Pope Francis

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http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2014/01/31/year_of_consecrated_life_set_for_2015/en1-769091

2014-01-31 14:41:13
Year of Consecrated Life set for 2015

(Vatican Radio) The Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, Cardinal João Braz De Aviz held a press conference on Friday to announce the upcoming Year of Consecrated Life.

At the press conference, Cardinal Braz de Aviz told journalists that Pope Francis had announced the Year of Consecrated life in November at a meeting with the Union of Superiors General.

Noting that the Year will take place in the context of the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council, Cardinal Braz de Aviz said, “We believe that the Council has been a breath of the Spirit not only for the whole Church but, perhaps especially, for the consecrated life. We are also convinced that in these 50 years consecrated life has undertaken a fruitful journey of renewal — not free, certainly, of difficulties and hardships — in the commitment to follow what the Council asked of the consecrated: fidelity to the Lord, to the Church, to their own charism and to the people of today.
 

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http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2014/01/31/pope_francis:_doctrine_is_not_abstract_but_must_serve_the_people_of/en1-769025

2014-01-31 12:46:21
Pope Francis: Doctrine is not abstract but must serve the people of God

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Friday addressed participants at the Plenary meeting of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, saying their task is to ensure that people receive the faith in its purity and its entirety.
Listen to this report by Susy Hodges on his address: RealAudioMP3

Quoting from his Apostolic Exhortation, Pope Francis said right from the earliest times of the Church there has been a temptation to consider the doctrine in an ideological sense or to reduce it to a series of abstract and crystallized theories. But in reality, he said, the doctrine’s sole role is to serve the life of God’s people and is meant to ensure a solid foundation to our faith. There is a great temptation, he continued, to take control of the gifts of salvation that come from God to domesticate them, maybe even with good intentions, according to the views and spirit of the world.

However, safeguarding the integrity of the faith, the Pope went on to say, is a very delicate mission entrusted to them, always in collaboration with local Pastors and with the Doctrinal Commissions of the Episcopal Conferences. It serves to safeguard the right of all the people of God to receive the depository of the faith in its purity and entirety. In their work, he said, there is always a need to maintain a constructive, respectful and patient dialogue with the other parties and show charity and fraternal help.
 

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http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2014/01/31/new_head_of_vaticans_financial_information_authority/en1-769013

2014-01-31 12:13:44
New head of Vatican's Financial Information Authority

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has named a new president of the Vatican’s Financial Information Authority (IAF) and has accepted the resignation of its former head, 76 year old Cardinal Attilio Nicora. The new president is 66 year old Bishop Giorgio Corbellini, titular bishop of Abula in Spain, who will keep his other positions as head of the Holy See’s Labour Office and head of Disciplinary Commission of the Roman Curia.

The Financial Information Authority was established by Pope Benedict in 2010 to prevent money-laundering and it became operational in April 2011. 

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http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2014/02/01/pope_to_neocatechumenal_way:_build_ecclesial_communion,_evangelize/en1-769304

2014-02-01 13:11:55
Pope to Neocatechumenal Way: build ecclesial communion, evangelize with love

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis met with about 8,000 members of the Neocatechumenal Way on Saturday in the Paul VI Hall. During the audience, with a solemn prayer and blessing, the Pope sent off members of the community on mission to countries throughout the world. Prior to the blessing, he addressed the members of the Neocatechumenal Way.
Below is a Vatican Radio translation of his message:

Dear brothers and sisters,

I thank the Lord for the joy of your faith and for the ardor of your Christian witness. Thanks be to God. I greet you all cordially, starting from the International Responsible Team of the Neocatechumenal Way, together with the priests, seminarians and catechists. I send an affectionate greeting to the children, in attendance in great number. My thoughts go out in a special way to the families, who will go out to different parts of the world to proclaim and witness to the Gospel. The Church is grateful for your generosity! I thank you for all that you do in the Church and in the world. And precisely in the name of the Church, our Mother,... I would like to propose to you some simple recommendations.
 

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http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/ancient-torah-scroll-discovered-in-poland

Ancient Torah Scroll Discovered in Poland
Warsaw,  January 31, 2014  (Zenit.org)  Fr. Paweł Rytel-Andrianik

A world class scroll of the Torah, most probably from the famous dynasty of the rabbis of Kotzk (Poland), of which the founder was cited by the Pope Francis (Lumen Fidei, 13) was discovered in a high school library. It was preserved thanks to the courageous Poles in the area.

