Pope Francis

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-to-egypts-priests-and-religious-be-sowers-of

Pope to Egypt's priests and religious: be sowers of hope and dialogue
2017-04-29 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Saturday told Egypt’s priests, religious and seminarians to be sowers of hope, builders of bridges and agents of dialogue, despite the many difficulties they face.

The pope’s words came during his final encounter, a prayer service at the seminary in Cairo at the end of his two day visit to the North African nation.

Pope Francis began by thanking and encouraging the leaders of this tiny Catholic community for their daily witness “amid many challenges and often few consolations”.

The Catholic Coptic Church, the largest of seven different rites, counts less than 200.000 members, or less than half a percent of the population. The Pope said despite the many negative and despairing voices, priests and religious there are called to be a positive force within society.

Resist temptations

Pope Francis then urged the Catholic leaders to resist the many temptations they encounter, beginning with the desire to be led, rather than to lead the Church. A pastor, he said, is creative and always “share the caress of consolation, even when he is brokenhearted”.

The Pope also warned against the temptation of complain, to gossip, to compare oneself to others and to harden one’s heart, presuming to be served, rather than to serve others.

Coptic Catholic identity

Finally he urged them to avoid the temptations of individualism and losing their sense of direction. Your identity, he told them, “is to be Copts – rooted in your noble and ancient origins – and to be Catholics – part of the one and universal Church”.

Treasure of monastic life

Pope Francis concluded by recalling the great treasure of monastic life which has enriched the Church in Egypt since the first centuries. He urged today’s priests and religious to follow the examples of St Paul the Hermit, St Anthony, the Desert Fathers, and all monks and nuns who by their lives have been “salt and light” for the whole of society, especially for the poorest and those most in need.

Please see below the full address of Pope Francis to Priests, Religious and Seminarians at Saint Leo the Great Patriarchal Seminary, Maadi
 

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Pope Francis' in-flight press conference from Egypt to Rome

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/full-text-of-pope-francis-in-flight-presser-from-egypt-24826/

Full text of Pope Francis' in-flight presser from Egypt

Vatican City, Apr 29, 2017 / 03:41 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- In his conversation with journalists on the way back from Egypt, Pope Francis touched on an array of topics, including North Korea, populism and a possible visit from President Donald Trump.

While nothing has been confirmed as far as a meeting with the U.S. president, much of what Francis said in the 32-minute press conference, which took place during his April 29 flight from Cairo to Rome, focused on themes that came up during his two-day visit to Egypt, but which can be applied to some of the major issues up for global discussion today.

Please read below for CNA's full transcript of the Pope's inflight press conference:

Greg Burke (Vatican press director): Here among the journalists are those who are making a trip for the first time and those who have made almost 100.. No, more than 100, I think… And you, I don’t know if you know how many international trips you’ve made…

Pope Francis: 18!

Greg Burke: Ah, 18, alright great. I didn’t know. Nineteen is around the corner, so also you have a good number of Papal trips now. Thanks for this moment which is always a strong moment for us and let’s start with the Italian group, Paolo Rodari. I don’t know if you want to say something first.

Pope Francis: Yes, good evening and thanks for your work because these were 27 hours, I think, of much work. Thanks so much for what you did, thank you. And I’m at your disposal.

Greg Burke: Thank you, Holy Father.
 

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The Vatican and the Order of Malta

http://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/7042/0/knights-of-malta-will-return-to-rome-in-a-year-after-electing-a-temporary-leader

Knights of Malta will return to Rome in a year after electing a temporary leader
29 April 2017 | by Sean Smith   

Giacomo Dalla Torre del Tempio di Sanguinetto to be sworn in by Pope's delegate Archbishop Angelo Becciu

Members of the Knights of Malta have made the democratic decision to follow the advice of the Holy See and have elected a lieutenant who will take the reins of the order for a year - rather than elect a permanent leader who would be in charge for life.

Giacomo Dalla Torre del Tempio di Sanguinetto (pictured), who most recently has been the grand prior in charge of the order's Rome chapter was voted lieutenant of the Grand Master, it was announced on Saturday (29 April). The new lieutenant will have exactly the same powers as a grand master.

