Pope Francis

[grace-land]

Photo gallery at the link

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-04/pope-general-audience-baptism-anointing-struggle-evil.html#.WuBVkMTLNHQ.twitter

Pope at General Audience: “Strengthened by Christ's Passover"
25 April 2018, 10:54

Pope Francis greets pilgrims gathered for the General Audience  (Vatican Media)
Pope Francis bases his General Audience catechesis on Philippians 4:12-13: “I can do all things in him who strengthens me”. Through our Baptismal anointing we receive the strength needed for the spiritual struggle.
By Sr Bernadette Mary Reis, fsp

Pope Francis continued reflecting on the Sacrament of Baptism during the catechesis portion of the Wednesday General Audience. He focused on the anointing with the oil of catechumens which is part of the Rite of Baptism.

Faith is a response to the Gospel

Those who request Baptism have responded to the Gospel which has prompted them to believe, the Pope said. They have learned how to listen to Jesus’ teaching and works. They experience the thirst of the Samaritan woman. Their eyes are opened like the blind man. They come forth from the dead like Lazarus.
 
https://zenit.org/articles/general-audience-on-baptism-part-iii-not-a-magic-formula-but-a-gift/
GENERAL AUDIENCE: On Baptism (Part III): Not a Magic Formula, But a Gift 
April 25, 2018 12:59

Video at the link below--
https://www.youtube.com/user/vatican

[grace-land]

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2018-04/council-cardinal-advisors-24-session-vatican.html

Meeting of the Council of Cardinals with Pope Francis
25 April 2018, 15:08

Pope Francis meets with the C9 College of Cardinals in the Vatican   (Vatican Media)
The Director of the Holy See Press Office, Greg Burke, briefed journalists on the 24th meeting of the Council of Cardinal Advisors that wrapped up in the Vatican.
By Joachim Teigen

The Council of Cardinal Advisors assembled with Pope Francis in Rome on Wednesday for the third and last day of their 24th session.

Apostolic Constitution

A large part of their work has been dedicated to the draft of a new Apostolic Constitution of the Roman Curia, which will be submitted to the Holy Father for his final approval. The topics making up the new Constitution include the Curia’s service to the Holy Father and the local Churches, the pastoral character of their activities, the establishing and tasks of a Third Section of the Secretariat of State, and the proclamation of the Gospel and the missionary spirit as guiding principles for the entire Curia’s activities.
 
http://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/8957/pope-council-of-cardinals-discuss-new-document-on-roman-curia
25 April 2018 | by Catholic News Service   
Pope, Council of Cardinals discuss new document on Roman Curia

https://zenit.org/articles/24th-meeting-of-council-of-cardinals-concludes/
24th Meeting of Council of Cardinals Concludes 
April 25, 2018 14:27

[grace-land]

http://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/8944/pope-appoints-3-women-to-cdf

23 April 2018 | by Christopher Lamb   
Pope appoints 3 women to CDF

A Vatican glass ceiling has been broken after Pope Francis appointed the first women advisers to the Church’s central doctrinal body.

Three female theologians, including a 43-year-old, have been chosen to serve as consulters to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, originally the office of the inquisition but today tasked with defending and promoting Catholic teaching across the world.

On Saturday 21 April, it was announced that Francis had chosen five new consulters to the important Vatican department, including three women. Two of these are two Italian academics: Linda Ghisoni, currently undersecretary at the Vatican’s laity, family and life dicastery, and Michelina Tenace, who teaches theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University. The third is a Belgian, Laetitia Calmeyn, a theologian based at the College dés Bernardins in Paris. Two priests were also among those named.

Consulters play an important role in any Vatican department and even more so at the doctrinal body where they asked to weigh on in important theological matters. The congregation, which for years was led by Benedict XVI, is also consulted by the Pope and all Holy See departments on questions of Church teaching and doctrine. While having a key role under the last two pontificates it has become less prominent under Francis, in part due to the uneasy relationship between the Pope and its former Prefect, Cardinal Gerhard Muller.
 

[grace-land]

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-04/greg-burke-chile-sex-abuse-survivors-pope.html#.WuBXw4ZoBEc.twitter

Burke names Chilean abuse survivors attending papal meeting
25 April 2018, 11:06

Greg Burke, director of the Holy See press office
The Holy See press spokesman on Wednesday gave details of the sex abuse victims who will meet with Pope Francis in the Vatican

Responding to journalists’ questions about Pope Francis’ meeting with Chilean abuse victims, the head of the Holy See press office, Greg Burke, said that the three men will be welcomed at the weekend by the Pope to his residence in the Vatican, the Casa Santa Marta.

