Pope Francis

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Reminder...

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2021-03/pope-francis-holy-week-easter-2021.html
Pope Francis' schedule of events for Holy Week 2021
23 March 2021, 16:47
By Vatican News staff writer

As the Lenten season draws closer toward Holy Week, the Vatican on Tuesday released details of the programme of celebrations for Holy Week at which Pope Francis will preside. A note from the Master of Pontifical Liturgical Ceremonies, Msgr. Guido Marini, indicates the following:

- On 28 March, Palm Sunday Mass is scheduled for 10:30 am at the Altar of the Chair in St. Peter’s Basilica;

- Chrism Mass, on Thursday, 1 April, will take place at 10:00 am at the Altar of the Chair in St. Peter’s Basilica, and will be presided by the Pope. Later that day, the Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper will take place at 6:00 pm. It will be presided by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the Dean of the College of Cardinals;

- On Good Friday, 2 April, the celebration of the Passion of the Lord will begin at 6:00 pm at the Altar of the Chair. Afterwards, the Way of the Cross will take place at 9:00 pm at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican;

- Easter Vigil celebrations on Holy Saturday will be held at 7:30 pm in St. Peter’s Basilica. Easter morning Mass will also be celebrated in the Basilica, at 10:00 am on Easter Sunday, which will be followed by the traditional Urbi et Orbi blessing at midday.

All of these events will take place with limited presence of the faithful in strict accordance with precautionary measures to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
 

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Photo gallery and video, with English commentary, of Palm Sunday Mass and Angelus at the link

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2021-03/pope-on-palm-sunday-let-us-ask-for-the-grace-to-be-amazed.html
Pope on Palm Sunday: Let us ask for the grace to be amazed
28 March 2021, 11:26

Presiding over the liturgy of Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion, Pope Francis underscored the sense of interior amazement that marks this celebration and remains with us throughout Holy Week.
By Vatican News staff writer

For the second year in a row, Pope Francis led the celebration of Palm Sunday inside Saint Peter’s Basilica with a limited congregation participating due to the Coronavirus pandemic. At the same time, millions joined the celebration with the customary global television and radio broadcasts and live streaming.

From admiration to amazement

In his homily for the occasion, the Holy Father focused his thoughts around the sense of amazement evoked in today’s liturgy and all of Holy Week, since we go from the joy of welcoming Jesus as he enters Jerusalem to the sorrow of seeing him condemned to death and crucified. We hear of the crowds shouting “Hosanna” and a few days later crying out “Crucify him”. The Pope said this contrast reflected a reality where people admired Jesus, but did not let themselves be amazed by him. He said both terms are fundamentally different: admiration “can be wordly” since it follows its own likes and expectations, whereas, amazement remains open to the wonder of others and the newness they bring, allowing our attitudes and lives to change as a result. We have to go be beyond admiring Jesus, the Pope said, and “follow in his footsteps, to let ourselves be challenged by him; to pass from admiration to amazement.”
 
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/full-text-pope-francis-2021-palm-sunday-homily
Full text: Pope Francis’ 2021 Palm Sunday homily

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2021-03/pope-at-angelus-like-mary-we-must-follow-jesus.html
Pope at Angelus: Like Mary, we must follow Jesus
28 March 2021, 12:01

In a brief meditation for the Angelus following the Palm Sunday Mass, Pope Francis reflects on God’s action during the pandemic, and our response. He offers prayers for all victims of violence, "especially those of this morning's attack in Indonesia in front of the Cathedral of Makassar".
By Christopher Wells

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-06/fabric-of-st-peter-the-pope-appoints-extraordinary-commissioner.html

Fabric of St Peter: The Pope appoints Extraordinary Commissioner
30 June 2020, 11:51

Pope Francis appoints Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Mario Giordana as extraordinary commissioner whose role will be to bring clarity to the administration of the Fabric and update its Statutes.
By Vatican News

Following the recent promulgation of the Motu Proprio "On transparency, control and competition in the procedures for the award of public contracts of the Holy See and Vatican City State", the Holy Father, on 29 June, appointed Apostolic Nuncio,  Archbishop Mario Giordana as Extraordinary Commissioner for the Fabric of Saint Peter (Fabbrica di San Pietro). A statement from the Holy See Press office said the Archbishop will be tasked with “updating the Statutes, clarifying the administration and reorganizing the administrative and technical offices of the Fabric.” In this delicate task, the Commissioner will be assisted by a commission.

