Pope Francis

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope-francis/mass-casa-santa-marta/2018-12/pope-at-mass-the-lord-is-the-rock-on-which-to-build-our-lives.html

Pope at Mass: the Lord is the rock on which to build our lives
06 December 2018, 12:07

Pope Francis reflects on the readings during the morning Mass at Casa Santa   (Vatican Media)
Speaking and acting. Sand and rock. High and low. Pope Francis based his homily at the daily Mass on these three contrasts.
By Vatican News

Pope Francis in his homily on Thursday focused on three pairs of words, drawn from the day’s Scripture readings: speaking and acting; sand and rock; high and low.

Speaking and acting

The first pair, “to say and to do,” distinguishes two contrasting approaches to the Christian life:

Speaking is a way of believing, but very superficial, a halfway journey: I say that I am a Christian but I don’t act like a Christian. To put it simply, it’s a little bit like dressing up as a Christian: only saying the words is a kind of deception, speaking without doing. Jesus’ proposal is concrete, always concrete. When someone drew near and asked for advice, [He always suggested] concrete things. The works of mercy are concrete.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-12/pope-promulgates-new-law-for-government-of-vatican-city-state.html

Pope promulgates new law for government of Vatican City State
07 December 2018, 13:36

The Palazzo of the Governorate in the Vatican
In a letter issued motu proprio, Pope Francis has promulgated new norms that will overhaul the Governorate of Vatican City State, in order to make it better suited for the ecclesial service it is called to provide for the mission of the Roman Pontiff in the world.

On 7 June 2019, the New Law on the Government of Vatican City State will enter into effect. Pope Francis announced the new norms with a motu proprio beginning "Fin dall’inizio," released on Thursday, which is dated 25 November 2018, the Solemnity of Christ the King of the Universe. With the publication of the motu proprio, the Press Office of the Holy See has also released an Explanatory note (in Italian).
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-12/pope-francis-united-arab-emirates-visit.html

Pope Francis to visit the United Arab Emirates in February
06 December 2018, 13:04

Logo of Pope's Apostolic Visit to the United Arab Emirates
The Vatican announced that Pope Francis is scheduled to travel to the United Arab Emirates in February to participate in an interfaith meeting.
By Linda Bordoni

Pope Francis will visit Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates from 3 to 5 February 2019 to attend an interfaith meeting on “Human Fraternity”.

Greg Burke, the Director of the Holy See Press Office, said on Thursday that the visit highlights Pope Francis’ commitment to building a culture of encounter.

The theme of the visit, Burke explained, is “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace”.

“That’s the Pope’s intention in going to the United Arab Emirates. How all people of goodwill can work for peace will be a major topic on this trip” he said.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-12/pope-francis-videomessage-prayer-faith.html#play

Pope's December prayer intention: In the service of the transmission of faith
06 December 2018, 14:52

Pope Francis on Thursday released a video message accompanying his prayer intention for December, which this month is " In the service of the transmission of faith".

In his prayer intention for the month of December 2018, Pope Francis calls us pray that people, who are involved in the service and transmission of faith, may find, in their dialogue with culture, a language suited to the conditions of the present time, in their dialogue with people's hearts, and above all, by listening much.

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:
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2018-12/papal-preacher-cantalamessa-advent-reflection.html#.XAqEFD-DrxI.twitter

Father Cantalamessa: 'God is in our midst'
07 December 2018, 13:46

Father Raniero Cantalamessa delivers a sermon in the Vatican's Redemptoris Mater Chapel  (Vatican Media)
Father Raniero Cantalamessa, the preacher to the pontifical household, delivered the first in a series of Advent meditations on December 7, with Pope Francis among the members of the congregation.
By Linda Bordoni

Each year the Vatican schedules a series of Advent reflections, offered each Friday morning by the papal preacher, Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa. Delivered in the Redemptoris Mater chapel of the Apostolic Palace, the meditations are attended by the Pope, the Roman Curia, and vicar and auxiliary bishops of Rome.

Reflecting on the second verse of Psalm 42: “My soul thirsts for God, the living God”, Father Cantalamessa said that caught up by daily tasks and problems to be faced, “we risk losing sight of”, or putting to the side our personal relationship with God.

