Pope Francis

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-greets-third-world-meeting-of-popular

Pope Francis greets Third World Meeting of Popular Movements
2016-11-05 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Saturday evening welcomed the Third World Meeting of Popular Movements at the Vatican. The Meeting brings together organizations of people on the margins of society, including the poor, the unemployed and those who have lost their agricultural land.

In his remarks, he brought up many of the themes he discussed during his speech to the Second World Meeting of Popular Movements in Bolivia on  9 July 2015.

Pope Francis warned against the rule of money, which governs with “the whip of fear, inequality, and violence – economic, social, cultural and military – which creates more and more violence in a downward spiral that never seems to end.”
 
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/fear-is-an-existential-whip-that-can-destroy-society-pope-warns-87681/
Fear is an 'existential whip' that can destroy society, Pope warns

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kA-aiFg3LpU
2016.11.05 Audience with participants of the World Meeting of Popular Movements

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-to-prisoners-never-lose-hope-in-gods

Pope Francis to prisoners: Never lose hope in God’s mercy
2016-11-06 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis celebrated Mass on Sunday for the Jubilee for Prisoners in Saint Peter’s Basilica, during which he reminded prison detainees to never lose hope, or fall into the temptation that they can never be forgiven.

Around 1,000 detainees from 12 countries took part in the weekend celebrations, along with their families, prison chaplains and staff, and various associations.

The Jubilee for Prisoners marks one of the final major events of the Jubilee of Mercy, which will come to an end on November 20.
 
http://www.news.va/en/news/popes-homily-for-jubilee-of-prisoners
Pope's homily for Jubilee of Prisoners
2016-11-06 Vatican Radio

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYFZYA-op6k
2016.11.06 Holy Mass for the Jubilee of Prisoners 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/angelus-pope-appeals-for-better-prison-living-cond

Angelus: Pope appeals for better prison living conditions
2016-11-06 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Following the celebration of Mass on Sunday for the Jubilee of Prisoners, and after the recitation of the Marian Prayer, Pope Francis made an appeal in favour of the improvement of living conditions in prisons all over the world, in order, he said, “that it fully respects the human dignity of detainees.”

In addition, the Pope reiterated the need for a criminal justice system that is not only punitive, but is open to hope and the prospect of re-inserting the offender into society.

“In a special way”,  he added, “I submit for the consideration of the competent civilian authorities in all countries the opportunity to make, in this Holy Year of Mercy, an act of clemency towards those prisoners who will be considered eligible to benefit from this measure.”

The Pope also recalled on Sunday, the Paris Agreement on the climate of the planet which came into force on Friday. Pope Francis said, “this breakthrough proves that humanity has the ability to work together for the protection of creation and to put the economy at the service of people to build peace and justice.”
 
https://zenit.org/articles/angelus-address-on-resurrection/
ANGELUS ADDRESS: On Resurrection 
November 6, 2016

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qo4mclI61rQ
2016.11.06 Angelus Domini 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/new-statute-for-the-pontifical-academy-for-life

New Statute for the Pontifical Academy for Life
2016-11-05 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) The Statute of the Pontifical Academy for Life, signed by the Holy Father on 18 October, was published on Saturday, and will come into effect on 1 January 2017.

The following is a working translation of the text.

Part I

Nature and Aims

Article 1 – Introduction

§ 1 – The Pontifical Academy for Life, which has its seat in Vatican City State, was instituted by the Supreme Pontiff St. John Paul II by the Motu Proprio Vitae Mysterium of 11 February 1994.

The aim of the Pontifical Academy for Life is the defence and promotion of the value of human life and the dignity of the person.

§ 2 – The specific task of the Academy is to:

a) study questions and issues connected with the promotion and defence of human life from an interdisciplinary perspective;

b) educate in a culture of life – in relation to those aspects that belong to its specific range of competence – through suitable initiatives, always in full respect of the Magisterium of the Church;

c) inform the authorities of the Church, the various institutions of the biomedical sciences, social-healthcare organisations, the mass media and the civil community in general about the most relevant results of its study and research activities in a clear and prompt manner (cf. Vitae Mysterium, 4).

