Pope Francis

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-no-to-the-use-of-religion-as-a-pretext-for-2

Pope: no to the use of religion as a pretext for violence
2014-09-21 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis said on Sunday that no one must consider themselves to be the “armour” of God while planning and carrying out acts of violence and oppression. 

"May no one" he said "use religion as a pretext for actions against human dignity and against the fundamental rights of every man and woman, above all, the right to life and the right of everyone to religious freedom!"

The Pope was addressing the President, Government, Civil Authorities and the Diplomatic Corps of Albania, where he is spending a one-day apostolic visit. In a discourse held at the start of the day at the Presidential Palace in Tirana he spoke with joy and appreciation of the climate of respect and mutual trust that exists in the nation btween Catholics, Orthodox and Muslims and said that peaceful coexistence and collaboration among followers of different religions is a precious gift to the country.
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-to-albanians-do-not-be-afraid-of-responding-t

Pope to Albanians: do not be afraid of responding to Christ
2014-09-21 Vatican Radio



(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Sunday encouraged the people of Albania to cultivate hope and involve the young generations, opening their hearts to Christ and fulfilling their roles in the Church and in society.

In his homily during Mass in Tirana’s Mother Teresa Square, Pope Francis recalled the witness of the Albanian martyrs and the terrible suffering of persecuted Catholics, Orthodox and Muslims.

Commenting on the fact that the Albanian population is a young one, he urged all Albanians not to forget the wounds of the past, but to go forward and fly high on the wings of hope for a great future.

Please find below the full text of the Pope’s homily:
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-invites-young-albanians-to-build-their-lives

Pope invites young Albanians to build their lives on Christ
2014-09-21 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has urged the new generations of Albania to  reject the idolatry of money, the false freedom of individualism, to addiction and violence, and he has encouraged them to cultivate a culture of encounter and of solidarity.

The Pope's words to the young came during his Angelus address after the celebration of Holy Mass in Tirana's Mother Teresa Square. Commenting off-the-cuff that he has been told that Albania is the youngest country in Europe, Pope Francis invited the youth to build a better future for their country without forgetting the lessons of the past.

Please find below the full text of the Pope's Angelus address:
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-visits-centre-for-disabled-and-needy

Pope Francis visits centre for disabled and needy children in Tirana
2014-09-22 Vatican Radio



(Vatican Radio)  Pope Francis has visited a residential centre for disabled and needy children run by an Italian charity in the Albanian capital, Tirana.  It was the final engagement of his one-day visit to Albania on Sunday.  In his address at the Bethany Centre the Pope spoke of how faith, working through charity, can dislodge indifference, disbelief and  apathy. He also said goodness offers infinitely more than money which only disappoints and warned against measuring everything in terms of power and money.

Please find below a translation into English of the Pope’s address during his meeting with children at the Bethany Centre and representatives of other charitable organisations in Albania:
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-on-plane-to-rome-culture-of-tolerance

Pope Francis on plane to Rome: Culture of "tolerance", "fraternity" in Albania
2014-09-22 Vatican Radio



(Vatican Radio) Although the plane-trip from Albania to Rome was only 90 minutes, it still left time for Pope Francis to give what has become a traditional post-trip in-flight interview with journalists.

While answering questions by the journalists, Pope Francis apologized and said he would only respond to those concerning the trip itself, not wanting to overshadow the day.

During the press encounter, Pope Francis stressed the fact Albania is on the peripheries of Europe, saying this is a “sign I wanted to give.”  He also pointed out that despite the fact that Albania has a Muslim majority, it is not a “Muslim country; it is a European country,” and noted the cooperation among the three major religions: Islam, Orthodox Christianity, and Catholicism.

He reiterated the importance of the culture of “living together”, “tolerance”, and “fraternity” in the Balkan country.
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-prays-at-saint-mary-major-after-albania-trip

Pope prays at Saint Mary Major after Albania trip
2014-09-22 Vatican Radio



(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis paid a private visit to the Basilica of St. Mary Major on Monday morning to thank Our Lady for  the success of his just-ended one-day apostolic visit to  Albania.

A brief statement from the Director of the Press Office of the Holy See, Fr. Federico Lombardi SJ, said the Pope  made the trip across the city center  to spend time with Our Lady salus populi Romani – Protectress of the Roman people – whose icon in the church is among the city’s most beloved objects of Marian devotion.