Burke named the three survivors as Juan Carlos Cruz, James Hamilton e Jose Andrés Murillo, adding that the Pope is grateful they have accepted the invitation.

He said that during the personal encounters, Pope Francis “wishes to ask them for forgiveness, to share their pain and his shame for what they have suffered and, above all, to listen to all their suggestions so that such reprehensible acts do not happen again”.

Burke said that the Holy Father will meet each survivor individually, allowing them as much time as they wish to talk.
 
http://www.catholicnews.com/services/englishnews/2018/survivor-hopes-papal-meeting-will-bring-end-to-culture-of-abuse.cfm
Survivor hopes papal meeting will bring end to 'culture of abuse'
By Junno Arocho Esteves   Catholic News Service
4.25.2018 11:45 AM ET

CNS photo/Alessandro Bianchi, Reuters
Juan Cruz, a Chilean victim of clerical sexual abuse, speaks during an interview at the Vatican April 24. (CNS photo/Alessandro Bianchi, Reuters) See VATICAN-CHILE-VICTIMS April 25, 2018

[grace-land]

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-04/pope-francis-bari-visit-middle-east.html

Pope to visit Bari to pray for peace in Middle East
25 April 2018, 15:10

The director of the Holy See press office told journalists that the ecumenical encounter will take place on July 7th

Pope Francis will visit the southern Italian city of Bari on July 7th for a day of reflection and prayer for peace in the Middle East.

The head of the Vatican press office, Greg Burke, told journalists on Wednesday that the Pope intends to invite the heads of other Churches and Christian communities in the region to the ecumenical encounter.

A statement from the press office said the Pope is urging people to prepare for this meeting through prayer, recalling “the dramatic situation in the Middle East which afflicts so many brothers and sisters in the faith”.
 

[grace-land]

http://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/8954/german-bishops-agree-final-handout-on-mixed-marriage-couples

25 April 2018 | by Christa Pongratz-Lippitt   
German bishops agree ‘final handout’ on mixed-marriage couples

The contents of the handout have not yet been published, but it appears it will now be discussed in Rome.

After discussion at a meeting of the German bishops’ conference’s permanent council on 24 April, a “final” version of the much-discussed handout allowing mixed-marriage couples to receive the Catholic Eucharist in individual cases has been approved, the council said. The contents of the handout have not yet been published, but it appears it will now be discussed in Rome.

A decision to allow mixed-denomination couples to both receive communion, and an associated handout for parishes, was approved at the bishops’ conference’s spring plenary on 22 February by a two-thirds majority, and has since proved highly controversial. One month later, on 22 March, seven bishops, including Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki of Cologne, Germany’s largest diocese, sent a letter to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome asking for clarification as to whether the issue was within the competence of a local bishops’ conference or rather a matter for the Universal Church. The permanent council of the bishops’ conference, which consists of Germany’s current 26 diocesan bishops, said yesterday that bishops’ conference President Cardinal Reinhard Marx has now sent the “final” version of the handout to all the members of the German bishops’ conference and to the “responsible dicasteries of the Roman Curia”.

On 19 April the German bishops announced that Pope Francis had called Cardinal Marx, Cardinal Woelki, and Bishop Felix Genn of Münster - who is well-known for his mediation skills - to Rome. Yesterday’s announcement appears to indicate that the “final” handout will be the topic of discussion there.
 

An article from last week--
http://www.ncregister.com/blog/edward-pentin/vatican-rejects-german-bishops-intercommunion-proposal
Apr. 18, 2018
Vatican Rejects German Bishops’ Intercommunion Proposal
Sources confirm that, with the Holy Father’s approval, the Vatican’s head of doctrine has thrown out the bishops’ proposal allowing Holy Communion for some Protestant spouses, but the Pope wishes the rejection letter to remain secret.
Edward Pentin

[grace-land]

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope-francis/mass-casa-santa-marta/2018-04/pope-mass-love-church-growth.html#.WuGjev8SYRI.twitter

Pope at Mass: ‘Without love the Church cannot move or grow’
26 April 2018, 11:41

Pope Francis preaches at Mass in the Casa Santa Marta on Thursday  (Vatican Media)
In his homily at Mass in the Casa Santa Marta on Thursday morning, Pope Francis recalls the Last Supper, in which Jesus teaches love in the Eucharist and service in the washing of the feet.
By Devin Watkins

Pope Francis at Mass on Thursday said no servant is greater than the master, reminding the faithful that Jesus left us an example of service and love at the Last Supper.

