Pope Francis

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http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2016/05/08/pope_francis_mothers_day_greetings_at_regina_coeli/1228323

Pope Francis: Mothers' Day greetings at Regina coeli
08/05/2016 12:32

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis wished mothers all over the globe a happy day on Sunday, Mothers’ Day in many places around the world.

Speaking to pilgrims and tourists gathered in St. Peter’s Square, with whom he had just prayed the traditional Marian devotion at Eastertide, the Regina coeli, Pope Francis said, “Let us remember with gratitude and affection all mothers,” departing from his prepared text to add, “those, our mothers, who are here with us in the Square, [those] who are still with us [on earth], and those who have gone to heaven, and we entrust them to Mary, Mother of Jesus.”
 

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http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-francis-be-witnesses-of-the-gospel-every-day-26051/

Pope Francis: Be witnesses of the Gospel every day

Vatican City, May 8, 2016 / 07:22 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis commemorated the Feast of the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven by reminding the faithful of their duty to be witnesses of the Gospel every day of the week, in all areas of life – and not just on Sundays.

“We must carry this witness every week: Christ is with us; Christ has gone up into Heaven, and is with us; Christ is alive!” the Pope said during his May 8 Regina Caeli address to the crowds gathered in St. Peter's Square.

Citing the words of Jesus in the day's Gospel taken from Luke, the pontiff explained how the Apostles were “witnesses” of Christ's death, resurrection, and now Ascension; indeed, they returned to Jerusalem and joyfully testified about the risen Christ, in whose name they would preach conversion and “repentance, for the forgiveness of sins.”

The Pope said this witness – “made not only with words but also with daily life” – should go beyond Church on Sunday. Rather, it should extend throughout the entire week in our “homes, offices, schools, in places of entertainment, in hospitals, in prisons, in homes for the elderly, in places crowded with immigrants, in the city's peripheries.”
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-at-regina-coeli-communicating-the-goo

Pope Francis at Regina coeli: communicating the Good News
2016-05-08 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis used his remarks to the faithful at Sunday’s Regina coeli to mark the 50th annual recurrence of World Communications Day, recalling the fundamental mission of the Church to proclaim the Good News of Christ’s victory over death, and the duty of all the baptized faithful of every age and in every state of life within the Church to make themselves protagonists of that mission.

“The [II Vatican] Council Fathers,” he said, drawing on his Message for the occasion, published earlier this year, “reflecting on the Church in the contemporary world, understood the crucial importance of communications, which ‘are capable of building bridges among persons, families, social groups, and peoples – and this both in physical and in digital environments.’”

The Holy Father went on to say, “I offer cordial greetings to everyone working the field of communications, and I hope that our way of communicating in the Church will always have a clear Gospel style, [conducted in] a manner that unites truth and mercy.”
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-the-holy-spirit-makes-us-real-christians-not

Pope: 'the Holy Spirit makes us real Christians, not virtual ones'
2016-05-09 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis says it is the Holy Spirit that moves the Church but for many Christians today, the Holy Spirit is a stranger.

Speaking on Monday morning during Mass at the Casa Santa Marta the Pope urged believers to allow themselves to be propelled by the Holy Spirit whom, he said, shows us the way to freedom.

He also had a special greeting for the Vincentian Sisters of Charity who work at the Casa Santa Marta and who are marking the feast day of their founder: St. Louise de Marillac.

Drawing inspiration from the reading of the day which recounts the dialogue between Paul and the first disciples in Ephesus, Pope Francis recalled that the disciples told Paul that they had “not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit”.

This is something, he said, that happens today as well as many who believe in Jesus do not know the Holy Spirit.

Many, he said, say they have “learnt through Catechism” that the Holy Spirit is “in the Trinity” but they do not know anything more and they wonder what the Spirit does:

"The Holy Spirit is the one who moves the Church, he said, the one who works in the Church and  in our hearts” making each Christian unique and yet, together with other Christians, a unit.