The Press Office stated that this choice “also follows a report from the offices of the Auditor General, which this morning led to the acquisition of documents and electronic equipment at the technical and administrative offices of the Fabric of Saint Peter.” The latter operation was “authorised by decree of the Court's Promoter of Justice, Gian Piero Milano, and the Deputy, Alessandro Diddi, after informing the Secretariat of State.”
 
https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2020/06/01/200601a.html
Apostolic Letter in the form of a “Motu Proprio” of the Supreme Pontiff Francis on transparency, control and competition in the procedures for awarding public contracts of the Holy See and Vatican City State, 01.06.2020

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The article posted above was from 2020, and this article announces the completion of the assignment.

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2021-03/fabbrica-di-san-pietro-special-commissioner-archbishop-giordana.html

Abp Giordana completes assignment at Fabbrica di San Pietro
29 March 2021, 18:55

The task of the special commissioner appointed by Pope Francis to oversee and reorganize the Fabbrica di San Pietro has been completed after nine months of work. The institution’s new Statutes, drafted by the Commission, will be implemented by the Archpriest of the Petrine Basilica, Cardinal Mauro Gambetti.
By Vatican News staff writer

The Holy See Press Office announced Monday that with the promulgation of the Statute for the Fabbrica di San Pietro, "the mandate of the Extraordinary Commissioner of the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Mario Giordana, and of the Commission that assisted him in this task has come to an end."

Following the Motu Proprio “On transparency, control and competition in the procedures for awarding public contracts of the Holy See and Vatican City State,” signed in June 2020, Pope Francis had appointed Archbishop Giordana as Special Commissioner, entrusting him “with the task of updating the statutes, clarifying the administration and reorganising the administrative and technical offices of the Fabbrica,” a task completed over nine months.

The Fabbrica is led by Cardinal Angelo Comastri, archpriest of St Peter’s Basilica and vicar general of Vatican City State. It is the entity that manages all of the works necessary for the construction and artistic creation and restoration of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican.

"The application of the new Statute,” the Press Office notes, “will be the responsibility of Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, who begins his assignment as Archpriest of the Basilica starting this Holy Week."
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2021-03/pope-francis-mexican-college-vatican-tenderness-reconciliation.html

Pope calls priests to conform themselves to Christ
29 March 2021, 12:30

Pope Francis tells the Pontifical Mexican College in Rome that the challenges of today require that priests conform themselves to the Lord and the gaze of love with which He contemplates us. He highlights that tenderness, reconciliation and solidarity are essential to face the challenges of today.
Vatican News staff writer

Pope Francis on Monday met with priests and students from the Pontifical Mexican College in Rome.

Addressing those present for the audience in the Vatican, the Pope recalled the encounters he had during his Apostolic Visit to Mexico in 2016 which, in a certain way, are renewed every year with the celebration of the Solemnity of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the Vatican Basilica.

The Holy Father also acknowledged the challenges for the evangelization of Mexico and the entire American continent amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, which the College’s Rector - Fr. Victor Ulises Vasquez Moreno - had highlighted in his address to the Pope on behalf of those present.
 

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https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/cardinal-sarah-asks-pope-francis-to-reinstate-individual-masses-at-st-peters-basilica

Cardinal Sarah asks Pope Francis to reinstate individual Masses at St. Peter’s Basilica
By Hannah Brockhaus

Vatican City, Mar 29, 2021 / 08:28 am MT (CNA).- Cardinal Robert Sarah has asked Pope Francis to reinstate the celebration of private Masses at the side altars in St. Peter’s Basilica, after individual Masses were suspended earlier this month in favor of concelebration.

“I humbly beg the Holy Father to order the withdrawal of the recent norms issued by the secretariat of state,” Cardinal Sarah wrote in an essay published Monday on the blog of Vatican journalist Sandro Magister.

The cardinal said the new norms “are as lacking in justice as in love, do not correspond to the truth or the law, do not facilitate but rather endanger the decorum of the celebration, devout participation in the Mass, and the freedom of the children of God.”

