects on theological legacy of late Pope Benedict XVI
By Matthew Santucci
Rome Newsroom, Dec 1, 2023 / 15:20 pm

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-12/pope-francis-indi-gregory-funeral-condolences.html

Pope Francis sends condolences for Indi Gregory's funeral
01 December 2023, 12:00

On the day of Indi Gregory’s funeral in Nottingham, England, Pope Francis says he “joins those gathered in thanking Almighty God for the gift of her all-too-short life”
By Joseph Tulloch

Pope Francis has expressed his “condolences” and “spiritual closeness” to the parents of Indi Gregory, the eight-month year old British girl who died last month after a long legal battle.

In a telegram dated Friday, 1 December, the date of her funeral, Pope Francis wrote that he was “saddened to learn of the death of little Indi Gregory”, and that he sent his condolences to “her parents, Dean and Claire, and to all who mourn the loss of this precious child of God.”

The message, signed by the Vatican’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, continues: “Entrusting Indi into the tender and loving hands of our Heavenly Father, His Holiness joins those gathered for her funeral in thanking Almighty God for the gift of her all-too-short life.”

“He likewise prays,” the Pope concludes, “that the Lord Jesus, who said to His disciples, ‘Let the little children come to me… for it is to such as these that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs’ (Mt 19:14), will grant abiding comfort, strength, and peace to you all.”
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-12/pope-address-cop28-climate-change-appeal.html

Pope Francis to COP28: ‘Choose life, choose the future!’
02 December 2023, 09:18

Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin delivers Pope Francis’ speech to delegates at the UN Climate Change Summit, urging world leaders not to postpone action any longer but to craft concrete and cohesive responses for the well-being of our common home and future generations.
By Linda Bordoni

Expressing regret for his impossibility to be present in Dubai for the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference, Pope Francis reiterated his belief that “the future of us all depends on the present that we now choose.”

This year’s UN Summit comes in the wake of a year of record heat and drought and features a contentious set of issues for countries working to find common ground in tackling climate change.

In a hard-hitting message, delivered on his behalf by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, the Pope told the COP assembly that his presence serves to remind them that “the destruction of the environment is an offence against God, a sin that is not only personal but also structural, one that greatly endangers all human beings, especially the most vulnerable in our midst and threatens to unleash a conflict between generations.”

“The destruction of the environment is an offence against God.”

Appeal to choose life
 
https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2023/12/02/231202a.html
Address of the Holy Father at the Conference of States Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), 02.12.2023

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256165/pope-francis-to-cop28-environmental-destruction-is-an-offense-against-god
Pope Francis to COP28: Environmental destruction is ‘an offense against God’
By Courtney Mares
Rome Newsroom, Dec 2, 2023 / 06:45 am

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-12/pope-francis-health-update-sunday-angelus-santa-marta.html

Pope to recite Angelus from residence as health improves
02 December 2023, 13:47

As Pope Francis' health continues to improve as he recovers from bronchitis, he will recite the Sunday Angelus prayer from his residence at the Casa Santa Marta, joining the faithful in a live broadcast.
By Vatican News

The Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, provided an update on the health conditions of Pope Francis on Saturday, stating that they are "improving."

He has no fever and is continuing his prescribed antibiotic therapy.

Pope Francis has been recovering from pulmonary inflammation for a week, leading to significant adjustments in his schedule, notably the cancellation of his Apostolic Journey to Dubai for the COP28 summit.
 
The Pope held his most recent Angelus prayer last Sunday in a similar manner, when he appeared seated alongside Msgr. Paolo Braida, an official at the Secretariat of State, who read the meditation, appeals, and greetings on the Pope's behalf.

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2023-12/archbishop-caccia-united-nations-nuclear-weapons-disarmament.html

Holy See advocates collaboration on nuclear disarmament
02 December 2023, 09:31

Archbishop Gabriele Cacccia, the Holy See's Permanent ******* to the United Nations, highlights the disproportionate impact of nuclear weapons on women and girls, and urges synergy between the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and existing disarmament measures.
By Francesca Merlo

Nuclear weapons have catastrophic humanitarian and environmental consequences, multiply risks and offer only 'an illusion of peace'.

Thus, the the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons reminds us that a world free of atomic weapons "is possible and necessary and offers us a means to achieve this goal through dialogue".

These were the points made by Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, Permanent ******* of the Holy See to the United Nations, at the second Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty, signed in 2017 and ratified by 56 countries around the world.

The Archbishop focused on two addresses concerning two fundamental aspects of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons: “Implementing the gender provisions of the treaty” and “Complementarity of the Treaty with the existing nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime”.
 

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A video message, with English text, at the link...

