Pope Francis

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-11/pope-bishop-austin-monterey-appointment-daniel-garcia.html

Pope appoints new bishop in Monterey, California (USA)
27 November 2018, 12:00

Bishop Daniel Garcia, newly appointed Bishop of Monterey in California (F DeKarlos)
Pope Francis has appointed Bishop Daniel E. Garcia, auxiliary bishop of Austin, TX, as Bishop of the Diocese of Monterey, California (USA)

Bishop Daniel Garcia, Auxiliary Bishop of Austin, Texas since 2015, has been appointed by Pope Francis as the Bishop of Monterey in California.

Bishop Garcia was born in Cameron, Texas in 1960. He was ordained a priest in 1988 after completing studies at the St Mary’s Seminary which is part of University of St Thomas in Houston, TX. In 2007 he obtained a Master’s Degree in Liturgy from St John’s University in Collegeville, MN.
 

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https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2018/11/27/from-beach-to-basilica-sand-nativity-brings-unique-style-to-vatican/

From beach to basilica: ‘Sand Nativity’ brings unique style to Vatican
Junno Arocho Esteves   Nov 27, 2018

A worker sculpts an angel on a Nativity scene made entirely of sand in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Nov. 26. The 52-foot wide sculpture is made of sand from Jesolo, an Italian seaside town near Venice. (Credit: Paul Haring/CNS.)
ROME - From the beach town of New Smyrna, Florida, just a stone’s throw away from Daytona Beach, Rich Varano never imagined his unique talent of sculpting sand would take him to the heart of Christianity.

Varano is the artistic director of the “Sand Nativity,” a massive 52-foot-wide sculpture made of sand imported from Jesolo, an Italian seaside resort town roughly 40 miles north of Venice. It will be the centerpiece of the Vatican’s annual Nativity scene on display in St. Peter’s Square.

“What does it mean for me to be here? I think, quite understandably, it’s the greatest honor there is” and certainly the biggest client he’s ever had, Varano told Catholic News Service Nov. 21.

The American artist and three other sculptors were charged with creating the intricate sculpture, which, along with a 42-foot-tall red spruce tree donated by the Diocese of Concordia-Pordenone in the northern Italian region of Veneto, was to be unveiled at the Vatican’s annual tree lighting ceremony Dec. 7.
 
https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2018/11/02/sand-nativity-scene-to-display-in-st-peters-square/
‘Sand Nativity’ scene to display in St. Peter’s Square
Junno Arocho Esteves   Nov 2, 2018

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-11/pope-general-audience-ten-commandments.html

Pope at Audience: Commandments are guide to authentic Christian life
28 November 2018, 15:09

Pope Francis at the General Audience in the Paul VI Hall  (Vatican Media )
Pope Francis wrapped up a long series of catecheses focussing on the Ten Commandments pointing out they should be seen not as a series of rules, but as a guide to an authentic Christian life.
By Linda Bordoni

Speaking to the pilgrims gathered in the Paul VI Hall for the weekly General Audience, Pope Francis said his catechesis concludes a series dedicated to the ten Commandments, that he explained, provide us with the key to open ourselves up “to receive His heart, His desires, the Holy Spirit”.

Reflecting on St Paul’s Letter to the Galatians which tells us that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness,gentleness, self-control, ” the Pope said the Spirit plants in our hearts holy desires, which are the seed of new life.  And new life, he explained, is the very Spirit of God who leads us to its fruits, “in a happy synergy between our joy of being loved and His joy of loving us”.
 
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-11/pope-francis-franciscans-holy-land-custos.html
Pope Francis expresses closeness to ‘martyred land of Syria’
28 November 2018, 13:35

https://zenit.org/articles/francis-applauds-autistic-child-who-took-the-stage-he-is-undisciplinedly-free/
Francis Applauds Autistic Child who Took the Stage: ‘He Is Undisciplinedly Free’ 
November 28, 2018 16:40

https://zenit.org/articles/general-audience-pope-concludes-series-on-ten-commandments/
General Audience: Pope Concludes Series on Ten Commandments 
•November 28, 2018 14:37•Virginia Forrester

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

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope-francis/mass-casa-santa-marta/2018-11/pope-francis-mass-christian-societies-end-if-pagan.html#.W__g6U0DvRw.twitter

Pope at Mass: ‘So-called Christian societies will end if pagan'
29 November 2018, 13:13

Pope Francis delivers the homily at Mass in the Casa Santa Marta  (Vatican Media)
In his homily at Mass in the Casa Santa Marta on Thursday, Pope Francis reflects on the end of the world and says the Christian life cannot be reconciled with a worldly mentality.