Sarah, prefect emeritus of the Vatican’s Congregation for Divine Worship, joins Cardinals Raymond Burke, Gerhard Muller, and Walter Brandmuller, in publically voicing disagreement with the ban on individual Masses, which went into effect March 22.
 
http://magister.blogautore.espresso.repubblica.it/2021/03/29/exclusive-cardinal-sarah-asks-the-pope-to-lift-the-ban-on-%E2%80%9Cindividual%E2%80%9D-masses-at-st-peters/
29 mar
Exclusive. Cardinal Sarah Asks the Pope to Lift the Ban on “Individual” Masses at St. Peter's

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https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/cardinal-zen-expresses-pain-and-indignation-at-decree-ending-private-masses-in-st-peters-basilica

Cardinal Zen expresses ‘pain and indignation’ at St. Peter’s Basilica private Mass restrictions

CNA Staff, Mar 30, 2021 / 01:35 am MT (CNA).- Cardinal Joseph Zen on Tuesday expressed “pain and indignation” at restrictions on private Masses in St. Peter’s Basilica.

The former bishop of Hong Kong said March 30 that if he could, he would fly to Rome and kneel outside the pope’s residence until the decree was withdrawn.

He wrote: “Pain and indignation invade my heart to hear certain incredible news: They have forbidden private masses in St. Peter’s!?”

“If it were not for the restrictions imposed by the coronavirus, I would take the first flight to come to Rome and get on my knees in front of the door of Santa Marta (now the papal residence) until the Holy Father has this edict withdrawn.”

Zen made his remarks on his website in an open letter to Cardinal Robert Sarah after the former prefect of the Vatican’s Congregation for Divine Worship asked Pope Francis on Monday to reinstate the celebration of private Masses at the side altars in St. Peter’s Basilica.

Zen is the fifth cardinal to voice opposition to the change, which went into effect March 22, after Sarah, Raymond Burke, Gerhard Müller, and Walter Brandmüller.
 
https://edwardpentin.co.uk/cardinal-zen-suppression-of-masses-in-st-peters-basilica-incredible/
Cardinal Zen: Suppression of Individual Masses in St. Peter’s Basilica ‘Incredible’
March 30, 2021  Edward Pentin

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2021-03/pope-francis-unesco-poverty-climate-change.html

Pope: Common efforts needed in education to combat climate change
30 March 2021, 11:31

Pope Francis highlights the importance of joint, concerted efforts to fight the global phenomena of climate change and poverty during an online forum on Biodiversity organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
By Fr. Benedict Mayaki, SJ

Pope Francis sent a message to the participants at the recently-held UNESCO Forum on Biodiversity organized to discuss ideas to shape and fuel a dialogue on environmental challenges and their implications for the world.

The virtual event which took place on 24 March, also marked the official launch of the 50th-anniversary celebrations for the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) programme. The forum was attended by prestigious speakers and biodiversity protectors from around the world.

The Pope’s message, read by Archbishop Francesco Follo, Permanent ******* of the Holy See to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), was centered around the theme of “Climate change and poverty.”
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2021-03/pope-at-audience-the-cross-of-christ-like-a-beacon-of-hope.html

Pope at Audience: The Cross of Christ, a beacon of hope
31 March 2021, 09:46

In his Catechesis during the weekly General Audience, Pope Francis looks ahead to the Easter Triduum and the celebration of the saving mystery of Christ’s passion, death and resurrection.
By Vatican News staff reporter

On the eve of the Easter Triduum, Pope Francis, during his Wednesday General Audience focused on these central days of the Liturgical year, celebrating the mystery of the Lord's Passion, Death and Resurrection.

A new commandment of love

Looking ahead to Holy Thursday and the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, the Pope recalled Christ’s washing the disciples’ feet, His new commandment of love, and His institution of the Eucharist as the abiding memorial of the sacrifice of His body and blood for the salvation of all.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2021-03/sign-language-service-vatican-news-youtube-channel-pope-easter.html

Angelus and General Audiences in Sign Language on Vatican News
31 March 2021, 15:00

Easter sees the launch of the Dicastery for Communication’s “No One Left Out” Project: a Vatican News YouTube channel dedicated to Sign Language to ensure people with communication disorders are able to fully follow the Pope.
VATICAN NEWS

“I reiterate the need to make available suitable and accessible means for handing on the faith. I also hope that these can be made available to those who need them, cost-free to the extent possible, also through the new technologies that have proven so important for everyone in the midst of this pandemic.”

Responding to this appeal launched by Pope Francis in his Message for the 2020 International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the Holy See’s Dicastery for Communication is launching the Project “No one left out.”

