Pope Francis

[grace-land]

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-at-santa-marta-the-kingdom-of-god-within-us

Pope at Santa Marta: The Kingdom of God within us
2014-11-13 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) The Kingdom of God is growing every day thanks to those who witness without making any "noise", praying and living their faith in the family, at work, in communities, said Pope Francis at morning Mass, Thursday in Casa Santa Marta.

In the silence of a home, where there may only be 50 cents left until the end of the month, but where there is always prayer, care for children and grandparents, there is the Kingdom of God. Far from the noise of the crowd, because the Kingdom of God "does not attract attention" in the same way a seed that grows underground does not attract [attention].

Pope Francis based his homily on the Gospel of the Day from St. Luke, where asked by the Pharisees ‘when the Kingdom of God would come', Jesus replies: a day will come when they will say to you "there he is”, or 'here he is'; do not go, do not follow them".  Pope Francis said : "The Kingdom of God is not a spectacle. The spectacle is often a caricature of the Kingdom of God ":

"A spectacle! The Lord never says that the Kingdom of God is a spectacle. It is a celebration! But that is different. Certainly it is a beautiful celebration. A great celebration. And Heaven will be a celebration, but not a spectacle. However, our human weakness prefers the spectacle".
 

[grace-land]

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-receives-the-president-of-austria

Pope Francis receives the president of Austria



Vatican City, 13 November 2014 (VIS) – This morning, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father Francis received in audience the president of the Republic of Austria, Heinz Fischer, who subsequently went on to meet with Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, accompanied by Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States.

During the cordial discussions, after emphasising the positive bilateral relations between Austria and the Holy See, the Parties focused on themes of common interest, including the importance of promoting religious freedom and human rights, and commitment to interreligious and intercultural dialogue.
 

[grace-land]

http://www.news.va/en/news/catholics-and-muslims-working-together-to-serve-ot

Catholics and Muslims, working together to serve others

Vatican City, 13 November 2014 (VIS) – The third seminar of the Catholic-Muslim Forum was held in Rome from 11 to 13 November, on the theme “Working Together to Serve Others”. Three specific issues were considered: working together to serve young people, enhancing interreligious dialogue, and service to society.

The Catholic delegation was headed by Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad of Jordan, co-ordinator of the Muslim side, was unable to attend the event for health reasons. The assembled participants sent him a message expressing their good wishes. The Muslim delegation was therefore headed by Seyyed Hossein Nasr, professor of Islamic Studies at the George Washington University, Washington D.C., U.S.A.

The delegates acknowledged many examples across the world of active Catholic-Muslim collaboration in educational, charitable, and relief efforts. After the presentations of the papers and the discussions, which ensued in a cordial and fraternal atmosphere, the participants agreed on the following points:
 

[grace-land]

http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/us-catechism-goes-online-in-english-and-spanish

US Catechism Goes Online in English and Spanish
Bishops' Conference Makes Free Resource Available
Washington, D.C.,  November 13, 2014

An online version of the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults has been released by a committee of the US bishops' conference.

The Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis has made the resource, abbreviated the USCCA, free and available in English and Spanish.

“As more people are turning to the Internet for information, we must be able to provide faithful information about the Catholic faith. The online USCCA provides an opportunity for all people to access Church teaching online, use this resource for research and share with others,” said Bishop David Ricken of Green Bay, Wisconsin, chairman of the committee.
 
The USCCA online is searchable, printable, and shareable. The table of contents provides easy access to each chapter, and the glossary is included as well as the appendices.

The USCCA is available in English at www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catechism/us-catholic-catechism-for-adults/index.cfm and in Spanish at http://ccc.usccb.org/flipbooks/uscca-spanish/index.html .

A printed version can be ordered through USCCB Customer Relations by visiting www.usccbpublishing.org/ .

[Sister]

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/agree-to-disagree-how-young-catholics-pose-a-unique-challenge-for-the-church-65138/

Agree to disagree: Why young Catholics pose a unique challenge for the Church

Baltimore, Md., Nov 12, 2014 / 02:56 am (CNA/EWTN News).- While a failure to understand doctrine is present in many segments of the Catholic population, young adults are exhibiting an alarmingly casual attitude towards accepting Church teaching, a study commissioned by the U.S. bishops has found.

“They feel completely Catholic even while disagreeing with the Church. We often heard ‘the Pope is entitled to his opinion’,” Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami stated, summarizing responses given by young people to a survey conducted on behalf of the U.S. bishops.

