Pope Francis

[grace-land]

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-07/pope-francis-cardinal-mccarrick-resignation.html

Pope Francis accepts resignation of Cardinal McCarrick
28 July 2018, 12:38

File photo of Cardinal Theodore McCarrick from April, 3 2005  (AFP or licensors)
Pope Francis accepts the resignation from the College of Cardinals of the Archbishop emeritus of Washington, Cardinal Theodore McCarrick.

Pope Francis on Saturday accepted the resignation of Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, Archbishop emeritus of Washington (USA), from the cardinalate.

At the same time, the Holy Father barred him from the exercise of any public ministry, according to a statement from the Holy See Press Office on Saturday.

Pope Francis directed Cardinal McCarrick to observe "a life of prayer and penance until the accusations made against him are examined in a regular canonical trial."

The Pope also imposed on Cardinal McCarrick "the obligation to remain in a house yet to be indicated to him".
 

[grace-land]

News Releases -- United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

http://www.usccb.org/news/2018/18-132.cfm
Pope Francis Accepts Resignation of Cardinal Theodore McCarrick from College of Cardinals
July 28, 2018

WASHINGTON—Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, Archbishop Emeritus of Washington, from the College of Cardinals.

Pope Francis has also imposed on Cardinal McCarrick suspension a divinis and directs him to observe a life of prayer and penance in seclusion until the completion of the canonical process.

The statement of this resignation and these stipulations was publicized in Rome on July 28, 2018.

http://www.usccb.org/news/2018/18-133.cfm
President of U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Statement on Cardinal Theodore McCarrick Resignation from College of Cardinals
July 28, 2018

WASHINGTON—Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo, Archbishop of Galveston-Houston and President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, has issued the following statement upon Pope Francis's acceptance of Cardinal Theodore McCarrick's resignation from the College of Cardinals. Pope Francis has also imposed on Cardinal McCarrick, suspension a divinis and has directed him to observe a life of prayer and penance in seclusion until the completion of the canonical process.

Cardinal DiNardo's full statement follows:

"I thank the Holy Father for his leadership in taking this important step. It reflects the priority the Holy Father places on the need for protection and care for all our people and the way failures in this area affect the life of the Church in the United States."

[grace-land]

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-accepts-resignation-of-cardinal-mccarrick-from-college-of-cardinals-20726

Pope Francis accepts resignation of McCarrick from College of Cardinals
By Hannah Brockhaus

Vatican City, Jul 28, 2018 / 04:23 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Saturday Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Archbishops Theodore McCarrick from the College of Cardinals, and suspended him from the exercise of any public ministry.

Pope Francis accepted McCarrick’s resignation from the cardinalate July 28 and applied a suspension a divinis, which according to canon 1333 in the Code of Canon Law, prohibits him from acts of the power of order and governance and from the exercise of the rights or functions attached to his office.
 
https://cruxnow.com/church-in-the-usa/2018/07/28/pope-accepts-resignation-of-mccarrick-from-the-college-of-cardinals/
Pope accepts resignation of McCarrick from the College of Cardinals
Christopher White and Inés San Martín
Jul 28, 2018

[grace-land]

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-07/pope-francis-angelus-hunger-indifference-solidarity.html

Pope at Angelus: ‘don't waste food, don’t be indifferent to the world's cry of hunger’
29 July 2018, 13:38

Pope Francis during the Angelus prayer in St. Peter's Square  (AFP or licensors)
Reflecting on the parable of the multiplication of the loaves and fish, Pope Francis said the Gospel invites us to be "open and industrious” in the face of humanity’s “cry” of hunger. He also invited those present not to waste the resources of the world and to promote programmes of development, not destruction.
By Linda Bordoni

Pope Francis’ address to the crowds gathered in stifling St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, stemmed from his reflection on the Gospel reading of the day that tells the story of the multiplication of the loaves and fish.

Gospel reading

Jesus and his apostles possessed but a few coins, the Pope said, while a great crowd had followed them up the mountain near the shores of the Sea of Galilee. It was there that a young man, led by Andrew, came forward and offered all he had: five loaves and two fish.

“He was a courageous boy” the Pope said, moved by compassion and the need to do something for others.