The Holy Spirit, the Pope continued, opens the doors and invites us to bear witness to Jesus.
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-to-peters-circle-practice-gospel-of-c

Pope Francis to Peter's Circle: practice Gospel of charity
2016-05-09 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis received the members of the Circolo San Pietro – the “St. Peter’s Circle” – on Monday. The organization was founded in 1869 by a group of enthusiastic young men hailing from the upper social and economic crust of Rome, as a vehicle for demonstrating solidarity with Pope Pius IX in a politically fraught moment of history.

The organization very quickly grew into a major hub of good works in service of the city’s poor, elderly and disadvantaged.

Members of the St. Peter’s Circle are also responsible in Rome for the “Peter’s Pence” offering, which is collected in parishes around the world in support of the Holy Father’s charitable activities.
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-a-missionarys-life-is-consumed-in-the-service

Pope: A missionary’s life is consumed in the service of Christ.
2016-05-10 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis said missionaries are docile to the call of the Holy Spirit which leads them to be consumed by a burning desire to dedicate their life to announcing the gospel, even in the most distant places. The characteristics of those men and women who choose to serve the Church by going on mission were the focus of the Pope’s homily at his morning Mass celebrated in the Santa Marta residence on Tuesday.

The cue for Pope Francis’ reflections during his homily was taken from the day’s reading where Paul takes his leave from the community at Miletus and talks of being compelled by the Holy Spirit to go next to Jerusalem. The Pope describes this call from the Spirit as an irresistible drive to donate one’s life to the service of Christ and even to consume it or burn it up on His behalf. He said this was the flame that burned in the heart of St Paul and every apostle and it’s the same flame that’s alive in the hearts of so many young people who have left their family and homeland to announce Jesus in far off lands.

“Compelled by the Spirit”
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-orders-promulgation-of-decrees-for-causes-of

Pope orders promulgation of decrees for causes of Saints
2016-05-10 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Monday received in private audience Cardinal Angelo Amato, S.D.B., Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. In the course of the Audience, the Supreme Pontiff authorized the Congregation to promulgate decrees regarding:
the miracle, attributed to the intercession of Blessed Ludovico Pavoni, Priest, Founder of the Congregation of the Sons of Mary Immaculate; born 11 November 1784, died 1 April 1849;
the miracle, attributed to the intercession of Blessed Solomon Leclercq (né Guillaume-Nicolas-Louis Leclerq), of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, Martyr; born 15 November 1745, died 2 September 1792;
the heroic virtue of the Servant of God Rafaél Manuel Almansa Riaño, Diocesan Priest, formerly Professed Priest of the Order of Friars Minor; born 2 August 1840, died 28 June 1927.

The recognition of miracles for Ludovico Pavoni and Solomon Leclercq clears the way for the canonization of the two blesseds.
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-sends-letter-to-coptic-patriarch-on-day-of-fr

Pope sends letter to Coptic Patriarch on Day of Friendship
2016-05-10 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) May 10th marks the anniversary of the first encounter between Pope Paul VI, the Bishop of Rome, and head of the Coptic Orthodox Church, Pope Shenouda III, which took place 43 years ago. Today, on the Day of Friendship between Copts and Catholics, Pope Francis has written to His Holiness Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of Saint Mark, to commemorate the occasion.

In his letter to head of the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt, Pope Francis expressed his joy “at the ever deeper spiritual bonds” between the two communities, and thanked God for “the steps we have taken together along the path of reconciliation and friendship”. He went on to say, “though we are still journeying towards the day when we will gather as one at the same Eucharistic table, we are able even now to make visible the communion uniting us”.
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-prodigal-son-shows-gods-unconditional-love-2

Pope: Prodigal son shows God's unconditional love for us all
2016-05-11 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) At his Wednesday general audience Pope Francis focused on the parable of the prodigal son to show how God welcomes us all with an unconditional love. Even in the most difficult situations, he told pilgrims and visitors gathered in St Peter’s Square, God waits for us and longs to embrace us.

Pope Francis began his reflections at the moment the prodigal son returns home, asking forgiveness for what he has done and telling his father: “I no longer deserve to be called your son”. But on the contrary, he continued, the only thing that matters to the father is that his son has returned home safe and sound. Thus he runs out to embrace him, restores his dignity by giving him clothes, sandals and a ring on his finger, and calls for a feast to celebrate his return.