The newly elected Lieutenant of the Grand Master will swear his Oath before the Pope’s Special Delegate to the Sovereign Order of Malta, Archbishop Angelo Becciu, and the members of the Council Complete of State tomorrow morning in the Church of Santa Maria in Aventino, according to the Order's official website.

"Pope Francis has been informed by letter of the election result," the Order said in a statement. "All the Order of Malta’s Grand Priories, Subpriories and National Associations around the world have been informed, as well as the representatives of the 106 countries with which the Order maintains diplomatic relations."
 

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The Vatican and the Order of Malta

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/order-of-malta-elects-new-grand-master-amid-ongoing-reform-19365/

Order of Malta elects interim Grand Master amid ongoing reform

Vatican City, Apr 29, 2017 / 09:37 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The Order of Malta elected Fra Giacomo Dalla Torre as their interim Grand Master as the latest move in the ongoing reform their leadership, which the bulk of his one-year mandate will focus on.
 
According to the Order of Malta, Dalla Torre’s primary focus during the coming year will be the reform of their Constitution, with special attention given to any “institutional shortages” the Order might have.

“The recent crisis has brought to light some weaknesses in the systems of control and in the balance of governance,” the communique read, adding that “the reform will take this into account.”

Special attention will also be paid to solidifying the spiritual life of the Order and to finding ways to increase the number of their professed members. Some consultations on how to do this have already been done, but suggestions from all of the Order’s members, professed or not, are welcome.

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http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2017/04/30/pope_joins_celebrations_for_catholic_action_anniversary/1309242

Pope joins celebrations for "Catholic Action" 150th anniversary
30/04/2017 15:06

Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square with members of "Azione Cattolica Italiana" - REUTERS
(Vatican Radio)  Pope Francis on Sunday joined members of the Italian lay Catholic group “Azione Cattolica Italiana” as they celebrated 150 years since their foundation. They were gathered in St. Peter's Square with balloons and banners for a special audience with the Pope and for the recitation of the Regina Caeli prayer.

Catholic Action was the name of many groups, especially active during the 19th century that aimed to encourage a Catholic influence on society in countries that fell under anti-clerical regimes.

Italy’s “Azione Cattolica” is probably the most active Catholic Action group still around today. It was founded in 1867 by Mario Fani and Giovanni Acquaderni with the name “Italian Catholic Youth Society”.
 
Speaking to the some 70,000 members of the group present in St. Peter’s Square for the occasion, the Pope said it is vital to walk looking ahead (and not behind) and to be missionary disciples that reach out to the peripheries. 

The Pope said the Church is grateful for the contribution made to society by “Azione Cattolica” with its passion for the world and for the Church.
 
https://zenit.org/articles/regina-coeli-address-prayers-for-venezuela-and-for-all-countries-in-difficulty/
Regina Coeli Address: Prayers for Venezuela and for all Countries in Difficulty 
April 30, 2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xa1MXR3eQ6Q
2017.04.30 - Italian Catholic Action celebration 
Streamed live 13 hours ago
INTERNATIONAL SOUND- Pope Francis and members of the Italian Catholic Action, participates in an event that celebrates the organization's 150th anniversary, and then together they recite the Regina Caeli

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-fraternity-can-generate-a-just-society-with-d

Pope: fraternity can generate a just society with dignity for all
2017-05-01 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) On May 1st the Church  remembers Saint Joseph the worker, a day marked across the globe as International Labour Day.

Pope Francis’ thoughts in these days go especially towards young people as expressed in his May 1st tweet: “May Saint Joseph give young people the ability to dream, to take risks for big tasks, the things that God dreams for us,” many of whom are faced with unprecedented high rates of unemployment and socio-financial difficulties.

And in a message to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences that in these days is holding its Plenary Assembly in the Vatican (28 April-2 May), the Pope recalls the “hard battles” of workers during the 19th and 20th centuries which took place “in the name of solidarity and rights”.

He says these battles “are far from over” pointing to the “social exclusion and marginalization of millions of men and women today.”
 

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Hmmm...

https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2017/05/01/pope-francis-taps-notre-dame-investment-guru-vatican-bank/

Pope Francis taps Notre Dame Investment Guru for Vatican Bank
Claire Giangravè   May 1, 2017

ROME - In December 2016 the Vatican announced that the lay board of the Institute for Works of Religion (IOR), also known as the Vatican Bank, had added three new members bringing the total count to seven.

