Pope Francis

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http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/all-priests-will-be-able-forgive-sin-of-abortion-during-jubilee-for-mercy-11726/

All priests will be able to forgive sin of abortion during Jubilee for Mercy

Vatican City, Sep 1, 2015 / 06:33 am (CNA/EWTN News).- In a new set of pastoral guidelines for the upcoming Holy Year of Mercy, Pope Francis has made some significant moves, allowing all priests to forgive the sin of abortion and granting SSPX priests the faculty to forgive sins.

“One of the serious problems of our time is clearly the changed relationship with respect to life,” the Pope said in a Sept. 1 letter addressed to Archbishop Rino Fisichela, president of the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization, charged with organizing the jubilee.

In today’s society, “a widespread and insensitive mentality” has become an obstacle to welcoming new life, with many who don’t fully understand the deep harm done by the “tragedy of abortion,” he said.

However, Francis also noted that there are many women who, despite thinking abortion is wrong, feel that they have no other choice.

“I am well aware of the pressure that has led them to this decision. I know that it is an existential and moral ordeal. I have met so many women who bear in their heart the scar of this agonizing and painful decision,” he said.

A woman who obtains an abortion automatically incurs a "latae sententiae" excommunication, along with those who assisted her in the process. Because of this excommunication, the sin of abortion can normally only be absolved by a bishop, or certain priests appointed by him.

For specific occasions such as Advent or Lent, some bishops extend this faculty to all priests within their diocese. In the U.S., the faculty to absolve abortion has already been delegated to all priests.

However, Pope Francis is taking it to a universal level. He said that the forgiveness of God can’t be denied to a person who has sincerely repented, especially when the person comes to the Sacrament of Confession in order to be genuinely reconciled with the Father.

Because of this, Francis said, he has allowed all priests for the Jubilee of Mercy “to absolve of the sin of abortion those who have procured it and who, with contrite heart, seek forgiveness for it.”

In another significant move, Francis has also allowed priests from the Society of St Pius X to “validly and licitly” hear confessions during the Holy Year.
 

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http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2015/09/01/holy_year_pope_tells_priests_not_to_deny_gods_forgiveness_/1168786

Holy Year: Pope tells priests not to deny God's forgiveness to those who repent
01/09/2015 12:11

 
Please find below the full text of the Pope's letter:

To My Venerable Brother
 Archbishop Rino Fisichella
 President of the Pontifical Council
 for the Promotion of the New Evangelization

    With the approach of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy I would like to focus on several points which I believe require attention to enable the celebration of the Holy Year to be for all believers a true moment of encounter with the mercy of God. It is indeed my wish that the Jubilee be a living experience of the closeness of the Father, whose tenderness is almost tangible, so that the faith of every believer may be strengthened and thus testimony to it be ever more effective.

    My thought first of all goes to all the faithful who, whether in individual Dioceses or as pilgrims to Rome, will experience the grace of the Jubilee. I wish that the Jubilee Indulgence may reach each one as a genuine experience of God’s mercy, which comes to meet each person in the Face of the Father who welcomes and forgives, forgetting completely the sin committed. To experience and obtain the Indulgence, the faithful are called to make a brief pilgrimage to the Holy Door,  open in every Cathedral or in the churches designated by the Diocesan Bishop, and in the four Papal Basilicas in Rome, as a sign of the deep desire for true conversion. Likewise, I dispose that the Indulgence may be obtained in the Shrines in which the Door of Mercy is open and in the churches which traditionally are identified as Jubilee Churches. It is important that this moment be linked, first and foremost, to the Sacrament of Reconciliation and to the celebration of the Holy Eucharist with a reflection on mercy. It will be necessary to accompany these celebrations with the profession of faith and with prayer for me and for the intentions that I bear in my heart for the good of the Church and of the entire world.

    Additionally, I am thinking of those for whom, for various reasons, it will be impossible to enter the Holy Door, particularly the sick and people who are elderly and alone, often confined to the home. For them it will be of great help to live their sickness and suffering as an experience of closeness to the Lord who in the mystery of his Passion, death and Resurrection indicates the royal road which gives meaning to pain and loneliness. Living with faith and joyful hope this moment of trial, receiving communion or attending Holy Mass and community prayer, even through the various means of communication, will be for them the means of obtaining the Jubilee Indulgence. My thoughts also turn to those incarcerated, whose freedom is limited. The Jubilee Year has always constituted an opportunity for great amnesty, which is intended to include the many people who, despite deserving punishment, have become conscious of the injustice they worked and sincerely wish to re-enter society and make their honest contribution to it. May they all be touched in a tangible way by the mercy of the Father who wants to be close to those who have the greatest need of his forgiveness. They may obtain the Indulgence in the chapels of the prisons. May the gesture of  directing their thought and prayer to the Father each time they cross the threshold of their cell signify for them their passage through the Holy Door, because the mercy of God is able to transform hearts, and is also able to transform bars into an experience of freedom.