This relationship, he explained, is what allows us to face situations and problems “without losing peace and patience”.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-12/pope-thanks-donors-of-st-peter-s-square-christmas-crib-and-tree.html

Pope thanks donors of St. Peter’s Square Christmas crib and tree
07 December 2018, 12:53

The Pope thanks all those who donated this year’s Christmas Tree and Sand Nativity Scene in St Peter’s Square.

The tree and the Nativity Scene tell us about Christmas and “help us to contemplate the mystery of God who was made man in order to be close to each one of us.” Those were the Pope’s words on Friday while thanking all the people who donated this year’s Sand Nativity Scene and the 23 meter tall ‎Christmas tree set up in the centre of St. Peter’s Square.

A Tree of Light

Pope Francis described how “the Christmas tree with its lights, reminds us that Jesus is the light of the world; the light of the soul that drives out the darkness of enmity and makes room for forgiveness.”

The Pope noted, that this year’s tree comes from the forest of Cansiglio in northern Italy, and he went on to explain that its’ height symbolized God “who with the birth of his Son Jesus came down to man in order to raise him to himself and raise him from the mists of selfishness and sin.”

Reflecting on the Nativity Scene which this year is made from Jesolo sand native to the Dolomites, the Pontiff pointed out that, “the sand, a poor material, recalls the simplicity, the smallness with which God revealed Himself with the birth of Jesus in the precariousness of Bethlehem.”
 

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http://www.catholicnews.com/services/englishnews/2018/christmas-spirit-in-the-air-as-vatican-unveils-nativity-scene-tree.cfm

Christmas spirit in the air as Vatican unveils Nativity scene, tree
By Junno Arocho Esteves Catholic News Service
12.7.2018 12:11 PM ET

CNS photo/Paul Haring
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The annual unveiling of the Vatican's Christmas tree and Nativity scene brought some much-needed warmth to people's hearts as winter approached.

Hundreds of people in St. Peter's Square Dec. 7 applauded as white curtains unfurled, revealing a 52-foot wide artistic representation of Jesus' birth made entirely of sand and dubbed the "Sand Nativity."

The bas-relief sculpture, which weighed over 700 tons, was made with sand from Jesolo, an Italian seaside resort town roughly 40 miles north of Venice.

Shortly after, as the sun set behind St. Peter's Basilica, the sounds of "Silent Night" filled the square before the lights of the Vatican's towering Christmas tree were lit.

The 42-foot-tall red spruce tree, donated by the Diocese of Concordia-Pordenone in the northern Italian region of Veneto, was unveiled at the Vatican's annual tree lighting ceremony.
 

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Photo Gallery and video at the link

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2018-12/vatican-christmas-nativity-scene-tree-inauguration.html#play

“Sand Nativity” and Christmas tree of St. Peter’s Square unveiled
The Nativity scene in sand and the Christmas tree in the middle of St. Peter’s Square in Rome were inaugurated during a ceremony in the evening of November 7.
08 December 2018, 12:31

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-12/pope-francis-angelus-8-december-2018-here-i-am.html

Pope at Angelus: ‘Here I am is the greatest praise we can give to God'
08 December 2018, 11:58

Pope Francis greets pilgrims in St Peter's Square for the midday Angelus  (Vatican Media)
On the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Pope Francis prayed the Angelus with the faithful gathered in St Peter’s square saying that we praise God when we say with Mary, “Here I am”.
By Sr Bernadette Mary Reis, fsp

Saying “Here I am” with Mary is the greatest praise we can give to God. Pope Francis focused on these words of Mary before reciting the Angelus with the faithful gathered in St Peter’s Square on Saturday, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

Adam and Mary

Pope Francis contrasted Adam’s response to God “I hid myself”, and Mary’s response, “Here I am” during his reflections before leading the faithful in the recitation of the Angelus. Hiding from God “closes oneself off, isolates, makes the person remain alone with him or herself”. Here I am, instead, opens us to God, Pope Francis said.
 
Video at the link below--
https://www.youtube.com/user/vatican

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http://www.catholicnews.com/services/englishnews/2018/marking-feast-day-pope-asks-marys-care-of-families-seeking-refuge.cfm

Marking feast day, pope asks Mary's care of families seeking refuge
By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service
12.8.2018 10:23 AM ET

CNS photo/Paul Haring
ROME (CNS) -- In the heart of Rome, near streets of fancy shops already blinged out for Christmas shopping, Pope Francis prayed for Romans struggling to survive and for families in the city and around the world who face the same lack of welcome that Mary and Joseph experienced.