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-12/pope-francis-videomessage-cop28-faith-pavilion-dubai.html
Pope Francis urges religious leaders to work together for peace and climate
03 December 2023, 06:35

Pope Francis sends a video message for the inauguration of the "Faith Pavilion" during COP28 in Dubai, and highlights the need for alliances that promote care for Creation and peace.
By Francesca Merlo

At the heart of Pope Francis’ video message to Dubai for the inauguration of the “COP28 Faith Pavilion” is the idea of creating alliances for the common good.

The Pope's message, broadcast on Sunday morning during the event, was entrusted to the Vatican’s Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin, as Pope Francis was unable to attend as planned as a precautionary measure while he recovers from pulmonary inflammation.
 
https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2023/december/documents/20231203-dubai-faithpavilion.html
INAUGURATION  OF THE “FAITH PAVILION”
GREETING OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS
Expo City (Dubai)
Sunday, 3 December 2023
[Multimedia]

https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2023/12/in-cop-28-message-pope-insists-climate-change-is-a-religious-problem
In COP-28 message, Pope insists climate change is a ‘religious problem’
By Elise Ann Allen
Dec 3, 2023

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Video, with English commentary, at the link...

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-12/pope-francis-angelus-3-december-2023-catechesis-advent-sunday.html
Pope at Angelus: Look out for others this Advent
03 December 2023, 12:10

Pope Francis emphasises the importance of vigilance at his Sunday Angelus, highlighting this does not mean living in fear, but rather waiting in loving anticipation of Jesus' arrival.
By Francesca Merlo

In his catechesis for the first Sunday of Advent, Pope Francis focused on the theme of vigilance.

He was referring to this Sunday's Gospel passage, in which Jesus issued a simple exhortation three times: 'Keep watch'.

The Holy Father noted that we sometimes think of this virtue as an attitude motivated by the fear of imminent punishment, but quickly assured the faithful that “this is certainly not the meaning of a Christian vigilance”.

As he is currently recovering from an inflammation of the lungs, the Pope's catechesis was read out by Bishop Paolo Braida, an official at the Vatican's Secretariat of State
 
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-12/pope-gaza-truce-ceasefire-hostages-israel-palestine.html
Pope: End of Gaza truce means ‘death, destruction and misery'
03 December 2023, 12:42

ttps://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-12/pope-francis-marawi-mindanao-phillipines-mass-attack-bomb.html
Pope prays for victims of attack during Mass in Philippines
03 December 2023, 13:20

https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/angelus/2023.index.html
Angelus, 3 December 2023ttps://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/angelus/2023.index.html
Angelus, 3 December 2023

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256167/pope-francis-on-first-sunday-of-advent-im-improving-but-my-voice-still-doesnt-work
Pope Francis on first Sunday of Advent: ‘I’m improving, but my voice still doesn’t work’
By Matthew Santucci
Vatican City, Dec 3, 2023 / 08:32 am

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-12/pope-francis-c9-council-cardinals-church-feminine.html

Pope meets Council of Cardinals to discuss Church’s feminine dimension
04 December 2023, 14:00

Pope Francis presides over the meeting of the Council of Cardinals, known as the "C9," with discussions including the feminine dimension of the Church.
By Vatican News

As the Pope announced on 30 November, during an audience with the International Theological Commission, the Council of Cardinals is focusing its reflections on the “feminine dimension of the Church."

“The Church is woman,” said Pope Francis on that occasion. “If we do not understand what woman is or what the theology of womanhood is, we will never understand what the Church is.”

He also described the "masculinizing" of the Church as a “great sin,” which has yet to be resolved.

The Pope appealed to a distinction proposed by Jesuit theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar, who described a “Petrine” or ministerial principle, and a “Marian” or mystical principle.

“The Marian is more important than the Petrine,” Pope Francis said, “because there is the bride Church, the woman Church, without being masculine.”
 
The new C9
After the renewal of the Council of Cardinals by the Pope on 7 March, the C9 is currently composed of the following Cardinals:
-  Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See;
-  Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and the Governorate of the Vatican City State
-  Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, Archbishop of Kinshasa;
-  Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay;
-  Seán Patrick O'Malley, Archbishop of Boston;
-  Juan José Omella Omella, Archbishop of Barcelona;
-  Gérald Lacroix, Archbishop of Quebec;
-  Jean-Claude Hollerich, Archbishop of Luxembourg;
-  Sérgio da Rocha, Archbishop of San Salvador de Bahia.