    I have asked the Church in this Jubilee Year to rediscover the richness encompassed by the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. The experience of mercy, indeed, becomes visible in the witness of concrete signs as Jesus himself taught us. Each time that one of the faithful personally performs one or more of these actions, he or she shall surely obtain the Jubilee Indulgence. Hence the commitment to live by mercy so as to obtain the grace of complete and exhaustive forgiveness by the power of the love of the Father who excludes no one. The Jubilee Indulgence is thus full, the fruit of the very event which is to be celebrated and experienced with faith, hope and charity.

    Furthermore, the Jubilee Indulgence can also be obtained for the deceased. We are bound to them by the witness of faith and charity that they have left us. Thus, as we remember them in the Eucharistic celebration, thus we can, in the great mystery of the Communion of Saints, pray for them, that the merciful Face of the Father free them of every remnant of fault and strongly embrace them in the unending beatitude.

    One of the serious problems of our time is clearly the changed relationship with respect to life. A widespread and insensitive mentality has led to the loss of the proper personal and social sensitivity to welcome new life. The tragedy of abortion is experienced by some with a superficial awareness, as if not realizing the extreme harm that such an act entails. Many others, on the other hand, although experiencing this moment as a defeat, believe they they have no other option. I think in particular of all the women who have resorted to abortion. I am well aware of the pressure that has led them to this decision. I know that it is an existential and moral ordeal. I have met so many women who bear in their heart the scar of this agonizing and painful decision. What has happened is profoundly unjust; yet only understanding the truth of it can enable one not to lose hope. The forgiveness of God cannot be denied to one who has repented, especially when that person approaches the Sacrament of Confession with a sincere heart in order to obtain reconciliation with the Father. For this reason too, I have decided, notwithstanding anything to the contrary, to concede to all priests for the Jubilee Year the discretion to absolve of the sin of abortion those who have procured it and who, with contrite heart, seek forgiveness for it. May priests fulfil this great task by expressing words of genuine welcome combined with a reflection that explains the gravity of the sin committed, besides indicating a path of authentic conversion by which to obtain the true and generous forgiveness of the Father who renews all with his presence.

    A final consideration concerns those faithful who for various reasons choose to attend churches officiated by priests of the Fraternity of St Pius X. This Jubilee Year of Mercy excludes no one. From various quarters, several Brother Bishops have told me of their good faith and sacramental practice, combined however with an uneasy situation from the pastoral standpoint. I trust that in the near future solutions may be found to recover full communion with the priests and superiors of the Fraternity. In the meantime, motivated by the need to respond to the good of these faithful, through my own disposition, I establish that those who during the Holy Year of Mercy  approach these priests of the Fraternity of St Pius X to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation shall validly and licitly receive the absolution of their sins.

    Trusting in the intercession of the Mother of Mercy, I entrust the preparations for this Extraordinary Jubilee Year to her protection.

    From the Vatican,
     1 September 2015

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Interesting articles in my opinion--

http://americamagazine.org/content/all-things/what-pope-francis-said-about-abortion
What Pope Francis Said About Abortion
Thomas Rosica, C.S.B. | Sep 1 2015 - 3:30pm

http://whispersintheloggia.blogspot.com/2015/09/the-great-amnesty-for-jubilee-of-mercy.html
Tuesday, September 01, 2015
The "Great Amnesty" – For Jubilee of Mercy, Pope Opens Doors to "Forgiveness"... and Misinterpretation

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http://www.news.va/en/news/general-audience-love-of-family-combats-city-deser

General Audience: love of family combats city desertification
2015-09-02 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) An estimated 15 thousand people were in St Peter’s Square for the Pope’s General audience on Wednesday, as he continued his catechesis on the family, which this week focused on the importance of families in spreading the faith. The Holy Father underlined that by creating the foundations of a solid faith in the home, the fruits are revealed in a more humane society.