The Pope said the father’s tenderness and mercy overflows and, in the same way, we know that even in the most difficult moments of our lives, God waits for us and longs to embrace us as his children. Jesus’ words, he went on, can encourage parents who worry about their children becoming alienated and tempted by all kinds of dangers. They can help priests and catechists who wonder if their work is all in vain. They can even help those in prison, or those who’ve made mistakes and are unable to see any future for themselves. 
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-invokes-st-john-paul-ii-ahead-of-fati

Pope Francis invokes St. John Paul II ahead of Fatima feast
2016-05-11 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Wednesday said Our Lady of Fatima “invites us once again to turn to prayer, penance, and conversion.”

The Holy Father noted the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima is commemorated this year on this Friday (13 May) during his remarks to Polish-speaking pilgrims at his General Audience.
 
“Following the example of St. John Paul II, a great devotee of Our Lady of Fatima, let us listen attentively to the Mother of God and ask for peace for the world,” – he continued – “Praised be Jesus Christ!”

Thirty-five years ago, Pope St. John Paul II was shot by Mehmet Ali Ağca during the General Audience, which took place on the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima in 1981.

The saint attributed his survival to Our Lady, and gave one of the bullets used in the attack to the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal. The bullet was placed in the crown of the statue of the Virgin Mary which is housed at the shrine.

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-christians-seek-unity-those-who-sow-weeds-div

Pope: Christians seek unity, those who sow weeds divide
2016-05-12 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Jesus prays for the unity of Christians, but within the Church there are those who sow weeds (It: zizzanieri), those who divide and destroy the community with their tongues. That was the message of Pope Francis at the morning Mass at Casa Santa Marta.

The difficulty of unity

Jesus, before the Passion, prays for “the unity of believers, of the Christian community,” so that they might be one—as He and the Father are one—that the world might believe. Pope Francis took this passage as the starting point for his homily:

“The unity of the Christian community, of the Christian family, is a witness: a witness to the fact that the Father has sent the Son. And, perhaps, arriving at unity—in a Christian community, in a parish, in the Bishop’s residence, in a Christian institution, in a Christian family—is one of the most difficult things. Our history, the history of the Church, makes us ashamed so often: but we have waged war against our Christian brothers! To mention just one, we think of the Thirty Years’ War.

Asking forgiveness for divisions
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-meet-students-who-make-prosthetic-lim

Pope Francis meet students who make prosthetic limbs
2016-05-12 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Wednesday met with a group of high school students who are using 3D printers to create prosthetic limbs for child amputees in Africa.

The students attend “L'Istituto Massimo” in Rome, which offers courses on 3D printing. The “Crowd4Africa” project uses bottle caps and other recycled material to create the prosthetics. The project was entirely created by children aged 7 to 19.
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-meets-with-prince-akishino-of-japan

Pope Francis meets with Prince Akishino of Japan
2016-05-12 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Thursday met with Prince and Princess Akishino of Japan. The Prince is the younger son of Emperor Akihito, and second in line to the throne.
 
The Prince and Princess gave Pope Francis a porcelain vase, and a framed emblem of the Imperial family. The Holy Father gave the couple a copy of his encyclical Ladauto si’ and a Peace Medal.

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-calls-for-commission-to-study-reinstating-fem

Pope calls for commission to study reinstating female deacons
2016-05-12 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis led an in-depth discussion on Thursday about the role of women in the Church, saying he wants to set up a commission to study the possibility of reinstating female deacons. His conversation was part of a question and answer session with some 900 heads of female religious orders and congregations who form part of the International Union of Superiors General, or UISG.

Pope Francis spoke off the cuff during his closed door encounter with the sisters, who are currently holding their General Assembly in Rome this week, marking the 50th anniversary of the foundation of their organisation.

During the hour and a half long conversation about the mission and ministry of women in religious life, the Pope responded to several delicate questions, including one about the history of female deacons. He said understanding about their role in the early Church remained unclear and agreed it would be useful to set up a commission to study the question.

