Pope Francis

[grace-land]

http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1302380.htm

POPE-CORPUSCHRISTI May-30-2013
Eucharist nourishes, sustains and should transform people, pope says


Pope Francis raises the chalice as he celebrates Mass marking the feast of Corpus Christi outside the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome May 30. (CNS/Paul Haring)

ROME (CNS) -- In the Eucharist, Jesus makes himself the food that nourishes and sustains Catholics, even when the road gets rough, Pope Francis said before leading a Corpus Christi procession through the streets of Rome.

 Mass and participation in Corpus Christi processions are times for Catholics to reflect on how they follow Jesus and, particularly, what the Eucharist means to them, the pope said at Mass May 30 to celebrate the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ.

The pope encouraged Catholics to ask themselves: Is the Eucharist a "moment of true communion with the Lord, but also with my many brothers and sisters who share at this same altar?" and "Adoring Christ truly present in the Eucharist, do I allow myself to be transformed by him?"

The pope celebrated the Mass outside the Basilica of St. John Lateran, then -- on foot -- joined a candlelight Corpus Christi procession from St. John's to the Basilica of St. Mary Major, just over a mile away.

The monstrance with the Blessed Sacrament was carried on the truck that Blessed John Paul II began using in 1994 when he could no longer walk the full mile. Pope Benedict XVI participated in the procession each year, riding in the truck, kneeling before the Eucharist.

"Jesus speaks in the silence of the mystery of the Eucharist and reminds us each time that following him means going out of ourselves and making our lives not something we 'possess,' but a gift to him and to others," Pope Francis said in his homily at Mass.
 

[Sister]

Oh, Sister, I think that the matter of receiving communion stems from the teachings of a particular church.  My non-Catholic friends and relatives do not receive communion when they attend mass at a Catholic church.

Here are some articles that might explain it clearer:

http://www.ewtn.com/faith/teachings/eucha1a.htm
Questions about The Holy Eucharist

http://www.ewtn.com/expert/answers/intercommunion.htm
Communion of Non-Catholics or Intercommunion

grace-land, it's pretty clear that unless I were to confess the Catholic faith, I cannot receive communion unless I am dying, etc.  I cannot confess the Catholic faith, even if I wanted to, because I am divorced and had re-married without an annulment.
The Catholic church considers the Methodist church (and others) as not having valid sacred orders.  This is most difficult for me to believe that only the Catholic church has sacred orders.  I believe God is the one who ordains and I do not believe it is only Catholics.
I have great respect for other Christian denominations.  In our creed, we say "I believe in the holy catholic church."  The word catholic here means universal.
Just my thoughts.

[Sister]

http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1302380.htm

POPE-CORPUSCHRISTI May-30-2013
Eucharist nourishes, sustains and should transform people, pope says


Pope Francis raises the chalice as he celebrates Mass marking the feast of Corpus Christi outside the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome May 30. (CNS/Paul Haring)

ROME (CNS) -- In the Eucharist, Jesus makes himself the food that nourishes and sustains Catholics, even when the road gets rough, Pope Francis said before leading a Corpus Christi procession through the streets of Rome.

 Mass and participation in Corpus Christi processions are times for Catholics to reflect on how they follow Jesus and, particularly, what the Eucharist means to them, the pope said at Mass May 30 to celebrate the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ.

The pope encouraged Catholics to ask themselves: Is the Eucharist a "moment of true communion with the Lord, but also with my many brothers and sisters who share at this same altar?" and "Adoring Christ truly present in the Eucharist, do I allow myself to be transformed by him?"

The pope celebrated the Mass outside the Basilica of St. John Lateran, then -- on foot -- joined a candlelight Corpus Christi procession from St. John's to the Basilica of St. Mary Major, just over a mile away.

The monstrance with the Blessed Sacrament was carried on the truck that Blessed John Paul II began using in 1994 when he could no longer walk the full mile. Pope Benedict XVI participated in the procession each year, riding in the truck, kneeling before the Eucharist.

"Jesus speaks in the silence of the mystery of the Eucharist and reminds us each time that following him means going out of ourselves and making our lives not something we 'possess,' but a gift to him and to others," Pope Francis said in his homily at Mass.
 

BBM
I believe I share the same altar as it is the Body and the Blood of our Christ who is our Savior.
Again, I respect the Catholic church, but this is a great stumbling block for me.

