Pope Francis

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope-francis/mass-casa-santa-marta/2019-01/word-of-god-is-not-ideology-it-is-life-that-makes-us-grow.html#.XEBpewKxDGc.twitter

Word of God is not ideology, it is life that makes us grow
17 January 2019, 12:18

Pope Francis during Mass at the Casa Santa Marta  (ANSA)
What does it mean for a Christian to have a “perverse heart,” a heart that can lead to faintheartedness, ideology, and compromise? That was the theme of Pope Francis’ homily Thursday morning at the Mass at Casa Santa Marta.

“Take care, brothers, that none of you may have an evil and unfaithful heart, so as to forsake the living God.” This is the harsh “message”, the “warning” as Pope Francis calls it, that the author of the Letter to the Hebrews addresses to the Christian community in today’s liturgy. The Pope warns that the Christian community, in all its components - “priests, nuns, bishops” - runs this danger of “slipping towards a perverse heart”.

But what does this warning mean to us? The Pope focuses on three words, again taken from the First Reading, which can help us to understand: “hardness”, “obstinacy”, and “seduction”.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2019-01/thorbjorn-jagland-meeting-pope-francis-join-forces-against-abuse.html

Thorbjørn Jagland meets Pope: Let us join forces against abuse
17 January 2019, 17:44

Pope Francis receives in audience Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
The meeting offered an occasion for an exchange of views on various important themes, including the protection of minors and the defence of human rights. Speaking with Vatican News, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe said the Pope's voice is "incredibly important today."
Vatican News

Following a meeting with Pope Francis on Thursday, Thorbjørn Jagland, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe said the two leaders had spoken about how to combat the phenomenon of the sexual abuse of children. “We can join forces,” Jagland said, in remarks to Vatican News.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2019-01/pope-telegramme-kenya-terrrorist-attack.html

Pope: ‘ Kenya attack senseless act of violence’
17 January 2019, 14:28
Pope Francis has expressed closeness to all those affected by an attack on a Nairobi hotel complex.
By Linda Bordoni

Describing the attack on Nairobi’s DusitD2 Hotel complex in which at least 21 people were killed as a “senseless act of violence”  Pope Francis has sent a telegramme assuring all those who are affected by the tragedy of his spiritual closeness.

The telegramme, signed by Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, on the Pope’s behalf,  comes as Kenyan officials confirm that all are accounted for after the brutal 20 hour siege in which 21 civilians  and five terrorists died.  The Pope said he is “Deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life and injury following the attack” and extends heartfelt condolences to all Kenyans, in particular to the families of the deceased and all those injured.

The telegramme concludes with assurances that the Pope is “praying for God’s healing grace”, and “invoking upon the entire nation the divine blessings of consolation and strength”.
 
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/world/news/2019-01/kenya-attack-president-kenyatta.html
16 January 2019, 16:21
Kenya’s President announces end of DusitD2 siege
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said a siege by suspected militants in Nairobi is over and all the attackers have been "eliminated".
By Godfrey Kampamba

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2019-01/pope-francis-inspectorate-vatican.html#.XECcxNGvzLs.twitter

Pope urges Italian police at the Vatican to charity, brotherhood, mercy
17 January 2019, 13:39

Pope Francis meeting officials and personnel of the Inspectorate of Public Security at the Vatican on Jan. 17, 2019.   (Vatican Media)
Pope Francis on January 17 met the Inspectorate of Public Security at the Vatican to exchange New Year’s greetings.

By Robin Gomes

Pope Francis on Thursday met members of Italy’s state police in charge of security in and around St. Peter’s Square and the Vatican and thanked them for their “precious work of security and public order” to pilgrims and tourists from all over the world during their visit to St Peter's Basilica.

In his traditional new year meeting with the officials and personnel of the “Ispettorato di Pubblica Sicurezza  presso  il Vaticano”, or the “Inspectorate of Public Security at the Vatican”, the Pope regarded them as “specialists in closeness”, saying their “competence and wisdom in dealing with different situations, even the most critical ones”, is recognized by all including him.
 
Two other separate entities also cooperate to keep watch over the Pope and the Vatican – the colourful Swiss Guards and the Corps of Gendarmes of Vatican City State, which is the Vatican’s own police force.