Pope Francis turned his thoughts at Mass on Thursday to the end of the world. He took his cue from the readings of the day from the Book of Revelations, which describes the destruction of Babylon, a symbol of worldliness, and from the Gospel of Luke (21:20-28), in which Jesus tells of the devastation of Jerusalem, the holy city.

The fall of Babylon

On the day of judgment, Babylon will be destroyed with a mighty cry of victory, the Pope said. The great harlot will fall, he said, condemned by the Lord, and she will show her truth: “a haunt for demons, a cage for every unclean spirit.”

Pope Francis said that corruption will be revealed under her magnificent beauty and that her feasts will be exposed as false happiness.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-11/pope-francis-shrine-rectors-popular-piety.html#.W__1PL-zpqc.twitter

Pope to Rectors of Shrines: Keeping popular piety alive
29 November 2018, 13:56

Pope Francis speaks to rectors and pastoral workers of Shrines  (Vatican Media)
Pope Francis meets Rectors and Pastoral Workers of Shrines, encouraging them to make pilgrims feel “at home” and to help them enrich their popular piety.
By Seàn-Patrick Lovett

A Shrine is a church, or other sacred place, which is visited by people who come as pilgrims to pray, or to seek grace and consolation. There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of such locations all over the world. And the tradition of visiting and praying at a Shrine is as old as the Church itself.

On Thursday morning in the Vatican, Pope Francis met with some of those responsible for these Shrines and sacred places, Rectors and Pastoral Workers, currently attending an International Conference on the topic.

Shrines are irreplaceable

Reflecting on the contemporary importance of Shrines, the Pope described them as places where people gather “to express their faith in simplicity, and according to the various traditions that have been learned since childhood.”  In this sense, he said, “Shrines are irreplaceable because they keep popular piety alive.”
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2018-11/conference-decommissioning-sacred-spaces-paul-tighe-culture.html

Decommissioning Churches while continuing to serve communities
29 November 2018, 15:30

An unused church left to abandon  (AFP or licensors)
A 2-day international conference on Decommissioning places of worship and integrated management of ecclesiastical cultural heritage is organized by the Pontifical Council for Culture in collaboration with the Gregorian University, which is hosting the event from 29 to 30 November.
By Linda Bordoni

Over the last several decades hundreds of Catholic parishes have closed due to a combination of reasons: a shortage of priests to serve them, too few parishioners to sustain them, insufficient finances to support them.

But the fact that a church is no longer a church and whether it has simply been abandoned or sold for another use is an issue that is close to the heart of the Church and its people. 

That’s why the Pontifical Council for Culture is spearheading the international conference dedicated to “Decommissioning places of worship and integrated management of ecclesiastical cultural heritage.”
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-11/pope-francis-message-conference-decommissioning-churches.html#.XAA5aTiFWeM.twitter

Pope on decommissioning of churches: Invitation to reflect and adapt
29 November 2018, 16:00

Pope Francis urges participants at a conference on the decommissioning of places of worship not to face the closure of churches “with anxiety” but to see it as an invitation to adapt.  
By Francesca Merlo

Addressing participants in the Conference “Doesn’t God dwell here anymore? Decommissioning places of worship and integrated management of ecclesial cultural heritage” Pope Francis recalls first of all, Saint Paul VI who he says “affirmed that to care for documents was equivalent to caring for the worship of Christ”. The Pope says that, as a pastor, Pope Paul VI was “very sensitive to the values of culture.”

“Saint John Paul II, too” he continues, was “particularly attentive to the pastoral relevance of art and of cultural assets”, as they testify “in various ways to God’s presence in human history and the Church’s life.”
 
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-sends-message-to-conference-on-closed-churches-31046
Pope sends message to conference on closed churches
By Hannah Brockhaus

Vatican City, Nov 29, 2018 / 05:27 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis wrote in his 2015 encyclical, Laudato si, that, “by learning to see and appreciate beauty, we learn to reject self-interested pragmatism.”