The bouquet of flowers he presented to Our Lady was the one he received on Sunday evening during his meeting with the disabled at the Betania Home for the disabled in Tirana.
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-to-meet-preside-mass-for-grandparents

Pope Francis to meet, preside Mass for grandparents, elderly
2014-09-22 Vatican Radio



(Vatican Radio) The Vatican’s Office of Liturgical Celebrations has confirmed that Pope Francis will celebrate Holy Mass in St. Peter’s Square this Sunday, 28 September at 10:30 a.m. for grandparents and the elderly. The Pontifical Council for the Family says more than fifty elderly priests from parishes around the world will concelebrate the liturgy with the Holy Father.  The main concelebrants will include the oldest priest of the Rome diocese, and one elderly priest each from the Democratic Republic of Congo, India and Argentina.

More than 40 thousand seniors and grandparents from more than 20 countries – many from Italy, Spain, Argentina and the United States  - will participate in the morning’s liturgy.  The Mass will be preceded from 8:30 to 9:30 by the event, "The blessing of a long life,” in preparation for their meeting with Pope Francis.  The hour-long event will feature testimonials from seniors and reflections on five episodes from the Bible.  An elderly priest is expected to make a presentation - using only ten verbs – alluding to the profound meaning of aging and old age.

Tying together these testimonials will be the popular Italian children’s fairytale elf: Gipo.
 
Pope Francis will be welcomed with a live performance by Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli.

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-at-mass-christian-life-simple-radical

Pope Francis at Mass: Christian life simple, radical
2014-09-23 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis said Mass in the chapel of the Santa Marta residence on Tuesday morning. In remarks following the readings of the day, the Holy Father focused on the simplicity of the Christian life and the Gospel’s call to radical simplicity in life and action.

Christ’s words had a “new” sound to them, as did the authority with which he spoke them – and this was why people followed him in such large numbers. Christ’s words had “the power of salvation” in them. Even so, there were those, who followed him “for the sake of convenience” only, without too much purity of heart, or perhaps with the desire to be “a little better” only. Pope Francis said that little has changed in two thousand years. Even today, many listen to Jesus as did the nine lepers of the Gospel who, “happy” with their newfound health, “forgot” the Lord, who had restored it to them:
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-prays-for-an-end-to-ebola-crisis-prai

Pope Francis prays for an end to Ebola crisis, praises health care workers
2014-09-23 Vatican Radio



(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Tuesday met with a group of bishops from Ghana, who are in Rome on their ad limina visit.  Ghana is a west African country with 27 million people, with Catholics making up around 15% of the population.

In his speech, which was handed to the bishops, he spoke about the ongoing Ebola epidemic affecting the region.

“I think in a particular way about the importance of the Church’s health care apostolate, not only in Ghana, but throughout western Africa, which is suffering at this time from the outbreak of Ebola,” he said.

“I pray for the repose of the souls of all who have died in this epidemic, among whom are priests, men and women religious and healthcare workers who contracted this terrible disease while caring for those suffering,” Pope Francis continued.  “May God strengthen all healthcare workers there and bring an end to this tragedy!”

Below find the full speech given to the Bishops of Ghana
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-message-for-world-day-of-migrants-and

Pope Francis' message for World Day of Migrants and Refugees: “A Church without frontiers, mother to all”

Vatican City, 23 September 2014 (VIS) – The full text of the Holy Father's Message for World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2015 is published below:

“Dear brothers and sisters,

Jesus is 'the evangeliser par excellence and the Gospel in person'. His solicitude, particularly for the most vulnerable and marginalised, invites all of us to care for the frailest and to recognise his suffering countenance, especially in the victims of new forms of poverty and slavery. The Lord says: 'I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me'. The mission of the Church, herself a pilgrim in the world and the Mother of all, is thus to love Jesus Christ, to adore and love him, particularly in the poorest and most abandoned; among these are certainly migrants and refugees, who are trying to escape difficult living conditions and dangers of every kind. For this reason, the theme for this year’s World Day of Migrants and Refugees is: Church without frontiers, Mother to all.
 

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http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1403931.htm

Sep-23-2014
Pope names five women to International Theological Commission

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis, who has said the Catholic Church has "not yet come up with a profound theology of womanhood," named five women, a record number, to the International Theological Commission.

One of the women is U.S. Mercy Sister Prudence Allen, former chair of the philosophy department at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver, and now a member of the chaplaincy team at Lancaster University, England.