Upon his retirement in 1991, Zygmunt Kaminski, teacher at the high school in Sokolow Podlaski and collector of antiques, gave his school a part of his collection, which included a certain parts of the Torah (five first books of the Bible). The Torah was placed in a special library shelf. It is unknown when Mr. Kaminski became an owner of this scroll. Only at the end of last year, during the renovation of the library, did the treasure come to light. The director of the high school, Marcin Celinski, saw at first glance that it was a part of the Torah and decided to seek further consultation. Two weeks ago, Dr. Eleonora Bergman, from the Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw, confirmed that it is part of the Torah written in a very rare kind of calligraphy, which needs further study.
 

The gallery of pictures of this Torah can be found on the website of the Catholic newspaper Niedziela: http://www.niedziela.pl/zdjecia/155

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http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2014/02/02/pope_francis:_consecrated_life_is_an_encounter_with_christ/en1-769558

2014-02-02 13:50:40
Pope Francis: consecrated life is an encounter with Christ

(Vatican Radio) On Sunday, February 2nd, Pope Francis celebrated the 18th World Day for Consecrated Life highlighting the fact that at the centre of Consecrated Life there is always Jesus.

During his Homily at Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, the Pope recalled the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple which commemorates when Jesus and Mary brought the infant Jesus to the Temple forty days after his birth.

Please find below Vatican Radio's translation of the Pope's Homily:

The Feast of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple is also known as the Feast of the Encounter: the encounter between Jesus and his people. The liturgy tells of when Mary and Joseph brought their child to the Temple in Jerusalem; it is when the first encounter between Jesus and his people took place. This day is also called the Feast of Encounter because on it the New Testament, represented by the Baby Jesus, encountered the Old Testament, represented by Simeon and Anna.
 

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http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2014/02/02/pope_francis:_a_church_without_nuns_is_“unimaginable”!/en1-769569

2014-02-02 14:38:23
Pope Francis: a Church without nuns is “unimaginable”!

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Sunday highlighted the great value that nuns bring to the Church. “What would happen” – the Pope said – “if there were no nuns? No nuns in hospitals, in missions, in charitable institutions, in schools… Can you even imagine a Church without nuns…? No it is unthinkable!”.

And speaking on the day in which we celebrate the World Day for Consecrated Life, the Pope said that nuns are great women. He said “they are a gift, the leaven that carries the message of Christ”. “These women – he said – are great!”

The Pope’s words came before the Sunday recitation of the Angelus in St Peter’s Square, after having presided over Mass in the Basilica on the Feast Day of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, a Feast which is traditionally dedicated to Consecrated Life.
 
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http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-consecrated-life-is-a-gift-from-god/

Consecrated life is a gift from God, Pope reflects

Vatican City, Feb 2, 2014 / 08:29 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis spoke emphatically about the importance of religious life during his Sunday Angelus message.
 

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http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/vatican-unveils-year-for-consecrated-life-plans

Vatican Unveils Year for Consecrated Life Plans
Vatican City,  January 31, 2014 

The Church will celebrate a Year for Consecrated Life in 2015 to mark two key anniversaries, provide help to religious at a time of crisis in the Church, and to “evangelize” the vocation.

The three objectives were outlined this morning in the Press Office of the Holy See by Cardinal Joao Braz de Aviz, prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.

Pope Francis called for the Year at the end of his meeting with 120 superior generals of male institutes last November, at the suggestion of the heads of the congregation on having heard from many of the consecrated.

“First of all, this Year dedicated to consecrated life has been prepared in the context of the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council and, more specifically, on the 50th anniversary of the publication of the conciliar decree on the renewal of consecrated life 'Perfectae caritatis',” Cardinal Braz de Aviz said.
 

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http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/pope-francis-have-complete-trust-in-god-in-times-of-trial

Pope Francis: Have Complete Trust in God in Times of Trial
Vatican City,  February 03, 2014

David, who in the midst of betrayal and persecution is not shaken in his faith in God, is an example to follow in moments of difficulty.

Pope Francis focused on the figure of the king of Israel during his morning homily at Casa Santa Marta today.