“Young people are like that, they have courage” he said, we must help them to continue being courageous.
 
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-07/pope-francis-angelus-human-trafficking.html
Pope calls for a firm stand against 'shameful crime' of human trafficking
29 July 2018, 12:37

https://zenit.org/articles/angelus-address-on-the-multiplication-of-the-loaves-and-the-fish-full-text/
Angelus Address: On the Multiplication of the Loaves and the Fish (Full Text) 
July 29, 2018 14:50

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

[grace-land]

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-07/pope-francis-australia-adelaide-archbishop-resignation.html

Pope accepts resignation of Australian Archbishop Wilson
30 July 2018, 12:00

Australian Archbishop Philip Edward Wilson of Adelaide
Pope Francis accepts the resignation of Australian Archbishop Philip Wilson of Adelaide, following the archbishop’s conviction in court for covering up a priest’s sexual abuse of minors in the 1970s.
By Devin Watkins

Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Australian Archbishop Philip Edward Wilson of Adelaide on Monday.

An Australian court found the archbishop guilty in May of failing to report to police the sexual abuse of two altar servers by a priest in the 1970s.

Archbishop Wilson, 67, was sentenced on July 3rd to 12 months in prison with a non-parole period of 6 months.

Calls for resignation

Despite stepping aside from the pastoral care of the Archdiocese of Adelaide in May, Archbishop Wilson had resisted calls to resign his role as archbishop. He plans to appeal his conviction and had previously said he would resign only if that failed.

Multiple politicians, including Prime Minster Malcolm Turnbull, had called for Archbishop Wilson to resign.
 
https://cruxnow.com/global-church/2018/07/30/australian-archbishop-convicted-of-sex-abuse-cover-up-resigns/
Australian archbishop convicted of sex abuse cover-up resigns
Crux Staff   Jul 30, 2018

[grace-land]

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-07/pope-altar-boys-girls-servers-pilgrimage-rome-homily.html

Pope to altar servers: Give God glory in everything!
31 July 2018, 19:57

2018.07.31 Meeting with participants in the international pilgrimage of altar servers  (Vatican Media)
Pope Francis tells over 70,000 altar servers on pilgrimage to Rome to “give God glory in everything” they do during his homily in an Extraordinary Audience in St Peter’s Square.
By Sr Bernadette Mary Reis, fsp

Pope Francis used the reading from 1 Corinthians 10:31–11:1 during a homily he addressed to over 70,000 altar servers gathered in St Peter’s Square for an Extraordinary Audience. These altar servers between the ages of 13 and 23 come from 19 different countries and are participating in the 12th International Pilgrimage for Altar Boys and Girls.
 
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-07/pope-altar-servers-pilgrims-questions-cim.html
Pope Francis to altar servers: You can be apostles!
During an Extraordinary Audience in St Peter’s Square with more than 70,000 altar servers on pilgrimage to Rome, Pope Francis responds to questions regarding peace, prayer, service, faith and holiness.
31 July 2018, 19:15

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

[grace-land]

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-08/pope-francis-general-audience-idolatry.html#.W2GYxe2lQPA.twitter

Pope at General Audience: 'Love incompatible with idolatry’
01 August 2018, 11:51

Pope Francis greets a child at the General Audience  (Vatican Media)
In his continued catechesis on the Ten Commandments at the Wednesday General Audience, Pope Francis warns against the temptation to idolatry present in modern society, saying the true God teaches us to love.
By Devin Watkins

“I am the Lord, your God… You shall have no other gods before me” (Ex 20:3).

Pope Francis reflected on the first Commandment in his catechesis at the Wednesday General Audience, saying idolatry is a very real and current temptation.

“The commandment prohibits the making of idols or images of any sort. We are talking about a human tendency, which spares neither believers nor atheists.”
 
https://zenit.org/articles/general-audience-on-the-commandments-iii/
GENERAL AUDIENCE: On the Commandments (III) 
August 01, 2018 14:00

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

[grace-land]

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-08/pope-francis-jesuits-formation-address.html

Pope: "Unity with diversity" a great strength for Jesuits
02 August 2018, 12:41

Pope Francis speaks with Jesuits taking part in a course for European Jesuits in formation
Pope Francis said that "unity with great diversity" is one of the great strengths of the Society of Jesus, in remarks to participants in the meeting of "European Jesuits in Formation."
By Christopher Wells

Pope Francis met Wednesday with young Jesuits participating in the meeting of “European Jesuits in Formation,” taking place this week in Rome. The meeting is focused on the theme of communication.