[grace-land]

http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/05/31/pope_francis:_long_faces_cannot_proclaim_jesus/en1-697158

2013-05-31 12:55:24
Pope Francis: Long faces cannot proclaim Jesus

(Vatican Radio) The Holy Spirit is the "author" of Christian joy and to proclaim the Gospel we need to have joy in our hearts gifted us by the Spirit of God. There is a certain understanding of Christian life that is marked by sadness, but long faces cannot proclaim Jesus. Joy alone and praise of God are the only way to advance the Gospel. This was the focus of Pope Francis’ homily at morning Mass in Casa Santa Marta. Emer McCarthy reports:

Pope Francis began by commenting on the daily readings. The first reading, from the prophet Zephaniah, contains the exclamation "Rejoice! Cries of joy, the Lord is in your midst. " The second, from the Gospel, tells the story of Elizabeth and her son that "rejoices" in the womb on hearing the words of Mary. The Pope noted, "it all speaks of joy, the joy that is celebration." Yet, he continues, "we Christians are not so accustomed to speak of joy, of happiness", "I think often we prefer to complain". Instead, it is "the Holy Spirit that gives us joy":

"It’s the Spirit that guides us: He is the author of joy, the Creator of joy. And this joy in the Holy Spirit gives us true Christian freedom. Without joy, we Christians cannot become free, we become slaves to our sorrows. The great Paul VI said that you cannot advance the Gospel with sad, hopeless, discouraged Christians. You cannot. A certain mournful behavior, no? Often Christians behave as if they were going to a funeral procession rather than to praise God, no? And this joy comes from praise, Mary’s praise, this praise that Zephaniah speaks of, Simeon and Anna’s praise: this praise of God! "

And how do we praise God? We praise Him by coming out of ourselves, we praise Him "freely, like the grace that He gives us is free," said Pope Francis. This pushes us to an examination of conscience on how to pray to God, said Pope Francis, who then turned to those present with a question:

"You here at Mass, do you give praise to God or do you only petition God and thank God? Do you praise God? '. This is something new, new in our new spiritual life. Giving praise to God, coming out of ourselves to give praise; spending a little bit of time giving praise. But ‘this Mass is so long!’ If you do not praise God, you will never know the gratuity of spending time praising God, the Mass is long. But if you go with this attitude of joy, of praise to God, that is beautiful! This is what eternity will be: giving praise to God! And that will not be boring: it will be beautiful! This joy makes us free. "
 

[grace-land]

http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/05/30/interview_with_ior_president,_ernst_von_freyberg/en1-696987

2013-05-31 06:05:48
Interview with IOR President, Ernst von Freyberg

(Vatican Radio) The Vatican’s Institute for Religious Works, known by the acronym of its Italian title IOR, is not a bank. It neither lends money nor makes direct investments and all of its clients are named.

The mission of its newly appointed president, Ernst von Freyberg, is to restore its reputation as a transparent financial institution in line with international norms at the service of the Holy Father and its 19 thousand customers worldwide, most of whom are nuns and clergy. He believes communication is a key part of this mission and members of the Church and the society at large must be informed of the IOR’s activities.

In an interview with Vatican Radio’s Fr. Bernd Hagenkord S.J., von Freyberg dispels some myths about the IOR and reveals the challenges facing the institute, which has attracted keen media attention in recent years. And he confesses to having a ‘dream’: “My dream is a very clear one. My dream is that our reputation is such that people don’t think of us any more, when they think about the Vatican, but that they listen to what the Pope says.”
 

[grace-land]

http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/06/01/pope_francis:_mass_on_saturday_morning/en1-697510

2013-06-01 14:16:41
Pope Francis: Mass on Saturday morning

(Vatican Radio) “The Church is not a cultural organization,” but, “the family of Jesus.” This was the focus of Pope Francis’ remarks to the faithful gathered for Mass on Saturday morning in the Domus Sanctae Marthae residence at the Vatican. The Pope said that Christians should not be ashamed to live with the scandal of the Cross, and urged them not to be "trapped by the spirit of the world." Listen: RealAudioMP3