The pope concluded his public celebration of the feast of the Immaculate Conception, Dec. 8, by making the traditional papal visit to a statue of Mary erected in Rome's historic center to honor Catholic teaching that Mary was conceived without sin.

The statue is located near the Spanish Steps and Rome's most expensive clothing and jewelry stores; it is also next to the building housing the Vatican Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

Instead of making a speech near the statue, the pope composes and reads a prayer, and he leaves a basket of roses at the statue's base.

In the prayer addressed to Mary, he said, "In this Advent time, thinking of the days when you and Joseph were anxious for the imminent birth of your baby, worried because there was a census and you had to leave your village, Nazareth, and go to Bethlehem -- you know what it means to carry life in your womb and sense around you indifference, rejection and sometimes contempt.
 
Video at the link below--
https://www.youtube.com/user/vatican

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-12/pope-martyrs-algeria-beatification-message.html

Pope: martyrs of Algeria sign of brotherhood for the world
08 December 2018, 14:46

Beatification ceremony in Oran, Algeria
As Father Pierre Claverie and 18 other martyrs were Beatified on Saturday in Algeria, Pope Francis sent a message to the Algerian people.
By Linda Bordoni

In a message to the people of  Algeria  Pope Francis urged them to go forward in healing the wounds of the past and nurturing a culture of encounter and coexistence.   

The 19 martyrs were killed between 1994 and 1996 during the civil war in Algeria between the government and Islamist groups. All were religious and they all shared a love of Christ and a desire to serve the Muslim people of the nation.

The Pope’s message was read after the Beatification Mass presided over in the city of Oran by Cardinal Angelo Becciu, prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints.

Pope Francis described the celebration as a joyful one for the Church in Algeria and said he joins the community in giving thanks “for these lives given totally for the love of God, the country and all its inhabitants”.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-12/pope-francis-angelus-9-december-2018-conversion-john-baptizer.html?fbclid=IwAR0S9F5WS8lxEdxRLwEmFClVmihE7Ao6JUaExjl9HPBkFIy3Q1bl4BfrGm0

Pope at Angelus: conversion is the way to wait for the Lord
09 December 2018, 12:11

The second Sunday of Advent teaches us that conversion is the way to wait for the Lord’s coming, Pope Francis says in his Angelus reflection with the faithful gathered in St Peter’s Square.
By Sr Bernadette Mary Reis, fsp

Pope Francis drew inspiration for his Angelus reflection from St John the Baptizer as presented in the Gospel of Luke on the Second Sunday of Advent. The Baptizer, the Pope said, teaches us that conversion is the way to wait for the Lord’s coming.
 
https://zenit.org/articles/angelus-address-on-the-need-for-a-journey-of-conversion/
Angelus Address: On the Need for A Journey of Conversion 
•December 09, 2018 15:16•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/2018-12/pope-francis-mass-casa-santa-marta-second-week-advent.html

Pope at Mass: ‘prepare for Christmas with the courage of faith’
10 December 2018, 13:22

Pope Francis celebrates Mass at Casa Santa Marta  (Vatican Media)
Pope Francis invited Christians to live the Advent season preparing for Christmas by asking for the grace of keeping the faith.
By Linda Bordoni 

Pope Francis on Monday shone the spotlight on the second week of Advent urging believers to ask for the grace to prepare themselves with faith to celebrate Christmas.

Speaking during the homily at Mass at the Casa Santa Marta, the Pope said “it’s not easy to keep the faith, to defend the faith”.

Reflecting on the Gospel reading of the day that tells the story of a paralysed man healed by Jesus, the Pope said faith gives us courage and shows us the way to touch the heart of the Lord.

He noted how, in the parable, the Lord “saw the faith” of those who brought the man and set him in His presence. “It took courage,“ he said, to go up on the roof and lower him on the stretcher through the tiles…. “Those people had faith: “They knew that if the sick man was put in front of Jesus, he would be healed”.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-12/pope-francis-message-human-rights-day-international-conference.html

Pope: Human rights first, even if it means going against the tide
10 December 2018, 12:24

Marking Human Rights Day, Pope Francis makes an appeal in a message to an International Conference on Human Rights, urging everyone to place human rights at the heart of all policies.
By Francesca Merlo

On Human Rights Day, Pope Francis makes an appeal to “place human rights at the heart of all policies, including development cooperation policies, even when this means going against the tide.”