Archbishop Wenski reported on the findings of the survey at the annual fall assembly of the U.S. Bishops Conference in Baltimore Nov. 11.

For more than three years, a working group at the bishops’ conference has conducted research aimed at finding ways to more effectively communicate the Catholic faith. 

The research examined “Catholics in the pew,” looking at why they accept or disregard Church teaching on various subjects. 

Surveying different segments of the Catholic population offered a portrait of the Catholic landscape, and some of the different motivations, challenges and desire facing people in the Church.

Diocesan directors pointed to a perception of conflict between pro-life and social justice issues, saying that they should instead be seen as cooperative. Parish priests voiced a fear that involvement in politics – or any divisive issue – could contaminate their mission.

Many engaged parishioners, regular Mass attendees involved in parish life, demonstrate great pride in their faith and are deeply tied to their community, the study showed. However, they have a tendency to set aside rules that they do not understand, complain about the Church being involved in politics, and avoid causes that they see as “judgmental.”

Fervent Catholics – frequent Mass attendees who are committed to evangelization, faithful to Church teaching, and see the real presence of the Eucharist as central – tend to view Catholic doctrine as beautiful and freeing rather than as restrictive rules. This group, however, struggles with its own frustrations, including a belief that there is sometimes a lack of support within the parish, priests who are failing to teach and inspire, and an emphasis on activities over faith.
 

The Pope has certainly come under quick the attack in the US newspapers.
I personally think he is doing an outstanding service to our Lord.  It is pitiful folks just are willing to make the commitments and disciplines needed to serve.  We are experiencing the same issues in the Methodist church.

[grace-land]

Sister, the only attacks on the pope that I have read dealt with the happenings and disagreements at the Extraordinary Synod of the Family.  Are you referring to them?  I have found that some of the articles are filled with misinformation or incorrect reporting.  In my opinion, the pope is doing a good job; he's intelligent, kind, humble and a good teacher of the gospel.  It is unfortunate that more members of the church do not participate more actively in the church community. However, it's the same attitude that members in secular organizations experience.

ps:  Keeping you, Connie, and George in my prayers.  Stay strong...God is good!

[grace-land]

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-at-santa-marta-walking-in-truth-and-love

Pope at Santa Marta: Walking in truth and love
2014-11-14 Vatican Radio



(Vatican Radio) Actions speak louder than words, particularly in transmitting the faith to children and young people today, the so-called ‘digital natives’. If we want to help them experience “truth and love” then we adults must lead by example, said Pope Francis at morning Mass.

It was a very special celebration in the Santa Marta Chapel Friday, with the pews filled with children from a local Roman parish. After an initial awkwardness, the children overcame their shyness to engage in a lively question and answer session with the Holy Father. Looking out over them he said that it was like “looking at a promise, looking at the world to come”. Then Pope Francis asked the question: “what will we leave our future?”.

"Do we teach them what we heard in the First Reading: to walk in love and truth? Or do we teach them with words, and then allow our lives to go in another direction? But it is our responsibility to look out for these children! A Christian has to take care of children, little ones and pass on the faith, pass on what he lives, what is in his heart. We cannot ignore the little plants that grow".
 Pope Francis said that everything depends on our having the right attitude towards children. “What is my attitude?” he asked, “is it the attitude of brother, father, mother, sister, that helps them to grow or is it a detached [distant], "they grow up, I have my own life ...?".

"We all have a responsibility to give our very best and the very best that we have is our faith: give it to them, but give it by example! Words are pointless….in today’s world [obsessed with] images, where everyone has these cell phones words are pointless ... Example! Example! What should I give them?”.
 

[grace-land]

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-receives-president-humala-of-peru

Pope receives President Humala of Peru
2014-11-14 Vatican Radio



(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis received the President of the Republic of Peru, Ollanta Moisés Humala Tasso, in private audience Friday. The President then met - in the absence of the Cardinal Secretary of State - Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States.

During the cordial talks mention was made of the good relations between the Holy See and the Republic of Peru, with particular emphasis on the special role of Christianity in the formation of the country, as well as on the contribution that the Catholic Church has given and continues to provide in favor of human, social and cultural development of the population.
 

