Pope Francis

[grace-land]

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-in-molise-invokes-the-courage-of-soli

Pope Francis in Molise invokes the courage of solidarity to face the scourge of unemployment
2014-07-05 L’Osservatore Romano



Nothing is more important than human dignity. Pope Francis' message is clear: he speaks to the people of Molise on Saturday on 5 July, but his thought goes beyond the borders of the region. reaches all of those places in which various interests, even if important, are placed before the dignity of the human being. During Mass in Campobasso, the Pope indicated that there is need to supplement the soul to enable it to look to the future with hope. But there is also “so much need for this commitment, in the face of situations of material and spiritual instability, especially in the face of unemployment, a sore that demands every effort and a great deal of courage on the part of all”.

Shortly before the Mass, he spoke with workers and industrialists, re-emphasizing a concept he has expressed on other occasions: true dignity for the labourer and being able to bring home the bread. On this topic Pope Francis said, “Not having work is not only lacking what is necessary to live, no. We can eat every day: we go to the Caritas, we go to this association, we go to the club, we go there and they feed us. But this is not the problem. The problem is not bringing home the bread: this is serious, and this takes away dignity!”
 

[grace-land]

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-to-world-of-work-in-molise-break-the-mold

Pope to world of work in Molise: Break the mold
2014-07-05 Vatican Radio

In the first appointment of his one day pastoral visit to the Italian region of Molise Saturday, Pope Francis urged people to follow God in ‘breaking the mold’ imposed by the current socio-economic system, to transform their reality into a more human – and family- centered one.

He called for work-free Sunday’s so mothers and fathers can spend time playing with their children, a ‘science’ he said that we are losing; he urged for a creative joining of forces and ‘jobs pact’ for the region, which suffers from heavy unemployment and he spoke in praise of the ‘labor’ of working mothers.
 
Pope Francis’ first meeting in Campobasso was with the world of labor and industry in the Aula Magna of the University of Molise. The Pope was greeted by the Rector and then was briefly addressed by a farmer and a Fiat factory employee, the mother of a toddler who is expecting her second child.

The Pope thanked them for their words of welcome and for sharing their life experiences, their struggles and hopes with him.

Echoing the Rectors words he said “Our God is the God of the surprises: it is true. Every day there is another surprise!...But... God also breaks the mold. And if we do not have the courage to break the mold, we will never move forward because our God impels us to this: to be creative about the future. This is  a beautiful theological definition. "
 

[grace-land]

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-serve-and-live-in-the-freedom-of-god

Pope Francis: Serve and live in the freedom of God
2014-07-05 Vatican Radio

Pope Francis emphasized the dignity of the human person in the realm of work and the call of all members of the Church to service, both to God and to others, in his homily during Mass in Campobasso on Saturday morning.

Thousands of people gathered for the outdoor papal mass, one of the highlights of the Pope’s daylong trip to the city, located in the southern Italian region of Molise.

“The Church is a people who serves God; the Church is a people who lives in the freedom that he gives,” he told the assembly. And this service, he continued, is realized through prayer, adoration, the proclamation of the Gospel and charity in the ordinary of everyday life.

There is much need for commitment in the service of others “in the face of situations of material and spiritual precariousness, especially in the face of unemployment, a plague that requires every effort and much courage on everyone’s part,” he said.

The challenges of work, he said, calls upon the particular responsibility of institutions and of the business and financial world.

“It is necessary to place the dignity of the human person at the centre of every prospect and every action. Other interests, even if legitimate, are secondary,” he said to applause. “At the centre is the dignity of the human person. Why? Because the human person is in the image of God, he was created in the image of God and we are all in the image of God!”
 

[grace-land]

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-warns-youth-against-culture-of-the-temporary

Pope warns youth against “culture of the temporary”
2014-07-05 Vatican Radio



Speaking to the thousands of young people who had gathered at the Sanctuary of Castelpetroso, Pope Francis  warned against the “culture of the temporary” and the prevailing trends of contemporary society.

Such a culture, he said, does not lend itself to the formation of a stable life, one that is built on “the rock of love and responsibility” rather than on the “sand of emotion.” It lends itself to an individualism which calls everything into question, leading to a superficial attitude toward the assuming of responsibilities.

However, the human heart aspires to great things, important virtues, deep friendships, and relationships that are strengthened rather than broken by life’s difficulties.  “The human being aspires to love and to be loved,” he said.