§ 3 – The Academy has a task of a prevalently scientific nature, directed towards the promotion and defence of human life (cf. Vitae Mysterium, 4). In particular, it studies the various aspects that relate to the care of the dignity of the human person at the different ages of existence, mutual respect between genders and generations, the defence of the dignity of each single human being, the promotion of a quality of human life that integrates material and spiritual value, with a view to an authentic “human ecology”, which may help to recover the original balance of Creation between the human person and the entire universe (cf. Chirograph, 15 August 2016).

§ 4 – In carrying out the activity provided for in this Statute, the Pontifical Academy for Life cooperates with the Dicasteries of the Roman Curia, primarily the Secretary of State and the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family and Life, in relation to their respective competences and in a spirit of collaboration.

§ 5 – In order to promote and disseminate the culture of life, the Academy maintains close contacts with university Institutions, scientific Societies and research centres that pursue the various themes connected with life.
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-raise-awareness-about-scourge-of-human-traffi

Pope: Raise awareness about "scourge" of human trafficking
2016-11-07 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) On Monday, Pope Francis spoke out against human trafficking, in an address to members of RENATE: Religious in Europe Networking against trafficking and exploitation).

The group is in Rome for their 2nd European Assembly, which took place on Sunday. The theme of this year’s assembly was “Ending Trafficking Begins with Us.”

In his address to members of the group, Pope Francis once again denounced “the trade in human beings” as “a modern form of slavery, which violates the God-given dignity of so many of our brothers and sisters, and constitutes a true crime against humanity.” He acknowledged that much has been accomplished in educating the public about human trafficking, but said “much more needs to be done on the level of raising public consciousness” and in coordinating the various efforts of those engaged in fighting against trafficking in human persons.
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/holy-see-reiterates-no-china-episcopal-ordinations

Holy See reiterates no China episcopal ordinations authorised
2016-11-07 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) The Director of the Holy See Press Office, Greg Burke, has clarified the Vatican has not authorised any episcopal ordinations in Continental China.

“Should such episcopal ordinations have occurred, they would constitute a grave violation of canonical norms,” Burke said in a statement.

He reiterated “it is not licit to proceed with any episcopal ordination without the necessary Papal Mandate, even by appealing to particular personal beliefs.”

Declaration of the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Greg Burke, concerning the  purported episcopal ordinations without the Pontifical Mandate in Continental China:
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-names-abp-tobin-to-head-archdiocese-of-newark

Pope names Abp Tobin to head Archdiocese of Newark
2016-11-07 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has named the Archbishop of Indianapolis, Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., to be the new Metropolitan Archbishop of Newark, New Jersey, USA. Archbishop Tobin succeeds Archbishop John J. Myers, whose resignation the Holy Father accepted on Monday.

BIOGRAPHY OF ARCHBISHOP JOSEPH TOBIN, C.Ss.R.
 

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https://zenit.org/articles/holy-doors-of-papal-basilicas-to-close-sunday/

Holy Doors of Papal Basilicas to Close Sunday 
November 7, 2016

The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff has announced that this Sunday, Nov.13, one week before the feast of Christ the King, the Holy Doors of the Papal Basilicas will be closed.

St. John Lateran’s will be closed at 5.30 p.m. Holy Mass, St. Mary Major, at 6 p.m. Mass,
 and St. Paul Outside-the-Walls, at 5 p.m., Vespers and Holy Mass.

The cardinals to represent the Pope in the rites are the archpriests of the three basilicas, as follows:
•Cardinal Agostino Vallini, archpriest of the Papal Basilica of St. John Lateran
•Cardinal Santos Abril y Castelló, archpriest of the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major
•Cardinal James Michael Harvey, archpriest of the Papal Basilica of St. Paul Outside-the-Walls

The Year of Mercy will come to a close the next Sunday, the feast of Christ the King, Nov. 20.

In the bull announcing the jubilee, Pope Francis wrote:
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-calls-on-us-to-be-instruments-of-merc

Pope Francis calls on us to be instruments of mercy
2016-11-09 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio)  Pope Francis on Wednesday urged the faithful not to fall into indifference but to become active instruments of mercy.

Addressing the crowd gathered in St. Peter’s Square for the weekly General Audience at a time in which the Holy Year of Mercy is coming to an end, he reflected on the corporal work of mercy that calls us to visit the sick and the imprisoned.

Recalling the many readings from the Scriptures that tell of how, during his life, Jesus incessantly reached out to the other, Pope Francis said: He is our model as we consider the corporal works of mercy that call on us to visit the sick and the imprisoned.