This represented an effort to think outside the box for the IOR in the sense that it showed not only a strong support for reform and change within the Vatican institution, but also openness toward world-renowned lay experts and professionals to bring attention to the balance sheet.

The newbies are American Scott C. Malpass, Spaniard Javier Marín Romano and the German Georg Freiherr von Boeselager. They all have in common a vast experience in the banking and financial fields as well as the fact that none of them is Italian.
 
Malpass is joined on the Supervisory board by Georg Freiherr Von Boeselager who, apart from being well versed in banking policies, is also the brother of Albrecht, the Grand Chancellor of the Order of Malta.

Javier Marín Romano is the other new arrival at the bank and has held various offices with the Spanish Santander Group. Some speculate a tie between the group and Opus Dei, and it is known that the former president of the lay board Ettore Gotti Tedeschi who was kicked out of the IOR in 2012 also had relationships with the Spanish bank.

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http://www.news.va/en/news/the-lord-softens-those-with-hard-hearts-says-pope

The Lord softens those with hard hearts says Pope
2017-05-02 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) “The Lord softens those with hard hearts, those who condemn all who are outside the law.” This was the message of Pope Francis homily, during tuesday’s Mass in the Vatican’s Santa Marta residence.  He said that those who are hard hearted do not know the tenderness of God and his ability to remove hearts of stone and replace them with hearts of flesh.

Beginning with the first reading, in which St Stephen was stoned to death by the temple authorities in Jerusalem, the Pope reflected on the witness of Christian obedience. He said that those who stoned Stephen to death did not understand the word of God. Stephen had called them “circumcised of heart,” which was the equivalent of calling someone a pagan.

According the Pope, there are different ways of not understanding the word of God. For example, when Jesus had met the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, he had called them “fools.” This was not an expression of praise, but it was also not a strong word either, unlike Stephen’s expression.
 

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https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2017/05/02/pope-plans-pentecost-celebrations-charismatics-pentecostals/

Pope plans Pentecost celebrations with charismatics and Pentecostals
Cindy Wooden May 2, 2017
 CATHOLIC_NEWS_SERVICE

ROME — Pope Francis has invited thousands of Catholic charismatics and members of Pentecostal and Evangelical churches to Rome to celebrate Pentecost and mark the 50th anniversary of what became the Catholic Charismatic Renewal.

The pope will lead a prayer vigil June 3, the eve of Pentecost, at Rome’s Circus Maximus, an open field that was the site of an ancient Roman stadium used for chariot races. Participants will join the pope the next morning for Pentecost Mass in St. Peter’s Square.
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/general-audience-pope-reflects-on-apostolic-voyage

General Audience: Pope reflects on Apostolic Voyage to Egypt
2017-05-03 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis reflected on last weekend’s Apostolic Voyage to Egypt during his weekly General Audience, recalling the various stages of his trip.

The Holy Father thanked the people of Egypt for their warm welcome, and noted the “extraordinary commitment” of the Egyptian authorities to ensure his visit went off without a hitch.

He spoke of his visit to the Al-Azhar University, which was focused on both “dialogue between Christians and Muslims” and “the promotion of peace” in the world. Pope Francis summarized his address at the International Conference for Peace, emphasizing Egypt’s history as a “land of civility” and a “land of covenant.” Egypt, he said, echoing the speech of the Grand Imam, “reminds us that peace is built through education, formation in wisdom, a humanism that includes the religious dimension, the relationship with God, as an integral part.” He continued, saying peace is built on the relationship between God and men, and on the alliance between all human beings. This, the Pope said, is the foundation for a civil and social order in which all are called to participate.
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-at-daily-mass-to-evangelize-go-out-listen-rej

Pope at daily Mass: To evangelize, go out, listen, rejoice
2017-05-04 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) The Church should be on its feet and on the journey, listening to the restlessness of the people, and always with joy. That was the message of Pope Francis this morning in the homily for the morning Mass at the Casa Santa Marta.