On Sept. 23, the Vatican released the names of 30 theologians who will serve a five-year term on the commission. Women have served on the panel since 2004, but, until now, there have never been more than two.

The five women appointees also include Australian Tracey Rowland, dean of the John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family in Melbourne, who is a prominent authority on the theology of Pope Benedict XVI; and Moira Mary McQueen, a Canadian-British citizen who serves as director of the Canadian Catholic Bioethics Institute at the University of St. Michael's College in the University of Toronto.
 

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-names-new-members-to-the-internationa
Pope Francis names new members to the International Theological Commission
2014-09-23 Vatican Radio

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http://www.news.va/en/news/congregation-for-the-doctrine-of-the-faith-cardina

Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith: Cardinal Muller meets the superior general of the Society of St. Pius X



Vatican City, 23 September 2014 (VIS) – The Holy See Press Office has issued a statement to confirm that this morning from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., a cordial meeting took place at the premises of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith between Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and Bishop Bernard Fellay, superior general of the Society of St. Pius X. The meeting was also attended by Archbishop Luis Ladaria Ferrer, S.J., secretary of the same Congregation, Archbishop Joseph Augustine Di Noia, O.P., adjunct secretary and Archbishop Guido Pozzo, secretary of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, along with two assistants from the Society of St. Pius X, Rev. Niklaus Pfluger and Rev. Alain-Marc Nély.

During the meeting, various problems of a doctrinal and canonical nature were examined, 

http://www.ncregister.com/blog/edward-pentin/cardinal-mueller-to-meet-bishop-fellay
Cardinal Müller to Meet Bishop Fellay?
Wednesday, September 03, 2014 9:30

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http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2014/09/24/pope_audience_our_strength_is_the_love_of_christ/1107189

Pope Audience: Our strength is the love of Christ
24/09/2014

(Vatican Radio) During his General Audience on Wednesday, Pope Francis reflected on his Apostolic Voyage to Albania.

Below, please find Vatican Radio’s translation of the full text of Pope Francis’ remarks:

Dear brothers and sisters,

Today I want to speak about the Apostolic Voyage I took to Albania last Sunday. I do so first of all as an act of thanksgiving to God, who allowed me to undertake this Visit in order to show, even in a physical and tangible way, my closeness and the closeness of the whole Church to this people. Next I desire to renew my fraternal gratitude to the Albanian Episcopate, to the priests and to the men and women religious who worked so hard. My grateful thoughts go out also to the Authorities that welcomed me with such courtesy, as well as to those who cooperated for the realization of the visit.
 

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http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2014/09/24/official_transcript_of_popes_remarks_on_return_flight/1107212

Official transcript of Pope's remarks on return flight
24/09/2014

(Vatican Radio) The Press Office of the Holy See on Wednesday released the official transcript of the remarks Pope Francis made in response to questions from Journalists on the return flight from Tirana, Albania, this past Sunday evening. Please find the Press Office's English translation of the transcript, below.
***********************************************
Apostolic Journey of Pope Francis to Albania

In-Flight Press Conference

21 September 2014

Fr. Lombardi:

We are very grateful to the Holy Father for being with us, especially at the end of so busy a day.  He wanted to be available to us for a few questions about the trip.  So we chose to have the questions asked by our three Albanian colleagues, who have been with us for the entire trip.  They travelled to Rome to make this journey with you, and now they are returning once more to Rome to conclude the experience.  They are from three Albanian television stations.  We begin with Mrs. Mira Tuci, from Albanian national television.
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-vain-christians-are-like-soap-bubbles

Pope Francis: Vain Christians are like soap bubbles
2014-09-25 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) During his morning Mass at the Casa Santa Marta, Pope Francis warned us to beware of vanity, which takes us far from the truth and makes us seem like "soap bubbles." Taking the first reading as his starting point, he emphasised that when they do good, Christians must avoid the temptation to “make themselves seen.”