With these works of mercy, he said, the Lord invites us to perform gestures of great humanity
 
GENERAL AUDIENCE: On Visiting the Sick, Imprisoned 
November 9, 2016

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32haXBFGquw
2016.11.09 General Audience 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/cardinal-parolin-urges-donald-trump-to-promote-wor

Cardinal Parolin urges Donald Trump to promote world peace
2016-11-09 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) The Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, on Wednesday said he hoped the newly elected American president, Donald Trump, would be guided by God to serve his country but also to promote peace and wellbeing in the world.

Talking to journalists on the sidelines of a conference at Rome’s Lateran University, the cardinal said he respected the will of the American people as expressed in this exercise of democracy. “We send our congratulations to the new president”, he continued, in the hope that “his government may bear real fruit”.

Cardinal Parolin said it would be premature to comment on specific issues such as immigration, noting that the views of presidential candidates often differ from their policies once they become president and adding that Trump had already spoken “in leadership style”.
 
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/vatican-prays-trump-presidency-will-promote-peace-amid-conflict-27803/
Vatican prays Trump presidency will promote peace amid conflict

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http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/us-bishops-encourage-unity-prayer-after-election-night-77969/

US bishops encourage unity, prayer after election night

Washington D.C., Nov 9, 2016 / 10:22 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Bishops in the United States called on Catholics to pray for elected officials on the morning following the 2016 presidential election, and exhorted them to work for unity and to promote the common good.

“Now is the moment to move toward the responsibility of governing for the common good of all citizens,” Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, stated Wednesday following Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s electoral victory.

“Let us not see each other in the divisive light of Democrat or Republican or any other political party, but rather, let us see the face of Christ in our neighbors, especially the suffering or those with whom we may disagree,” he added Nov. 9.
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-warns-against-a-show-religion-like-fleeting-f

Pope warns against a 'show' religion like fleeting fireworks
2016-11-10 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Thursday warned Christians against the temptation of a show or entertainment religion that constantly seeks novelty and revelations, comparing it to fireworks that provide us with a fleeting brightness before dying. His comments came during his Mass celebrated on Thursday morning at the Santa Marta residence.

The Pope’s reflections during his homily were inspired by the day’s reading about Jesus’ reply to the Pharisees’ question on when the Kingdom of God would come and he stressed how Christians must guard hope every day whilst waiting for the fullness of the Kingdom. Noting that Jesus told the Pharisees “the Kingdom of God is among you,” Pope Francis compared it to a small seed that is planted and grows on its own over time. He explained that God helps this seed to grow but without drawing attention to it.

“The Kingdom of God is not a ‘show’ religion: one that is always seeking new things, revelations, messages … God spoke through Jesus Christ: this is the last Word of God. The other one is like fireworks that lit you up for a moment and then what is left behind?  Nothing. There is no growth, there is no light, there’s nothing: just an instant. And we have been tempted many times by this entertainment religion of seeking things that are extraneous to the revelation, to the meekness of the Kingdom of God that is among us and which grows. For this is not about hope, this is about the desire to have something in our hands. Our salvation comes from hope, the hope of a man who sows the seed or the woman who makes the bread, mixing yeast and flour: a hope that grows. Instead, this artificial brightness only lasts an instant and then it dies away, like fireworks: they are not needed for giving light to a house. It’s just a show.”
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-urges-all-christians-to-journey-together-towa

Pope urges all Christians to journey together towards unity
2016-11-10 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis revealed on Thursday that the search for Christian unity is one of his principle concerns, one that he prays may be shared by every baptized person. The Pope’s words came as he met in the Vatican with participants at a plenary session of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. The meeting, from November 8th to 11th is exploring the theme “What model of full communion?”

In his words to the group of ecumenical experts from across the globe, the Pope recalled the many important encounters he has had this year with leaders of other Christian communities. In particular he recalled his recent visit to Lund in Sweden to jointly preside at a Lutheran-Catholic commemoration of the start of the Protestant Reformation. That visit, he said, reminded him of the so called ‘Lund Principle’, formulated by the World Council of Churches back in 1952, which states ‘churches should act together in all matters except those in which deep differences of conviction compel them to act separately’.

