Pope: Jesus is risen, He has conquered death 2015-06-28 Vatican Radio (Vatican Radio) “Do we believe that Jesus can heal us and can wake us from death?” That, said Pope Francis, is the message of Sunday’s Gospel, which tells how Jesus healed a woman suffering from haemorrhages, and raised a young girl from the dead. In his address to the faithful at the Sunday Angelus, the Pope said these two episodes “have a single centre: the faith.” In fact, he continued, “the whole of the Gospel is written in the light of this faith: Jesus is risen, He has conquered death, and through His victory, we too shall rise.” But this faith, which for the early Christians was absolutely sure, can sometimes become “tarnished” and uncertain. Sunday’s Gospel, the Pope said, “invites us to live in the certainty of the Resurrection: Jesus is the Lord, he has power over evil and death, and He wants to bring us to the house of the Father, where life reigns.” Pope Francis said Jesus’ Resurrection is “the principle of renewal and hope” in history. Anyone who feels hopeless or “tired to the point of death, if they entrust themselves to Jesus and His love, can begin again to live.” Those who believe in Christ, he said, should be able to be recognized as believers precisely because “they always promote life in every situation” so that everyone, and especially the weakest among us, can experience the love of God “which frees and saves.” (from Vatican Radio)
Pope Francis creates new secretariat overseeing all Vatican communications Vatican City, Jun 27, 2015 / 03:09 pm (EWTN News/CNA).- The Vatican’s nine communications offices will soon be consolidated under the authority of the newly-established Secretariat for Communications, per a Saturday directive of Pope Francis.
Catholics and Orthodox should meet, cooperate more often, Pope exhorts Vatican City, Jun 27, 2015 / 12:48 pm (EWTN News/CNA).- Greeting a delegation of the leader of Eastern Orthodoxy on Saturday, Pope Francis voiced hope that Catholics and Eastern Orthodox would encounter each other more often, so as to overcome prejudices.
I have read several articles that claim President Erdogan of Turkey has proclaimed himself God by not stopping people worshiping him as God ("to touch him is to pray") and accrediting him with deity and attributes associated with God just as Christ did not stop people worshiping him or acknowledging his powers. It has been prophesied he will betray America. It all sounds bad to me. What do you think? Sounds like anti Christ. Or have I missed the thread on this already?
Many Turks are fighting with ISIS. It has been said with a nod and a wink from Erdogan. Also foreign fighters are reaching ISIS through Turkey . So, no I do not trust him, the were crazy letting Turkey join the EU..ameasuere of the arrogance of the liberal secular elite. Catholic prophesy has a whole list of agreed criteria which the anti Christ would meet, it is a long time since I read up on it. The reason why I never took much interest was that going by the time lie in the Book of Revelations the anti Christ will not emerge until the time of Armageddon. Catholics tend to agree that this is the Tribualtion rather than Days of Days. Protestants on the other hand tend to speak of the Days of Days. So, personally I don't think the anti Chirst wil lemerge for a long time yet. Generations. But what is very probable, I believe, as we travel into the dark days is that minor anti Christs such as Hitler , Mao Tse Tung and Stalin will emerge, only worse. Given this Erdogen would fit into being a mior anti CHirst. However given current events I would watch much more closely the USA's President Obama. To me, as far as the Faith is concerned he is most certainly the most dangerous man on the face of the planet. Most certainly and without doubt a minor anti Christ. A man to watch very closely. I fear what he will get up to next. If there were such a thing as a true anti Christ waking the Earth now, my eyes would turn to him. He has already done the Church more damage than any President in history. I would love to be a fly on the wall in the Vatican and here the Holy Father and the Cardinals discuss him, they must be on tenderhooks. But no not the anti Chirst but rather a minor precussor to the anti Christ. A thoroughly wicked man. Like Erdogan.
I always like to believe the best of everyone Denis. So I thought qat least he was trying to help the poor and downtrodden. But I am afraid he has come out in the open. I wonder if people like him ever have and doubts about what he is doing? I noticed he speaks of a , 'Conversion experience' regarding Homosexual 'Marriage' . I would be very interested to hear him describe this. I wonder if it could have been some encounter with a demon? I was truly shocked on my pilgrimage to Lough Derg to discover that amny oilgrims there supported Homosexual so called marriage. These people I would have regarded as te Catholic elite. It is hard at times to keep ones bearing , to think that the whole wrold is turning against the truth. Only God wil ljudge. But there must be huge numners of souls rushing headlong to hell at the moment. Have they no conciences at all? Poor people. No fear of hell at all. I very much fear hell.