The Pope said that the alliance of the family with God is called today to combat, what he called, the communal desertification of the modern city. He continued by saying that no political and economic policy can replace the contribution that families make to society, adding that we need to open up the love and warmth of the family to the city.
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-audience-war-never-again

Pope Audience: War never again
2015-09-02 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) At a time when people are experiencing trouble and conflict in many countries, Pope Francis at the end of his General Audience on Wednesday made a heartfelt appeal for peace. Recalling  the end of  Second World War in the Far East, the Holy Father prayed that the world would never again have to experience the horrors of “such tragedies”.

Quoting the words of Blessed Pope Paul VI, “War never again”, he stressed, that this is also the lasting desire of those who are victims of conflicts. The Pope made particular mention of persecuted minorities, persecuted Christians and he spoke of the madness of destruction, those involved in the manufacturing and trafficking of weapons, arms, he said bathed in the  blood of so many innocent people.
 
http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/general-audience-on-families-sharing-the-faith
GENERAL AUDIENCE: On Families Sharing the Faith
Vatican City,  September 02, 2015

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http://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/2405/0/majority-of-us-catholics-believe-abortion-is-a-sin

Majority of US Catholics believe abortion is a sin
02 September 2015 16:14 by Sean Smith

Little more than half of American Catholics regard abortion as a sin, according to a new comprehensive survey on Catholicism ahead of the Pope's visit to the US later this month.

Only 57 per cent of Catholics in the United States agreed with the statement that it is sinful to have an abortion compared with 48 per cent of the US general public, according to the study carried out by the Pew Research Center. However, that figure rises to 60 per cent among the young (18-29-year-olds). The issue has been seen as highly contentious for Catholics who make up nearly a quarter of the total US population.

And the study found that although the number of Catholics is dropping almost a half of the US population (45 per cent) now identifies itself as having a Catholic connection in some way, whether it be through being a practising or ex-Catholic, or through a spouse.

The survey also found large numbers of Catholics not regarding as sinful the use of contraceptives (66 per cent) and cohabitation (54 per cent), divorce and remarriage without an annulment (49 per cent).
 
http://www.pewforum.org/2015/09/02/u-s-catholics-open-to-non-traditional-families/
September 2, 2015
U.S. Catholics Open to Non-Traditional Families

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Papal visit to Philadelphia...

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2015/09/02/secret-service-papal-visit-walking-map/#.VedREoUkFvs.twitter

Secret Service Unveils Pedestrian Walking Map For Papal Visit
September 2, 2015 3:39 PM


(credit: US Secret Service)

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — The Secret Service released a Pedestrian Walking Map for the 2015 Papal Visit on Wednesday.
 

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Papal visit to Philadelphia...

http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-pope-francis-visit-tickets-required-20150902-story.html

Guess what? You'll need a ticket to see the pope in Philly
September 2, 2015, 7:21 PM

Your chances of seeing Pope Francis up close and personal in Philadelphia just got harder — unless you go to a Catholic church in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia..

Access to most of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, where the pope will visit a festival and say Mass on Sept. 26-27, will require tickets — and they will be distributed almost entirely to parishes in the archdiocese, which comprises Bucks, Montgomery, Chester, Delaware and Philadelphia counties.

Until now, the website of the World Meeting of Families, which is hosting the visit, had said no tickets would be required for the Saturday Festival of Families and the Mass the following day.

But a Secret Service security map, released Wednesday, shows a ticketed area stretching from above the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where Francis will say Mass, to Logan Circle, about a mile away
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-the-astonishment-at-the-encounter-wit

Pope Francis: The astonishment at the encounter with Jesus
2015-09-03 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) The capacity to recognize ourselves as sinners opens us to the astonishment at the encounter with Jesus: that was the message of Pope Francis Thursday morning during Mass for the feast of Saint Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church.

Pope Francis’ homily focused on the day’s Gospel reading which tells the story of the miraculous catch of fish. After working throughout the night without catching anything, Peter, trusting in Jesus, cast his nets into the sea. The Holy Father used this story to speak about faith as an encounter with the Lord. First of all, he said, it pleases me to consider the fact that Jesus spent the greater part of His time in the street, with the people; then, later in evening, He went away by Himself to pray – but He encountered the people, He sought the people.” For our part, we have two ways of encountering the Lord. The first is that of Peter, of the Apostles, of the people:

“The Gospel uses the same word for these people, for the people, for the Apostles, for Peter: they were ‘astonished.’ ‘Astonishment, in fact, seized him, and all those with him.’ When this feeling of astonishment comes… And the people heard Jesus and what He said and felt this astonishment: ‘But this one speaks with authority. A man has never spoken with this [authority].’ Another group that encounters Jesus did not allow this astonishment to enter into their hearts. The doctors of the law heard Jesus, they made their calculations: “Well, he is intelligent, he is a man who says true things, but we do not agree with these things, no!’ They made their calculations, they kept their distance.”
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-meets-israeli-president-in-the-vatica

Pope Francis meets Israeli President in the Vatican
2015-09-03 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis met Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin in the Vatican on Thursday (3rd August) and held talks that focused on the situation in the Middle East and bilateral relations.