He was reflecting in his homily on the day’s Gospel, which contains Jesus’ words after the washing of the feet at the Last Supper (Jn 13:16-20).

He said it contains three foundational truths for the Church: Jesus teaches us love through the Eucharist, he teaches us service in the washing of the disciples’ feet, and says no servant is greater than his master
 

[grace-land]

http://www.ncregister.com/blog/edward-pentin/full-text-of-seven-german-bishops-letter-on-intercommunion-for-protestant-s

Apr. 25, 2018
Complete Letter of Seven German Bishops on Holy Communion for Protestant Spouses Published

The Register obtains a copy of the March 22 missive which expresses serious concerns about the recent German bishops’ decision to give Holy Communion to Protestant spouses in some cases. Sources say the seven bishops’ call for clarification, which is being fiercely opposed by the German episcopal conference, has the full support of Benedict XVI.
Edward Pentin

[grace-land]

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope-francis/mass-casa-santa-marta/2018-04/pope-mass-heaven-jesus-prayer.html

Pope at Mass: ‘Heaven is not boring!’
27 April 2018, 11:53

Pope Francis preaches at Mass in the Casa Santa Marta on Friday morning  (Vatican Media)
In his homily at Mass in the Casa Santa Marta on Friday morning, Pope Francis said heaven is the place of eternal joy in the face-to-face encounter with Jesus, not just some boring place as some imagine.

Pope Francis at Mass on Friday reflected on the Christian’s earthly journey toward heaven, where we will be welcomed by the joy of a face-to-face encounter with Jesus.

The Holy Father drew inspiration from the First Reading taken from the Acts of the Apostles, which contains Paul’s speech in the synagogue at Antioch in Pisidia.

Paul tells the Jews that the inhabitants of Jerusalem and their religious leaders did not recognize Jesus, condemning him to death. But he was raised from the dead.
 

[grace-land]

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-04/pope-message-global-christian-forum-colombia.html

Pope Francis to Global Christian Forum: 'I am united with you'
27 April 2018, 15:51

Juan Usma-Gomez delivers Pope Francis' message during the Global Christian Forum
Pope Francis to Global Christian Forum: 'I am united with you'

Pope Francis sent a message to the Global Christian Forum meeting in Colombia saying that he unites himself with the representatives of various Christian communities.

Pope Francis sent greetings to the participants of the Global Christian Forum meeting in Colombia. Fr Juan Usma-Gomez, attending the meeting on behalf of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity read the Pope’s message yesterday. The gathering was in its 3rd of a 5 day meeting with the theme “Let mutual love continue” (Hebrews 13:1).
 
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2018-04/bishop-farrell-global-christian-forum-colombia.html
Bishop Farrell to Global Christian Forum: 'A Shared Faith'
On Thursday, Bishop Brian Farrell, Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, addressed the Global Christian Forum in Colombia to whom he expressed 6 desires to foster Christian communion.
By Sr Bernadette Mary Reis, fsp

[grace-land]

https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2018/04/27/pope-holds-first-meeting-with-sex-abuse-survivors-from-chile/

Pope holds first meeting with sex abuse survivors from Chile
Inés San Martín   Apr 27, 2018

ROME – Pope Francis’s encounters with three victims of clerical sexual abuse from Chile, whom he once accused of “calumny,” began in the Vatican on Friday. The conversations will take place at different times throughout the weekend and on Monday.

The three survivors, Juan Carlos Cruz, James Hamilton and Andres Murillo, have been invited by Francis to stay in the Santa Marta residence within Vatican grounds where he’s lived since the beginning of his pontificate.

According to a statement released Friday by Vatican spokesman Greg Burke, at the pope’s request and in an effort to respect “the confidentiality of the conversations,” no official comment on the substance of conversations Francis will have with the victims of abuser priest Fernando Karadima will be released.

“[The pope’s] priority is to listen to the victims, to ask for their forgiveness and to respect the confidentiality of these conversations,” the statement said, which was issued in Spanish.

“In this climate of trust and reparation for the suffering, the will of Pope Francis is to allow the guests to speak for as long as necessary, so there are no fixed schedules nor pre-established contents,” Burke said.
 

[grace-land]

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2018-04/vatican-financial-authority-annual-report.html

Vatican Financial Information Authority releases annual report
27 April 2018, 12:05

The president and director of the Financial Information Authority held a press conference on Friday

The President of the Vatican’s Financial Information Authority (AIF), René Brulhart, has released the latest annual report, showing significant progress towards consolidating a “robust reporting system”.