Women deacons in the early Church

Up to the 5th century, the Diaconate flourished in the western Church, but in the following centuries it experienced a slow decline, surviving only as an intermediate stage for candidates preparing for priestly ordination. Following the Second Vatican Council, the Church restored the role of permanent deacon, which is open to single and married men. Many experts believe that women should also be able to serve in this role, since there is ample evidence of female deacons in the first centuries, including one named Phoebe who is cited by St Paul in his letter to the Romans.
 

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-francis-says-hes-open-to-studying-the-female-diaconate-94916/
Pope Francis says he's open to studying the female diaconate

https://cnstopstories.com/2016/05/12/pope-tells-women-religious-vatican-will-study-women-deacons/
Pope tells women religious Vatican will study women deacons
Posted on May 12, 2016

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http://www.news.va/en/news/vatican-ior-releases-annual-report-for-2015

Vatican IOR releases Annual Report for 2015 with roundtable event
2016-05-12 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio)  The IOR – Istituto per le Opere di Religione, or the Vatican Bank, released its Annual Report for the 2015 fiscal year on Thursday, indicating its commitment to assisting the Holy Father in his universal mission of pastoral care.

The extended Annual Report was accompanied by a Press Release detailing the more salient points of IOR's 2015 activities.

Jean-Baptiste Douville de Franssu, President of the IOR, and the Director General, Gian Franco Mammì, participated in a roundtable event with Vatican Radio and Osservatore Romano to discuss the report.

The full transcription of the roundtable is below:

Q: Why does the Vatican, and the Church, need the IOR, and what are the services the IOR offers?

Jean-Baptiste Douville de Franssu: Let me say how pleased I am to be here today and to be given the opportunity to report on 2015 which was a very important year for the IOR, and I am sure with Dr. Mammi we will have many opportunities in the course of this interview to tell you a little bit about some of those activities of 2015.

Why does the Vatican and the Church need the IOR? I think it’s very simple.  First of all, we should remember that the Vatican, being a sovereign state, it has a small economy and like any sovereign state that has an economy, it needs an institution that we would refer to traditionally as a financial institution that allows for transfer of payments to occur and allow the different agents in the economy to function.  So that’s the primary role of IOR.
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-receives-prime-minister-of-poland-2

Pope Francis receives Prime Minister of Poland
2016-05-13 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio)  Today Pope Francis received in audience the Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland, Beata Szydło, who subsequently met with Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States.

In a statement, the Vatican Press Office described the talks as “cordial” and said the two “noted the positive contribution of the Catholic Church in Polish society.”

Particular reference was made, it said, to the visit that the Holy Father will make to Poland in the month of July for World Youth Day.  Also mentioned were recent celebrations in Gniezno and Poznań for the 1050 anniversary of the Baptism of Poland, that were attended by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, acting as Papal Legate.
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-the-fight-against-poverty-above-all-a-moral-o

Pope: The fight against poverty above all a moral one
2016-05-13 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) It’s been 25 years since Pope St. John Paul II’s watershed encyclical on politics, economics, and society and to celebrate the occasion the Centesimus annus – pro Pontifice Foundation has organized a major international conference to mark this anniversary.

The theme for this event, which brings together leaders in commerce, industry, charity, relief, reconciliation, and peacebuilding, is “Business Initiative in the Fight Against Poverty: The Refugee Emergency, our Challenge”, and it was on these themes of poverty and migration that Pope Francis took his cue when he addressed conference participants on Friday in the Vatican.
 

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http://saltandlighttv.org/blog/featured/uisg-president-issues-statement-on-meeting-with-pope-francis

UISG president issues statement on meeting with Pope Francis
May 13, 2016 by Salt and Light Media

The head of the International Union of Superiors General on Friday shared details of the organisation’s meeting with Pope Francis, including his comments on women in leadership and the possibility of their being readmitted to the diaconate. Sr Carmen Sammut, the president of the UISG and superior general of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa, spoke one day after the group of some 900 leaders of women’s congregations had a closed door meeting with the Pope in the Paul VI audience hall

She said that ahead of the encounter the sisters had asked for a dialogue with the pontiff, rather than simply listening to a speech, as happened on their previous meeting three years ago. The UISG then asked for input from their sisters across the globe and received around thirty questions which they were able to put to Pope Francis.