A statement was issued afterwards by the Holy See’s Press Office which said that in addition to meeting Pope Francis, the Israeli Head of State also held talks afterwards with the (Vatican) Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, accompanied by the Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Paul Gallagher.

It said during the “cordial discussions” the two parties discussed “the political and social situation in the Middle East plagued by various conflicts, paying particular attention to the situation concerning Christians and other minority groups.” They also stressed “the importance of interreligious dialogue and the responsibility of religious leaders to promote reconciliation and peace.”

The statement went on to say that the talks covered “the need and the urgency to promote a climate of trust between Israelis and Palestinians and to restart direct negotiations to reach an accord that respects the legitimate aspirations of the two Peoples, as a fundamental contribution to peace and stability in the region.”
 

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http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/the-vatican/detail/articolo/giubileo2015-lefebvriani-43104/

09/ 2/2015
Society of St. Pius X thanks Pope for his “fatherly gesture”

Bishop Bernard Fellay
The Fraternity of St. Pius X has expressed its gratitude to Pope Francis for his “fatherly gesture”, in a statement issued by the General House of the Society, in Metzingen, headed by the Superior General, Bishop Bernard Fellay.

“The Society of St. Pius X learned, through the press, of the provisions taken by Pope Francis on the occasion of the upcoming Holy Year,” the Lefebvrians write in their statement, dated 1 September. “In the last paragraph of his letter addressed September 1, 2015, to Archbishop Rino Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization, the Holy Father writes: ‘I establish that those who during the Holy Year of Mercy approach these priests of the Society of St Pius X to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation shall validly and licitly receive the absolution of their sins’.”

“The Society of St. Pius X,” the statement continues, “expresses its gratitude to the Sovereign Pontiff for this fatherly gesture. In the ministry of the sacrament of penance, we have always relied, with all certainty, on the extraordinary jurisdiction conferred by the Normae generales of the Code of Canon Law. On the occasion of this Holy Year, Pope Francis wants all the faithful who wish to confess to the priests of the Society of St. Pius X to be able to do so without being worried.”
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-sowing-divisions-is-a-sickness-in-the

Pope Francis: Sowing divisions is a sickness in the Church
2015-09-04 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis says sowing divisions and discord is a sickness within the Church and described a person who indulges in gossip as like a terrorist who throws bombs. His comments came during his homily at his Friday (4th September) Mass in the Santa Marta residence.

Taking his inspiration from St Paul’s letter to the Colossians where the Apostle spoke of how Christ was sent by God to sow reconciliation and peace among humanity, Pope Francis’s homily was a reflection on the need to sow peace rather than discord in our daily lives.

Do I sow peace or do I sow discord?

He said without Jesus no peace or reconciliation is possible and our task is to be men and women of peace and reconciliation in the midst of news about war and hatred, even within families.
 

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http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/the-vatican/detail/articolo/francesco-francis-francisco-teologia-theology-teologia-43157/

09/ 4/2015
“Doctrine and pastoral care are tied together. Fleshless theology becomes ideology”

Doctrine and pastoral care are linked, just as prayer and life are. They cannot be separated. Francis said this in a video-message sent to the International Congress of Theology in Buenos Aires, which concluded yesterday. The Pope’s carefully thought-out words are also connected in some way to the Synod debate on the family. 

“Any attempt, any intention to reduce communication and to break the relationship between the Tradition received and concrete reality places the faith of God’s people at risk,” the Pope said. “To break this communication will easily lead to us turning our outlook and our theology into an ideology.”

Francis then explained that “Christians in today’s Argentina are not the same as they were in in Argentina 100 years ago. Christians live their faith differently in India, in Canada and in Rome. Thus, one of the main tasks of a theologian is to discern and reflect: what does it mean to be a Christian today?, in the “here and now”? How does this river of origins manage to irrigate these lands and become visible and liveable?”