Perhaps it's not so much that they have no consciences but that they have no mind, no identifiably Catholic mind. The Catholic mind was universal. It became parochial. And now it is impoverished. But it will be refreshed and replenished given time. After these times.
Socialism and Marxist Socialists have never helped the Poor and Downtrodden ... quite the opposite!! Even after 100 years of trying, Socialism be it Nazi, Communist or the "Soft" Socialism of Europe and, now, the USA is an abject failure! It corrupts Society at all levels and replaces God with BigBro Government! Socialist Government always defaults to tyranny to maintain control when Citizens awaken to the Sad Truth!! Ya don't have to believe me! Pick up a History of the 20th Century or read the "News" about what's going on in the EU, Russia, China or The Americas ... North & South GOD SAVE ALL HERE!!
Historic meeting between Pope Francis and Russian Orthodox head 'getting closer' http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...an-orthodox-head-getting-closer-10352898.html He said the meeting between the head of the 1.2 billion member Roman Catholic Church and the head of Russian Orthodox Church - which counts some 165 million of the world's 250 million Orthodox Christians - would take place in a "neutral" country, not in Moscow or the Vatican. Austria or Hungary were possibilities, he said. Hilarion, one of the most influential people in world Orthodoxy, said he could not say if the meeting could take place as early as this year, but there was currently "a good dynamic" between the two Churches.
Pope welcomes Orthodox delegation for feast of Sts Peter and Paul 2015-06-29 Vatican Radio (Vatican Radio) On the feast day of Saints Peter and Paul, Pope Francis urged 46 new metropolitan archbishops to hear the first apostles’ call to prayer, to faith and to witness. The Pope’s words came during his homily at Mass in St Peter’s Basilica which included several significant ecumenical initiatives, as Philippa Hitchen reports: Listen: (from Vatican Radio) Every year on June 29th, solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, a high level delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul travels to the Vatican to celebrate this great feast of the patron saints of the Church in Rome. Just as a Vatican delegation travels to Istanbul each November 30th to celebrate the feastday of St Andrew with the Orthodox Church of the East. Pope Francis had special greetings to the Orthodox delegation, led by Metropolitan John Zizioulas, who was also present in the Vatican just 10 days ago for the presentation of the papal encyclical on the environment, ‘Laudato Si’’. Meanwhile, providing inspirational music for the Mass on Monday were choristers of the Anglican choir of New College, Oxford, who joined forces with the regular Sistine Chapel Choir to underline the ecumenical nature of this important feast day. In his homily Pope Francis spoke of the courage of the Apostles and of the first Christian community, persecuted by the rulers of their day, just as believers continue to be the victims of “atrocious, inhuman and incomprehensible persecutions” in many parts of the world today. The Pope focused his words on three ways in which the new metropolitan archbishops are called to model their lives on those first apostles. Firstly, by being men of prayer, just as the first Christian community was a Church at prayer, supported, sustained and always "moving forward". Prayer, the Pope said, is the encounter with God, who never lets us down or leaves us alone. Secondly, Pope Francis said, the new archbishops must respond to the call to faith, believing that despite all the difficulties "the Church remains alive and fruitful". And finally he urged the archbishops to be men of witness, following the examples of so many other Christian witnesses throughout the history of the Church. “There is no witness,” he reminded them, “without a coherent lifestyle!” Whereas in past years, the popes have placed the symbolic pallium around the neck of each new metropolitan, this year Pope Francis simply blessed the bands of white wool, embroidered with black, silk crosses. Each pallium will later be presented to the archbishops by the nuncio in their own country, in a ceremony underlining the importance of the local Churches and the synodality of all bishops, under the guidance of the succ
Pope's prayer intentions for July: Political responsibility and love for the poor 2015-07-01 During the month of July, Pope Francis is asking people to pray for thegovernments of the world and for Christians in Latin America. He will be visiting the region during his papal trip to Ecuador, Bolivia, and Paraguay. The universal intention of the Pope's apostolate centers on political responsibility. He is praying that a higher level of charity is experienced at all levels. His evangelizing intention is directed toward Christians in Latin America. He asks them to give testimony of love to the poor and to contribute to a more fraternal society. http://www.romereports.com/2015/07/...olitical-responsibility-and-love-for-the-poor