In the first eight chapters of the Acts of the Apostles, the Pope said, “there is a summary of the whole history of the Church”: preaching, baptism, conversion, miracles, persecution, joy, but also the ugly sin of those who join themselves to the Church for their own ends, “those benefactors of the Church who in the end cheat the Church,” like Ananias and Sapphira. The Holy Father began his homily with this reflection, then moved on to a consideration of the day’s readings. He first emphasized that the Lord from the beginning accompanied His disciples, confirming the Word with miraculous signs. He never left them alone, not even in the worst moments.
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/myanmar-church-welcomes-diplomatic-relations-with

Myanmar Church welcomes diplomatic relations with the Holy See
2017-05-04 Vatican Radio

Bishop John Hsane Hgyi, the bishop of Pathein diocese of Myanmar has expressed joy over the joint agreement between the Holy See and the Republic of the Union of Myanmar of establishing diplomatic relations, a decision he says is for the positive evolution and for the steps towards change.

The decision came after the meeting in the Vatican held on May 4, between Pope Francis and leader Aung San Suu Kyi, State Councilor and Foreign Minister of Burma.

The Bishop notes that the  main challenge is to resolve conflicts with ethnic minorities. He hopes all the different ethnic groups can join the May 24 national meeting  in Yangon for the signing of a ceasefire and make it  a real step towards national reconciliation.
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-vatican-media-reform-must-embrace-the-challen

Pope: 'Vatican media reform must embrace the challenge of change'
2017-05-04 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has urged members of Vatican media platforms not to be afraid of reform, and to embrace the challenge of change that will enable them to bring the message of the Gospel to all.

Addressing representatives of the Secretariat for Communications (SPC) gathered for its first Plenary Assembly, the Pope said that to “reform is not just to whitewash things; it’s to give them a different form and organization”.

“It’s something, he said to those charged with overhauling the Vatican’s different news and media outlets, to be done with intelligence and what he called a good kind of  ‘violence’.”

Headed by the Prefect, msgr. Dario Viganò, the new Dicastery was created by Pope Francis exactly two years ago with the mandate to unify all Vatican communications platforms: the Vatican Television Center, the Vatican Publishing House, The Osservatore Romano  newspaper, Vatican Radio, the Holy See Press Office, the Vatican Photographic Service, the Vatican Internet Service, the Vatican Printing Press and the former Pontifical Council for Social Communications.
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/popes-prayer-intention-for-may-christians-in-afric

Pope's prayer intention for May: Christians in Africa
2017-05-04 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis’ prayer intention for May is dedicated to Christians in Africa: That Christians in Africa, in imitation of the Merciful Jesus, may give prophetic witness to reconciliation, justice, and peace.

The Apostleship of Prayer has produced the Pope’s Video on this prayer intention.

The full text of the Pope’s Video is below:
 

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http://www.catholicnews.com/services/englishnews/2017/pope-francis-to-meet-trump-at-vatican-may-24.cfm

Pope Francis to meet Trump at Vatican May 24
By Catholic News Service
5.4.2017 11:58 AM ET

CNS photo/Reuters
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- President Donald Trump will visit the Vatican and meet with Pope Francis May 24 as part of his first foreign trip as president.

White House officials said the visit will be part of a trip that will include stops in Israel and Saudi Arabia before Trump attends a NATO meeting in Brussels May 25 and the G7 summit in Taormina on the island of Sicily May 26-27.

The trip was an attempt to unite three of the world's leading religious faiths in the common cause of fighting terrorism, reining in Iran, and "unifying the world against intolerance," White House officials said May 4.

The information was confirmed by Paloma Garcia Ovejero, vice director of the Vatican press office.

The pope's meeting with Pope Francis was to take place in the Apostolic Palace and will include Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, and Archbishop Paul Gallagher, secretary for relations with states.
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-denounces-rigid-christians-calls-for-meekness''

Pope denounces rigid Christians, calls for meekness in the Church
2017-05-05 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Even now there are people in the Church who use rigidity to cover-up their own sins. That was the warning of Pope Francis at the morning Mass at the Casa Santa Marta. Commenting on the first Reading, from the Acts of the Apostles, the Pope focused on the figure of Saint Paul who, from being a rigid persecutor, became a meek and patient proclaimer of the Gospel.

“The first time the name ‘Saul’ appears,” he said, “is at the stoning of Stephen.” Saul, he observed, was a “young man, rigid, idealistic,” and he was “convinced” of the rigidity of the law.