The Holy Father reflected on the first reading from the 2nd book of Samuel which recalled David fleeing from his son Absalom who betrayed him. Confronted by this betrayal, three attitudes arise in David.

“David, a man who governs, takes the reality as it is and knows that this war will be very hard and that many would be killed. Thus, he makes the choice to not let his people die,” he said.

“This is the first attitude. He does not use God nor his people to defend himself, and this means the love of a king for his God and his people. He is a sinful king - we know the story - but a king who also has this great love: he was so attached to his God and so attached to his people and uses neither God nor his people to defend himself.

"In awful times in life it may happen that in desperation man looks to defend himself in any way he can and even use God and use the people. Not him, his first attitude is this: to not use God and the people."
 

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http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2014/02/04/pope_francis:_god_too_weeps,_like_a_father_who_never_disowns_his/en1-770125

2014-02-04 13:16:45
Pope Francis: God too weeps, like a father who never disowns his children

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis says God too weeps, just like a loving father who never disowns his children even if they are rebellious. This was the message stressed during his homily on Tuesday morning at the Santa Marta residence in the Vatican.
Listen to this report by Susy Hodges: RealAudioMP3

In his homily Pope Francis takes the day’s reading which portrays the figure of two fathers, King David who mourns the death of his rebel son Absalom and Jairus, the head of the Synagogue, who implores Jesus to heal his daughter. The Pope explains David’s weeping on hearing of the killing of his son, even though this son was fighting against him to conquer his kingdom. David’s army had won but he wasn’t interested in the victory, he was waiting for his son. He was only interested in his son! David was a king, the head of a nation but he was also a father. And therefore, when he heard the news about the death of his son, he shuddered, and went to an upper room and wept.
 

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http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2014/02/04/queen_elizabeth_to_visit_vatican_in_april_/en1-770263

2014-02-04 16:27:39
Queen Elizabeth to visit Vatican in April



(Vatican Radio) Queen Elizabeth II, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, will visit the Vatican and meet Pope Francis on Thursday, April 3. A statement from her Press Secretary states the Queen is coming to Rome in response to a lunch invitation from Italian President Giorgio Napolitano, and she is using the visit to Italy as an “opportunity to meet Pope Francis for the first time.” Queen Elizabeth II met with Pope Benedict XVI during his state visit to Great Britain in 2010.

The full statement from the Press Secretary of Queen Elizabeth is below

The Queen, accompanied by The Duke of Edinburgh, will visit Rome on Thursday 3rd April. Her Majesty and His Royal Highness are visiting at the invitation of the President of Italy, President Napolitano.
 

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http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2014/02/04/popes_lenten_message_2014_focuses_on_poverty,_sacrifice/en1-770076

2014-02-04 12:12:40
Pope's Lenten Message 2014 focuses on poverty, sacrifice

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis' Message for the Lenten season 2014 was released at a Vatican Press conference Tuesday. The theme of the Message is drawn from a Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians, "He became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich" (cf. 2 Cor 8:9).

Below, we publish the official English translation of the Lenten Message:

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

As Lent draws near, I would like to offer some helpful thoughts on our path of conversion as individuals and as a community. These insights are inspired by the words of Saint Paul: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich” (2 Cor 8:9). The Apostle was writing to the Christians of Corinth to encourage them to be generous in helping the faithful in Jerusalem who were in need. What do these words of Saint Paul mean for us Christians today? What does this invitation to poverty, a life of evangelical poverty, mean to us today?
 

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http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2014/02/05/pope_audience:_the_importance_of_mass_and_communion/en1-770404

2014-02-05 11:13:09
Pope Audience: The importance of Mass and Communion

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis was greeted by a sea of people taking cover under umbrellas as he made his way into St Peter’s Square on Wednesday for his weekly General Audience. Making reference to the rainy weather the Pope said “it’s not a nice day is it”.

In his continuing Catechesis on the Sacraments, the Holy Father focused his attention on the Eucharist saying that it accompanies us every step of the way on our pilgrimage of faith.
 