Equal human dignity in every person

These words came in a message to the International Conference: entitled “Human Rights in the Contemporary World: Achievements, Omissions, Negations” promoted by the Dicastery for Integral Human Development and the Pontifical Gregorian University. The two-day conference is being held to mark the 70th anniversary since the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 25th Anniversary since the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action.
 
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-12/pope-francis-70-years-universal-declaration-human-rights.html
Pope Francis: everyone has the right to life and happiness
10 December 2018, 10:21

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https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2018/12/10/bishop-on-new-oversight-body-says-pope-has-affinity-for-charismatics/

Bishop on new oversight body says Pope has ‘affinity’ for charismatics
Christopher White   Dec 10, 2018

Pope Francis prays as he attends a Pentecost vigil marking the 50th anniversary of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal at the Circus Maximus in Rome June 3. (Credit: CNS.)
NEW YORK — At the request of Pope Francis, the Vatican has established a new body to oversee the global Catholic Charismatic Renewal, which launched December 8, creating a single group in Rome for a movement almost defined by its lack of most official structures.

The new body, known as CHARIS (“Catholic Charismatic Renewal International Service”), will function within the Vatican Dicastery of Laity, Family, and Life, headed by American Cardinal Kevin Farrell.

According to Bishop Peter Smith, an auxiliary in Portland, Oregon, who’s been appointed to represent North America on the newly formed CHARIS committee, their work will have a two-pronged focus of leadership and service.

Unlike many other movements within the Church, the new body, which will represent an estimated 115 million Catholic charismatics around the world, is meant to serve as a point of reference rather than a formal, hierarchical structure.

Smith told Crux that unlike other ecclesial movements, such as Communion and Liberation or the Focolare, Catholic charismatics are not tied to a particular founder or structure.
 
https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2018/11/02/new-coordinating-body-for-catholic-charismatic-activities-announced/
New coordinating body for Catholic charismatic activities announced
Catholic News Service   Nov 2, 2018

https://cruxnow.com/church-in-the-usa/2018/07/08/who-are-catholic-charismatics-and-whats-a-covenant-community/
Who are Catholic charismatics and what’s a covenant community?
Yonat Shimron   Jul 8, 2018
RELIGIOUS NEWS SERVICE / REUTERS

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https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2018/12/10/vatican-publishes-popes-christmas-schedule/

Vatican publishes pope’s Christmas schedule
Catholic News Service   Dec 10, 2018

Pope Francis venerates a figurine of the baby Jesus at the start of Christmas Eve Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican Dec. 24, 2017. As usual, the pope has a full schedule of Christmastime liturgies planned for December and January. (Credit: Paul Haring/CNS.)

ROME - Pope Francis has a full schedule of Christmastime liturgies planned for December and January, including the customary baptism of newborn babies Jan. 13, the feast of the Baptism of the Lord.

The Vatican published the pope’s Christmas schedule Dec. 10, reconfirming liturgies originally announced in late October.

The Masses and special celebrations include:

- Dec. 24 at 9:30 p.m., the Christmas Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica.

- Dec. 25 at noon, Christmas message and blessing “urbi et orbi” (“to the city and the world”) from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.

- Dec. 31 at 5 p.m., first vespers for the feast of Mary, Mother of God, followed by Eucharistic exposition, the singing of the “Te Deum” hymn of praise in thanksgiving for the year that is ending and benediction.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope-francis/mass-casa-santa-marta/2018-12/pope-francis-homily-daily-mass-comfort-consoled-by-god.html#.XA-n47JvaAY.twitter

Pope at Mass: Let us allow ourselves to be consoled by God
11 December 2018, 12:30

Mass at the Casa Santa Marta  (Vatican Media)
At the Mass at Casa Santa Marta, Pope Francis speaks about consolation, which he says should be the normal state for Christians. But in today’s world, he says, the word “tenderness” has effectively been removed from the dictionary.