“To make this challenge our own,” the Pope added, “we need to overcome two possible temptations: that of condemning everything, clinging to the phrase “all was better in the past”, taking refuge in conservatism and fundamentalism. Or on the contrary, legitimising everything, diminishing anything that brings nothing new, relativizing all the wisdom of our rich ecclesial heritage. The way to overcoming these temptations is reflection, discernment, taking ecclesial Tradition and reality seriously, creating a dialogue between them.”
 

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REMINDER...TONIGHT!

http://www.thecompassnews.org/2015/08/pope-holds-virtual-town-hall-with-abc-and-catholics-in-3-cities/

Pope holds ‘virtual town hall’ with ABC News and Catholics in 3 cities
By Catholic News Service
August 31, 2015

WASHINGTON — Pope Francis held a “virtual town hall” with Catholics in Chicago, Los Angeles and McAllen, Texas, in advance of his Sept. 22-27 visit to the United States.

The town hall was arranged by ABC News, which was to air portions of the meeting during its “World News Tonight” program Aug. 31, with an hourlong version of its “20/20” newsmagazine called “Pope Francis & the People” airing 10-11 p.m. EDT Sept. 4. ABC News said the event would also the event will be posted in its entirety in both English and Spanish on abcnews.com.

Pope Francis engaged via satellite with students at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Chicago, homeless men and women and those working with homeless people in Los Angeles, and members of a McAllen parish located near the U.S.-Mexico border.

“We were allowed inside the Vatican for an hour with Pope Francis, where he greeted us as he prepared for his trip,” said David Muir, “World News Tonight” anchor, in a 90-second “special report” that aired midday on ABC.

“He told me he’s ready, and he delivered a couple of messages to the American people before his historic visit, saying, ‘For me it is very important to meet with all of you, the citizens of the United States, who have your history, your culture, your virtues, your joys, your sadness, your problems, like everyone else. That’s why this trip is important, for me to draw close to you, in your path, your history,'” Muir said of the pope.
 

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http://abcnews.go.com/US/pope-francis-tells-americans-courageous-abc-news-virtual/story?id=33490392

Pope Francis Tells Americans 'Be Courageous' During ABC News Virtual Audience
Sep 4, 2015, 9:00 PM ET

Pope Francis had a piece of advice for the Americans he spoke to during a virtual audience hosted by ABC News: “Be courageous.”

During the event, which was moderated by ABC News’ "World News Tonight" anchor David Muir on Monday, the pontiff spoke for nearly an hour via satellite from the Vatican with individuals from the Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Chicago’s inner city, congregants from Sacred Heart Church in McAllen, Texas, located near the U.S.-Mexico border, and homeless men and women and those working with the homeless in Los Angeles.

The three locations were selected by ABC News because they are in parts of the country that Pope Francis will not be visiting during his historic trip to the United States, later this month.

The selected speakers, which included an undocumented teenager who had lost a soccer scholarship to college and a homeless mother of two, were all people who had struggled with adversity. The speakers were told beforehand they would get to share their story with his Holiness.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EC7rcYIPMuw
20/20 Pope Francis and the People with David Muir (HD)
Published on Sep 4, 2015
20/20 Pope Francis and the People with David Muir
Pope Francis had a piece of advice for the Americans he spoke to during a virtual audience hosted by ABC News: “Be courageous.”

Added a Youtube video by ABC News
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMsOvpPhGn0&feature=youtu.be
Watch Full ABC News Papal Virtual Audience in English | ABC News
Published on Sep 4, 2015
Pope Francis participated in a virtual audience with Americans from across the country during an event hosted exclusively with ABC News

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Transcript

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-francis-message-to-americans-be-courageous-have-solidarity-17159/

Pope engages Americans on immigration, abortion in pre-trip virtual audience

Pope Francis participates in an Aug. 31, 2015 video conference with Americans. Credit: ABC News/screenshot.

Vatican City, Sep 5, 2015 / 07:48 am (CNA/EWTN News).- In a virtual audience with Americans Pope Francis heard emotive testimonies from undocumented immigrants, comforted a single mother, and encouraged greater solidarity in world racked with many problems.

The videoconference was held Aug. 31, and was hosted by ABC News. It aired on ABC News’ “20/20” at 10:00 p.m. ET Sept. 4, and is available online in English and Spanish.
 
David Muir: Holy Father, do you have a final message?

Pope Francis: That I am very hopeful to meet you. That I am praying for you, for all the American people and I ask you please to pray for me. Thank you.