It aims to offer people with communication disorders access to the General Audience and the Angelus/Regina Coeli catecheses.

The service will be free of charge and accessible through the Vatican News YouTube channel. In particular, a live channel for LIS (Italian Sign Language) translation will be available, in addition to a subtitling service https://e.va/lis as well as a previously recorded channel for ASL (American Sign Language) translation https://e.va/asl

The project, which will be launched with the Easter Urbi et Orbi Message on Sunday, 4 April, is experimental in nature and will last one year, in the hope that it will become a regular service and become available in other languages as well. Along with the YouTube channel dedicated to accessibility for people with communication disorders, an App will be made available in the next few months for people with sensory disabilities. Its objective will be to allow them to enjoy Vatican media contents in a more integral way, with special attention for the visually impaired, and for those with communication disorders. The sign language translation and the subtitles will be coordinated by Sister Veronica Donatello, in charge of the Italian Episcopal Conference’s National Service for the pastoral care of persons with disabilities.
 

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Two videos at the link--the second video with English commentary

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2021-04/pope-francis-the-proclamation-of-the-gospel-always-linked-to-th.html
Pope Francis: Proclamation of the Gospel always linked to embrace of a Cross
01 April 2021, 11:24

Pope Francis celebrates Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday in St. Peter's Basilica, and underlines that the hour of joyful proclamation and the hour of persecution and the Cross go together.
By Lydia O’Kane

In his homily during Holy Thursday’s Chrism Mass, Pope Francis underlined that the preaching of the Gospel “is always linked to the embrace of some particular cross.”

The Gospel and the Cross
He explained that the Gospel shows us the extent to which “persecution and the cross are linked to the proclamation of the Gospel.”

Dwelling on the "hours" leading to Christ’s Passion and Death, Pope Francis said “the hour of joyful proclamation, the hour of persecution and the hour of the Cross go together.”

 “The gentle light of God’s word shines brightly in well-disposed hearts,” the Pope said, “but awakens confusion and rejection in those that are not. We see this over and over again in the Gospels.”

Giving some examples, Pope Francis spoke of the good seed sown in the field that bears fruit, but it also arouses the envy of the enemy.

“The tender love of the merciful father irresistibly draws the prodigal son home, but also leads to anger and resentment on the part of the elder son," he noted.

“All this enables us to see that the preaching of the Good News is mysteriously linked to persecution and the cross,” said Pope Francis.
 
http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/homilies/2021/documents/papa-francesco_20210401_omelia-crisma.html
HOLY CHRISM MASS
HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS
Vatican Basilica
Holy Thursday, 1 April 2021

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Video, with English commentary, at the link

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2021-04/holy-thursday-mass-eucharist-cardinal-re-priesthood.html
Cardinal Re at Mass of Lord's Supper: 'Eucharist is the life and center of the Church'
01 April 2021, 18:36

Cardinal Re reflects on Our Lord’s gift of the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist and His sacrifice of Himself for humanity, during his homily at the Mass "In Coena Domini" ("of the Lord's Supper") at the beginning of the Easter Triduum.
By Fr. Benedict Mayaki, SJ

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re presided over the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday in St. Peter’s Basilica. The liturgy, known as In Coena Domini or Mass "of the Lord's Supper," commemorates the institution of the Holy Eucharist.

During the homily, the dean of the College of Cardinals recalled the Lord’s great discourse to His disciples on the day before He made an offering of Himself to the Father for our salvation.
 

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Hmmm...

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/report-pope-francis-celebrates-holy-thursday-mass-with-cardinal-becciu

Report: Pope Francis celebrates Holy Thursday Mass with Cardinal Becciu

CNA Staff, Apr 1, 2021 / 02:15 pm MT (CNA).- Italian media reported Thursday that Pope Francis celebrated the Mass of the Lord’s Supper with Cardinal Angelo Becciu, who resigned from his Vatican post last September.

Citing sources close to the cardinal, La Repubblica said that the pope celebrated the Mass at around 5:30 p.m. Rome time on April 1 in the chapel of Becciu’s private apartment.

The Holy See press office has not confirmed the reports, but Vatican News posted a brief story, saying that there was no official confirmation as the Mass was a private papal engagement.

The Mass would have taken place around the same time as the Mass of the Lord’s Supper at St. Peter’s Basilica. The Vatican Mass was celebrated by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals.