While the “culture of the temporary” increases our freedom, it deprives us of our destiny, the Pope said. He then challenged the young people to aspire to happiness, and the courage to go out of themselves toward a future together with Jesus.

Pope Francis said that Jesus invites us to follow him, “not to take advantage of us, not to make us slaves, but to make us free.”
 

[grace-land]

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-prays-angelus-with-faithful

Pope Francis prays Angelus with faithful
2014-07-06 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis prayed the Angelus with the faithful gathered in St Peter’s Square on Sunday. In remarks ahead of the traditional prayer of Marian devotion, the Holy Father focused on the Gospel reading of the day, taken from the Gospel according to St Matthew (11:25-30), in which The Lord proclaims, “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

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http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/pope-s-angelus-address-imitate-christ-s-meekness-and-humility
Pope's Angelus Address: Imitate Christ's Meekness and Humility
Vatican City,  July 06, 2014 

At midday today, Pope Francis made his customary appearance at the window of the study in the Apostolic Palace to pray the Angelus with faithful and pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square.

Here is a translation of the Pope's words:
***
Brothers and Sisters,

In this Sunday's Gospel we find Jesus' invitation: "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Mt 11:28). He has before him the people he meets every day on the streets of Galilee, many simple people, the poor, the sick, sinners, the marginalized ... These people always run after him to listen to his word - a word that gives hope! - and also just to touch the hem of his garment. Jesus himself looked for these harassed and helpless crowds, who were like sheep without a shepherd (cf. Mt 9:35-36), to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal many in body and in spirit. Now he calls them all to himself: "Come unto me," and promises them relief and solace.
 

[grace-land]

http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/pope-expected-to-meet-clerical-sex-abuse-victims

Pope Expected to Meet Clerical Sex Abuse Victims
Vatican City,  July 06, 2014 

Pope Francis is expected to meet for the first time victims of clerical sex abuse over the next few days.

Six individuals who have suffered from such abuse by priests will reportedly meet the Holy Father at his St. Martha residence, after which they will join him for Mass.

Some reports say the Pope will meet with them on Monday, but this has not been confirmed by the Vatican which has said "no formal statement will be made until after that meeting has taken place."
 
The Pope first mentioned he would be meeting the victims, thought to be from Britain, the United States, Germany and Ireland, during a press conference on his return from the Holy Land at the end of May.

[grace-land]

http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/the-vatican/detail/articolo/francesco-francis-francesco-c9-35080/

07/ 4/2014
C9 to meet again in September and draft text on Curia reform is not available yet

Iacopo Scaramuzzi
vatican city

The nine cardinals assisting the Pope with the reform of the Roman Curia and the government of the universal Church, the “C9” as it is called, will meet again in September following a four-day meeting, which ran from Tuesday to today, the fifth since the start of the pontificate. Other meetings will also be held in December and February but it is not certain that the February gathering will give birth to the new apostolic constitution that would replace the “Pastor Bonus”, the blueprint for the Vatican’s various congregations, pontifical councils and offices.  The Pope and his cardinal advisors discussed the role of women, lay people and married couples in the Roman Curia and of the Nunciatures, with a focus on the process for the nomination of bishops. In terms of the IOR, changes are expected in the Institute’s governance and these will be presented at a press conference  with Cardinal George Pell, the Vatican Secretary of the Economy, next Wednesday.
 

[grace-land]

 

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/church-parade-past-mafia-home-a-challenge-to-pope-francis/

July 6, 2014, 4:53 PM
Church parade past Mafia home a challenge to Pope Francis

ROME - In apparent defiance of Pope Francis, a church procession detoured from its route through a southern Italian town to honor a convicted mobster under house arrest.

Interior Minister Angelino Alfano on Sunday denounced the tribute in Oppido Mamertina, a Calabrian town and 'ndrangheta crime syndicate stronghold, as "deplorable and disgusting." He praised three Carabinieri policemen who abandoned the procession in disapproval.

On June 21, Francis, visiting Calabria, had denounced the 'ndrangheta for its "adoration of evil" and said its members were excommunicated.

The July 2 procession included clergy, the mayor, parents pushing baby strollers and dozens of local men carrying on their shoulders an ornate Madonna statue.

Carabinieri officer Andrea Marino said he and his fellow officer walked away from the procession after the detour and headed to the church to complain about what happened.

One of Calabria's anti-Mafia prosecutors, Nicola Gratteri, told The Associated Press that the detour to the mobster's house appeared to be a "challenge to the diktat" of Francis.
 