In his short address to the Jesuits, the Holy Father said he laughed when they spoke of “unifying Jesuit ministry.” He recalled an unnamed General of the Society who, when he was reminded that the General’s duty was to shepherd the Jesuits, responded, “Yes, but it’s like shepherding a flock of frogs!” But, he said, this is one of the great strengths of the Society: a “unity with great diversity” which allows each of the “frogs” the opportunity to discern his own particular calling.

Pope Francis also recalled the words of Blessed Paul VI and former Superior General Pedro Arrupe, speaking at a time of great difficulty for the Jesuits. Both Pope and General called the Jesuits of their day to have courage, courage which is a grace from God.
 

[grace-land]

Video at the link

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-08/pope-francis-prayer-august-families.html#play

Pope's August prayer intention: For families
02 August 2018, 16:00

Pope Francis on Thursday released a video message accompanying his prayer intention for August, which this month is "For the treasure of Families".

In his prayer intention for the month of August 2018, Pope Francis says: "Together, let us ask Jesus that any far-reaching decisions of economists and politicians may protect the family as one of the treasures of humanity."

It has become the custom of Pope Francis to release a video message detailing his prayer intention for each month.

The full text of his intention is below:
 

[grace-land]

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-08/pope-francis-cdf-ccc-death-penalty-revision-ladaria.html

Pope Francis: ‘death penalty inadmissable’
02 August 2018, 14:49

Death penalty  (Copyright © Ken Piorkowski 2012)
After an audience with Pope Francis earlier this year, and following his approval, the Vatican’s CDF says it has made changes to the CCC on the death penalty according to which capital punishment is inadmissible.
By Linda Bordoni

Pope Francis has approved a new revision of paragraph number 2267 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, according to which “a new understanding has emerged of the significance of penal sanctions imposed by the state,”  thus “the death penalty is inadmissible”:

The decision was announced by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in a ‘Letter to the Bishops’ dated 1 August and signed by the Prefect, Cardinal Luis Francisco Ladaria.

The new text

The death penalty

2267. Recourse to the death penalty on the part of legitimate authority, following a fair trial, was long considered an appropriate response to the gravity of certain crimes and an acceptable, albeit extreme, means of safeguarding the common good.

Today, however, there is an increasing awareness that the dignity of the person is not lost even after the commission of very serious crimes.  In addition, a new understanding has emerged of the significance of penal sanctions imposed by the state.  Lastly, more effective systems of detention have been developed, which ensure the due protection of citizens but, at the same time, do not definitively deprive the guilty of the possibility of redemption.

Consequently, the Church teaches, in the light of the Gospel, that “the death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person”,[1] and she works with determination for its abolition worldwide”.

[1] FRANCIS, Address to Participants in the Meeting organized by the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization, 11 October 2017: L’Osservatore Romano, 13 October 2017.

The previous text
 

The new text:  http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2018/08/02/0556/01209.html#IN

Cardinal Ladaria's letter to the bishops: http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2018/08/02/0556/01210.html#letteraing

[grace-land]

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/vatican-changes-catechism-teaching-on-death-penalty-calls-it-inadmissible-28541

Vatican changes Catechism teaching on death penalty, calls it ‘inadmissible’
By Hannah Brockhaus

Vatican City, Aug 2, 2018 / 04:57 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The Vatican changed on Thursday the Catechism of the Catholic Church's teaching on the permissibility of the death penalty, which the Church has taught is legitimate in limited cases, stating the penalty is ‘inadmissible,’ and its elimination should be sought.

A new draft of paragraph 2267 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church was issued by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Aug. 2, after Pope Francis approved it in May.

Quoting Pope Francis’ words in a speech of Oct. 11, 2017, the new paragraph states, in part, that “the Church teaches, in the light of the Gospel, that ‘the death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person,’ and she works with determination for its abolition worldwide.”

Reasons for changing the teaching, the paragraph says, include: the increasing effectiveness of detention systems, growing understanding of the unchanging dignity of the person, and leaving open the possibility of conversion.
 

[grace-land]

https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2018/08/02/pope-francis-changes-teaching-on-death-penalty-its-inadmissible/

Pope Francis changes teaching on death penalty, it’s ‘inadmissible’
Inés San Martín   Aug 2, 2018

ROME - According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the death penalty now is no longer admissible under any circumstances.

The Vatican announced on Thursday Pope Francis approved changes to the compendium of Catholic teaching published under Pope John Paul II.

“The death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person,” reads the Catechism of the Catholic Church now on the death penalty, with the addition that the Church “works with determination for its abolition worldwide.”

This is a departure from what the document, approved under Pope John Paul II in 1992, says on the matter: “Assuming that the guilty party’s identity and responsibility have been fully determined, the traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude recourse to the death penalty, if this is the only possible way of effectively defending human lives against the unjust aggressor.”

The former formula does stipulate that if non-lethal means are sufficient to protect people’s safety from the aggressor, then authority must limit itself to it, as these “are more in keeping with the concrete conditions of the common good and more in conformity to the dignity of the human person.”

In 1997, the Catechism was changed to reflect John Paul’s 1995 encyclical Evangelium Vitae.
 

[Bearlyhere]

https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2018/08/02/pope-francis-changes-teaching-on-death-penalty-its-inadmissible/

Pope Francis changes teaching on death penalty, it’s ‘inadmissible’
Inés San Martín   Aug 2, 2018

ROME - According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the death penalty now is no longer admissible under any circumstances.

The Vatican announced on Thursday Pope Francis approved changes to the compendium of Catholic teaching published under Pope John Paul II.

“The death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person,” reads the Catechism of the Catholic Church now on the death penalty, with the addition that the Church “works with determination for its abolition worldwide.”

This is a departure from what the document, approved under Pope John Paul II in 1992, says on the matter: “Assuming that the guilty party’s identity and responsibility have been fully determined, the traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude recourse to the death penalty, if this is the only possible way of effectively defending human lives against the unjust aggressor.”

The former formula does stipulate that if non-lethal means are sufficient to protect people’s safety from the aggressor, then authority must limit itself to it, as these “are more in keeping with the concrete conditions of the common good and more in conformity to the dignity of the human person.”

In 1997, the Catechism was changed to reflect John Paul’s 1995 encyclical Evangelium Vitae.
 

I thought that was always the rule.  Isn't "Thou shalt not kill," the commandment that was to be followed?  I must have missed it when the rule was changed to reflect it is okay to kill under certain circumstances.  I was sure the death penalty was against the Catholic Church's teachings.  When did things change?

[grace-land]

https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2018/08/02/pope-francis-changes-teaching-on-death-penalty-its-inadmissible/

Pope Francis changes teaching on death penalty, it’s ‘inadmissible’
Inés San Martín   Aug 2, 2018

ROME - According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the death penalty now is no longer admissible under any circumstances.

The Vatican announced on Thursday Pope Francis approved changes to the compendium of Catholic teaching published under Pope John Paul II.

“The death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person,” reads the Catechism of the Catholic Church now on the death penalty, with the addition that the Church “works with determination for its abolition worldwide.”

This is a departure from what the document, approved under Pope John Paul II in 1992, says on the matter: “Assuming that the guilty party’s identity and responsibility have been fully determined, the traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude recourse to the death penalty, if this is the only possible way of effectively defending human lives against the unjust aggressor.”

The former formula does stipulate that if non-lethal means are sufficient to protect people’s safety from the aggressor, then authority must limit itself to it, as these “are more in keeping with the concrete conditions of the common good and more in conformity to the dignity of the human person.”

In 1997, the Catechism was changed to reflect John Paul’s 1995 encyclical Evangelium Vitae.
 

I thought that was always the rule.  Isn't "Thou shalt not kill," the commandment that was to be followed?  I must have missed it when the rule was changed to reflect it is okay to kill under certain circumstances.  I was sure the death penalty was against the Catholic Church's teachings.  When did things change?

Bearlyhere!  Good to see you! 

I always thought that the traditional teaching of the Church permitted the death penalty under specific circumstances--and rarely.  Pope Francis seems to have made a revision to the doctrine as expresses in 2267 in the Catechism.  I'll post some articles that may explain the pope's action and provide some clarification.

[grace-land]

https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2018/08/pope-francis-and-capital-punishment

Pope Francis and Capital Punishment
by Edward Feser
8 . 3 . 18

In a move that should surprise no one, Pope Francis has once again appeared to contradict two millennia of clear and consistent scriptural and Catholic teaching. The Vatican has announced that the Catechism of the Catholic Church will be changed to declare the death penalty “inadmissible” given the “inviolability and dignity of the person” as understood “in the light of the Gospel.”

There has always been disagreement among Catholics about whether capital punishment is, in practice, the morally best way to uphold justice and social order. However, the Church has always taught, clearly and consistently, that the death penalty is in principle consistent with both natural law and the Gospel. This is taught throughout scripture—from Genesis 9 to Romans 13 and many points in between—and the Church maintains that scripture cannot teach moral error. It was taught by the Fathers of the Church, including those Fathers who opposed the application of capital punishment in practice. It was taught by the Doctors of the Church, including St. Thomas Aquinas, the Church’s greatest theologian; St. Alphonsus Liguori, her greatest moral theologian; and St. Robert Bellarmine, who, more than any other Doctor, illuminated how Christian teaching applies to modern political circumstances.

It was clearly and consistently taught by the popes up to and including Pope Benedict XVI. That Christians can in principle legitimately resort to the death penalty is taught by the Roman Catechism promulgated by Pope St. Pius V, the Catechism of Christian Doctrine promulgated by Pope St. Pius X, and the 1992 and 1997 versions of the most recent Catechism promulgated by Pope St. John Paul II—this last despite the fact that John Paul was famously opposed to applying capital punishment in practice. Pope St. Innocent I and Pope Innocent III taught that acceptance of the legitimacy in principle of capital punishment is a requirement of Catholic orthodoxy. Pope Pius XII explicitly endorsed the death penalty on several occasions. This is why Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, as John Paul’s chief doctrinal officer, explicitly affirmed in a 2004 memorandum:

If a Catholic were to be at odds with the Holy Father on the application of capital punishment … he would not for that reason be considered unworthy to present himself to receive Holy Communion. While the Church exhorts civil authorities … to exercise discretion and mercy in imposing punishment on criminals, it may still be permissible … to have recourse to capital punishment.
 

[grace-land]

https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/popes-new-teaching-against-death-penalty-is-break-with-catholic-teaching-ew

Aug 3, 2018 - 4:49 pm EST
Pope’s new teaching against death penalty is ‘break’ with Catholic teaching: EWTN panel
Dorothy Cummings McLean

NEW YORK CITY, August 3, 2018 (LifeSiteNews) – Pope Francis has directly contradicted “the perennial teaching of the Church,” a U.S. canon lawyer said on an EWTN show last night.

Canonist Father Gerald Murray and writer Robert Royal, known to EWTN audiences as the “Papal Posse”, discussed Pope Francis’ change to catechetical teachings on the death penalty with host Raymond Arroyo on his “The World Over” show.

Calling the Pope’s innovation a “bombshell”, Arroyo contrasted the “Old Teaching” which allowed for capital punishment in the “very rare, if not practically non-existent” circumstances when it was “absolutely necessary” with the “New Teaching” that the “death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person.” 

Murray told Arroyo that the Pope’s action was “very troubling” because it went against Church doctrine.

“...He is directly contradicting the perennial teaching of the Church on the morality of the death penalty,” the priest said. “It was once considered moral, perfectly good, in fact, something that was in accord with Divine revelation.”

Robert Royal wondered why Pope Francis’ new teaching was necessary. He observed that Pope John Paul II had already promulgated the idea that the reasons for capital punishment are “practically non-existent”.

‘That I think is about as far as you can go as a pope in talking about this,” Royal said.
 