[grace-land]

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/us-bishops-elect-delegates-to-synod-kurtz-chaput-dinardo-gomez-42472/

US bishops elect delegates to synod: Kurtz, Chaput, DiNardo, Gomez

Baltimore, Md., Nov 14, 2014 / 10:38 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Meeting in Baltimore for their annual fall meeting, the U.S. bishops have selected their choices for delegates to next year’s Synod on the Family, sources have confirmed to CNA.

The delegates, in order of election, are: Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville, president of the U.S. bishops’ conference; Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia, who is hosting the 2015 World Meeting of Families; Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, the bishops’ conference vice president; and Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles, the highest-ranking Hispanic bishop in the country, who leads the nation’s largest diocese.

The two alternates elected are Archbishop-designate Blase Cupich, who will soon be installed in Chicago, and Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco, who heads the U.S. bishops’ defense and promotion of marriage subcommittee.

After being elected, the delegates’ names will be sent to the Vatican for approval.

If confirmed, the delegates will participate in the 2015 Synod on the Family, a global meeting of bishops to be held next October in Rome. That synod will follow one that was previously completed this year, discussing a wide variety of matters related to marriage and family across the globe.
 

[grace-land]

Picture at the link

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/bathrooms-of-st-peters-soon-to-include-showers-for-homeless-49153/

Bathrooms of St. Peter's soon to include showers for homeless

Vatican City, Nov 14, 2014 / 02:59 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- After hearing from a homeless man that a bath is more urgently need than food in Rome, the Vatican’s papal almoner commissioned that showers be added to the public restrooms in St. Peter's Square.

“The Basilica exists in order to keep the Body of Christ, and we serve Jesus’ suffering body by serving the poor. Always, in the history of Rome, the poor congregated around the Basilicas,” Bishop Konrad Krajewski told Vatican Insider in an article published on Nov. 13.

The Vatican agency reports that Bishop Krajewski received his inspiration after taking a homeless man to dinner in order to celebrate his birthday.

As papal almoner, the Polish bishop is charged with the dual responsibility of carrying out acts of charity for the poor as well as raising the money to fund them.
 

[grace-land]

http://www.news.va/en/news/third-world-congress-of-movements-guided-by-evange

Third World Congress of Movements Guided by Evangelii gaudium

Vatican City, 14 November 2014 (VIS) – This morning, in the Holy See Press Office, a conference was held to present the Third World Congress of Ecclesial Movements and new communities. Promoted and organised by the Pontifical Council for the Laity on the theme “The Joy of the Gospel: a missionary joy”, the Congress will be held from 20 to 22 November in the Maria Mater Ecclesiae Pontifical College, Rome.

The speakers in the conference were Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity; Bishop Josef Clemens, secretary of the same dicastery; Maria Voce, president of the Focolare Movement; and Jean-Luc Moens, president of Fidesco, young volunteers in evangelisation and development projects, and member of the Pontifical Council “Cor Unum”.

Cardinal Rylko remarked that the Pontifical Magisterium has perceived in the phenomenon of movements “a current of grace, a gift and a timely response from the Holy Spirit to the serious challenges that today's world poses to the mission of the Church”. He recalled that, for St. John Paul II, movements constituted a “reason for hope for the Church and for mankind”, and were seen by Pope Benedict XVI as “new incursions of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church, powerful ways of living faith, a healthy provocation, of which the Church is always in need, and 'creative minorities', decisive for the future of humanity”. He added that Pope Francis, in this respect, is in perfect harmony with his predecessors.
 

[grace-land]

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-francis-blasts-abortion-euthanasia-as-sins-against-god-70913/

Pope Francis blasts abortion, euthanasia as 'sins against God'

Vatican City, Nov 15, 2014 / 07:53 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis has told a group of Catholic doctors that “playing with life” in ways like abortion and euthanasia is sinful, and he stressed that each human life, no matter the condition, is sacred.

“We're are living in a time of experimentation with life. But a bad experiment… (we’re) playing with life,” the Pope told an audience of 4,000 Catholic doctors gathered in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall on Nov. 15.

“Be careful, because this is a sin against the Creator: against God the Creator.”

Pope Francis offered his words in an address given to members of the Italian Catholic Doctors Association in celebration of their 70th anniversary.

 He recalled that many times in his years as a priest he heard people object to the Church’s position on life issues, specifically asking why the Church is against abortion.

 After explaining to the inquirer that the Church is not against abortion because it is simply a religious or philosophical issue, he said it’s also because abortion “is a scientific problem, because there is a human life and it's not lawful to take a human life to solve a problem.”