The Vatican did not say in advance why the 84-year-old pope opted not to preside at this year’s Mass. Francis did, however, offer the Chrism Mass on Thursday morning in St. Peter’s Basilica.

La Repubblica said that Francis used to visit Becciu every Holy Thursday for lunch with Roman priests and decided to maintain the tradition, even after Becciu dramatically resigned on Sept. 24 as prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints and from the rights extended to members of the College of Cardinals.

La Stampa reported that nuns who help to maintain Becciu’s home and members of the Focolare Movement were also present at the Mass.
 
https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2021/04/pope-celebrates-holy-thursday-mass-with-cardinal-he-fired/
Pope celebrates Holy Thursday Mass with cardinal he fired
Elise Ann Allen  Apr 1, 2021

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2021-04/pope-mass-lords-supper-cardinal-becciu-home.html
Pope celebrates Holy Thursday Mass in Cardinal Becciu's home
01 April 2021, 22:08

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2021-04/pope-francis-may-our-voices-be-heard-in-the-church-and-society.html

Pope Francis: May our voices be heard in the Church and society
01 April 2021, 16:47

In a video message in Spanish, Pope Francis expresses his gratitude for the more than 100,000 messages of well-wishes he received for the eighth anniversary of his pontificate.
By Alessandro De Carolis

Argentine Fr. José María Di Paola, known familiarly as "Padre Pepe" and for his outreach to the poor, promoted the initiative to gather and send messages of good wishes to Pope Francis for the eighth anniversary of his election marked on March 13.

The project took on the slogan "Prophet of our land", and collected more than 100,000 messages, which have increased greatly in number thanks to sharing via social media.
 
https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2021/04/francis-says-the-church-is-never-wrong-when-it-listens-to-the-faithful/
Francis says the Church is ‘never wrong’ when it listens to the faithful
Inés San Martín  Apr 1, 2021

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https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/divine-mercy-novena-begins-tomorrow

Divine Mercy Novena begins tomorrow

CNA Staff, Apr 1, 2021 / 12:00 am MT (CNA).- The Divine Mercy Novena begins tomorrow, Good Friday.

Our Blessed Lord gave Sr. Faustina (for herself only initially) a Novena to His Mercy. She was to start it on Good Friday, that wonderful day when Christ first revealed how merciful and loving He was, by dying for us.

Sr. Faustina wrote in her diary that she began the Novena for the conversion of the whole world that all may recognize God's Mercy and that all souls may speak of His Goodness.

Jesus said: "I desire the confidence of My people. Let not even the weak and very sinful fear to approach Me, even if their sins be as numerous as all the sands of the earth they will be forgiven in the fathomless pit of My Mercy."

She received instructions on how to make this Novena: "During these nine days I want you to lead souls to the Fount of My Mercy, in order that they may draw from it strength, refreshment and all the graces they need in the trials of their lives, especially at the hour of death. Each day you will lead a different group of souls and immerse them in the sea of My Mercy. Each day You will beseech the Father through My Bitter Passion for graces for these souls."

This Novena can be made at any time, but it is recommended to begin it on Good Friday in preparation for the Feast of His Mercy, which is celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter.

Jesus told Faustina that "The souls that will go to confession, in preparation, and communion on this day will obtain a complete remission of all sin and all punishment. .... On each day You will bring to My Heart a different group of souls and You will immerse them in this ocean of My Mercy, and I will bring all these souls into the House of My Father ... on each day you will beg My Father, on the strength of My Bitter Passion, for graces for these souls."

The novena consists of praying a daily Chaplet of Divine Mercy and daily prayer intentions. The novena is prayed as follows:
 

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Video, with English commentary, at the link

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2021-04/cantalmessa-homily-good-friday-passion-celebration.html
Cantalamessa on Good Friday: Cross, the Christological foundation of fraternity
02 April 2021, 19:02

In his Good Friday homily, the Preacher of the Papal Household notes that fraternity among Catholics is wounded. Pastors should be among the first to make a serious examination of conscience regarding building fraternity and unity in the Church.
By Robin Gomes

“We build fraternity in precisely the same way that we build peace, that is starting close by, with ourselves… For us, that means universal fraternity starts with the Catholic Church,” said the Preacher of the Papal Household, Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa.  He made the point in his homily at the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion on Good Friday evening in St. Peter’s Basilica, which was presided over by Pope Francis.  In observance of the Covid-19 health protocols, the liturgy was attended by a limited number of faithful.
 