The report was presented to journalists in the Holy See press office on Friday morning.

It shows that there has been a progressive decline in the number of Suspicious Activity Reports, alongside a growing international cooperation and exchange of information, aimed at combatting money laundering and the financing of terrorist activities.

Please see below the press release from the Financial Information Authority.
 

[grace-land]

The Vatican and the Knights of Malta

http://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/8977/knights-of-malta-enduring-painful-reforms

26 April 2018 | by Christa Pongratz-Lippitt   
Knights of Malta enduring ‘painful’ reforms

In 2016 von Boeselager was dismissed from the Order’s post of Grand Chancellor. He was reinstated last year

The Grand Chancellor of the Sovereign Order of Malta, Albrecht von Boeselager, has said that the reform process that the Order is going through at the moment is “like all reform processes … proving painful”.

In December 2016 von Boeselager was dismissed from the Order’s number three post of Grand Chancellor by the then Grand Master, Fra’ Matthew Festing. Von Boeselager was told, incorrectly, that the dismissal was what the Holy See wanted, though Fra' Matthew points out that he did not do this "on my own bat".

In the ensuing row Pope Francis insisted on the resignation of Fra’ Matthew and demanded a major reform of the Order. Von Boesalager was reinstated in January 2017, and the Knights now have an interim leader, Fra’ Giacomo dalla Torre del Tempio di Sanguinetto, a Roman aristocrat.

Fra’ Matthew recently told The Tablet that he consulted both Cardinal Raymond Burke, the order’s patron, and the Vatican’s doctrinal congregation before sacking Von Boeselager. But a letter from Pope Francis and another from Cardinal Pietro Parolin called for Von Boeselager’s case to be resolved through dialogue.
 

[grace-land]

Rest in Peace, Alfie.   

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-04/pope-francis-tweet-alfie-evans-death.html

Pope Francis extends condolences to parents of Alfie Evans
28 April 2018, 15:11

Pope Francis expresses his sadness at the death of Alfie Evans via Tweet.

Pope Francis received the news this morning of the death of Alfie Evans.

"I am deeply moved by the death of little Alfie. Today I pray especially for his parents, as God the Father receives him in his tender embrace," the Pope sent out via Twitter.

Pope Francis has been following Alfie with particular attention. He met with Thomas Evans, Alfie's father, on the 18th of April, and made several appeals on his behalf.
 
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/breakingalfie-evans-has-died
Sat Apr 28, 2018 - 4:07 am EST
BREAKING: Alfie Evans has died

[grace-land]

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-04/pope-francis-health-cure-science-medicine-regenerative.html

Pope urges health and healthcare for all, especially the marginalized
28 April 2018, 13:28

Pope Francis blessing a sick person.  (Vatican Media)
Pope Francis was addressing participants in an international conference on the impact of science and new technology on society and culture.
By Robin Gomes

Pope Francis on Saturday encouraged people from different disciplines, cultures, societies and religions to reflect on and share their knowledge on healthcare and commit themselves to care for the sick and the suffering, particularly those experiencing social and cultural hardships.

He was speaking to some 500 participants at the end of their April 26-28 international conference in the Vatican that discussed the impact of science and new technology on society and culture.

Entitled “Unite to Cure”, the event was promoted by the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Culture in collaboration with the Cura Foundation, the Science, Theology and the Ontological Quest (STOQ) Foundation and the Stem for Life Foundation.

The event brought together experts in the fields of health, media, entertainment, technology, as well as faith-based organizations and government representatives.
 
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2018-04/unite-to-cure-vatican-conference.html
'Unite to Cure' event in the Vatican focuses on impact of technology in society
26 April 2018, 13:04

[grace-land]

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-04/pope-regina-coeli-st-peters-square-catechesis.html

Pope urges believers to be holy in everyday life
29 April 2018, 12:13

Pope Francis greets the pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square for the Regina Coeli 
Pope Francis urged Christians to live their lives with love and to bear witness to Christ in everything they do.
By Linda Bordoni

Addressing the crowds gathered in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday for the Regina Coeli prayer, the Pope reflected on the Gospel reading of the day which tells us of the moment in which Jesus presents himself as the true vine and invites us to remain united with Him in order to bear fruit.

Explaining that the vine is a plant that forms a whole with its branches which are fertile only if they remain one with the vine, the Pope said the secret of Christian life lies in this binding relationship with Jesus Christ.
 