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https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/11255/wuerl-apologises-for-lapse-of-memory-over-abuse-allegation

17 January 2019, The Tablet
Wuerl apologises for 'lapse of memory' over abuse allegation
by Rhina Guidos, CNS

In a second letter issued in mid-January about what he knew and didn't regarding abuse allegations involving his predecessor, Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl, Washington's retired archbishop, has apologised for what he called a "lapse of memory," clarifying that he knew of at least one abuse allegation against former U.S. Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, but had "forgotten" about it.

In the letter sent to priests of the Archdiocese of Washington, Cardinal Wuerl acknowledged that he became aware of the allegation against now-Archbishop McCarrick after receiving a report in 2004 about a different allegation, but the "survivor also indicated that he had observed and experienced 'inappropriate conduct' by then-Bishop McCarrick".
 
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/unfathomable-wuerl-forgot-allegations-ciolek-says-18233
‘Unfathomable’ Wuerl forgot allegations, Ciolek says

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2019-01/pope-francis-homily-vespers-week-prayer-christian-unity.html

Pope at ecumenical Vespers: Recall God’s summons to justice
18 January 2019, 18:09

Pope Francis prays with other Christian leaders at the tomb of St Paul, at the beginning of Vespers for the beginning of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity  (Vatican Media)
Reflecting on the theme of this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Pope Francis called on all Christians to recognize that the gifts we have received from God are meant to be shared with all.
By Christopher Wells

On Friday, Pope Francis presided at the celebration of Vespers for the beginning of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

Justice and only justice you shall pursue

The theme for this year’s Week of Prayer — prepared by Christians from Indonesia — is “Justice and only justice you shall pursue”, taken from the book of Deuteronomy (16:18-20).
 
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2019-01/pope-homily-for-beginning-of-week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity.html
Pope: Homily for beginning of Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
Here is the full text of Pope Francis’ prepared homily for the celebration of First Vespers at the Basilica of St Paul’s Outside-the-Walls, for the start of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
18 January 2019, 17:39

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

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2019-01/pope-francis-video-message-world-indigenous-youth-panama.html

Pope’s video message to World Indigenous Youth Gathering in Panama
18 January 2019, 14:42

Pope Francis with indigenous people in the Vatican on May 30, 2018.  (AFP or licensors)
In the video message, Pope Francis is addressing young indigenous people from around the globe who are holding the World Indigenous Youth Gathering in Soloy, Panama, from January 17 to 21.
By Vatican News

Pope Francis on Friday addressed a video message to the world’s young indigenous people holding their World Indigenous Youth Gathering in Soloy, Diocese of David, Panama, from January 17 to 21.  The young people will then move on to Panama city to join the World Youth Day (WYD) 2019, January 22-27, which the Pope is joining on January 23.

Speaking in Spanish, the Pope is encouraging the indigenous young people to hold on to their cultures and roots by fighting marginalization, exclusion, waste and impoverishment that is threatening them and build another world that is possible and that is more just and human.

Please find below a working translation of the Pope's video message:
 
Video at the link below--
https://www.youtube.com/user/vatican

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2019-01/pope-francis-prays-for-victims-of-colombia-terrorist-attack.html

Pope Francis prays for victims of Colombia terrorist attack
18 January 2019, 15:25

Sorrow in Colombia following the attack in Bogotá
The Holy Father expresses his “deepest sorrow” for the victims of a terrorist attack in Colombia.
By Christopher Wells

In a telegram addressed to the Cardinal Archbishop of Bogotá, Ruben Salazar Gómez, Cardinal Pietro Parolin said the Holy Father is praying for those who have lost their lives.

Pope Francis, he said, “also wants to extend his support and closeness to the many wounded, to their families, and to the whole of Colombian society.”

The Holy Father once again condemned “blind violence,” which he denounced as “a very grave offense to the Creator.”

The telegram concluded with the Holy Father’s prayer to the Lord “to help persevere in the construction of harmony and peace” in Colombia, “and throughout the world.”

Full text

Below please find the full text of the telegram in English (original in Spanish):
 

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https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/you-are-renewing-american-society-nuncio-tells-mass-for-life-60950

'You are renewing American society' nuncio tells Mass for Life

Archbishop Christophe Pierre at the Youth Rally and Mass for Life, Washington, DC. Credit: CNA
Washington D.C., Jan 18, 2019 / 10:00 am (CNA).- Young pro-life marchers are charged with renewing American society. This was the message apostolic nuncio Archbishop Christophe Pierre delivered to a packed arena Friday morning ahead of the March for Life in Washington, DC.