Bishop Marco Mellino, titular bishop of Cresima, serves as the C9’s secretary. The first meeting of the new C9 took place on 24 April.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2023-12/100-cribs-in-the-vatican-to-prepare-for-the-jubilee-2025.html

Vatican prepares for Jubilee with '100 Nativity Scenes'
04 December 2023, 11:20

The "100 Nativity Scenes" exhibit returns to St. Peter's Square to showcase various Christmas crèches from 22 countries, celebrating St. Francis's 800-year-old tradition.
By Vatican News

The Dicastery for Evangelisation is continuing its cultural initiatives for the series "Jubilee is Culture" in preparation for the forthcoming Jubilee 2025.

The upcoming third exhibit, entitled "100 Nativity Scenes in the Vatican," unites the works of various artists from around the world, each portraying different interpretations of the scene of Jesus' birth.

800 years since the Greccio crib

The inauguration of the exhibition will be held at 4 PM on Friday, 8 December 2023, under the left-hand side of the Colonnade in St. Peter's Square.

This year’s edition intends to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the Greccio Crib, the first depiction of the Nativity, which St. Francis created at Christmas in the year 1223.
 

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https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256171/pope-francis-signs-interfaith-climate-statement-as-part-of-cop28-summit-in-dubai

Pope Francis signs interfaith climate statement as part of COP28 summit in Dubai
By Daniel Payne
CNA Staff, Dec 4, 2023 / 14:02 pm

Pope Francis has added his signature to an “interfaith statement” meant to call attention to what the Holy Father and other advocates say is the ongoing crisis of climate change threatening much of the world.

The Holy Father signed the Abu Dhabi Interfaith Statement for COP28 on Dec. 3 as part of the United Nations climate summit in Dubai. The pope was meant to be present at the event but a respiratory illness forced him to remain in Rome rather than travel to the United Arab Emirates.

The annual summit, known as the “Conference of the Parties” (COP), is an opportunity for world leaders, representing state and nonstate actors, to meet and discuss policy goals that seek to establish common goals for climate change mitigation.

This year’s event marked the inauguration of the first-ever COP Faith Pavilion, a coalition of faith partners and others “dedicated to the engagement of faith communities” on the topic of environmentalism, according to the event’s website.
 
https://www.oikoumene.org/sites/default/files/2023-11/Interfaith%20statement%20COP%2028%20Draft%206%2027%20October%202023.pdf
Confluence of Conscience: Uniting for Planetary Resurgence
Abu Dhabi Interfaith Statement for COP28

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-12/pope-immaculate-conception-gift-golden-rose-salus-populi-romani.html

Pope to donate Golden Rose to ancient Roman icon of Blessed Virgin Mary
05 December 2023, 10:32

On the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Pope Francis will pay homage to the Blessed Virgin Mary with a Golden Rose placed at the feet of the ancient Roman icon of 'Maria Salus Populi Romani'.
By Vatican News

Pope Francis will venerate Our Lady with a Golden Rose for the Marian icon of the Salus Populi Romani in the Basilica of St. Mary Major on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

He will travel to the Basilica on 8 December to accomplish this historic gesture which has not been performed in 400 years.

In the afternoon, as is traditional, the Pope will perform an Act of Veneration to the Blessed Virgin Mary before the statue of the Immaculate Conception in Rome’s central Piazza di Spagna.

Just ahead of that visit, he will stop at the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major with his gift for Our Lady.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2023-12/st-peter-s-basilica-jubilee-charity-prisoners-refugees.html

St. Peter’s Basilica unveils charity projects ahead of 2025 Jubilee
05 December 2023, 14:26

As preparations continue in Rome for the upcoming 2025 Jubilee year, St. Peter’s Basilica announces two new charity projects, aimed at helping refugees and prisoners.
By Joseph Tulloch

More than 30 million pilgrims are expected to arrive in Rome for the 2025 Jubilee Year.

Preparations are already underway in the city, including directly outside Vatican News’ offices, where a new pedestrian area is being constructed.

In the midst of all this, St. Peter’s Basilica has announced some preparations of its own for the Jubilee: two charity projects aimed at helping refugees and incarcerated people

The projects

The first of these projects is entitled “Sea Rosaries" and is being organised in collaboration with the House of the Spirit and the Arts Foundation.

Two individuals with refugee backgrounds are working in St. Peter's to build rosaries from the wood of boats used by migrants to reach Europe.

Moreover, some initial work in the construction of these rosaries is being carried out by individuals incarcerated in various prisons throughout Italy.

The second project is a collaboration with the Second Chance Association, a non-profit which works to offer employment opportunities to prisoners and ex-prisoners.

One inmate of Rome’s Rebibbia prison has been employed full-time as an electrician in the Basilica for several months, and inmates in the Mammagialla prison in Viterbo have been tasked with making bags.
 

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Video, with English commentary, at the link...