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http://www.news.va/en/news/at-the-general-audience-the-pope-speaks-about-the

At the General Audience the Pope Speaks about the Eucharist as the source of life for the Church -The word and the bread
2014-02-05 L’Osservatore Romano

“It is so important to go to Mass on Sunday” and “not just to pray, but to receive Communion... It is a beautiful thing to do!”. Pope Francis spontaneously added these words to his prepared text for the General Audience on Wednesday, 5 February, in order to focus the faithful on the significance of Holy Mass on Sunday, which is “precisely the day of the resurrection of the Lord. That is why,” he said, “Sunday is so important to us”. The following is an English translation of the Pope's catechesis, which was given in Italian.

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Good morning!
 

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A link to the report is provided at the end of the article.

http://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/400/0/un-condemns-holy-see-s-record-on-abuse-and-calls-for-priests-suspected-of-having-abused-to-be-removed-immediately

UN condemns Holy See's record on abuse and calls for priests suspected of having abused to be removed immediately
05 February 2014 12:40

The United Nations demanded that the Holy See "immediately remove" all clergy who are known or suspected of having abused minors and report them to civil authorities.

The UN committee on Protection on Rights of the Child today issued a damning and wide-ranging 16-page report following the appearance of a Vatican delegation in Geneva three weeks ago.

The watchdog said the Holy See should also hand over its records on abuse of tens of thousands of children so that culprits, as well as "those who concealed their crimes", could be held accountable.

"The Committee is gravely concerned that the Holy See has not acknowledged the extent of the crimes committed, has not taken the necessary measures to address cases of child sexual abuse and to protect children, and has adopted policies and practices which have led to the continuation of the abuse by and the impunity of the perpetrators," the report said.

It added: “The Committee is particularly concerned that in dealing with allegations of child sexual abuse, the Holy See has consistently placed the preservation of the reputation of the Church and the protection of the perpetrators above children’s best interests.”

But the report also mentioned recommendations relating to the Church’s teaching on contraception and abortion.
 
The Vatican's response to the report reiterated its commitment to defending and protecting the rights of the child but expressed “regret” at what it described as “an attempt to interfere with Catholic Church teaching on the dignity of human person and in the exercise of religious freedom”.

Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, who led the delegation that went to Geneva, later told Vatican Radio: "It almost seems as if (the document) had already been prepared before the committee’s meeting with the Holy See delegation, which offered detailed and precise responses to the various points [found in the report]," said . He said the views of the Holy See delegation stated last month did not appear in the new report or “seem not to have been given serious consideration”.
 
Read the report here.

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http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2014/02/05/holy_see_responds_to_un_committee_on_rights_of_the_child/en1-770487

2014-02-05 13:43:14
Holy See responds to UN Committee on Rights of the Child

(Vatican Radio) At the end of its 65th session, the Committee on the Rights of the Child has published its Concluding Observations on the reviewed Reports of the Holy See and five States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (Congo, Germany, Portugal, Russian Federation and Yemen).

Please find below a statement issued by the Holy See following the publishing of the U.N. reports:

According to the proper procedures forseen for the parties to the Convention, the Holy See takes note of the Concluding Observations on its Reports, which will be submitted to a thorough study and examination, in full respect of the Convention in the different areas presented by the Committee according to international law and practice, as well as taking into consideration the public interactive debate with the Committee, held on 16 January 2014.

The Holy See does, however, regret to see in some points of the Concluding Observations an attempt to interfere with Catholic Church teaching on the dignity of human person and in the exercise of religious freedom.
 

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http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2014/02/05/archbishop_tomasi_reacts_to_un_report_observations/en1-770552

2014-02-05 15:35:23
Archbishop Tomasi reacts to UN report observations



(Vatican Radio) The United Nations has issued concluding observations on the reviewed reports of the Holy See and five States , Parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. It follows a hearing at the UN in Geneva attended by a group from Holy See last month. Heading the Vatican delegation at those discussions was Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, Permanent ******* of the Holy See to the United Nations in Geneva.

He gave his reaction to the report to Vatican Radio.

Q. What is the reaction of the Holy See to these harsh criticisms by the UN contained in this report?
 
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http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2014/02/05/un_report_shows_negative_approach_to_vatican_child_protection/en1-770613

2014-02-05 17:10:44
UN report shows "negative approach" to Vatican child protection

(Vatican Radio) Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, the Holy See’s representative to the UN in Geneva, has denounced “a really negative approach” by the UN’s Committee on the Rights of the Child to all that the Vatican “has been doing and has already achieved” in the area of child protection. Stressing that every single case of child abuse is “a case too much,” the Archbishop said it’s hard to find “other institutions or even other states” that have done as much for child protection as the “package of measures” taken by the Vatican and local bishops conferences.