Pope Francis stressed that Christian unity is an essential requirement of our faith, a journey of personal and community conversion to the will of Christ. He warned against three false models of communion, starting with the belief that we can achieve unity through diplomatic maneuvers or human efforts alone.
 
https://zenit.org/articles/popes-address-to-pontifical-council-for-promoting-christian-unity-2/
Pope’s Address to Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity 
November 10, 2016

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-on-christian-love-no-to-ideologies-intellectu

Pope on Christian love: No to ideologies & intellectualism
2016-11-11 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Friday stressed that Christian love is a concrete reality and warned believers against ideologies and intellectual theories on this love, saying these strip away the Flesh of the Church and ruin it. He was speaking during his Mass celebrated on Friday morning at the Santa Marta residence.

Taking his cue from the day’s gospel reading coming from the second Letter of St. John, the Pope’s homily was a reflection on the nature of Christian love and how the word ‘love’ is used nowadays to describe many different things. He stressed that the true criterion of Christian love is the Incarnation of the Word, saying whoever denies or does not recognize this is “the antichrist.”

“A love that does not recognize that Jesus came in the Flesh is not the love that God is asking of us.This is a worldly love, a philosophical love, an abstract love, a love that has flagged, a ‘soft’ or weak love. No! The criterion of Christian love is the Incarnation of the Word. Whoever says that Christian love is something else is the antichrist! Who does not recognize that the Word became Flesh. This is our truth: God sent his Son, who became flesh and who lived like us. To love as Jesus loved (us), to love as Jesus taught us, to love by following the example of Jesus; to love, journeying along the path of Jesus. It is the path of Jesus that gives life.”
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-welcomes-poor-homeless-for-jubilee-in-rome

Pope welcomes poor, homeless for Jubilee in Rome
2016-11-11 Vatican Radio

Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Friday welcomed to Rome more than 6000 people, men and women from various European nations, who have lived, or are even now, living on the street.

The Jubilee for Socially Excluded Persons embraced not only the homeless, but also disadvantaged persons and people living in poverty.

The event was made possible with the help of “Fratello”, an association which organizes and hosts events with and for people in situations of exclusion, in partnership with associations assisting such people.

Following testimonies from two of the participants, Pope Francis addressed the crowd, thanking them for coming to Rome to meet with him and to pray for him. The Holy Father reflected on some of the ideas brought up by the two men who spoke before him.
 

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https://zenit.org/articles/jubilee-benefit-concert-in-vatican-with-maestro-ennio-morricone-takes-place-tomorrow-night/

Jubilee Benefit Concert in Vatican With Maestro Ennio Morricone Takes Place Tomorrow Night 
November 11, 2016

Tomorrow evening at 6:30 p.m., Oscar award-winning composer Ennio Morricone will direct the Roma Sinfonietta Orchestra and the National Academy of Saint Cecilia Chorus for the Second Benefit Concert “with the poor and for the poor”  in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall.

The event, sponsored by the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization and by the Saint Matthew Foundation in Memory of Card. Van Thuân, is part of the closing of the Jubilee of Mercy and is intended to support Pope Francis’ Sign of Charity for the Jubilee: the construction of a new Cathedral in Moroto in Uganda and an Agricultural School in Burkina Faso.

All the donations collected at the end of the concert will go towards the Jubilee charities.
 
As a further concrete gesture of solidarity, at the end of the concert the youth from the Diocesan Choir of Rome and the Jubilee Volunteers will distribute a meal and a small gift as a memento of the evening.

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http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/when-it-comes-to-trump-pops-says-primary-concern-is-about-migrants-29768/

When it comes to Trump, Pope says primary concern is about migrants

Vatican City, Nov 11, 2016 / 07:12 am (CNA/EWTN News).- When asked in a new interview what he thinks of U.S. president-elect Donald Trump, Pope Francis said he doesn’t judge politicians, but noted that his main concern is for migrants and refugees.

“I don’t make judgments on people and on political men, I only want to understand what the sufferings are that their way of proceeding causes to the poor and excluded,” the Pope told Italian journalist Eugenio Scalfari in an interview published Nov. 11.

Scalfari, 92 and an atheist, is the founder of Italy’s leftist paper “La Repubblica,” and has spoken to the Pope on several occasions, however, he doesn’t record his conversations with the Pope, and the Vatican has on numerous occasions had to issue statements urging readers to be cautious of things Sclafari has written.

According to Scalfari, he met with the Pope the day before the Nov. 8 U.S. presidential election that climaxed with the nomination of Republican Donald Trump as the next president-elect.