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-12/pope-at-audience-holy-spirit-is-source-of-apostolic-zeal.html
Pope at Audience: Holy Spirit is source of apostolic zeal
06 December 2023, 09:12

Continuing his catechesis on the apostolic zeal of the believer, Pope Francis on Wednesday emphasizes that the proclamation of the Gospel always takes place in the Holy Spirit.
By Christopher Wells

“Without the Holy Spirit, all zeal is vain and falsely apostolic,” Pope Francis said at Wednesday’s General Audience. “It would only be our own, and would not bear fruit.” Due to lingering health issues, the Holy Father’s reflection was once again read by an assistant from the Secretariat of State.

In recent weeks, the Pope has been reflecting on the “essential characteristics” of the proclamation of the Gospel, which is joyful, addressed to everyone, and relevant to our times.

The final characteristic, Pope Francis said, is the need for the proclamation to take place “in the Spirit,” the “protagonist” of evangelization, who is responsible for the spread of the Gospel.

However, “the primacy of the Spirit should not induce us to indolence,” the Pope said, adding, “Confidence [in the Spirit] does not justify disengagement.” Instead, the Holy Spirit inspires the Church’s mission, which should imitate the “style” of the Spirit, marked by creativity and simplicity.
 
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-12/pope-general-audience-appeal-prayers-ukraine-palestine-israel.html
Pope prays for war-torn Ukraine, Israel and Palestine
06 December 2023, 11:16

https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/audiences/2023.index.html
Audiences 2023
General Audience of 6 December 2023

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256186/pope-francis-at-general-audience-the-spirit-is-the-protagonist-of-evangelization
Pope Francis at general audience: ‘The Spirit is the protagonist’ of evangelization
By Matthew Santucci
Rome Newsroom, Dec 6, 2023 / 09:22 am

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-12/c9-tackles-issue-of-role-of-women-in-the-church-world-crises.html

C9 tackles issue of role of women in the Church, world crises
06 December 2023, 15:29

Meeting this week in the Vatican, Pope Francis’ Council of Cardinals agreed on the need to listen to the “the feminine aspect” of the Church, especially at the local level, “so that processes of reflection and decision making can benefit from the irreplaceable contribution of women.”
By Christopher Wells

The full Council of Cardinals was present at the Casa Santa Marta residence in the Vatican for its most recent session, which focused primarily on the topic of “the feminine role in the Church.”

The conversation benefitted from the insights of theologians Sr Linda Pocher, Dr Lucia Vantini, and Fr Luca Castiglioni, all of whom hold teaching positions in Italian institutes of higher learning.

At the conclusion of the session, “the Council agreed on the need to listen, also and above all in individual Christian communities, to the feminine aspect of the Church, so that the processes of reflection and decision-making can benefit from the irreplaceable contribution of women,” according to a statement from the Holy See Press Office.

The statement noted that the Cardinal advisors also spent time examining the current world situation based on their various regions of origin, while focusing particularly on “the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the serious situation in the Holy Land,” as well as the work of COP28, which is currently taking place in Dubai.
 

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Update:  Former cardinal Theodore McCarrick

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256191/theodore-mccarrick-case-in-wisconsin-hangs-in-the-balance-after-new-competency-exam
Theodore McCarrick case in Wisconsin hangs in the balance after new competency exam
By Joe Bukuras
CNA Staff, Dec 6, 2023 / 14:45 pm

Just months after former cardinal Theodore McCarrick was ruled not competent to stand trial on criminal sexual abuse charges in Massachusetts, similar charges against him in Wisconsin now hang in the balance after a competency exam ordered by the court was filed in November.

McCarrick is facing misdemeanor sexual assault charges in Wisconsin related to an incident that allegedly occurred in April 1977 near a house by Geneva Lake. The complaint alleges that McCarrick and “another adult male” sexually assaulted then-18-year-old James Grein, the same man who brought a complaint against the former cardinal in Massachusetts.

Grein, 65, told CNA Monday that the other adult male who he alleges assaulted him was Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, the late archbishop of Chicago who died in 1996.
 

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https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256196/pope-francis-cardinal-advisers-hear-from-2-female-professors-on-women-s-role-in-the-church

Pope Francis’ cardinal advisers hear from 2 female professors on women’s role in the Church
By Courtney Mares
Vatican City, Dec 7, 2023 / 10:45 am

Pope Francis’ council of cardinal advisers heard testimonies from two female theology professors who spoke about the role of women in the Church.

The Holy See press office said on Dec. 6 that the pope met with his council of advisers for a two-day meeting in Rome, which included discussions of abuse prevention, the Synod on Synodality assembly, and the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Holy Land.

“At the center of reflection in this meeting was the theme of women’s role in the Church,” the Vatican said.