The Holy Father quoted this line again in a Nov. 29 message to a Vatican conference centered on answering the question of how to preserve the beauty and the sacredness of now-empty and unused Catholic churches.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope-francis/mass-casa-santa-marta/2018-11/pope-francis-homily-mass-casa-santa-marta.html

Pope at Mass: Christians must provide credible witness with their lives
30 November 2018, 13:26

Pope Francis celebrates Mass at Santa Marta  (Vatican Media)
On the Feast of St Andrew Pope Francis addressed believers at Mass in the Casa Santa Marta urging them to be close to the Church of Constantinople, of which Saint Andrew the Apostle is the patron.
By Linda Bordoni

Pope Francis has invited the faithful to “leave everything in order to go forward in proclamation and witness, just as Peter and Andrew did”.

Speaking during the homily at morning Mass on the Feast of St Andrew the Apostle, the Pope also invited Christians to be close to the Church of Constantinople and he prayed for unity between the Churches.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-11/pope-francis-patriarch-bartholomew-feast-message-saint-andrew.html

Pope: Christian unity is hope for suffering, wounded world
30 November 2018, 14:10

Pope Francis with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople.   (AFP or licensors)
Pope Francis has sent a message to Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople on the occasion of the Nov. 30 feast of St. Andrew, patron of the Patriarchate.
By Robin Gomes

Despite differences between Catholics and Orthodox Christians, Pope Francis said the two communities are called to be a sign of hope by working together for peace, human dignity and care of creation.

St. Andrew

“We can work together today in the search for peace among peoples, for the abolition of all forms of slavery, for the respect and dignity of every human being and for the care of creation,” the Pope said in a message to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople on the occasion of the November 30 feast of St. Andrew, the patron of the Patriarchate based in Istanbul, Turkey.   

The Pope’s message was read Friday morning by Cardinal Kurt Koch, President of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity, at a Divine Liturgy at the Patriarchate in Istanbul, Turkey on the feast of St. Andrew.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-11/pope-francis-meets-with-shahbaz-bhatti-association.html#.XAEj_tqP3pI.twitter

Pope Francis meets with Shahbaz Bhatti Association
30 November 2018, 11:59

Christian celebration in Pakistan  (ANSA)
Pope Francis meets with members of the Association “Missione Shahbaz Bhatti, expressing the hope that they can extend their activity to those areas of Pakistan where Christians and other minorities continue to be discriminated against.

In March of 2011 Shahbaz Bhatti, a Pakistani politician and the country’s first Federal Minister for Minorities Affairs was assassinated in Islamabad for his struggle to promote human equality, social justice and interfaith harmony in Pakistan.  Inspired by the thought and vision of Shahbaz Bhatti, the Association “Missione Shahbaz Bhatti was founded. The aim of the association is to continue the tireless work of this politician to create a society where everyone can live with dignity and respect.

Seven years on from Shahbaz Bhatti’s death, the association was received in audience by Pope Francis in the Vatican on Friday. Included in the group was Paul Bhatti who paid homage to his brother in a speech to the Pope. In his words to those gathered, Pope Francis said he was glad to know “that Shahbaz Bhatti is loved and honoured by many in Pakistan today, and that his sacrifice is bearing rich fruits of hope.”
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-11/pope-sardinia-volunteer-center-organizations.html#.XAErhkQV0Ws.twitter

Pope to members of volunteer center: ‘Always be a gift for others'
30 November 2018, 12:43

Pope Francis meets with members of the Service Center for Volunteers "Sardinia Solidale"  (Vatican Media)
Pope Francis met members of the Service Center for Volunteers “Sardinia Solidale” (Sardinia United) on Friday in Paul VI Hall, encouraging them to give a human and Christian touch through volunteer service.
By Sr Bernadette Mary Reis, fsp

Members of the Service Center for Volunteers “Sardinia Solidale” met with Pope Francis on Friday in Paul VI Hall in the Vatican. He expressed his appreciation for their efforts to help some of the poorest people in the world and the welcome they extend to newcomers in Sardinia.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-11/pope-francis-poland-cancer-children-audience.html

Pope encourages children with cancer in their struggle
30 November 2018, 16:30

Pope Francis meeting a family in the Vatican. 
Pope Francis on Nov. 30 welcomed in the Vatican a group of 62 sick children from the Wrocław Cancer Centre in Poland.
By Robin Gomes

“Your journey through life is a bit difficult, dear children, because you have to be cured, overcome the disease or live with the disease, which is not easy,” the Pope said speaking to the sick children off-hand in Italian, with the help of interpreters.