Regardless of the many objections he has heard saying that modern thought has evolved on the issue, the Pope stressed that “in ancient thought and in modern thought, the word ‘kill’ means the same!”
 

[grace-land]

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-to-accountants-work-for-a-globalization-of-so

Pope to accountants: Work for a globalization of solidarity
2014-11-15 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) On Friday, Pope Francis met with a group of accountants and accounting experts, who are in Rome for their World Congress.

In his address to the group, the Holy Father drew attention to the question of employment. “From your professional observation,” he said, “you are well aware of the dramatic reality of so many people whose employment is precarious, or who have lost their jobs; of so many families that pay the consequences; of so many young people seeking their first job and dignified work.”

Pope Francis spoke about the “great temptation” to put self-interest ahead of the common good. He said every one – but especially people who work in the economic and financial sector – must “play a positive, constructive role,” drawing strength from prayer and from the Word of God so that they can do their own jobs well, and then go out and help others in their difficulties.
 

[grace-land]

http://www.news.va/en/news/church-to-open-year-for-consecrated-life

Church to open Year for Consecrated Life
2014-11-15 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) The Catholic Church will open the Year for Consecrated Life on the first Sunday of Advent, with a Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica.

Cardinal João Braz de Aviz, prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, will preside in the name of Pope Francis, who will be still on his apostolic trip to Turkey that day.
 

[grace-land]

http://www.news.va/en/news/angelus-dont-keep-grace-locked-up-in-a-safe

Angelus: Don't keep grace locked up in a safe
2014-11-16 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) “Jesus does not ask us to keep grace in a safe… He wants us to use it for the benefit of others.”

That was Pope Francis message at his weekly Angelus address on Sunday. He spoke about the day’s Gospel, which relates Jesus’ parable of the talents. In the parable, the Pope said, the master is Jesus, we are the servants, and the talents are the patrimony we have received from the Lord. “What is this patrimony?” the Pope asked. “It is His Word, the Eucharist, faith in the heavenly Father, His forgiveness… This is the patrimony He entrusts to us!” But we are not meant to merely safeguard these gifts; rather, we are called to make them grow.

What have we done with these gifts, the Pope asked. “Who have we ‘infected’ with the faith? How many people have we encouraged with our hope? How much love have we shared with our neighbour?” Every time and place, he said, “even the most distant and impractical,” can be a place where we can make our talents grow.

This parable, Pope Francis said, “encourages us to not hide our faith and our belonging to Christ, to not bury the Word of the Gospel, but to make it circulate in our lives, in our relationships, in concrete situations.” Our Christian witness must go out to others, grow, and bear fruit.
 

[grace-land]

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-calls-for-dialogue-on-immigration

Pope calls for dialogue on immigration
2014-11-16 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Following his Angelus address on Sunday, Pope Francis appealed for dialogue with immigrants. He noted recent tensions in Rome between citizens and immigrants, tensions which have also been seen in other European cities. He called on civil institutions at every level “to take up as a priority what has now become a social emergency that, if not addressed promptly and in an adequate way, risks degenerating more and more.”

The Christian community, he said, must be engaged in a concrete way in the issue of immigration, so that “there might not be confrontation, but encounter.” He called on citizens and immigrants to discuss the situation together and with the civil authorities, even “in the parish hall.”
 

[grace-land]

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-visits-castel-gandolfo-vatican-confer

Pope Francis visits Castel Gandolfo; Vatican Conference on trafficking
2014-11-17 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio)  Pope Francis on Sunday visited the Pontifical Residence in Castel Gandolfo to attend the unveiling of two iron sculptures created Argentinian artiest Alejandro Marmo.

The Pope had lunch with the artist and his family, as well as some Vatican officials.

The Pope then walked over to the helipad, where he met with a group of 40 people from Argentina, and blessed the two works of art.

He returned to the Vatican by car, stopping first at the Clinica Pio XI, where he visited Cardinal Jorge María Mejía, who is recovering from an illness.

From there, he went directly to the Casina Pio IV, home of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, which was hosting an international symposium of young people involved in the fight against human trafficking.
 

[grace-land]

http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2014/11/17/pope_francis_christians_remember_where_they_came_from/1111409

Pope Francis: Christians remember where they came from
17/11/2014 02:38

(Vatican Radio) The temptation that Christians face to be with Jesus without being with the poor and marginalized: this was the focus of Pope Francis’ remarks to the faithful following the readings of the day at Mass on Monday morning in the chapel of the Santa Marta residence in the Vatican.