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/full-text-cardinal-cantalamessas-homily-at-the-vaticans-good-friday-liturgy
Full text: Cardinal Cantalamessa's homily at the Vatican's Good Friday liturgy

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Photo gallery and video, with English commentary, at the link

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2021-04/pope-francis-via-crucis-st-peters-square-children.html
The hope of children at the heart of Via Crucis led by Pope
02 April 2021, 22:24

Pope Francis presides at the Way of the Cross, in a near-empty St Peter’s Square: a poignant symbol of the solitude and isolation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic imbued by the hope provided by the reflections prepared by children.
By Linda Bordoni

The solitude and isolation of men and women across the world, cut off from their families and friends, deprived of their work and livelihoods, living in fear of an uncertain future for themselves and for their children, were poignantly present during the “Way of the Cross” on the second day of the Easter Triduum 2021.

For the second year in a row, Pope Francis led the traditional Good Friday Via Crucis in a near-empty Saint Peter’s Square due to restrictions put in place by the Italian government to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic,

A lonely figure in white, seated at the centre of a bare stage set up in front of the Basilica, the Holy Father looked over the darkened Square where few children, accompanied by their parents, catechists and teachers, took it in turn to carry the cross around the obelisk.

One after the other, they read their reflections while their companions carried the Cross along a circular path marked out by burning torches on the ground at the centre of the Square.

The Pope, in fact, this year chose to entrust children and young people – symbols of hope and of future - with the preparation of the meditations for the 2021 Via Crucis.
 

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Video, with English commentary, at the link

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2021-04/pope-francis-easter-vigil-homily-galilee-begin-anew-2021.html
Pope at Easter Vigil: Christ alive today, always helps begin anew
03 April 2021, 20:41

Celebrating the 9th Easter of his pontificate, Pope Francis delivered a homily at the Easter Vigil Mass, reflecting on what it means to go to Galilee, where the Risen Lord would precede His disciples.
By Robin Gomes

In the hour of darkness when humanity is grappling with the pandemic and other ills, Christians need to take to heart the Easter message of the angel not to be afraid, assured that in Galilee where the Lord precedes them, their expectations will be fulfilled, their tears will be dried and their fears will be replaced by hope.   Pope Francis made the point in his homily at the Easter Vigil Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica Saturday night.

Reflecting on the Easter episode of the women at the tomb, the Pope drew attention to what the angel told them.   “Wonder at hearing the words: ‘Do not be afraid!” the Pope said.  “You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified.  He has risen’.  And a message: ‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him’.”
 
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/full-text-pope-francis-homily-for-easter-vigil-at-the-vatican
Full Text: Pope Francis’ homily for Easter Vigil at the Vatican

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Video, with English text, at the link

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2021-04/pope-francis-tells-filipino-faithful-to-keep-moving-forward-in-f.html

Pope Francis tells Filipino faithful to keep moving forward in faith
04 April 2021, 02:00

Pope Francis highlights three mysteries of faith - Nazareth, the Cross and Pentecost - in a video message marking the 500th anniversary of the first preaching of the Gospel in the Philippines.
By Vatican News staff reporter     

Pope Francis sent a video message on Sunday to the faithful of the Philippines, who are celebrating the 500th anniversary of the first preaching of the Gospel in the country.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2021-04/pope-francis-telegram-condolences-death-cardinal-christian-tumi.html

Pope sends condolences for death of Cardinal Christian Tumi
04 April 2021, 12:35

Pope Francis expresses his condolences for the death of Cardinal Christian Tumi, and praises the Cameroonian Archbishop’s defense of democracy and promotion of human rights.
By Devin Watkins

Cardinal Christian Tumi passed away on Good Friday, 2 April, in a clinic in the Cameroonian city of Douala.

Pope Francis sent a telegram on Easter Sunday to express his condolences for the Cardinal’s death.

The Pope’s message was addressed to Archbishop Samuel Kleda, the Archbishop of Douala and Cardinal Tumi’s successor.

“On learning with sorrow of the death of our brother Cardinal Christian Tumi, I wish to express my condolences and my union in prayer with the College of Cardinals, the family and friends of the deceased, as well as with all those who mourn him,” wrote the Pope.