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http://tvnz.co.nz/world-news/church-parade-challenges-pope-honouring-mobster-6020544
Church parade challenges pope by honouring mobster
Published: 7:49AM Monday July 07, 2014


Church procession - Source: AP

[grace-land]

http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2014/07/07/pope_meets_sex_abuse_victims_in_profound_spiritual_encounter/1102629

Pope meets sex abuse survivors in 'profound spiritual encounter'
07/07/2014

(Vatican Radio) Six survivors of sex abuse by members of the Church shared their stories with Pope Francis on Monday in what the head of the Vatican press office described as moments of "profound spiritual encounter". The three men and three women from the UK, Ireland and Germany attended Mass with the Pope at his Santa Marta residence and had breakfast with him, before spending a total of almost three and a half hours in a series of private conversations.

At the end of the Pope’s morning meetings with sex abuse survivors, Fr Federico Lombardi said the six victims appeared ‘profoundly moved’, but also ‘positive and serene’. Responding to journalists’ questions, he said each survivor spent about half an hour with the Pope, after which they expressed “gratitude and deep emotion” that their stories had been listened to with such attention. Far from being a public relations event, as some survivors’ support groups have suggested, Fr Lombardi said he hoped these important encounters would be the beginning of a road towards healing and reconciliation:

While he gave no details about their identity or the kind of abuse they’d suffered, Fr Lombardi said the three men and three women arrived in the Vatican on Sunday afternoon and had a first opportunity to meet with the Pope over dinner at his Santa Marta residence. Early on Monday, accompanied by a friend or relative and members of the new Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, they listened as Pope Francis expressed his sorrow for the “sins and grave crimes of clerical sexual abuse” they had all endured.
 

[grace-land]

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-homily-at-mass-with-sex-abuse-survivo

Pope Francis’ homily at Mass with sex abuse survivors
2014-07-07 Vatican Radio

 
Below we publish the English translation of his homily, delivered in Spanish:
Homily           

The scene where Peter sees Jesus emerge after a terrible interrogation…  Peter whose eyes meet the gaze of Jesus and weeps…  This scene comes to my mind as I look at you, and think of so many men and women, boys and girls.  I feel the gaze of Jesus and I ask for the grace to weep, the grace for the Church to weep and make reparation for her sons and daughters who betrayed their mission, who abused innocent persons.  Today, I am very grateful to you for having travelled so far to come here. 

            For some time now I have felt in my heart deep pain and suffering.   So much time hidden, camouflaged with a complicity that cannot be explained until someone realized that Jesus was looking and others the same… and they set about to sustain that gaze.

And those few who began to weep have touched our conscience for this crime and grave sin.  This is what causes me distress and pain at the fact that some priests and bishops, by sexually abusing minors, violated their innocence and their own priestly vocation.  It is something more than despicable actions.  It is like a sacrilegious cult, because these boys and girls had been entrusted to the priestly charism in order to be brought to God. And those people sacrificed them to the idol of their own concupiscence.  They profane the very image of God in whose likeness we were created.  Childhood, as we all know, young hearts, so open and trusting, have their own way of understanding the mysteries of God’s love and are eager to grow in the faith.  Today the heart of the Church looks into the eyes of Jesus in these boys and girls and wants to weep; she asks the grace to weep before the execrable acts of abuse which have left life long scars.

  I know that these wounds are a source of deep and often unrelenting emotional and spiritual pain, and even despair.  Many of those who have suffered in this way have also sought relief in the path of addiction.  Others have experienced difficulties in significant relationships, with parents, spouses and children.  Suffering in families has been especially grave, since the damage provoked by abuse affects these vital family relationships.

Some have even had to deal with the terrible tragedy of the death of a loved one by suicide.  The deaths of these so beloved children of God weigh upon the heart and my conscience and that of the whole Church.  To these families I express my heartfelt love and sorrow.  Jesus, tortured and interrogated with passionate hatred, is taken to another place and he looks out.  He looks out upon one of his own, the one who denied him, and he makes him weep.  Let us implore this grace together with that of making amends.

            Sins of clerical sexual abuse against minors have a toxic effect on faith and hope in God.  Some of you have held fast to faith, while for others the experience of betrayal and abandonment has led to a weakening of faith in God.  Your presence here speaks of the miracle of hope, which prevails against the deepest darkness.  Surely it is a sign of God’s mercy that today we have this opportunity to encounter one another, to adore God, to look in one another’s eyes and seek the grace of reconciliation.