No to rigid people living a double life in the Church

He was rigid, the Pope insisted, but he was “sincere.” Jesus, on the other hand, condemned those who were rigid but “insincere”:

“They are rigid people living a double life: They make themselves look good, sincere, but when no one sees them, they do ugly things. On the other hand, this young man was honest. He believed that. I think, when I say this, of the many young people in the Church today who have fallen into the temptation of rigidity. Some are sincere, they are good. We have to pray that the Lord might help them to grow along the path of meekness.”
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-greets-pontifical-roman-college-on-80th-anniv

Pope greets Pontifical Roman College on 80th anniversary
2017-05-05 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Friday greeted members of the Pontifical Romanian College or Collegio Pio Romeno on the occasion of its 80th anniversary.

This Roman Pontifical College has been training seminarians from all over the world for eight decades in the Eternal City and on Friday the Pope on this auspicious occasion had two wishes for those present.

The first was to preserve memory and the second, to cultivate hope.

Speaking about the former, the Holy Father said that by tuning into ones ecclesial memory which he added, lives through the events that each era presents us with, “you will be helped to overcome dangerous temptations that may arise, such as settling for mediocrity, settling for a normal life; where one jealously guards their own time and their own well-being.

The Pope described their College as a place where seminarians train as if they were “in a gym” in order to give their lives for the good of others.
 

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At the link:  the schedule of the activities during the visit to Fatima

https://zenit.org/articles/greg-burke-on-pope-in-fatima-more-than-an-apostolic-visit-it-is-apostolic-pilgrimage/

Greg Burke on Pope in Fatima: “More Than Apostolic Visit, an Apostolic Pilgrimage” 
May 5, 2017

“More than an Apostolic Visit, it is an Apostolic Pilgrimage.”

This was said by Director of the Holy See Press Office, Greg Burke, this afternoon during a briefing on Pope Francis’ Apostolic Visit to Fatima, May 12-13. This marks Francis’ 19th Apostolic Visit and 28th country visited.

It also marks the Holy Father’s first visit to Portugal. He clarified that one need not count the time he switched flights in the airport, but did not step outside.

Greg Burke noted that it is interesting how this visit to Fatima had been planned a time ago. Then, in the meantime, the April 28-29 trip to Egypt took place, without much notice.

During the two-day visit, the Pope will give four discourses, and a novelty: they will all be delivered in Portuguese.

This trip marks 50 years from when Pope Paul 6th went to Fatima. Francis’ recent predecessors have gone including Benedict XVI in 2010 and John Paul II, who had visited Fatima three times, in 1982, 1991, and 2000.
 

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The Vatican and the Order of Malta

http://www.ncregister.com/blog/edward-pentin/archbishop-becciu-order-of-malta-will-keep-its-religious-character

May. 5, 2017
Archbishop Becciu: ‘Unthinkable’ for Order of Malta to Lose Its Religious Character

The Pope’s special delegate to the Order tells the Register it can never be separated into religious and humanitarian sectors, and expresses confidence in the institution’s future.

Edward Pentin

The idea that the Sovereign Military Order of Malta would lose its religious character is out of the question as its dual mission to defend the faith and serve the poor cannot be separated, Pope Francis’ special delegate to the ancient chivalric institution has said.

In May 5 comments to the Register following last week’s election of Fra’ Giacomo Dalla Torre del Tempio di Sanguinetto as the Order’s new interim leader, Archbishop Angelo Becciu said “for a thousand years the Order of Malta has been considered ‘religious’” and so the idea it “would not be religious is unthinkable.”

“From the very foundation of the Order, the tuitio Fidei [defense of the faith] and the obsequium pauperum [service to the poor], its two pillars, were never separate, nor can they be separated,” Archbishop Becciu said.
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-receives-swiss-president-leuthard

Pope Francis receives Swiss President Leuthard
2017-05-06 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis received the President of the Swiss Confederation, Doris Leuthard, on Saturday morning in the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican.

A communiqué from the Press Office of the Holy See says the Pope and the President held cordial discussions, during which the parties emphasized the mutual wish to strengthen the already good relations between the Holy See and Switzerland, and to intensify cooperation between the Catholic Church and the State.