Pope Francis took the question put to Jesus by the scribes and chief priests, “By what authority are you doing these things?” as his starting point. Once again, he said, they were looking to set a trap for the Lord, trying to paint Him into a corner, to force Him to make a mistake. The Holy Father went on to ask why the scribes and Pharisees wanted to embarrass Jesus. ”Tthe problem that these people had,” said the Holy Father, was not that Jesus had performed miracles. Rather, he explained, “They were shocked that the demons cried out to Jesus, ‘You are the Son of God, You are the Holy One.” This is the thing about Jesus that really scandalises. “He is God who became incarnate.” For us, too, “do they set traps in life,” though, “[that characteristic] of the Church, which scandalises, is the mystery of the Incarnation of the Word, and, “this cannot be tolerated, this the devil will not suffer.”:

“How many times do you hear people say: ‘But you Christians, be a bit more normal, like other people: be reasonable!’ This is a speech by snake charmers, to be sure: ‘But, be normal, OK? A little more normal, do not be so strict.” But behind this is: ‘Please, do not come with [your] tales, [about] God who became man!’ The Incarnation of the Word: that is the scandal behind it! We can do all the social work we want, and they will say, ‘How nice, the Church, what good social work the Church does’. But if we say that we do this because those people [we help] are the flesh of Christ, there is scandal. And that is the truth, that is the revelation of Jesus: that presence of Jesus incarnate.”
 

[grace-land]

http://www.catholicworldreport.com/Blog/2297/a_holy_hour_with_pope_francis__sunday_june_2_11_am_et.aspx#.UarlBr4o7IV

A Holy Hour with Pope Francis – Sunday, June 2, 11 am ET
June 01, 2013 09:10 EST

As was announced earlier this week by the Holy See, tomorrow, Sunday June 2, a worldwide hour of Eucharistic adoration will be held, starting at 5 pm in Rome (that is, 11 am Eastern Time). Pope Francis will lead the Holy Hour from St. Peter’s Basilica (to be broadcast live here).

From the Vatican Information Service, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization, explains the significance of the event, the theme of which is “One Lord, One Faith”:
 
 

[Sister]

http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/05/31/pope_francis:_long_faces_cannot_proclaim_jesus/en1-697158

2013-05-31 12:55:24
Pope Francis: Long faces cannot proclaim Jesus

(Vatican Radio) The Holy Spirit is the "author" of Christian joy and to proclaim the Gospel we need to have joy in our hearts gifted us by the Spirit of God. There is a certain understanding of Christian life that is marked by sadness, but long faces cannot proclaim Jesus. Joy alone and praise of God are the only way to advance the Gospel. This was the focus of Pope Francis’ homily at morning Mass in Casa Santa Marta. Emer McCarthy reports:

Pope Francis began by commenting on the daily readings. The first reading, from the prophet Zephaniah, contains the exclamation "Rejoice! Cries of joy, the Lord is in your midst. " The second, from the Gospel, tells the story of Elizabeth and her son that "rejoices" in the womb on hearing the words of Mary. The Pope noted, "it all speaks of joy, the joy that is celebration." Yet, he continues, "we Christians are not so accustomed to speak of joy, of happiness", "I think often we prefer to complain". Instead, it is "the Holy Spirit that gives us joy":

"It’s the Spirit that guides us: He is the author of joy, the Creator of joy. And this joy in the Holy Spirit gives us true Christian freedom. Without joy, we Christians cannot become free, we become slaves to our sorrows. The great Paul VI said that you cannot advance the Gospel with sad, hopeless, discouraged Christians. You cannot. A certain mournful behavior, no? Often Christians behave as if they were going to a funeral procession rather than to praise God, no? And this joy comes from praise, Mary’s praise, this praise that Zephaniah speaks of, Simeon and Anna’s praise: this praise of God! "

And how do we praise God? We praise Him by coming out of ourselves, we praise Him "freely, like the grace that He gives us is free," said Pope Francis. This pushes us to an examination of conscience on how to pray to God, said Pope Francis, who then turned to those present with a question:

"You here at Mass, do you give praise to God or do you only petition God and thank God? Do you praise God? '. This is something new, new in our new spiritual life. Giving praise to God, coming out of ourselves to give praise; spending a little bit of time giving praise. But ‘this Mass is so long!’ If you do not praise God, you will never know the gratuity of spending time praising God, the Mass is long. But if you go with this attitude of joy, of praise to God, that is beautiful! This is what eternity will be: giving praise to God! And that will not be boring: it will be beautiful! This joy makes us free. "
 

Amen, amen and amen!

[grace-land]

http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/06/02/pope_francis_leads_worldwide_eucharistic_adoration/en1-697792

2013-06-02 18:45:57
Pope Francis leads worldwide Eucharistic Adoration

Vatican Radio) Millions of people around the world took part in an hour of Solemn Eucharistic Adoration on Sunday evening.