The Holy Father said that the temptation to ignore Christ when he appears to us in the poor and afflicted is one that faces the Church in every age. Pope Francis offered his reflections following the Gospel reading of the day, which recounted the episode of the Lord’s miraculous healing of the blind man on the road to Jericho – a type of figure prominent in the Gospel according to St Luke (18:35-43), from which the reading was taken. The blind man was a no-account in the eyes of the world, a man who, “desired only salvation,” who so greatly, “desired to be cured,” of his affliction that he shouted and shouted, until the wall of indifference collapsed and he was able to knock, “on the door of the Lord’s heart.” The circle of disciples wanted only to quiet him, to keep him from disturbing the Lord:

“This [person on the margins] could not reach the Lord, because this clique – with a the best of intentions, mind you – closed the door.  This happens frequently, among us believers: when we have found the Lord, without our noticing it, we create this sort of ecclesiastical micro-climate . Not only the priests, the bishops, but the faithful, as well: ‘We’re the ones who are with the Lord,’ [we say to ourselves], though for all our looking on Him, we fail to see His needs. We do not look to the Lord who is hungry, who is thirsty, who is in prison, who is in hospital – to the Lord, who is in the marginalized – and being [so closed off, so sealed up], does great harm.”
 

[grace-land]

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-marriage-and-the-family-are-in-crisis

Pope Francis: Marriage and the family are in crisis
2014-11-17 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) On Monday, Pope Francis addressed a Colloquium being held on the theme “The Complementarity of Man and Woman in Marriage.”

The Holy Father began his address by dwelling on the word “complementarity”: “a precious word, with multiple meanings.” Although complementarity can refer “situations where one of two things adds to, completes, or fulfills a lack in the other” it also means much more than that. Christians, he said, “find its deepest meaning in the first Letter to the Corinthians where Saint Paul tells us that the Spirit has endowed each of us with different gifts so that-just as the human body's members work together for the good of the whole-everyone's gifts can work together for the benefit of each.”

Complementarity, the Pope said, “is at the root of marriage and family.” Although there are tensions in families, the family also provides the framework in which those tensions can be resolved.” He said that complementarity should not be confused with a simplistic notion that “all the roles and relations of the sexes are fixed in a single, static pattern.” Rather, “complementarity will take many forms as each man and woman brings his or her distinctive contributions to their marriage and to the formation of their children.”

Pope Francis stated frankly, “In our day, marriage and the family are in crisis.” The “culture of the temporary” has led many people to give up on marriage as a public commitment. “This revolution in manners and morals has often flown the flag of freedom, but in fact it has brought spiritual and material devastation to countless human beings, especially the poorest and most vulnerable.” The Pope said that the crisis in the family has produced a crisis “of human ecology,” similar to the crisis that affects the natural environment. “Although the human race has come to understand the need to address conditions that menace our natural environments, we have been slower to recognize that our fragile social environments are under threat as well, slower in our culture, and also in our Catholic Church. It is therefore essential that we foster a new human ecology and advance it.”

To do that, the Pope said, “It is necessary first to promote the fundamental pillars that govern a nation: its non-material goods.” He noted that the family is the foundation of society, and that children have the right to grow up in a family with a mother and a father “capable of creating a suitable environment for the child's development and emotional maturity.”

He also called on participants in the Colloquium “to lift up yet another truth about marriage: that permanent commitment to solidarity, fidelity, and fruitful love responds to the deepest longings of the human heart.” This is especially important for young people “who represent our future.”

Finally, Pope Francis said the family is not an ideological concept, but an “anthropological fact.” That is, the family is not a “conservative” or a “progressive” notion, but is a reality that transcends ideological labels.

Pope Francis concluded his address with the hope that the Colloquium would be “an inspiration to all who seek to support and strengthen the union of man and woman in marriage as a unique, natural, fundamental and beautiful good for persons, families, communities, and whole societies.”

Below, please find the complete text of the Pope’s address:
 

[grace-land]

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-to-bishops-of-zambia-reach-out-to-poor-and-fa

Pope to Bishops of Zambia: Reach out to poor and families
2014-11-17 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis received the Bishops of Zambia on Monday who are in Rome on their Ad Limina Visit. In his prepared remarks to the group the Pope spoke about the importance of the family and the need to reach out to the poorest and most afflicted and in society. He also spoke to the Bishops about encouraging young people to play an active role in the life of the the Church.