Addressing the assembly before beginning the Mass at which he was the principle celebrant, the pope’s personal representative in the United States thanked those present “for the witness of your Catholic faith both now at Holy Mass, later on in the streets of Washington, and even more importantly when you return home.”

“Know that you are making a solid contribution to the renewal of American society,” he said.

“For the future of this vast country lies in the hands of young people like yourselves who believe that it has been created as one nation under God, and no human authority has the right to challenge the law of God.”
 
During his words of welcome, Pierre delivered a message from Pope Francis to the crowd-turned–congregation.

“His Holiness is deeply grateful for this outstanding witness to the right to life of the most innocent and vulnerable members of our human family,” Pierre read.

The pope wrote that upholding the inviolable dignity of human life and ensuring its protection in law was the challenge of every generation “and especially the young.”

“Respect for the sacredness of every human life is fundamental to the building of a truly good, just, and free society in which each person is valued and welcomed as a brother or sister,” the pope’s message continued.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2019-01/pope-to-finnish-delegation-ecumenical-journey-is-not-optional.html

Pope to Finnish delegation: Ecumenical journey is not optional
19 January 2019, 11:33

Ecumencial delegation from the Lutheran Church in Finland in audience with Pope Francis   (Vatican Media)
Pope Francis on Saturday meets with members of an Ecumenical Delegation from the Lutheran Church in Finland.

Speaking to the Finnish ecumenical delegation gathered, the Pope told them that ecumenism is a journey and a “shared commitment to ecumenism is an essential requirement of the faith we profess; it stems from our very identity as Christ’s followers.”

Irreversible journey

As we make this journey, Pope Francis continued “our unity grows” and he reiterated that this common path that is tread is an irreversible one. This is not an optional way, he said.

“When we pray in common, when we join in proclaiming the Gospel and serving the poor and the needy”, the Pontiff observed, “we are walking together on the path leading to the goal of visible unity.”

The Pope pointed out that the “the theological and ecclesiological issues that still keep us apart can only be resolved in the course of the journey along this common path, without forcing matters and without being able to foresee when and how it will take place.” He also underlined that the Holy Spirit was there as a guide on this journey.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2019-01/pope-francis-sistine-chapel-choir-motu-proprio.html

Sistine Chapel Choir now part of Liturgical Celebrations
19 January 2019, 12:20

Sistine Chapel Choir
Pope Francis releases a motu proprio making the Sistine Chapel Choir part of the Office for Liturgical Celebrations.

By Devin Watkins

With an Apostolic Letter issued motu proprio on Saturday, Pope Francis decreed that “the Pontifical Musical Chorus of the Sistine Chapel should be inserted into the Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff”.

He said the Office for Liturgical Celebrations holds “a specific place of service to papal liturgical functions and, at the same time, is a guardian and promoter of the prestigious artistic and musical heritage produced over the centuries by the Choir itself for the solemn liturgies of the Popes.”

The Pope writes that the Sistine Chapel Choir has always had “a direct connection with the major celebrations of the Popes”.

Pope Francis said the decision was taken “bearing in mind the dictates of the Council concerning the Sacred Liturgy”, in particular nn.28-29 of the Sacrosanctum Concilium.

Msgr. Guido Marini

In the motu proprio, Pope Francis also appointed the Master of Papal Ceremonies, Msgr. Guido Marini, as the Head of the Sistine Chapel Choir, “entrusting him with the task of guiding all activities, including the liturgical, pastoral, spiritual, artistic, and educational areas, of the Choir”.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2019-01/pope-francis-suppresses-ecclesia-dei-commission.html#.XENANpDCiEA.twitter

CDF assumes duties of Ecclesia Dei Commission
19 January 2019, 12:00

Celebration of Mass according to the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite
With a new Apostolic Letter issued "motu proprio", Pope Francis has suppressed the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, which was established thirty years ago by Pope St. John Paul II.
By Christopher Wells

The Holy See has published the text of an Apostolic Letter, issued motu proprio on 17 January 2019, by which Pope Francis suppresses the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei.

Established by St John Paul II

The Commission was established by Pope St John Paul II on 2 July 1988, with the “task of collaborating with the bishops, with the Departments of the Roman Curia and with the circles concerned, for the purpose of facilitating full ecclesial communion of priests, seminarians, religious communities or individuals until now linked in various ways to the Fraternity founded by Archbishop Lefebvre [the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X, or FSSPX], who may wish to remain united to the Successor of Peter in the Catholic Church.”