Pope Francis led the unprecedented, worldwide event from Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Catholic faithful throughout the world took part in their own Cathedrals and churches, and followed the event on television, radio, and the internet.

The Holy Father asked that this time of Eucharistic Adoration be offered especially for:
 
Solemn Adoration consisted of Gospel readings taken from Christ’s Eucharistic discourse in the Gospel of Saint John, chapter six, along with traditional Eucharistic hymns and chants. Prayers from each of the past six popes, beginning with Pope Pius XII and concluding with Pope Benedict XVI, were offered during Adoration, with invocations for the needs of all mankind.

The ceremony concluded with the Tantum ergo and solemn benediction with the Blessed Sacrament by Pope Francis.

[grace-land]

http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/06/02/pope_francis:_war_is_the_suicide_of_humanity/en1-697748

2013-06-02 15:59:27
Pope Francis: war is the suicide of humanity

(Vatican Radio) “War is the suicide of humanity because it kills the heart and kills love,” Pope Francis said in his homily at Mass this morning at the Casa Santa Marta. In attendance at the Mass was a group of about 80 people, consisting of relatives of Italian soldiers killed in peacekeeping missions in the last 4-5 years, particularly in Afghanistan, along with a number of soldiers wounded during the same missions.
listen to the report... RealAudioMP3

June 2nd is “Republic Day” in Italy, which commemorates the foundation of the Italian republic in 1946. Archbishop Vincenzo Pelvi, the head of the Military Ordinary in Italy, who concelebrated Mass with the Holy Father, said it is a “significant day” in which the country expresses “a debt of love for military families.”

“The Lord hears the prayers of everyone!” – not only Solomon’s prayers on the day of the consecration of the Temple, but also the prayer of all of us. Pope Francis emphasised that fact, citing the Gospel story of the centurion who goes to Jesus to ask for the healing of his servant. He said our God is such that He hears the prayers of each one of us – not as an “anonymous” mass of prayers, but the prayers of each and every individual. "Our God is the God of the great and the God of small, our God is personal," He listens to everyone with His heart, and loves “from the heart”:

"Today we have come to pray for our dead, for our wounded, for the victims of the madness that is war! It is the suicide of humanity, because it kills the heart, it kills precisely that which is the message of the Lord: it kills love! Because war comes from hatred, from envy, from desire for power, and – we’ve seen it many times - it comes from that hunger for more power.”
 

[grace-land]

http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/06/02/angelus:_convert_to_faith_in_providence/en1-697685

2013-06-02 13:16:02
Angelus: Convert to faith in providence

(Vatican Radio) More than 100,000 pilgrims were in Saint Peter’s Square on Sunday for the Pope’s weekly Angelus address. On a beautiful June day, Pope Francis spoke about the Feast of Corpus Christi, “the feast of the Eucharist, the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ.” 

This feast, the Holy Father said, “calls us to convert to faith in Providence, to be able to share the little that we are and that we have, and never to close in on ourselves.”

Below, please find Vatican Radio's translation of the complete text of Pope Francis’ catechesis during the Sunday Angelus:

Dear brothers and sisters,

Last Thursday we celebrated the Feast of Corpus Christi, which in Italy and other countries is transferred to Sunday. It is the Feast of the Eucharist, the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ.

The Gospel tells the story of the miracle of the loaves (Luke 9:11-17). I want to focus on one aspect that always strikes me and makes me think. We are on the shore of Lake Galilee, the evening draws near, Jesus cares for the people who have been with him for so many hours: there are thousands of them, and they are hungry. What to do? The disciples are discussing the problem, and they say to Jesus, “Dismiss the crowd” so that they can go into the neighboring villages to find food. But Jesus says, “Give them some food yourselves” (v. 13). The disciples are unsettled, and they respond, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have,” as if to say: just enough for ourselves.

Jesus knows very well what to do, but wants to involve his disciples, He wants to teach them. The attitude of the disciples is human attitude, an attitude that seeks the most realistic solution, a solution that does not create too many problems: Dismiss the crowd - they say - let each one arrange what he can for himself; for the rest, you have already done so much for them: you preached, you healed the sick...Dimiss the crowd
 

[grace-land]

http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/06/03/pope_francis:_the_corrupt_harm_the_church;_the_saints_are_a_light_fo/en1-698006

2013-06-03 15:23:53
Pope Francis: the corrupt harm the Church; the saints are a light for all

Sinners, the corrupt, and saints: Pope Francis focused on these three groups in his homily for Mass Monday morning in at the Casa Santa Marta. The Pope said the corrupt do great harm to the Church because they are worshipers of themselves; the saints, on the other hand, do great good, they are lights in the Church.