The Lord comforts us with tenderness, like mothers who caress their children when they cry. In his homily at the daily Mass, Pope Francis encouraged us to allow ourselves to be comforted by God, and not to put up resistance.

Don’t resist consolation

The first reading, taken from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah (40,1-11), is an invitation to consolation: “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God,” because “her guilt is expiated.” This, the Pope explained, refers to the “consolation of salvation,” to the good news that “we are saved.” The Risen Christ, in those forty days after His Resurrection, did just that with His disciples: He consoled them. But, Pope Francis continued, we tend to resist consolation, as if “we were safer in the turbulent waters of our problems.” “We bet on desolation, on problems, on defeat;” the Lord works very hard to console us, but encounters resistance. This can be seen even with the disciples on the morning of Easter, who needed to be reassured, because they were afraid of another defeat.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-12/pope-francis-world-day-sick-2019-patrick-drozario-kolkata.html

Card. Patrick D’Rozario, Pope’s special envoy to World Day of the Sick in Kolkata
11 December 2018, 15:06

Pope Francis with Cardinal Patrick D'Rozario (R) in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Nov. 30, 2017.  (AFP or licensors)
Pope Francis on Dec. 11 appointed Bangladeshi Cardinal Patrick D’Rozario as his envoy to the special celebration of the World Day of the Sick in Kolkata, India, February 11, 2019.
By Robin Gomes

Pope Francis on Tuesday appointed Cardinal Patrick D’Rozario of Bangladesh as his special delegate to the special celebration of the Catholic Church’s 27th World Day of the Sick in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), February 9-11, 2019.

Beginning

The tradition of the World Day of the Sick was instituted by St. John Paul II on 13 May 1992, designating its celebration to the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, February 11 each year.

The first World Day of the Sick was marked in 1993 at the shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in southern France, one of the world’s most famous Marian shrines.

Since then, the day has been observed each year all over the world with a special celebration in a particular place.  The Holy Father issues a message each year on a particular issue.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-12/pope-francis-panama-wyd-2019-ulloa-migrants-refugees-indigenous.html

Panama Archbishop: WYD 2019 will be “a great celebration of faith”
12 December 2018, 13:59

Official logo of World Youth Day 2019 in Panama.
Organizers of the World Youth Day in January 2019 in Panama, presented the event at a press conference in Rome on December 11. Themes such as migration, indigenous people, environment and role of women will also dominate the event.
By Robin Gomes

Preparations are underway for the  Catholic Church’s World Youth Day (WYD) that takes centre stage in Panama City, January 22-27.  Pope Francis is scheduled to join the celebrations January 23 onwards.

Addressing journalists at Tuesday’s press conference in Rome, Archbishop José Domingo Ulloa of Panama said that the WYD will be “a great celebration of faith." "We are waiting for the Pope and for the  hope  he will bring for all of Central America." 

Referring to the October Synod of Bishops in the Vatican on young people, he said that they will be urged to be protagonists of change to build a different world as Mary did with her unconditional “yes”. 

The theme of the 34th WYD is, “I am the servant of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” (Lk 1:38).
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-12/pope-trip-to-united-arab-emirates-official-program-announced.html

Pope trip to United Arab Emirates: official program announced
12 December 2018, 14:15

Logo for the Pope's visit to the United Arab Emirates
The Holy See Press Office publishes the official program of Pope Francis’ February 3rd to 5th trip to the United Arab Emirates.
By Vatican News

Pope Francis will become the first Pope in history to visit the Arabian Peninsula when he makes an apostolic journey to the United Arab Emirates next year.

Highlights of the trip include an interreligious meeting, an official visit to the Crown Prince, the meeting in the Great Mosque of Sheikh Zayed, and the celebration of Mass in Abu Dhabi.

Program details

The Pope will depart from Rome on Sunday, February 3rd at 1pm (Rome time) and is scheduled to arrive at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport at 10pm (local time).

The program starts on Monday February 4th at 12 noon with the welcome ceremony at the Presidential Palace, followed by the official visit to the Crown Prince. At 5pm in the evening, the Pope will meet privately with members of the Muslim Council of Elders in the Grand Mosque of Sheikh Zayed. From there, around 6pm, Pope Francis will proceed to the Founder’s Memorial where he will speak at the interreligious meeting.