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-04/pope-appeal-prayer-peace-koreas-nigeria-syria.html#.WuW8ceZzFnw.twitter
Pope prays for 'nuclear-free' Korean Peninsula and for Nigerian Christians
29 April 2018, 12:53

https://zenit.org/articles/regina-coeli-address-on-the-lord-jesus-as-the-vine/
Regina Coeli Address: On the Lord Jesus as the Vine (Full Text) 
April 29, 2018 14:46

Video at the link below--
https://www.youtube.com/user/vatican

[grace-land]

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope-francis/mass-casa-santa-marta/2018-04/pope-mass-curiosity-online-children-holy-spirit-certainty.html#.WucLKeyDlw4.twitter

Pope at Mass: Watch out against curiosities in the virtual world
30 April 2018, 13:41

Pope celebrating Mass at Santa Marta in the Vatican, 30 April, 2018.   (Vatican Media)
During Monday’s morning Mass, Pope Francis said children are curious and they find many bad things online. They should be helped not to become prisoners of this curiosity. He urged Christians to ask for the Holy Spirit who gives certainty against this unhealthy curiosity.

Pope Francis on Monday called on Christians to pray for the grace to be able discern between good and bad curiosities and to open one's heart to the Holy Spirit who gives certainty in life.

Celebrating his morning Mass at the Casa Santa Marta residence in the Vatican, the Pope described the interaction between Jesus and his disciples in the day’s Gospel as a healthy “dialogue between curiosity and certainty".
 

[grace-land]

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-04/pope-francis-una-vita-vera-barolini-rare-words-run.html

Pope Francis: ‘Love knows how to find the good’
30 April 2018, 12:40

Pope Francis greets Davide and members of Una Vita Rara  (Vatican Media)
Pope Francis greets representatives of “Una Vita Rara” in the Vatican’s Sala Clementina. He praises the dedication of two parents of a boy living “a rare life”.
By Sr Bernadette Mary Reis, fsp

On Monday, Pope Francis received Giorgio, Rosita and Davide Barolini, along with other members of the “Una Vita Rara” association.

Pope Francis admires this family

Pope Francis expressed his admiration for Giorgio and Rosita, founders of “Una Vita Rara”, and other families in similar situations. Rather than focusing on the negative aspects of having a son with a chronic disease, “you felt a desire within you to do something for him and for others affected by a rare disease”, he told them.
 

[grace-land]

http://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/8991/clergy-abuse-survivors-grateful-after-private-meetings-with-pope

30 April 2018 | by Catholic News Service   
Clergy abuse survivors grateful after private meetings with pope

PICTURE: James Hamilton and Juan Carlos Cruz are seen on a terrace over St. Peter's Square April 29. (CNS photo/Claudio Peri, EPA)

Hamilton sent two tweets on 28 April shortly after his meeting with the pope, saying that it was 'sincere, welcoming and enormously constructive'

After private meetings with Pope Francis, three survivors of clergy sexual abuse from Chile said they felt they had been heard and were hopeful for changes in the way the Catholic Church handles accusations of abuse.

"I spoke for more than two and a half hours alone with Pope Francis. He listened to me with great respect, affection and closeness, like a father. We talked about many subjects. Today, I have more hope in the future of our church. Even though the task is enormous," Juan Carlos Cruz tweeted April 29 after meeting with the pope.

Pope Francis had invited Cruz, James Hamilton and Jose Andres Murillo to stay at the Domus Sanctae Marthae, the Vatican residence where he lives, and to meet with him individually April 27-29. The three were to meet with the pope again as a group on 30 April.

Although the three survivors tweeted after their private meetings, Greg Burke, director of the Vatican press office, said Pope Francis "expressly wished" that no official statements would be released by the Vatican regarding his discussions with the survivors.
 

[grace-land]

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/german-bishops-to-meet-with-vatican-officials-on-intercommunion-topic-22436

German bishops to meet with Vatican officials on intercommunion topic
By Hannah Brockhaus

Vatican City, Apr 30, 2018 / 07:16 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The Vatican confirmed Monday that a delegation of six German bishops and one priest will meet with Vatican officials, including the head of the CDF, later this week to discuss the issue of the reception of the Eucharist by non-Catholic spouses of Catholics.

The meeting will take place May 3 with Archbishop Luis Ladaria Ferrer, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and Fr. Hermann Geissler, head of the department’s doctrinal section.

The German delegation, which includes Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich and Freising and Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki of Cologne, will also meet with Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and Fr. Markus Graulich, under-secretary of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts.