Pope Francis

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-09/pope-francis-pray-rosary-october.html#.W6-RNVN7yMc.twitter

Pope Francis invites the faithful to pray the Rosary in October
29 September 2018, 15:06

Let us pray the Rosary during the month of October
A communiqué released by the Holy See’s Press Office on Saturday states that Pope Francis invites “all the faithful of all the world, to pray the Holy Rosary every day” during the Marian month of October.

The following is the full text of a comuniqué released on Saturday by the Holy See's Press Office regarding an invitation extended by Pope Francis to all the faithful to join in praying the Rosary during the month of October:

Pope Francis' invitation

The Holy Father has decided to invite all the faithful, of all the world, to pray the Holy Rosary every day, during the entire Marian month of October, and thus to join in communion and in penitence, as the people of God, in asking the Holy Mother of God and Saint Michael  Archangel to protect the Church from the devil, who always seeks to separate us from God and from each other.

In recent days, before his departure for the Baltic States, the Holy Father met with Fr. Fréderic Fornos, S.J., international director of the World Network of Prayer for the Pope, and asked him to spread this appeal to all the faithful throughout the world, inviting them to conclude the recitation of the Rosary with the ancient invocation “Sub Tuum Praesidium”, and with the prayer to Saint Michael Archangel that he protect us and help us in the struggle against evil (cf. Revelation 12, 7-12).

The prayer – the Pontiff affirmed a few days ago, on 11 September, in a homily at Santa Marta, citing the first book of Job – is the weapon against the Great Accuser who “goes around the world seeking to accuse”. Only prayer can defeat him. The Russian mystics and the great saints of all the traditions advised, in moments of spiritual turbulence, to shelter beneath the mantle of the Holy Mother of God pronouncing the invocation “Sub Tuum Praesidium”.

Sub Tuum Praesidium
 

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Photo Gallery and video (English) at the link

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-09/pope-francis-angelus0.html#.W7CvLE5yjEs.twitter

Pope at Angelus: Let us open ourselves to God’s surprises’
30 September 2018, 12:30

Pope Francis greets pilgrims in St Peter's Square for the midday Angelus  (Vatican Media)
Speaking to the crowd in St Peter’s Square before praying the Angelus, Pope Francis focuses on Jesus’ invitation to appreciate how God works through everyone.
By Sr Bernadette Mary Reis, fsp

Before praying the Angelus with thousands of the faithful and tourists in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, Pope Francis reflected on the day’s Gospel (Mk 9:38-43, 45, 47-48), emphasizing Jesus' invitation to appreciate how God works through everyone.
 
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-09/pope-francis-indonesia-angelus.html
Pope Francis: I am near to the people of Sulawesi
30 September 2018, 11:50

https://zenit.org/articles/popes-angelus-address-on-the-need-for-openness-freedom-in-proclaiming-the-gospel/
During Angelus, Pope Says–With Mary’s Help–Discover Lord in Our Midst (Full Text) 
September 30, 2018 15:04

Also, video at the link below--
https://www.youtube.com/user/vatican

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-10/pope-francis-discourse-priests-diocese-creteil.html#.W7INlP-Bch5.twitter

Pope to French priests: Be transformed by the Spirit
01 October 2018, 12:23

Pope Francis with priests of the Diocese of Crétiel, France  (Vatican Media)
Pope Francis tells priests of Créteil , France, to serve others according to the model of Jesus.

Pope Francis welcomed to the Vatican about 100 priests from the diocese of Crétiel, near Paris who are on pilgrimage to Rome.

In his address, the Holy Father thanked God for their vocations to be “faithful ministers of the mysteries of Christ.” He noted that today the Church is “battered by opposing and violent winds, especially because of the grave sins committed by some of its members.” But, he said, it is important to remember the “humble fidelity” of the great majority of those called to serve the Church as priests.

The Pope said that those who answer the call to ordained ministry are not called to be “superheroes,” but to serve others after the pattern established by Jesus, who was wounded, died, and rose again – because, he said, “our mission is to bear witness to the strength of the Resurrection in the wounds of this world.”
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-10/pope-francis-rosminians-holiness-charity.html

Pope to Rosminians: Holiness in charity transforms Church and world
01 October 2018, 13:06

Pope meeting members of the Rosminian general chapter, on October 1, 2018.   (Vatican Media)
Pope Francis on October 1 received in the Vatican members of the Rosminian congregation on the occasion of their General Chapter.
By Robin Gomes

Pope Francis on Monday received in the Vatican members of the Institute of Charity (IC), known as the Rosminian Fathers and Sisters, saying holiness and the exercise of virtues is the way of the true reform of the Church.

The Rosminians, founded by  Blessed Antonio Rosmini in early 19th century, are holding their General Chapter until October 23.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-10/pope-health-ethics-miracle-care-trust.html

Pope: No aid institution can replace human compassion
01 October 2018, 16:19

Seminar on the Ethics of Health, 1st October 2018  (ANSA)
In an address to the participants of the IV Seminar on Ethics in Health, Pope Francis stresses the importance of forming a bond of profound humanity between health workers and their patients.
By Francesca Merlo

Pope Francis based his speech around 3 key words: miracle, care and trust. These three words are very valuable in a world in which health in general “and particularly in Latin America, is living through an era marked by the economic crisis”, said the Pope.

A brother in every face

With regards to the first word, ‘miracle’, the Pope said, “Those responsible for the institutions will tell me, and rightfully so, that we cannot perform miracles”. But, he explained, a miracle is not doing the impossible. A miracle is looking at an ill, helpless person and seeing a brother.

The Pope explained that “we are called upon to recognise the immense value of every person’s dignity, as a human being, as a son of God”. This, cannot fix every hitch of society, but it can “clear the way for change”, in our minds and in our society.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2018-10/synod-bishops-young-people-press-conference-baldisseri.html

Approaching the Synod with open hearts and minds
01 October 2018, 16:07

Pope Francis will celebrate the opening Mass for the Synod of Bishops on “Young People, the Faith, and Vocational Discernment” on Wednesday morning in St. Peter’s Basilica. Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops briefed the media on Synod proceedings and goals at a press conference on Monday morning.
By Linda Bordoni

A Synod of Bishops is a crucial moment in the life of the Church. It is a time for it to reflect on its current status and look to its future, a time to adjust to a world in the throes of change and to set itself new goals and adopt new idioms so as not to lose its footing and risk becoming irrelevant.

All that is especially true in the case of the Synod taking place here in the Vatican throughout the month of October, because it focuses on the very people who will make or break it in the future: young people.

Apostolic Constitution

At a press conference at the Holy See Press office on Monday morning, Cardinal Baldisseri carefully explained Synod procedures pointing out that a new Apostolic Constitution signed – significantly – by the Pope just two weeks ago, strengthens the involvement of the “People of God” and further promotes dialogue and collaboration between bishops and between bishops and the Pope.
 

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https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/cardinal-were-not-removing-lgbt-youth-from-synod-working-document

Mon Oct 1, 2018 - 10:59 am EST
Cardinal: We’re not removing ‘LGBT youth’ from Vatican Synod working text

ROME, October 1, 2018 (LifeSiteNews) — Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, the official responsible for organizing the upcoming Vatican Youth Synod, has said he will not remove the acronym “LGBT youth” from the Synod’s working document, even though youth didn’t ask for it to be included. The cardinal, however, has claimed that they did.

At a press conference this morning, LifeSiteNews reminded Baldisseri, who is the Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops, that at the June 19 presentation of the synod’s working document [Instrumentum Laboris], he had said the phrase “LGBT youth” was taken from the pre-synodal document compiled by young people at their meeting with the Pope and Synod organizers, March 19-24, 2018.

Baldisseri stressed at that presentation that synod organizers were “very diligent in taking into account the work done by the bishops’ conferences, but especially the results of this meeting with youth, of which they were the protagonists.”

“They provided us with a document, and we quoted it. This is the explanation for this,” he said.

Today, we told Cardinal Baldisseri that we had looked back at the final document of the pre-synodal meeting with youth in March, and the acronym “LGBT” doesn’t appear anywhere.

“It’s not there?” Baldisseri replied. “No,” we said.
 

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http://www.mondayvatican.com/vatican/pope-francis-what-to-expect-from-the-next-synod

Pope Francis, what to expect from the next Synod?
By Andrea Gagliarducci On 24 settembre 2018

The new Pope Francis’ constitution that reformed the regulations of the Synod can be revealing of what to expect from the upcoming Synod of Bishops on young people.

Released several days after the release of the lists of the members of the Synod, and while the media attempts of using the Synod to push for a soft reform of doctrine seems to have been set aside, the Constitution Episcopalis Communio on the one hand strengthens the power of the General Secretariat of the Synod and on the other hand reaffirms the centrality of the Pope, who remains the ultimate guarantor of every decision made.

Though filled with widespread references to synodaliy and collegiality, the document gives the impression of a trend toward an always greater centralization.

Not only are bishops mostly described as a sort of “megaphone” of the people of God that they have to represent —the Synod’s assembly becomes deliberative, because the final document, if approved by the Pope, can directly become Magisterium and part of the Papal documents.
 

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https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/10801/chinese-bishops-to-attend-vatican-synod-for-first-time

01 October 2018 | by Christopher Lamb   
Chinese bishops to attend Vatican synod for first time

Francis’ lifting of the excommunications means that all of China’s bishops are now in communion with Rome for the first time in many years

Two bishops from mainland China, including one whose excommunication was lifted just over a week ago, will become the first from their country to attend a Synod of Bishops when they participate in this month’s gathering in the Vatican.

During a 1 October press conference in the Vatican, the synod co-ordinator Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri confirmed that the Chinese bishops would be attending the assembly as a result of the Holy See and China deal on bishops’ appointments signed on 22 September 2018.

As part of that agreement, Pope Francis lifted the excommunications of eight bishops ordained without papal approval by the state-run Catholic Patriotic Association.

Among those re-admitted to full communion was the Bishop of Chengde, Joseph Jincai Guo, and he and the Bishop of Yan’an, John Baptist Xiaoting Yang, will make up China’s delegation for the 3-28 October synod meeting on young people, the faith and vocational discernment.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope-francis/mass-casa-santa-marta/2018-10/pope-francis-homily-daily-mass-guardian-angels-transcendence.html#.W7NM_YwO2Bc.twitter

Pope at Mass: Guardian angels, our daily gate to the Father
02 October 2018, 10:16

Pope Francis celebrates Mass at the Casa Santa Marta  (Vatican Media)
On the Memorial of the Guardian Angels, Pope Francis dedicated the Mass to the 25 years of religious life of a nun present at the celebration. Taking his inspiration from the Readings, he praised the role of the protectors God places by our side: the angels, whom he calls our companions, guardians, and guides along the path of our life, and gateways that open the way to God.
By Gabriella Ceraso

“Behold, I send an angel before you, to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place which I have prepared.” Pope Francis chose these words, taken from the first Reading, as the basis for his reflection in the homily at the Mass for the feast of the Guardian Angels. They are the “special helpers” that “the Lord promises to His people and to us who travel along the path of life.”

Our angels are a compass to guide our journey

Life is a journey, along which we must be helped by “companions,” by “protectors,” by “compasses” that guard us against dangers, and from the snares we might encounter along the way. Pope Francis points out three specific risks:
 

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Synod 2018

Preparatory Document and working document at the link

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2018-10/synod-youth-2018-overview.html

Synod on Young People: Moment of Grace
03 October 2018, 14:40

Opening Mass of the XV Synod of Bishops celebrated in St Peter's Square  (Vatican Media)
The XV Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops begins on Wednesday. The Synod’s theme is Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment”.
By Sr Bernadette Mary Reis, fsp

Today begins the Synod of Bishops in which young people are the subject. From 3-28 October, Synod Fathers from all over the world, and other invited participants, will explore the theme “Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment”.

Synod process

The Synod process began in October 2016 when Pope Francis announced the Synod’s theme. In January 2017, the initial phase of the Synod began with a letter of the Holy Father to young people, and the publication of the Preparatory Document.

Input solicited

Input solicited through the Preparatory Document was gathered from the local Churches. In addition, input from young people was requested through an online questionnaire. More than 200,000 young people responded either completely or partially to this questionnaire.

Young people participate

In order to include the voices of young people in a more concrete way, a Pre-Synod meeting was held in Rome from 19-24 March 2018. 300 young people participated in Rome and 15,000 others participated virtually. On that occasion, Pope Francis said, "the Church wants to listen to the voice, sensitivity, faith and also the doubts and criticisms of the young. We must listen to the young.” A document prepared by the young people who came from all over the world, and represented Catholics, non-Catholics, and unbelievers, was presented to Pope Francis on Palm Sunday. The working document for the Synod contains material from this document as well as a summary of the input sent in from the local churches.
 

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Synod 2018

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-10/synod-youth-2018-holy-mass.html#.W7Sz34H0qzM.twitter

Pope to Synod Fathers: don't allow past mistakes crush your dreams and hopes
03 October 2018, 13:03

Pope Francis at the opening Mass for the Synod of Bishops on "Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment"
Pope Francis celebrated the opening Mass of the Synod of Bishops on Wednesday expressing his trust in young people, whom he said, are called to help renew the Church’s capacity to dream, to hope and to build a better world.
By Linda Bordoni

Speaking during his homily at an open-air Mass in St. Peter’s Square that inaugurated the 3-week Synod on “Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment”, Pope Francis called on his brother bishops to heed the voices of young people in the effort to build a better world than that of their elders. 

He expressed his confidence in the new generations that, he said, “are capable of prophesy and vision” and prayed that the Holy Spirit may grant synodal Fathers the grace of being anointed with the youthful “gift of dreaming and of hoping.”

Bishops from across the world, including China

It is with an attitude of docile listening to the voice of the Spirit, he said, that “we have gathered from all parts of the world”.  He remarked on the fact that for the first time, at the Synod, there are two bishops from mainland China and that “the communion of the entire Episcopate with the Successor of Peter is yet more visible thanks to their presence”.
 
Video at the link below--
https://www.youtube.com/user/vatican

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Synod 2018

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-10/synod-youth-2018-opening-prayer-and-greeting.html

Pope Francis: Synod is a time for sharing
03 October 2018, 15:15

Pope Francis leads mid-afternoon prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours at the opening session of the General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops  (Vatican Media)
Pope Francis leads the assembled gathering in the Liturgy of the Hours, and gives the opening address at the XV Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops.
By Christopher Wells

In his Opening Speech for the Fifteenth General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, Pope Francis said “the Synod we are living is a time for sharing” – sharing that must involve both speaking with courage and frankness, and listening with humility. The Synod, he said, “must be an exercise in dialogue,” especially for those directly participating in the event.

Pope Francis emphasized that the Synod “is an ecclesial exercise in discernment,” an “interior attitude rooted in an act of faith.” One of the innovations in this General Assembly will be moments of silence after every five speeches, precisely in order for participants to discern what they have heard.
 
https://zenit.org/articles/pope-francis-address-to-the-synod-fathers-at-opening-of-synod2018-on-young-people-the-faith-and-vocational-discernment/
Pope Francis’ Address to the Synod Fathers at Opening of Synod2018 on Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment
October 03, 2018 16:55

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

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http://www.catholicnews.com/services/englishnews/2018/poll-popes-favorability-numbers-down-and-worse-for-handling-of-abuse.cfm

Poll: Pope's favorability numbers down, and worse for handling of abuse
By Mark Pattison Catholic News Service
10.2.2018 3:58 PM ET

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- With Pope Francis midway into the sixth year of his pontificate, the percentage of U.S. Catholics who view him favorably, while still strong, is noticeably down.

And, compared to a January poll by the Pew Research Center that showed Catholics being evenly split on how well Pope Francis has handled the issue of clergy sex abuse, numbers in the new poll, released Oct. 2, show that twice as many Catholics feel he is doing only a fair or poor job on the issue than say he is doing a good or excellent job.

The overall favorability number for the pope is 72 percent, split between 42 percent of Catholics who see him "mostly favorable" and 30 percent who view him "very favorable." The latter number down a third from the last Pew poll last January, when Pope Francis had been at 84 percent favorability. The 72 percent figure is lower than Pew's favorability findings for Pope Benedict XVI except for its first poll asking the question shortly after Pope Benedict assumed the papacy in 2005.
 

Pew Research Center--
http://www.pewforum.org/2018/10/02/confidence-in-pope-francis-down-sharply-in-u-s/
October 2, 2018
Confidence in Pope Francis Down Sharply in U.S.

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Synod 2018

https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2018/10/04/synod-2018-day-1-migrants-sex-abuse-and-church-credibility

Synod 2018 Day 1: Migrants, sex abuse and church credibility
October 04, 2018

On the first morning of the synod on young people, speakers from different continents offered “a world perspective” on the situation and reality of young people, Thomas Rosica, C.S.B., the chief executive of Salt and Light Television in Canada, told journalists on Oct. 4. Topics included the plight of migrants, the need for a listening church, the credibility of the church and the abuse scandals that call its credibility into question.

Twenty-five synod fathers (almost all cardinals and bishops) spoke this morning. So, too, did a young woman from Texas, Sister Briana Santiago, 27. She was the first young person to speak at the synod; she had already participated in the pre-synod meeting last March. Born into a Catholic family, she is in a process of discernment of vocation for the religious life and studying at the Pontifical Lateran University, she said. Speaking in Italian, she told the assembly: “We young people are on a quest: looking for the meaning of life, looking for work, seeking our path or vocation in life, in search of our identity.... We dream of security, stability and personal realization...and finding a place in which we can have a sense of belonging.”
 
The prefect of the Vatican’s communications dicastery broke the news that the synod, in its first vote, elected five members to the information commission, one from each continent: Cardinals Gérald Lacroix (Canada), Wilfrid Napier (South Africa), Christoph Schönborn (Austria), Luis Antonio Tagle (Asia) and John Fisher (Australia). But it was revealed during the press briefing that the synod had actually elected Cardinal Robert Sarah for Africa, but he turned down the election “for personal reasons,” and so Cardinal Napier, who came second in the vote, took his place.
 

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Synod 2018

Photo at the link

https://twitter.com/FatherRosica

Thomas Rosica Retweeted 
Vatican News‏Verified account @VaticanNews · 12h  12 hours ago 

The Synod Fathers have elected these members of the Information Commission for @Synod2018: Cardinals Lacroix, Napier, Schönborn, Tagle, and Bishop Fisher. Here they are with the President and Secretary of the Commission: @PaoloRuffini2 and @AntonioSpadaro . #Synod2018Live

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Synod 2018

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/archbishop-chaput-tells-synod-to-announce-christ-not-ideologies-and-social-sciences-17952

Archbishop Chaput tells synod to announce Christ not ‘ideologies and social sciences’

Vatican City, Oct 4, 2018 / 10:30 am (CNA).- Archbishop Charles Chaput told the Synod of Bishops that the confidence to announce the truth of the faith is essential to the Church’s mission, and especially her service to young people.

Chaput delivered his three minute intervention Oct. 4 during the fifteenth ordinary general session of the Synod of Bishops, taking place in Rome and treating the issues of young people, the faith, and vocational discernment.

“Who we are as creatures, what it means to be human, why we should imagine we have any special dignity at all – these are the chronic questions behind all our anxieties and conflicts,” Chaput told the assembly. “And the answer to all of them will not be found in ideologies or the social sciences, but only in the person of Jesus Christ, redeemer of man.”

The archbishop pointed out to the synod that in order to either proclaim or accept Christ with sincerity, “we need to understand, at the deepest level, why we need to be redeemed in the first place.

The Archbishop of Philadelphia was elected as a member of the permanent council of the synod by the attendees at the last session in 2015. He was additionally chosen by the bishops of the United States to form part of the American delegation, placing him in the unusual position of having been elected to attend the synod twice.
 
The synod preparatory document highlighted that some young people disagreed with the Church’s teachings on human sexuality, and suggested an emphasis on “dialoguing” with those Catholics with dissenting views

The archbishop proposed a more robust approach.

“There is no such thing as an ‘LGBTQ Catholic’ or a ‘transgender Catholic’ or a ‘heterosexual Catholic,’” he told the synod, “as if our sexual appetites defined who we are; as if these designations described discrete communities of differing but equal integrity within the real ecclesial community, the body of Jesus Christ.”

“This has never been true in the life of the Church, and is not true now.  It follows that “LGBTQ” and similar language should not be used in Church documents, because using it suggests that these are real, autonomous groups, and the Church simply doesn’t categorize people that way.”

Instead, Chaput urged synod participants to favor the unifying truths of the faith over inherently divisive distinctions.

“Explaining why Catholic teaching about human sexuality is true, and why it’s ennobling and merciful, seems crucial to any discussion of anthropological issues.  Yet it’s regrettably missing from [the synod’s working document]. I hope revisions by the Synod Fathers can address that.”

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Synod 2018
Photo Gallery at the link

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-10/synod-youth-2018-pope-photo-gallery.html

Photo gallery of the Synod of Bishops in progress
05 October 2018, 15:59

Check out some photos of the ‘Synod of Bishops on Young People’ which opened on Wednesday in the Vatican