[grace-land]

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-08/pope-angelus-faith-gods-works.html

Pope at Angelus: 'faith in Jesus allows us to carry out God's works'
05 August 2018, 12:30

Pope Francis during the Angelus prayer in St. Peter's Square  (Vatican Media)
Pope Francis invited believers to abandon themselves with joy to God's plan for their lives and seek spiritual nourishment in order to go forward in their journey of faith. His words came during the Angelus in St. Peter's Square.
By Linda Bordoni

Pope Francis invited the faithful to cultivate their relationship with God, because faith in Jesus, he said allows us spiritually nourished and to carry out good works for the good of our brothers and sisters.

The Pope was speaking to the crowd gathered in St. Peter’s Square for the Sunday Angelus. He reflected on the Gospel reading of the day and recalled the beloved Pope VI – the Pope of modernity – who 40 years ago was living the last hours of his earthly life.  Reflecting on the liturgy that tells of a crowd that has been nourished by Jesus and that sets out in search of him, Pope Francis explained that for Jesus, it is not enough that people simply search for him, He wants the people to know him and to understand that He came to bring us more than material satisfaction, opening our lives to a horizon that is broader than the daily concerns of eating, clothing oneself, a career, and so on.
 
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-08/pope-angleus-paul-vi.html
Pope Francis celebrates Paul VI: ‘the Pope of modernity’
05 August 2018, 13:00

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

[grace-land]

https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2018/08/06/francis-again-visits-blessed-paul-vis-tomb-on-anniversary-of-his-death/

Francis again visits Blessed Paul VI’s tomb on anniversary of his death
Hannah Brockhaus   Aug 6, 2018
CATHOLIC NEWS AGENCY

Pope Francis prays at the tomb of Bl. Paul VI beneath St. Peter's Basilica, Aug. 6, 2017. (Credit: L'Osservatore Romano/CNA.)
ROME - Pope Francis made a private visit Monday morning to pray at the tomb of Blessed Pope Paul VI, on the 40th anniversary of his death.

Francis made a similar visit to Paul’s tomb last year.

Francis’s visit to the tomb took place in an absolutely private manner, said vice-director of the Holy See press office, Paloma Garcia.

She told EWTN Aug. 6 that Francis prayed for about 10 minutes at the tomb, which is located in the Vatican Grottos, the crypt beneath St. Peter’s Basilica.

Paul VI, to whom Francis referred Sunday as a “pope of modernity,” was the author of the 1968 encyclical Humanae Vitae, which reaffirmed Church teaching against contraception.
 

[grace-land]

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-08/pope-francis-indonesia-earthquake-condolences.html

Pope sends condolences to Indonesia earthquake victims
06 August 2018, 13:59

Earthquake on Indonesia's Lombok island  (ANSA)
In a telegram to Church and civil authorities in Indonesia, Pope Francis expresses his sorrow for the “tragic loss of life” caused by Sunday’s 7.0-magnitude earthquake on Lombok island.

Pope Francis on Monday expressed his “heartfelt solidarity” with all those affected by the massive 7.0-magnitude earthquake that struck Indonesia’s Lombok island on Sunday.

In a telegram sent to Indonesia’s Church and civil authorities, the Holy Father said he felt “great sadness” when informed of the “tragic loss of life and destruction of property caused by the earthquakes”.

The Pope said he is praying for “the repose of the deceased, the healing of the injured, and the consolation of all who grieve the loss of their loved ones.”

Pope Francis encouraged the search and rescue efforts and invoked “upon the people of Indonesia divine blessings of consolation and strength.”
 

[grace-land]

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-08/pope-francis-chile-bishops-sex-abuse-letter.html

Pope thanks Chilean bishops for 'decisive' efforts against abuse
07 August 2018, 10:42

Pope Francis' letter to Chilean bishops
In a handwritten letter sent on Sunday, Pope Francis applauds the Chilean bishops’ efforts to reflect on their failure to listen to victims of clerical sex abuse.
By Devin Watkins

Pope Francis has praised the bishops of Chile for their “decisive” efforts against clerical sex abuse following a recent meeting.

In a handwritten letter sent on Sunday, the Pope says Chile’s bishops have come up with “realistic and concrete” measures against the abuse crisis gripping the Catholic Church in the country.

He thanked the President of the Chilean Bishops’ Conference for the “edifying example” of a united Church community. The Pope also expressed his appreciation for the Chilean bishops’ reflections on their failure to respond to a clerical sex abuse crisis.