            Before God and his people I express my sorrow for the sins and grave crimes of clerical sexual abuse committed against you.  And I humbly ask forgiveness.
 

[grace-land]

http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/vatican-statement-on-pope-s-meeting-with-sexual-abuse-victims

Vatican Statement on Pope's Meeting With Sexual Abuse Victims
Also Includes Details on Sunday's Meeting of Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors
Vatican City,  July 07, 2014

The following is the Vatican text of a briefing given by Holy See spokesman Father Federico Lombardi on the meeting of the Pontifical Council for the Protection of Minors which took place on Sunday night, and the Pope's meeting with sexual abuse victims on Monday morning:
***
Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors and the Pope’s meeting with victims (July 6-7)

Meeting of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors

On Sunday 6 July, all members of the Commission met at the Domus Sanctae Marthae, coordinated by Cardinal Sean Patrick O’Malley, O.F.M. Cap., with the collaboration of Msgr. Robert Oliver at an organisational level.

The issues under consideration were:

- Proposals for the selection and appointment of new members, to integrate the Commission with representatives from other geographical areas.

- Statutes of the Commission.

- The need to institute an operative Office.

- The possibility of organising working groups on specific themes with the collaboration of specialists and other institutions.

The next meeting is scheduled to take place during the month of October. It is hoped that new members of the Commission will be present.

Time was also dedicated to the preparation of the Holy Father’s meeting with a number of victims, scheduled for the following morning.

Meeting of the Pope with various victims of sexual abuse by members of the clergy
 

[grace-land]

http://www.news.va/en/news/ior-president-freyberg-phase-one-of-reform-conclud

IOR President Freyberg: Phase One of reform concluded
2014-07-08 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) The Institute for Religious Works (IOR) released its balance sheets Tuesday for the year 2013 showing that in a bid to strengthen transparency the IOR closed the accounts of three thousand customers.

They also show that in 2013 the institute, also known as the Vatican Bank allocated € 54 million euro to the budget of the Holy See.

Speaking to Vatican Radio’s Fr Bernd Hagenkord, the outgoing President of The Institute for Religious Works, Ernst Von Freyberg said that Phase One of the reform of the IOR had been concluded.

Below find a full transcription of an interview in English with President of the Institute for the Works of Religion, IOR, Ernst Von Freyberg.

[grace-land]

http://www.news.va/en/news/the-ior-announces-its-second-phase-of-reforms

The IOR announces its swecond phase reforms

Vatican City, 8 July 2014 (VIS) – The Institute for the Works of Religion (Istituto per le Opere di Religione – IOR) today released its 2013 financial statements and gave a detailed update on the results of Phase I of the Institute's reform. The second phase, namely the integration of the IOR into the new economic-administrative landscape of the Vatican, will be entrusted to a new board and executive team, operating under a new governance structure. The costs necessary for the completion of Phase I, and costs related to legacy investments, are reflected in the results for 2013.
 

[grace-land]

http://www.news.va/en/news/major-reforms-to-vatican-financial-media-organs

Major reforms to Vatican financial, media organs
2014-07-09 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Wednesday, July 9th, saw major announcements from the Press Office of the Holy See, regarding the future of the Institute for the Works of Religion – commonly known as the “Vatican Bank” – as well as other areas of Vatican finance, including the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (APSA), and the Vatican pension system. The Vatican’s communications organs are also to undergo a period of review with an eye toward reform. Below, please find the official English text released by the Press Office of the Holy See, outlining the changes announced at the 12 Noon Rome Time press conference.
**********************************************
♦   Press Conference for the presentation of the New Economic Framework for the Holy See

Introduction by Cardinal George Pell
 

[grace-land]

http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2014/07/09/vatican_reforms_in_the_name_of_transparency/1102709

Vatican reforms in the name of transparency
09/07/2014

(Vatican Radio)Journalists from across the globe crowded into the Vatican Press Office on Wednesday morning to hear, first-hand, of a series of new initiatives geared to improve the economic and administrative management of the Holy See and Vatican City State.

Transparency at all levels – it appears – is the name of the game.

“What are we trying to do? First of all we are working so that international financial standards will be followed in all the dicasteries and sections of the Holy See and Governatorato”.

Presiding the press conference, Cardinal George Pell, the Prefect of the new Vatican Secretariat for the Economy that coordinates and oversees Vatican finances, said a vast amount of investigating and planning has been done in all Vatican dicasteries, and a series of changes are soon to be implemented.