What happens when we want to become the owners of the vineyard? The parable of the wicked tenants in Monday's Gospel reading provided the starting point for Pope Francis’ homily, which focused on “the three models of Christians in the Church: sinners, corrupt persons; and the saints.” The Pope noted that “there is no need to talk too much about sinners, because we are all sinners." "We recognize this from the inside,” he continued, “and we know what a sinner is. If any one of us does not feel that way, he should make a visit to a spiritual doctor” because “something is wrong.” The parable, however, presents us with another figure, the figure of those who want “to take possession of the vineyard, and who have lost the relationship with the Master of the vineyard,” a Master who, “has called us with love, who protects us, but who then gives us freedom.” Those who would take possession of the vineyard, “think they are strong, they think they are independent of God”:

“These, slowly, slipped on that autonomy, that independence in their relationship with God: ‘We don’t need that Master, who shouldn’t come and disturb us!’ And we go forward with this. These are the corrupt! These were sinners like all of us, but they have taken a step beyond that, as if they were confirmed in their sin: they don’t need God! But it only seems so, for in their genetic code there is this relationship with God. And since they can’t deny this, they make a special god: they themselves are god. They are corrupt.”
 

[grace-land]

http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/06/03/pope_francis_remembers_bl_pope_john_xxiii_(full_text)/en1-698062

2013-06-03 18:45:42
Pope Francis remembers Bl Pope John XXIII (full text)



(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis addressed a group of pilgrims from the Italian diocese of Bergamo on Monday evening in St Peter's Basilica, where they had gathered to mark the 50th anniversary of the passing of one of their most illustrious sons, Blessed Pope John XXIII. Below, please find Vatican Radio's English translation of the Holy Father's prepared remarks.
****************************************************************
Dear friends of the Diocese of Bergamo,

I am pleased to welcome you here, at the tomb of the Apostle Peter, in this place that is home to every Catholic. I affectionately greet your Pastor, Bishop Francesco Beschi, and thank him for the kind words he addressed to me on behalf of all.

Exactly fifty years ago, just at this moment, Blessed John XXIII left this world. Those who, like me, [are of] a certain age, retain a vivid memory of the commotion that spread everywhere in those days: St. Peter’s Square had become a sanctuary in the open, day and night welcoming the faithful of all ages and social conditions, in trepidation and prayer for the Pope's health. The whole world had recognized in Pope John a pastor and a father: a shepherd because [he was] father. What made him such? How could he reach the hearts of so many different people, even many non-Christians? To answer this question, we can refer to his episcopal motto, oboedientia et pax: obedience and peace. “These words,” noted the then-Archbishop Roncalli on the eve of his episcopal ordination, “are [in a way] my story and my life.” (Journal of a Soul, retreat in preparation for consecration as bishop, 13-17 March 1925)
 

[grace-land]

http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/06/04/pope_at_mass:_hypocrisy_is_the_language_of_the_corrupt_/en1-698225

2013-06-04 11:37:33
Pope at Mass: Hypocrisy is the language of the corrupt

(Vatican Radio) Hypocrites may say all the right things, but for the wrong reasons. A Christian should not use a "socially mannered language", prone to hypocrisy, but speak the truth of the Gospel with the transparency of a child. There is no truth without love; love is the first truth.This was the lesson drawn by Pope Francis at morning Mass Tuesday in Casa Santa Marta. Emer McCarthy reports:

From the corrupt to their language of choice: hypocrisy. Pope Francis continued his thread of thought from Monday’s homily in his reflections on the episode recounted in the Gospel of the day: The tribute due to Caesar, and the Pharisees and of the Herodians’ subtle questioning of Christ on the legitimacy of that tribute.