Dialogue with FSSPX

In the Letter, Pope Francis notes the “sincere solicitude and praiseworthy care” with which the Commission undertook its work. He explained, however, that “the conditions that led the holy Pontiff John Paul II to the institution” of the Ecclesia Dei Commission have changed since its foundation. Notably, the dialogue with the FSSPX is now focused primarily on questions of a doctrinal nature. For this reason, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith requested, in November of 2017, that the dialogue with the priestly fraternity be conducted directly by the CDF.

The new motu proprio effects that change through the suppression of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei.

Care for traditional communities and faithful
 
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2019-01/editorial-ecclesia-dei-exceptional-nature-ends.html#.XENN2cccp4M.twitter
Editorial: Ecclesia Dei, exceptional nature ends
19 January 2019, 12:05
By Andrea Tornielli

News analysis--
https://cruxnow.com/news-analysis/2019/01/20/rumors-of-the-death-of-detente-with-traditionalists-may-be-exaggerated/
Rumors of the death of detente with traditionalists may be exaggerated
John L. Allen Jr.   Jan 20, 2019

https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/pope-francis-issues-decree-suppressing-ecclesia-dei-full-text
Sat Jan 19, 2019 - 9:13 am EST
Pope Francis issues decree suppressing ‘Ecclesia Dei’ (FULL TEXT)
Diane Montagna

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2019-01/pope-angelus-jesus-spouse-of-god-s-people.html

Pope Angelus: Jesus, spouse of God’s people
20 January 2019, 12:59

Pope Francis during the Sunday Angelus  (Vatican Media)
Before the recitation of the Angelus prayer, Pope Francis focuses on Sunday’s Gospel reading, the Wedding at Cana.

The Pope emphasized that Jesus’ miracle of changing the water into wine was done “not to arouse wonder, but to reveal the Father's love.

A new Covenant of love

The Pope explained that, it is not by chance that at the beginning of Jesus' public life there is a wedding ceremony. In fact, he went on to say, “the whole mystery of the sign of Cana is based on the presence of this divine spouse who is beginning to make himself known.” “Jesus”, the Pope said, “ manifests himself as the spouse of God's people, announced by the prophets, and reveals to us the depth of the relationship that unites us to Him: it is a new Covenant of love.” By transforming into wine the water of the amphorae used "for the ritual purification of the Jews" Pope Francis explained, “Jesus makes an eloquent sign: he transforms the Law of Moses into the Gospel, the bearer of joy.”

“Do whatever he tells you”

The Pope also noted Mary's words to the servants underline the spousal picture at Cana: "Do whatever he tells you".  Also today, said the Pontiff, “Our Lady says to all of us: "Do whatever he says to you. These words are a precious inheritance that our Mother left us.”
 
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2019-01/pope-angelus-prayers-for-columbia-and-mediterranean-victims.html#.XERloyQwU6o.twitter
Pope Angelus: Prayers for Columbia and Mediterranean victims
20 January 2019, 12:44

https://zenit.org/articles/angelus-address-on-the-miracle-at-the-wedding-of-cana-do-whatever-he-tells-you/
Angelus Address: On the Miracle at the Wedding of Cana, ‘Do Whatever He Tells You’ 
•January 20, 2019 15:17•Virginia Forrester

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

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Pope launches his Click to Pray app

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2019-01/pope-launches-click-to-pray-app.html

Pope launches his Click to Pray app profile
20 January 2019, 13:07

Pope Francis unveils his Click to Pray app profile  (Vatican Media)
During the Sunday Angelus prayer in St. Peter's Square, Pope Francis unveils his very own user profile in Click To Pray, the official app of the Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network, including its youth branch, the Eucharistic Youth Movement – EYM.

Click To Pray (www.clicktopray.org) is a platform that invites men and women from around the world, to accompany the Pope in a mission of compassion for the world. It has a website and a mobile app, both for Android and iOS, with its social networks, available in six languages (Spanish, English, Italian, French, Portuguese, and German).

Click To Pray has three main sections: “Pray with the Pope”, with the Pope’s monthly prayer intentions for the challenges facing humanity and the mission of the Church; “Pray every day”, with a prayer rhythm involving three daily moments; and “Pray with the network” that is a space where users (Pope Francis among them) can share their prayers with the others. Pope’s Francis own profile (https://www.clicktopray.org/en/user/popefrancis) can be found clicking in the Pope Francis button at the “Pray with the Network” section.
 