“We were quite excited by the fact that Pope Francis did not leave any question out – he really wanted to answer each of our questions”

Sr Carmen spoke about two of the questions that have been generating news headlines, including the Pope’s words on the need for more women in positions of leadership in the Church.

“He was very strong about the fact that women should be in decision making processes and positions of the Church and that this should not be linked solely with the priesthood or sacramental status”.

The UISG president noted that Pope Francis warned about two attitudes which do harm to the Church: firstly, what he called a “feminist” position of wanting to be leaders simply because we are women, and secondly, she said, he spoke at length about the problem of “clericalism”. All Catholics, the Pope insisted, should be involved in decision making at parish level and at higher levels including in the Roman dicasteries.

Regarding the question of a commission to study the readmission of women to the diaconate, Sr Carmen said the Pope accepted their proposal and agreed to carry the suggestion forward.

“And I hope that one day there will be a real decision about this – this is my hope”.

Meeting with the International Union of Superiors General May 12, 2016
 (Vatican Working Translation from Italian)

First question
For a better integration of women in the life of the Church

Pope Francis, you have said that “the feminine genius is necessary in all expressions of the life of the Church and of society”, and yet women are excluded from decision-making processes in the Church, especially at the highest levels, and from preaching in the Eucharist. An important obstacle to Church’s full embrace of the “feminine genius” is the bond that both decision-making processes and preaching have with priestly ordination. Do you see a way of separating from ordination both leadership roles and preaching in the Eucharist, so that our Church can be more open to receiving the genius of women in the very near future?
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/fr-lombardi-on-popes-remarks-about-female-deacons

Fr Lombardi on Pope’s remarks about female deacons
2016-05-13 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) The Director of the Holy See’s Press office, Father Federico Lombardi, said Pope Francis did not say in his remarks to the Heads of female religious orders and congregations that he intends to introduce the ordination of women and even less the ordination of women as priests. Father Lombardi’s statement followed the Pope’s widely-reported remarks that he wants to set up a Commission to study the question of female deacons. Pope Francis’ remarks on deaconesses came during a question and answer session on Thursday with some 900 heads of female religious orders and congregations who form part of the International Union of Superiors General.
 
Referring to the Pope’s much reported remark about setting up a Commission to study the question of female deacons, Father Lombardi said this was an issue that has been talked about within the Church in the past and arises from the fact that in the early Church there were women described as deaconesses who carried out certain tasks within the Christian community. 

Father Lombardi said “we need to be honest” when looking at the Pope’s remarks about being willing to set up a Commission to look again at this issue with greater clarity.

“The Pope did not say he intends to introduce the ordination of female deacons and even less did he talk about the ordination of women as priests.” In actual fact, the Pope made clear in his preaching during the course of the Eucharistic celebration that he was not considering this (question) at all.” 

Father Lombardi also said it was wrong to reduce all the many important things said by the Pope during his meeting with the religious sisters to this one question.

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-official-schedule-for-armenia-visit-i

Pope Francis: Official schedule for Armenia visit in June
2016-05-13 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) The official programme for Pope Francis’ 3-day visit to Armenia  from 24th to 26th June was released on Friday.

Please see details below: (all times local)

Friday 24th June

09.00 Departure from Rome’s Fiumicino Airport for Yerevan

15.00 Arrival at Yereven’s Zvaretnots Airport with welcome ceremony there.

15.35 Visit to pray at Apostolic Cathedral at Etchmiadzin (Greetings given by Catholicos of All Armenia, Karekin II and by Pope Francis)

18.00 Courtesy visit to Armenia's President in the Presidential Palace.

18.30 Meeting with civil authorities and the Diplomatic Corps in the Presidential Palace (speech by the Pope)

19.30 Private meeting with Catholicos in the Apostolic Palace
 

http://www.news.va/en/news/popes-june-sept-schedule-includes-mother-teresas-c
Pope’s June-Sept schedule includes Mother Teresa's canonization
2016-05-13 Vatican Radio