Pope Francis noted that the intention with which they approach Jesus is to make him "fall into a trap." Their question whether it is lawful or not to pay taxes to Caesar is made "with soft words, with beautiful words, with overly sweet words . "They try to show themselves his friends." But it is all false. Pope Francis says this is because, "they do not love the truth" but only themselves, "and so they try to deceive, to involve others in their deceit, their lies. They have a lying heart, they cannot tell the truth ":

"Hypocrisy is the very language of corruption. And when Jesus speaks to his disciples, he says: 'let your language be,' Yes, yes! No, no '. Hypocrisy is not a language of truth, because the truth is never given alone. Never! It is always given with love! There is no truth without love. Love is the first truth. If there is no love, there is no truth. They want a true enslaved to their interests. There is a love, of sorts: it is love of self, love for oneself. That narcissist idolatry that leads them to betray others, that leads them to abuse of trust. "
 

[grace-land]

http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/06/05/pope_francis_at_mass:_crying_out_to_god_for_succour/en1-698600

2013-06-05 13:09:17
Pope Francis at Mass: crying out to God for succour

(Vatican Radio) Lamenting one’s suffering to God is not a sin, but a prayer of the heart that reaches the Lord: this was Pope Francis’ reflection at Mass Wednesday morning in the chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae residence at the Vatican, with the presence of some members of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments and of the Vatican Apostolic Library. Among others, the Prefect of the Congregation, Cardinal Antonio Cañizares Llovera; Archbishop Joseph DiNoia, secretary of the same Congregation; and Monsignor Cesare Pasini, Prefect of the Library. Listen: RealAudioMP3

The story of Tobit and Sarah, reported in the first reading of the day, was the focus of the Pope’s homily: Two just people who live dramatic situations. The first is blinded despite his performing good works, even risking his life, and the second marries seven men in turn, each of whom dies before their wedding night. Both, in their great sorrow, pray to God to let them die. “They are people in extreme situations,” explained Pope Francis, “and they seek a way out.” He said, “They complain,” but, “they do not blaspheme.”:

“To lament before God is not a sin. A priest I know once said to a woman who lamented to God about her misfortune: ‘But, madam, that is a form of prayer. Go ahead [with it].’ The Lord hears, He listens to our complaints. Think of the greats, of Job, when in chapter III (he says): ‘Cursed be the day I came into the world,’ and Jeremiah, in the twentieth chapter: ‘Cursed be the day’ – they complain even cursing, not the Lord, but the situation, right? It is only human.”
 

[grace-land]

http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/06/05/pope_at_audience:_counter_a_culture_of_waste_with_solidarity/en1-698604

2013-06-05 13:21:11
Pope at audience: Counter a culture of waste with solidarity

(Vatican Radio) When stock markets drop ten points its ‘a tragedy’ but starving children, homeless people dying on our streets, people disposed of like trash - such as the unborn or the elderly - has become the norm.

This is the result of a culture of waste, of our being unable to ‘read the signs’ of God’s creation, His free gift to us, and of allowing money and not man rule society. A culture of solidarity should prevail over our culture of waste, because when we care for and cultivate creation – including the human person – when we share our resources, we all have enough.

This Wednesday Pope Francis dedicated his general audience with thousands of pilgrims and visitors to St Peter’s square to the UN World Environment Day. Emer McCarthy reports: RealAudioMP3

Below please find a Vatican Radio translation of the Holy Father’s catechesis:

Catechesis

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
 

[grace-land]

This homily was given on Thursday, May 6.

http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/06/06/pope_at_mass:_the_subtle_danger_of_idolatry_/en1-698887

2013-06-06 11:59:02
Pope at Mass: The subtle danger of idolatry

(Vatican Radio) Everyone has "small or not so small" idolatries in their lives, but the road that leads to God is one of exclusive love for Him, as Jesus taught us. This was the focus of Pope Francis’ morning Mass at Casa Santa Marta Friday. Emer McCarthy reports: RealAudioMP3

As is custom the Pope reflected on the daily readings and the Gospel episode that recounts the scribe who approached Jesus to ask which, in his opinion, "is the first of all the commandments". Pope Francis noted that the scribe’s intentions were probably “far from innocent”, that he gives the impression of wanting to "test" Christ, if not to "make him fall into a trap". The scribe approves of Jesus’ answer – where he quotes from the bible: " Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone!"- and Christ responds with the comment: “You are not far from the kingdom of God". Pope Francis said that, in essence, with that "you are not far" Jesus wanted to say to the scribe: "You know the theory very well," but "you are still some distance from the Kingdom of God", that is, you have to walk to “transform this commandment into reality”, because we “profess God through our way of life":