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https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2019/01/20/vatican-knew-of-argentine-bishop-misconduct/

Vatican knew of Argentine bishop misconduct
Almudena Calatrava, Natacha Pisarenko, and Nicole Winfield
Jan 20, 2019
ASSOCIATED PRESS

ORAN, Argentina - The Vatican received information in 2015 and 2017 that an Argentine bishop close to Pope Francis had taken naked selfies, exhibited “obscene” behavior and had been accused of misconduct with seminarians, his former vicar general told The Associated Press, undermining Vatican claims that allegations of sexual abuse were only made a few months ago.

Francis accepted Bishop Gustavo Zanchetta’s resignation in August 2017, after priests in the remote northern Argentine diocese of Oran complained about his authoritarian rule and a former vicar, seminary rector and another prelate provided reports to the Vatican alleging abuses of power, inappropriate behavior and sexual harassment of adult seminarians, said the former vicar, Father Juan Jose Manzano.

The scandal over Zanchetta, 54, is the latest to implicate Francis as he and the Catholic hierarchy as a whole face an unprecedented crisis of confidence over their mishandling of cases of clergy sexual abuse of minors and misconduct with adults. Francis has summoned church leaders to a summit next month to chart the course forward for the universal church, but his own actions in individual cases are increasingly in the spotlight.

The pope’s decision to allow Zanchetta to resign quietly, and then promote him to the No. 2 position in one of the Vatican’s most sensitive offices, has raised questions again about whether Francis turned a blind eye to misconduct of his allies and dismissed allegations against them as ideological attacks.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope-francis/mass-casa-santa-marta/2019-01/pope-francis-mass-casa-santa-marta-christian-style.html#.XEW74IojohA.twitter

Pope at Mass: the Beatitudes are the true way of life for the Christian
21 January 2019, 13:20

Celebrating his morning Mass, January 21, Pope Francis said that some people believe themselves to be good Catholics but don’t even act like good Christians as indicated by the Beatitudes. The Christian style is that of the Beatitudes that St. Mark in the day’s Gospel describes as "new wine in new bottles".
By Robin Gomes

The Gospel, the Word of the Lord, is the "new wine" that has been gifted us, but to be good Christians we need a "new behaviour", a "new style" that is truly the "Christian style", and this style is indicated by the Beatitudes.  This is the meaning of the "  key word " that concludes today’s reading from the Gospel of Mark: "New wine in new wineskins".  Pope Francis made this the theme of his homily at Mass, Monday morning, at the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta.

Accusing others

According to the Pope, we can learn about the Christian style by first knowing our attitudes that don’t belong to the Christian style.  In this regard, he points to 3 of them: the "accusatory style", the "worldly style" and the "selfish style":

The Pope says that the accusatory style belongs to those who always try and live by accusing others, disqualifying others, acting as absent promoters of justice.  But they don't realize that it's the style of the devil: in the Bible, the devil is called the "great accuser", who is always accusing others.

This was the same in the time of Jesus who in a few cases reproached the accusers: "Instead of looking at the speck in the eyes of others, look at the beam in yours"; or again: "Those who have not sinned can throw the first stone".   Living by accusing others and looking for defects, the Pope says, is not "Christian", not new wineskin.
 

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https://cruxnow.com/church-in-the-americas/2018/11/22/vatican-world-youth-day-officials-release-popes-panama-itinerary/

Vatican, World Youth Day officials release pope’s Panama itinerary
Junno Arocho Esteves   Nov 22, 2018

ROME  - When Pope Francis visits Panama for World Youth Day in January, he will meet with young people not able to attend the festivities: Some in jail and some living with HIV.

He also will dedicate the altar of Panama’s newly renovated 400-year-old cathedral, meet with bishops from Central America and have lunch with some of the young people attending the youth day gathering, according to the schedule released by the Vatican Nov. 20.

The pope’s visit to Panama Jan. 23-27 will be his 26th trip outside of Italy. During his visit, he will deliver seven speeches and celebrate two Masses as well as a penitential liturgy.

The theme for World Youth Day 2019 is taken from the Gospel of St. Luke: “I am the servant of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”

The pope’s meeting with young people who will be unable to take part in the activities is a response to the Gospel’s call to clothe the naked, visit the sick and comfort the imprisoned, the organizing committee said in a Nov. 20 statement.