While Francis was clear that he doesn’t judge politicians, he said his primary concern given the current global climate is “that of refugees and of migrants.”
 

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Transcript of the interview of Pope Francis by Eugenio Scalfari

http://www.repubblica.it/vaticano/2016/11/11/news/pope_francis_trump-151810120/

Pope Francis: "Trump? I do not judge. I care only if he makes the poor suffer"
In his encounter with Eugenio Scalfari the Pope urges Catholics to become engaged in politics again: "Not for power but to tear down walls and inequalities"

EUGENIO SCALFARI
11 novembre 2016

I AM WRITING this article the day after Donald Trump's unexpected election victory over Hillary Clinton. But my topic is not what has happened in America but a long-awaited invitation for a meeting with Pope Francis. I had a long phone call with him the previous week because His Holiness wanted to discuss the visit that he would have three days later in Sweden with the Lutheran World Federation and the reform that gave rise to the Lutheran churches half a millennium ago. I refer to this conversation just to explain that although I am honoured to receive frequent phone calls from Pope Francis, we have not met in person for over a year. So I was very pleased to receive his invitation.

 We met on Monday 7th and were together for over an hour. Two days earlier, on Saturday 5th, the Pope had met with representatives of the Popular Movements. These are movements with hundreds of thousands of adherents in the main Christian countries. Pope Francis’s speech to these volunteers of the faith takes up six pages of [Vatican daily] L'Osservatore Romano. Of course, when we met two days later, I had already read the full text of that speech. I have often written that Francis is a revolutionary, but this was beyond revolution... And now let's see how and why. 
 ***
We embraced each other after a long time. “You look well,” he said.

You also look well, despite your continuing hardships.
«It is the Lord who decides.»

And “our sister bodily death”.
“Yes, bodily.”

The conversation was immediately profound.

Your Holiness - I asked him - what do you think of Donald Trump?
“I do not pass judgment on people and politicians, I simply want to understand the suffering that their approach causes the poor and excluded”.
 

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http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2016/11/12/pope_francis_thanks_holy_year_of_mercy_volunteers/1271849

Pope Francis thanks Holy Year of Mercy volunteers
12/11/2016 15:16

(Vatican Radio) At the end of the last Jubilee Audience of the soon-to-end Holy Year of Mercy, Pope Francis had a special greeting and a heartfelt “thank you” for the many volunteers who have offered an inestimable service to the Vatican and to pilgrims from across the globe.   

To a group of about 600 Year of Mercy volunteers present in St. Peter’s Square on Saturday, the Pope said: “You have been fantastic! I thank you, who come from different countries, for your precious service that has allowed so many pilgrims to give life to this experience of faith in a positive way. In the course of these months I have noticed your discreet presence in the Square and I appreciate the dedication, patience and enthusiasm with which you have done your work. Thank you so much!”   
 
Each volunteer has given at least one week of his or her own time to assist the faithful  providing information and offering to accompany the pilgrims to special entrances and gathering places set up at each of the Papal Basilicas, as well as helping them enter the Holy Doors and staying inside the Basilicas in prayer according to Vatican indications.

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http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-francis-the-churchs-mercy-is-for-everyone-46009/

Pope Francis: the Church's mercy is for everyone

Vatican City, Nov 12, 2016 / 09:01 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis spoke to pilgrims about how the mercy of God is for everyone, and how through the Church, we are all called to embrace and include everyone in the Body of Christ.

“The Gospel calls us to recognize in the history of humanity the design of a great work of inclusion, which fully respects the freedom of every person, every community, every people,” the Pope said Nov. 12.

And “calls everyone to form a family of brothers and sisters, in justice, solidarity and peace, and to be part of the Church, which is the body of Christ.”

Pope Francis spoke to pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square for the final special general audience for the Jubilee Year of Mercy. The extra audiences have been held once a month in addition to the Pope’s weekly audience for the duration of the Jubilee, which officially ends Nov. 20.

At the audience, the Pope’s catechesis centered on the “universal invitation” found in the words of Jesus in St. Matthew’s Gospel: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.”

“No one is excluded from this call,” he said, “because the mission of Jesus is to reveal to everyone the Father’s love.” It is “up to us to open our hearts, trust in Jesus and accept this message of love, which makes us enter into the mystery of salvation.”
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87SfZki3ppg
2016.11.12 Holy Year of Mercy, Jubilee audience