"It’s not enough to say: 'But I believe in God, God is the only God.' That’s fine, but how do you live this out in your life’s journey? Because we can say, 'The Lord is the only God, there is no other', but then live as if He was not the only God and have other deities at our disposal ... There is a danger of ' idolatry: idolatry, which is brought to us through the spirit of the world. And in this Jesus was clear: the spirit of the world, no. At the Last Supper he asks the Father to defend us from the spirit of the world, because the spirit of the world leads us to idolatry. "
 

[grace-land]

http://www.catholicworldreport.com/Blog/2305/francis_wont_spend_his_summer_at_castel_gandolfo.aspx#.UbFOZb4o7IU

Francis won’t spend his summer at Castel Gandolfo
June 06, 2013 01:38 EST

The Vatican’s Prefecture of the Pontifical Household announced today that, in a break from the practice of many of his predecessors, Pope Francis will not spend the summer months at the papal residence at Castel Gandolfo. While “he will occasionally travel” to the town 15 miles outside of Rome, the announcement stated that Francis will continue to reside at the Vatican’s Domus Sanctae Marthae, where he has lived since his election in March.

Francis will observe the lighter summer schedule typical of his predecessors; Wednesday General Audiences will not be held during the month of July, and the daily papal Masses held in the Domus Sanctae Marthae chapel will end July 7. Francis will travel to Brazil for World Youth Day from July 22-29.

Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, didn’t offer an explanation for why Francis declined to spend his summer at Castel Gandolfo, although he pointed out that he never went away during the summer months as archbishop of Buenos Aires.
 

 

[grace-land]

http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/06/07/pope_at_mass:_the_science_of_tenderness/en1-699286

2013-06-07 12:19:50
Pope at Mass: The science of tenderness

(Vatican Radio) It’s harder to open our hearts and let God love us than to love God in return. But the only way to really love Him is to love others, especially the poor. God is an expert in the science of tenderness and we should allow ourselves to be loved by Him. This was Pope Francis’ message at morning Mass Friday on the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Emer McCarthy reports: RealAudioMP3

Pope Francis referred to the solemnity as “the feast of love” of a “heart that loved so much” and repeated several times during his homily that Jesus loved us not with His words but with His deeds and his life. A love which, St. Ignatius said, "manifests itself more in deeds than in words" and that is especially "more giving than receiving." Pope Francis said "these two criteria are like the pillars of true love" and the Good Shepherd above all else represents the love of God. He knows His sheep by name, "because His is not an abstract or general love: it is love towards everyone ".

"A God who draws near out of love, walks with His people, and this walk comes to an unimaginable point. We could never have imagined that the same Lord would become one of us and walk with us, be present with us, present in His Church, present in the Eucharist, present in His Word, present in the poor, He is present, walking with us. And this is closeness: the shepherd close to his flock, close to his sheep, whom he knows, one by one.
 

[grace-land]

http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/06/07/pope_launches_into_spontaneous_qa_with_students/en1-699446

2013-06-07 17:22:41
Pope launches into spontaneous Q&A with students

(Vatican Radio) In a style that seems to have almost become signature of the current pontificate, Pope Francis stepped out of yet another scripted session to engage in a spontaneous question-and-answer period with hundreds of children and teens.

The papal audience in the Paul VI Hall with students, teachers and staff of Jesuit grade schools and high schools on Friday became a friendly dialogue between the 76-year-old pontiff and the young people.

The students, who had come from six Italian cities and one school in Albania, were passing the time singing a Christian rap song, when the Pope entered the hall unannounced. At his sighting, they immediately erupted into cheers and applause.

In response, it seems, Pope Francis decided to put his five-page written message aside.

“I prepared a text, but it’s five pages! A little boring,” he said to the young people, who responded with laughter.

He proposed to give short summary and then take questions from the students instead.

With sensitivity and humour, the Pope answered 10 frank questions, that ranged from his priestly vocation to his decision to forego the usual papal apartment.

When asked if it was a difficult to leave his family and friends and become a priest, the pope said it was. “It is not easy but there are beautiful moments and Jesus helps you and gives you some joy.”

When asked why he wanted to join the Jesuits, he said he wanted to be a missionary and he was attracted by the religious order’s missionary zeal and activity.

When asked why he decided to renounce the usual papal apartment, he said it was a question of personality, not of luxury.

“I have a need to live among people.” he said. “If I were to live alone, perhaps a little isolate, it would not be good for me. … It is my personality. … It is not an issue of personal virtue, it is only that I cannot live alone.”