Archbishop Jose Domingo Ulloa Mendieta of Panama said Pope Francis’ meeting with young detainees will be “a very special event” in which “young people deprived of freedom will take part in a penitential liturgy with the Holy Father in an act of repentance, reconciliation and forgiveness,” the committee said.

After the closing Mass for World Youth Day, the pope will visit Casa Hogar el Buen Samaritano (Good Samaritan Home), a center dedicated to helping HIV and AIDS patients “regardless of their sex, religion, sexual orientation, geographical origin” and “who lack the resources to live and cope with their illness.”

The pope will also pray the Angelus there with young people from the Malambo hospice, which helps people addicted to drugs and alcohol, and from Hogar San Jose, a house for the poor run by the Missionaries of Charity and the Kkottongnae religious congregation.

Here is the detailed schedule released by the Vatican. All times are local, with Eastern Daylight Time in parentheses:

Wednesday, Jan. 23 (Rome, Panama)
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2019-01/pope-francis-audience-ethiopian-prime-minister-abiy-ahmend.html

Pope Francis receives Ethiopian Prime Minister
22 January 2019, 12:12

Pope Francis meets with Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of Ethiopia  (Vatican Media)
On the afternoon of Monday 21 January 2019, Pope Francis received in Audience Mr Abiy Ahmed Ali, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.
By Vatican News

Pope Francis on Monday met with the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed, at an Audience at the Vatican.

According to a communique from the Holy See Press Office, the “cordial talks” emphasized “important initatives underway for the promotion of national reconciliation, and for the integral development of Ethiopia”. The talks also focused on the “role of Christianity in the history of the Ethiopian people”—Ethiopia was one of the first lands to adopt Christianity, and the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church remains the largest religious body in the country by population.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2019-01/pope-appoints-auxiliary-bishops-for-us-military-ordinariate.html

Pope appoints auxiliary Bishops for US Military Ordinariate
22 January 2019, 15:45

The Vatican has announced the appointment of two new auxiliary Bishops for the Military Ordinariate of the United States.
By Vatican News

The Holy Father has nominated Fr Joseph Coffey and Fr William Muhm as Auxiliary Bishops for the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA.

Father Coffey is a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and a military chaplain with the United States Navy. As an auxiliary Bishop, he has been assigned the titular see of Arsacal (North Africa). Father Muhm, on leave from his assignment as chaplain in the Navy, is currently Parochial Administrator for Most Precious Blood parish in Walden, New York. His titular see is Capsus, also in North Africa.
 

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https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2019/01/22/vatican-insists-no-reports-of-sexual-abuse-against-argentine/

Vatican insists no reports of sexual abuse against Argentine
Nicole Winfield   Jan 22, 2019
ASSOCIATED PRESS

(Credit: Javier Corbalan/AP.)
ROME - The Vatican is insisting that there were no accusations of sexual abuse against an Argentine bishop close to Pope Francis when he resigned suddenly in 2017 and was promoted to a job at the Vatican.

Vatican spokesman Alessandro Gisotti repeated Tuesday that the Vatican only received the first accusations of alleged sexual abuse by Archbishop Gustavo Zanchetta a few months ago.

The former deputy to Archbishop Gustavo Zanchetta, Father Juan Jose Manzano, told The Associated Press last week that he had sent the Vatican information in 2015 and 2017 of alleged inappropriate sexual behavior by Zanchetta that included taking naked selfies and reports that he engaged in harassment and misconduct with adult seminarians.

Manzano told AP those reports didn’t constitute formal canonical accusations of sexual abuse, but were merely reports of behavior that he, another former vicar general and the rector of the seminary in Oran, northern Argentina, considered important to bring to the Vatican’s attention.

He said he didn’t believe there had been any cover-up and that he considered Francis a victim of Zanchetta’s “manipulation.”

In a statement, Gisotti said: “In reference to the articles published recently by several news sources, as well as to some misleading reconstructions, I resolutely repeat what was stated this past 4 January. In addition, I emphasize that the case is being studied and when this process is over, information will be forthcoming regarding the results.”
 
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/vatican-again-denies-prior-knowledge-of-allegations-against-argentine-bishop-86254
Vatican again denies prior knowledge of allegations against Argentine bishop
By Hannah Brockhaus