“We are aiming at a substantial transparency so that there will be annual audited reports. And these reports will be audited externally”.

“There are many challenges and much work ahead” Pell said, and it is clear – he pointed out - that a number of issues such as changes to the Vatican Patrimony Administration - APSA, to the Pension Fund, to Vatican Media and to IOR – the bank - need to be addressed urgently.

Communication with all the staff involved is ongoing – Pell said -and will continue to be vital thanks to monthly bulletins, and then he revealed that technical committees have been appointed to key areas to study each situation and make proposals to the Council for the Economy in view cutting costs and enhancing output.

Regarding Vatican pensions, Pell said they are safe for now and for the next generation. Afterwards, he said, the fund needs to adapt to a changing environment.

And change was the word used in talking about the media, which Pell said, must adapt to changing media consumption trends, enhance coordination and drastically reduce costs.

“We want to build on very recent positive experiences such as say the Pope App and the Holy Father’s twitter account”.

The man appointed to head the 11-member media committee is Lord Chris Patten, British MP, former Hong Kong Governor and Chairman of the BBC Trust during its most turbulent years.
 
A devout Catholic, Patten gained much appreciation within the Church when he worked so successfully on behalf of the British government to manage Pope Benedict's visit to Britain in 2010.

As far as APSA is concerned, its Ordinary Section is transferred to the Secretariat for the Economy which will control all policies and procedures concerning accounting and business.

“The remaining staff of APSA, that is what’s now known as APSA Straordinaria will move on so that APSA Straordinaria becomes the Treasury of the Holy See and of the Vatican City State. Thwey will perform a number of important functions that belong to a central bank. One of their main aims will be to establish working relationships with major central banks. This has already been achieved with the Bank of England, with the Federal Reserve and, I believe, the Bundesbank”.

And in line with international banking standards and legislation, IOR – which Pell said is in a period of “peaceful and natural transition” – has finished Phase 1 of its overhaul under the guidance of Ernst von Freyberg, and is set to begin phase 2 with a new executive team led by Jean-Baptiste de Franssu. Now that a new anti-money-laundering framework has been put into place and due investigations have been made, de Franssu who is an expert in investment banking, has been given the mandate to implement a newly created VAM – or Vatican Asset Management and transform the institution into a model for ethical investment in line with its Catholic principles.

Please find below the full text of the press conference released by the Vatican Press Office:
 

[grace-land]

The 2014 FIFA World Cup Final is on Sunday, July 13, 2014.   

http://fox2now.com/2014/07/09/world-cup-finals-its-pope-versus-pope/

World Cup finals: It’s Pope versus Pope
Posted 8:47 pm, July 9, 2014

CNN)– Will the World Cup finals become a Holy War?At the very least, Saturday’s World Cup match could put millions of Catholics — not to mention Vatican employees — in a bit of a bind.

Will they root for Argentina, the homeland of Pope Francis, who is known to be an ardent soccer aficionado? Or will they back Germany, the native country of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, also a big football fan?

And what about the Big Referee Upstairs? Whose prayers will he heed when the game is on the line?

Germany reached the finals on Tuesday by blowing out Brazil, the host country. Argentina beat the Netherlands on Wednesday afternoon.

Of course, both Popes (not to mention God) have more important things on their minds. But the pontiffs, at least, have also said that sports can be more than fun and games.
 
It will be interesting to see what the Vatican says about the Argentina-Germany matchup. The men are known to be close, with Francis saying he and Benedict “are brothers.”

Maybe the “brothers” will put a little wager on the high-stakes soccer match, or maybe this just means that God has a really good sense of humor.

In any case, some folks are already having fun with the potential Pope vs. Pope match up.

If World Cup final is Germany and Argentina, then it’s Pope against Pope. Awaiting Benedict-Francis shootout.

[grace-land]

http://www.ncregister.com/blog/edward-pentin/benedict-xvi-and-francis-both-decline-castel-gandolfo

Benedict XVI and Francis Both Decline Castel Gandolfo
Monday, July 07, 2014 4:39 AM

Despite a reigning and retired pope at the Vatican, the papal summer residence of Castel Gandolfo will again be bereft of a pontiff this year now that Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has reportedly let it be known he won’t be vacationing there.

According to Corriere della Sera Vaticanist Gian Guido Vecchi, Archbishop Georg Gaenswein said some time ago that, at one of the most recent meetings between the Pope and the former Pope, Benedict XVI asked Francis if he would at least be taking a small vacation this year having not had one in 2013.