Archbishop Tomasi was responding to a report, published on Wednesday, criticizing the Vatican for policies which it says allowed priests to sexually abuse thousands of children worldwide. It follows on from a meeting between the UN Committee and Holy See representatives in Geneva on January 16th.
 

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http://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/405/0/francis-meets-real-life-philomena-lee-subject-of-oscar-nominated-film

Francis meets real-life Philomena Lee, subject of Oscar-nominated film
05 February 2014 16:56



Pope Francis has met Philomena Lee, the woman whose son was put up for adoption by nuns in 1955, and whose story has been made into an Oscar-nominated film starring and co-written by Steve Coogan.

Ms Lee, 80, was accompanied by Mr Coogan and her daughter Jane Libberton. Last month she launched The Philomena Project, which aims to pressure the Irish Government into releasing files on forced adoptions.

The Pope was introduced to her after the General Audience in St Peter’s Square in Rome today. Philomena, which its makers say is materially true, details Ms Lee and journalist Martin Sixsmith’s search for her son.
 

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http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2014/02/06/media_director_for_u.s._bishops:_un_child_protection_report_a_lost/en1-770700

2014-02-06 09:17:53
Media director for U.S. Bishops: UN child protection report "a lost opportunity

(Vatican Radio) Sister Mary Ann Walsh, the Director of Media Relations for the USCCB, has described a recent report from the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child as a “lost opportunity.”

The UN report was highly critical of the Church’s handling of cases of abuse of children. “Sexual abuse of a minor is a sin and a crime and no organization can become complacent about addressing it,” said Sr Walsh. She emphasized, however, that “the Catholic Church has certainly done more than any other international organization to face the problem and it will continue to lead in doing so.”

She highlighted efforts both in the United States and at the Vatican to eliminate cases of sexual abuse by the clergy and to bring offenders to justice. She also pointed out efforts by the Church to support victims of abuse.

The UN’s report, Walsh said, “is weakened by including objections to Catholic teaching on such issues as gay marriage, abortion and contraception.” These objections, she said, “seem to violate the U.N.’s obligation from its earliest days to defend religious freedom.”

Sister Walsh said UN’s Committee on the Rights of the Child “is correct to voice concern over sexual abuse,” and commended their efforts. “It would have credibility, however, if it also worked to protect the most basic right of a child: the right to live... When the U.N. committee strays into the culture wars to promote abortion, contraceptives and gay marriage, it undermines its noble cause and trades concern for children to concern for organizations with other agendas. What a lost opportunity.”

Read the full text of Sister Mary Ann Walsh’s latest blog:
 

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http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2014/02/06/pope_reflects_on_mystery_of_death_and_legacy_of_christian_witness/en1-770815

2014-02-06 13:21:26
Pope reflects on mystery of death and legacy of Christian witness

(Vatican Radio) Speaking at Mass at the Casa Santa Marta on Thursday, Pope Francis reflected on the mystery of death, inviting us to ask God for the grace to die in hope, in the heart of the Church and in the knowledge that we have left a legacy of Christian witness behind us.

Pope Francis based his homily on the first reading of the day which tells the story of the death of King David. Though he is a sinner, the Pope noted, he is not a traitor and he remains to the end in the heart of his people, the people of God. We too, Pope Francis continued, should ask God for the grace to die in our spiritual “home”, within the heart of the Church. We are all sinners, he said, but the Church is like a mother who takes us just as we are, even with our stains, and makes us clean.
 

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http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2014/02/06/pope’s_message_for_wyd:_resist_“low_cost”_offers_of_happiness_and/en1-770756

2014-02-06 12:07:15
Pope’s Message for WYD: Resist “low cost” offers of happiness and embrace the revolutionary Beatitudes

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has released a message for the 29th World Youth Day (WYD) on Palm Sunday 2014 (April 13th) that will be celebrated locally in each diocese around the world. The theme chosen for this celebration is taken from the Beatitudes: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” In his message the Pope reflects on the meaning of this theme and urges young people to use the revolutionary power of the Beatitudes as a central point of reference in their lives.

Please find below a translation in English of Pope Francis’ message:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:3)

Dear Young Friends,