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-meets-with-parish-cell-movement

Pope Francis meets with Parish Cell movement
2015-09-05 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis greeted an estimated 5000 members of the Parish Evangelizing Cell movement on Saturday in the Paul the VI Hall

Parish Evangelizing Cells was founded in South Korea by the Pastor Paul Yonggi Cho with the aim of promoting the spirit of evangelization.

This system has flourished in many countries including the United States, Italy, Ireland and Australia.

In his remarks to those present in the Paul VI Hall, Pope Francis on Saturday spoke about the importance of being a missionary and said above all this requires listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit who is at the heart of evangelization.

He also underlined how their daily work helps the parish community become a family, where, the Pope said, “we find the rich and multifaceted reality of the Church”, and where  no one is judged.

He also added, that sharing time together, such as in the home “is a genuine experience of evangelization that is very similar to what happened in the early days of the Church.”
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-asks-all-european-parishes-to-take-in-a-refug

Pope asks all European parishes to take in a refugee family
2015-09-06 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has called on European parishes and religious communities to offer shelter to a migrant family.

The Pope’s appeal came during the Sunday Angelus.

"May Every parish, every religious community, every monastery, every sanctuary of Europe, take in one family" Pope Francis appealed.

To the crowds gathered in St. Peter’s Square, the Pope said the faithful are called to offer a concrete gesture of hope as indicated in the Gospel.

“Before the tragedy of tens of thousands of refugees fleeing death in conflict and hunger and are on a journey of hope, the Gospel – he said - calls us to be close to the smallest and to those who have been abandoned”.

Reminding the faithful of the upcoming Jubilee Year of Mercy, the Pope said that offering shelter to the needy is a “concrete act of preparation” for the Holy Year.

And turning specifically to his European brother bishops, the Pope asked them to support his appeal and said that in the coming days two Vatican parishes will each be taking in a family of refugees.

Meanwhile, Francis’ catechesis found inspiration in the miracle of the healing by Jesus of a deaf and mute man – symbol of non-believers.
 
http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/angelus-address-on-restoring-communication
ANGELUS ADDRESS: On Restoring Communication
Vatican City,  September 06, 2015

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http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/07/nyregion/time-warner-cable-plans-channel-dedicated-to-pope-francis-visit.html?_r=0

Time Warner Cable Plans Channel Dedicated to Pope Francis’ Visit
SEPT. 6, 2015

Pope Francis will not be hard to find on television during his visit to the United States.

His speeches, Masses and other appearances in New York, Philadelphia and Washington will be broadcast live, in parts or in their entirety, on national news networks, religious networks and in New York on Time Warner Cable’s local news channel, NY1.

But for some viewers, that might not be enough.

For them, Time Warner Cable is rolling out the Papal Visit 2015 channel, a sort of C-Span for fans of the pope, telecasting around the clock on Channel 199 in most areas from the opening event of Francis’ tour, a Mass in Havana on Sept. 20, until Shepherd One lifts off from Philadelphia International Airport on Sept. 27.

The papal channel will be available to Time Warner’s subscribers in New York and more than two dozen other markets around the country, 15 million households in all. It will also be available online and on the TWC News app.
 
Religious broadcasters like EWTN, the Eternal Word Television Network, may have as much or more papal coverage.

“This is our thing,” a spokeswoman for EWTN, Michelle Johnson, said on Friday. She said the network, which carries Catholic-themed programming worldwide, would give viewers “every second” of the pope’s events in the New World.
 

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Hmmm...guess we'll have to wait and see what happens at the Synod in October.

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/was-the-last-synod-rigged-tell-all-book-lets-the-reader-decide-21000/

Was the last synod 'rigged'? Tell-all book lets the reader decide

Vatican City, Sep 5, 2015 / 12:00 pm (CNA).- A new book about the 2014 Extraordinary Synod on the Family alleges evidence of a hidden agenda pushed by a handful of bishops in positions of influence.

“I felt it was important to investigate what happened, because I’d heard – and many people had heard – about these accusations and allegations of manipulation during the last synod,” said Edward Pentin, author of “The Rigging of a Vatican Synod?”

“And as a journalist, I felt that our task is to search for the truth, uncover the truth in the name of justice,” he told CNA in a recent interview.

A long-time freelance reporter in Rome, Pentin covered the 2014 Synod on the Family and afterward spoke with numerous sources – some anonymous, some who are named – who were connected with the synod and who alleged that a hidden agenda was at work.
 
https://www.lifesitenews.com/opinion/the-rigging-of-a-synod-the-betrayal-of-our-families
Sun Sep 6, 2015 - 4:22 pm EST
The Rigging of a Synod? – The Betrayal of our Families