“It was one of those conversations which, in their simplicity, they cover everything,” the prefect of the Pontifical Household said. “The Pope smiled and said no, he will remain in his place at the Vatican - also in Buenos Aires he never took holidays,” Archbishop Gaenswein recounted. “The Pope Emeritus smiled back and said, ‘Okay, then I also won't do it.’”
 
One other revealing comment by Archbishop Gaenswein, also reported by Guido Vecchi, is the frequency with which the Pope and Pope Emeritus are in touch – possibly more than most people think. “They write, telephone, listen and invite one another,” he said. “Francis has been to the Mater Ecclesiae monastery at different times, and also Benedict has been to St. Martha.” 

[Sister]

http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/vatican-statement-on-pope-s-meeting-with-sexual-abuse-victims

Vatican Statement on Pope's Meeting With Sexual Abuse Victims
Also Includes Details on Sunday's Meeting of Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors
Vatican City,  July 07, 2014

The following is the Vatican text of a briefing given by Holy See spokesman Father Federico Lombardi on the meeting of the Pontifical Council for the Protection of Minors which took place on Sunday night, and the Pope's meeting with sexual abuse victims on Monday morning:
***
Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors and the Pope’s meeting with victims (July 6-7)

Meeting of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors

On Sunday 6 July, all members of the Commission met at the Domus Sanctae Marthae, coordinated by Cardinal Sean Patrick O’Malley, O.F.M. Cap., with the collaboration of Msgr. Robert Oliver at an organisational level.

The issues under consideration were:

- Proposals for the selection and appointment of new members, to integrate the Commission with representatives from other geographical areas.

- Statutes of the Commission.

- The need to institute an operative Office.

- The possibility of organising working groups on specific themes with the collaboration of specialists and other institutions.

The next meeting is scheduled to take place during the month of October. It is hoped that new members of the Commission will be present.

Time was also dedicated to the preparation of the Holy Father’s meeting with a number of victims, scheduled for the following morning.

Meeting of the Pope with various victims of sexual abuse by members of the clergy
 

I know there were many critics of "I ask for forgiveness" . . . I however, think it was not only sincere, but a step towards healing.

[grace-land]

http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/pope-francis-and-benedict-xvi-unlikely-to-watch-world-cup-final-together

Pope Francis and Benedict XVI 'Unlikely' to Watch World Cup Final Together
Vatican City,  July 10, 2014

Pope Francis “may” watch the World Cup final on Sunday between his native Argentina and Germany but is unlikely to do so alongside his German predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, the Vatican has said.

“He might want to watch the final,” said Vatican spokesman Father Lombardi, but added the late kick-off would be too late for Pope Francis, who is normally in bed before 10pm.

Regarding Benedict XVI, Father Lombardi said: “I don’t believe he watches sport, I don’t know, but in the past I didn’t get the impression that he watched it much.” He did keep informed of big matches as Pope but did not follow his home team, Bayern Munich.

Pope Francis continues to be an avid fan and card-carrying member of the San Lorenzo de Almagro - a club he has followed since childhood.

Commentators have been joking that Sunday’s match has turned from “World Cup” to “Pope Cup” now that the two papal nationalities have reached the final.

L’Osservatore Romano in fact predicted that Argentine and Germany would reach the final in a recent article. Former player Tommaso Damiani, a devout Catholic, wrote in the newspaper “there could be a final that will go down in history because of its unusual supporters” – Francis and Benedict.
 

[grace-land]

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/vatican-backs-a-pause-for-peace-during-world-cup-final-99242/

Vatican backs a 'Pause for Peace' during World Cup final

Vatican City, Jul 10, 2014 / 11:53 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The Pontifical Council for Culture launched an effort designed to unite the world in asking for peace in warring countries by observing a moment of silence during the final game of the World Cup.

“Sports were born around religious festivities. Sporting events were moments of peace when wars ceased, as for the Olympic truce,” Msgr. Melchor Sanchez de Toca y Alameda said July 10 for the launch of the campaign.

“Why not for the World Cup? Why not a pause, a moment of silence, a truce for peace?”

Msgr. Sanchez, undersecretary at the Pontifical Council for Culture and head of the section for culture and sport, spoke in reference to the ancient Greek tradition “ekecheiria,” or “truce”, that was put into practice during wartimes in order to allow citizens safe travel to the Olympic Games.