If you “do not have something substantial, you too will pass like all things.” Pope Francis took his cue from the Book of Ecclesiastes to dwell on vanity. Vanity is a temptation not only for the pagans but also for Christians, for “people of faith.” Jesus, he noted, often rebuked those who boasted. He told the teachers of the law that they should not “walk down the streets” with “luxurious outfits,” like “princes.” When you pray, the Lord warned, do not do it to be seen, do not pray so that people will see you; “pray in secret, go to your room.” You should do the same, the Pope said, when you help the poor: “Don’t sound the trumpet, do it secretly. The Father sees it, and that is enough”:
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-message-to-69th-general-assembly-of-t

Pope Francis: Message to 69th General Assembly of the UN
2014-09-25 Vatican Radio



 
I would like to end by conveying to you the message that Pope Francis has for this evening’s Prayer Service, signed by the Secretary of State, Pietro Cardinal Parolin:

“HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS SENDS CORDIAL GREETINGS TO ALL GATHERED IN PRAYER IN ANTICIPATION OF THE SIXTY-NINTH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY. AS THE ASSEMBLY PREPARES TO DISCUSS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIFE AS MEANS TO FURTHER PEACE, PROSPERITY AND SECURITY THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, HIS HOLINESS ENCOURAGES ALL NATIONS TO KEEP THE DIGNITY OF EVERY HUMAN PERSON FOREMOST IN THEIR DELIBERATIONS. IN THIS WAY, HE HOPES THAT SOLUTIONS MAY BE SOUGHT WHICH PROMOTE PEACE AMONG PEOPLES AND WHICH CONFRONT POVERTY THROUGH THE “VALUING OF FRATERNAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE HEART OF FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES, THROUGH THE SHARING OF JOYS AND SORROWS, OF HARDSHIPS AND TRIUMPHS THAT ARE PART OF HUMAN LIFE.”  POPE FRANCIS ASSURES THOSE PRESENT OF HIS SPIRITUAL CLOSENESS IN PRAYING THAT THE NEW SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY MAY BE AN OCCASION OF GREATER UNDERSTANDING AND COOPERATION BETWEEN DELEGATION MEMBERS FOR THE GOOD OF THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY AND IN SERVICE OF LASTING PEACE AND PROSPERITY FOR ALL PEOPLE. HIS HOLINESS WILLINGLY INVOKES THE DIVINE BLESSINGS OF STRENGTH AND WISDOM UPON ALL ENGAGED IN THE MISSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS.”

God bless the United Nations and all Nations of the world!

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http://www.news.va/en/news/vatican-to-un-summit-climate-change-is-man-made-an

Vatican to UN Summit: Climate Change is man-made and man’s responsibility
2014-09-25 Vatican Radio



(Vatican Radio)  The Holy See has called for “an authentic cultural change” to combat climate change which is man-made and therefore man’s responsibility.

That was the focus of an address delivered Tuesday evening to the UN Climate Change Summit in New York by the Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-wants-rigor-in-child-abuse-cases-as-former-nu

Pope wants rigor in child abuse cases as former Nuncio placed under house arrest
2014-09-25 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) It is Pope Francis' express will that grave cases regarding the abuse of minors by clergy be dealt with rigorously and without delay. Moreover with “the full assumption of responsibility by the institutions of the Holy See”.

This is according to a statement released by Holy See Press Office Director, Fr. Federico Lombardi SJ announcing the news that a former Nuncio undergoing criminal proceedings for the abuse of minors, has been placed under house arrest.

In the statement released Tuesday evening, Fr. Lombardi  informed press that the Vatican’s Promoter of Justice [Prosecutor –ed] of the Court of First Instance issued the restrictive measure against former Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski  in light of the “grave facts of abuse against minors that took place in the Dominican Republic” where he had served as Nuncio.
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-to-celebrate-restoration-of-the-socie

Pope Francis to celebrate Restoration of the Society of Jesus two centuries on
2014-09-26 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis is expected to go to the Roman Church of the Gesù for vespers on Saturday evening to give thanks to the Lord for  the Restoration of the Society of Jesus  which took place in 1814 , so two centuries ago. The exact date being August 7.

In an effort to find out  more about this historical milestone and its significance today Veronica Scarisbrick spoke to the Assistant to the Postulator General of the Jesuits, Father Marc Lindeijer SJ.
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-meets-leaders-of-the-international-focolari-m

Pope meets leaders of the international Focolari movement
2014-09-26 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis met on Friday with leaders of the Focolari movement who are holding their General Assembly at Castel Gandolfo from September 1st to 28th. Half a century on from the Second Vatican Council, he said, they are called, with the whole Church, to follow a new path of evangelisation, witnessing God’s love to all and in particular to the poor and most marginalised.