Winning

The Pope pointed out that they have many friends who help them a lot such as their family who help them move forward.  “There is no difficulty in life that cannot be won,” he stressed, adding that winning is different for each person according to one’s own way.  But the important thing is winning, the horizon that makes one move forward.  “Don’t be discouraged,” he urged.

Guardian angel

The Holy Father also reminded them that the Lord has assigned to each one a guardian angel to help us in life.  “Get used to talking to your angel, so that he may guard you, inspire you, and lead you always to victory in life,” he told the sick children.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-12/pope-francis-address-pilgrims-italian-dioceses-1-december-2018.html

Pope to pilgrims: Advent is a time of consolation and hope
01 December 2018, 13:11

Pope Francis greeting the faithful from the Dioceses of Ugento and Molfetta  (Vatican Media)
Pope Francis reflects on the meaning of Advent in an address to pilgrims from the Italian Dioceses of Ugento-Santa Maria di Leuca and Molfetta-Ruvo-Giovinazzo-Terlizzi.
By Christopher Wells

Pope Francis turned his thoughts to the season of Advent and the coming of a new liturgical year, as he met with pilgrims from two Dioceses in the south east part of Italy.

Advent brings "the newness" of our God

In his remarks to pilgrims from the Dioceses of Ugento-Santa Maria di Leuca and Molfetta-Ruvo-Giovinazzo-Terlizzi, Pope Francis said that the time of Advent is a time of “consolation and hope,” the beginning of “a new liturgical year, which brings with it the newness of our God, who is the ‘God of every consolation.’” The Holy Father called to mind a former Bishop of Molfetta, the Servant of God Don Tonino Bello, who had written, “We are inclined to new things because we are born for great things.” It’s true, Pope Francis said. “We are born to be with the Lord. When we allow God to enter, true newness arrives.”
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-12/pope-francis-drug-addictions.html

Pope calls for solidarity and nearness to victims of addiction
01 December 2018, 14:10

Pope Francis on December 1 addressed participants in a 3-day Vatican conference on drugs and addictions.
By Robin Gomes

Pope Francis on Saturday encouraged greater coordination of anti-drug and anti-addiction policies through networks of solidarity and nearness to the victims affected by these pathologies.  He was speaking to some 450 participants in the international conference in the Vatican on the theme, "Drugs and Addictions: an Obstacle to Integral Human Development".  The Nov. 29 to Dec.1 meeting that examined issues such as addictions to drugs, gambling, sex, pornography and trafficking, was sponsored by the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-12/pope-francis-book-interview-strength-of-vocation.html

"The strength of vocation": A book-length interview with Pope Francis
01 December 2018, 12:07

Pope Francis' new book "The strength of vocation. Consecrated life today.", coming out on December 3rd, is fruit of a four-hour long conversation between the Holy Father and Spanish Missionary Fernando Prado, tackling themes such as vocation, consecrated life and the struggles the Church is facing today.
By Francesca Merlo

Pope Francis’ new book: “The strength of vocation. Consecrated life today” will be coming out on December 3rd, 2018. The 120 page-long book has been translated into 10 languages and recounts a four-hour long conversation held in Santa Marta in August between the Holy Father and Spanish Missionary Fernando Prado.

Amongst the numerous themes touched on in the dialogue, using examples from his own life and experience, Pope Francis tackles above all the theme of vocation and the missions of consecrated persons, taking into account the difficulties the Church is facing in this day and age.
 
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/in-new-book-on-clergy-and-religious-life-pope-francis-addresses-homosexuality-27409
In new book on clergy and religious life, Pope Francis addresses homosexuality

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope-francis/mass-casa-santa-marta/2018-12/pope-francis-santa-marta-advent-peacemaker-christmas.html#.XAZ_cMQqnIY.twitter

Pope at Mass: Advent a time to make peace in the soul, family, neighbourhood
04 December 2018, 14:02

Pope Francis at Mass at the Casa Santa Marta on December 4, 2018.   (Vatican Media)
At his morning Mass at the Casa Santa Marta on Tuesday, Pope Francis spoke about how Christians can prepare for Christmas by building peace in one's soul, in the family and in the world through humility.
By Robin Gomes

Pope Francis is urging Christians to prepare themselves for Christmas this Advent season by being humble and trying to build peace in their soul, in their family and in the world.

Delivering a homily at Mass, Friday morning at the Casa Santa Marta in the Vatican, the Pope said that peacemaking consists in not talking evil of and harming others, a bit like imitating God, who humbled Himself.

Pointing to the pastoral scene evoked by Isaiah in the first reading, where the wolf and the lamb, and the leopard and the kid live side by side harmlessly, the Pope said the prophet speaks about the peace of Jesus that transforms life and history, which is why He is called the "Prince of Peace".
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-12/pope-francis-meets-mahmoud-abbas.html

Pope Francis meets Mahmoud Abbas
04 December 2018, 07:48

Pope Francis meets Mahmoud Abbas  (ANSA)
Pope Francis on Monday met with the President of the State of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas in the Vatican. A statement released following the discussions described the meeting as cordial. During the talks, attention turned to the path of reconciliation among the Palestinian people, as well as the efforts to reactivate the peace process between Israelis and Palestinians.

Below find the statement released by the Holy See Press Office

Today, 3 December 2018, the Holy Father Francis received in audience H.E. Mr. Mahmoud Abbas, President of the State of Palestine, who subsequently met with His Excellency the Secretary for Relations with States, H.E. Msgr. Paul Richard Gallagher.

During the cordial discussions, the good relations between the Holy See and Palestine were noted, as were the positive role of Christians and the activity of the Church in Palestinian society, enshrined in the Global Agreement of 2015. Attention then turned to the path of reconciliation among the Palestinian people, as well as the efforts to reactivate the peace process between Israelis and Palestinians, and to reach a two-state solution, hoping for a renewed commitment on the part of the international community to meet the legitimate aspirations of both peoples. Particular attention was reserved for the status of Jerusalem, underlining the importance of recognizing and preserving its identity and the universal value of the holy City for the three Abrahamic religions.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-12/pope-at-audience-during-advent-ask-jesus-to-teach-us-to-pray.html#.XAeyBO1CZ-U.twitter

Pope at Audience: During Advent, ask Jesus to teach us to pray
05 December 2018, 11:33

Pope Francis arrives in the Paul VI Hall for Wedneday's General Audience  (Vatican Media)
At the Wednesday General audience, Pope Francis began a new cycle of catechesis, which will focus on the Lord’s prayer.
By Christopher Wells

After concluding his reflections on the Ten Commandments at last week’s General Audience, Pope Francis on Wednesday launched a new series of catechesis, which will focus on the “Our Father.”

“The Gospels have given us a very vivid portrait of Jesus as a man of prayer,” the Pope said in the introductory catechetical instruction. Despite the importance of His mission, and the demands placed on Him by the people, Jesus often felt the need “to withdraw into solitude and pray.” This was evident from the very beginning of His mission, after the initial success of his ministry in Galilee.
 
https://zenit.org/articles/general-audience-pope-begins-news-series-of-catecheses-on-the-our-father/
General Audience: Pope Begins News Series of Catecheses on the ‘Our Father’ 
•December 05, 2018 15:31•Virginia Forrester

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

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http://www.catholicnews.com/services/englishnews/2018/pope-expresses-condolences-for-death-of-former-president-bush.cfm

Pope expresses condolences for death of former President Bush
By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service
12.5.2018 8:18 AM ET

CNS photo/Yuri Gripas, Reuters
Former U.S. President George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush stand at the flag-draped casket of former U.S. President George H.W. Bush as he lies in state inside the U.S. Capitol rotunda Dec. 4 in Washington

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis expressed his condolences for the death of the 41st president of the United States, George H.W. Bush.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, sent a telegram to the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, telling him the pope was "saddened to learn of the death" of the former president.

"Pope Francis offers heartfelt condolences and the assurance of his prayers to all the Bush family," he said in the telegram published by the Vatican Dec. 5.

"Commending President Bush's soul to the merciful love of almighty God, His Holiness invokes upon all who mourn his passing the divine blessings of strength and peace," Cardinal Parolin wrote.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-12/pope-francis-address-mercedarian-fathers-instruments-of-freedom.html

Pope to Mercedarian Fathers: Never stop being instruments of freedom
06 December 2018, 15:31

Pope Francis meets the memberd of the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy  (Vatican Media)
Pope Francis meets with Mercedarian Fathers celebrating 800 years since the foundation of their order and urges them never to stop being instruments of freedom, joy and hope.
By Francesca Merlo

Pope Francis on Thursday met with Mercedarian Fathers, (members of the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy) who are celebrating 800 years since the foundation of their order. The order was founded in 1218 for the redemption of Christian captives.