Pope prays for Persecuted Christians 2015-07-03 It wasn't your typical Vatican gathering. It started off with Andrea Bocelli singing in St. Peter's with his powerful voice, echoing throughout the Square. Listening in on the music were thousands of pilgrims who are part of the Renewal in the Spirit Movement. Then, came the guest of honor.... Pope Francis made his way along the square in the popemobile, blessing the crowds along the way. To start things off, the Pope prayed for persecuted Christians and for Christian unity. POPE FRANCIS "Those who hate Jesus Christ and murder Christians...before killing them, they don't ask: Are you Lutheran? Orthodox? Evangelical? Baptist? Methodist? No. They say, you are Christian and then they slash your throat. They don't differentiate. They know that Christians have a common root that brings people to life and His name is Jesus Christ. It's the Holy Spirit that brings life.” There were two interventions, where pilgrims spoke about the role their Catholic faith has played in their lives. First from this 17 year old teenager who was raised by his grandparents because of his mother's addiction problems. Then, came this elderly man who worked as a judge. He talked about the complimentary roles of justice and mercy. "Jesus has always been the source of strength in my life. It's true. The grace of the Holy Spirit has helped me so much, especially in not believing I had control over the lives of others.” With power, said the Pope, a long list of temptations quickly follow, including vanity. The Pope reminded the crowd that faith and devotion should always come first. POPE FRANCIS "The devil leads one to temptation. The temptation to be the one who is in control. The one who is at the center of it all.” Time and time again, the Pope highlighted the need for Christian unity, even within all its diversity. It's not about uniformity, he stressed, but about recognizing that Jesus is at the center of the Christian faith. http://www.romereports.com/2015/07/03/pope-prays-for-persecuted-christians
Pope Francis apparently not amused by 'communist crucifix' La Paz, Bolivia, Jul 9, 2015 / 10:45 am (CNA/EWTN News).- When leftist Bolivian president Evo Morales on Thursday presented Pope Francis with a “communist crucifix” – a carving of Christ crucified on the hammer of a hammer and sickle – the Pope's only reaction was to say, “This is not ok,” while shaking his head. Shortly after his July 8 arrival at the Bolivian administrative capital of La Paz, Pope Francis made a courtesy visit to Morales at the Palace of Government. At such meetings, the leaders customarily exchange gifts; Pope Francis gave the Bolivian president a mosaic of the Marian icon of the “Salus Populus Romani,” her role as patroness of Rome. Morales explained what his gift to the Pope was as he gave it to him. In the video, filmed by the Vatican Television Center and transmitted throughout the world, the Pope's disapproval of the gift can be seen, and he says “No está bien eso” – “This is not ok” – while shaking his head. While the audio is a bit marred by the clicking of journalists' cameras, the embarrassment of the Pope seems clear. ( there is more, a long article,click on link ) http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/n...ently-not-amused-by-communist-crucifix-33337/
Pope Francis: I have come to confirm the faith of believers 3 4Print 2015-07-09 Vatican Radio (Vatican Radio) Arriving at the “El Alto” airport in La Paz, Pope Francis began his Apostolic Voyage to Bolivia by invoking “peace and prosperity upon all the people of this country.” In his address at the Welcoming Ceremony, the Holy Father said, “As a guest and a pilgrim, I have come to confirm the faith of those who believe in the Risen Christ, so that, during our pilgrimage on earth, we believers may be witnesses of his love, leaven for a better world and co-operators in the building of a more just and fraternal society.” Pope Francis said that during his Visit he would “encourage the vocation of Christ’s disciples to share the joy of the Gospel to be salt for the earth and light to the world.” Below please find the full text of Pope Francis’ prepared remarks: Welcome Ceremony International Airport “El Alto”, La Paz Wednesday, 8 July 2015 Mr President, Distinguished Authorities, Brother Bishops, Dear Brothers and Sisters, As I begin my Pastoral Visit, I invoke peace and prosperity upon all the people of this country. I thank the President of the Plurinational State of Bolivia for his warm reception and his kind words of welcome. I also thank the government ministers and the authorities of the state, the armed forces and the national police, for their presence. I greet my brother bishops, the priests, men and women religious, lay faithful, and the whole pilgrim Church in Bolivia, in a spirit of fraternal communion in the Lord. I think in a special way of the sons and daughters of this land who for a variety of reasons have had to seek “another land” to shelter them; another place where this earth can allow them to be fruitful and find possibilities in life. I am pleased to be here, in this country of singular beauty, blessed by God in its various regions: its altiplano and valleys, its Amazon region, its deserts and the incomparable lakes. The preamble of your Constitution gives poetic expression to this natural beauty: “In ancient times the mountains arose, rivers changed course and lakes were formed. Our Amazonia, our wetlands and our highlands, and our plains and valleys were decked with greenery and flowers”. It makes me realize once again that “rather than a problem to be solved, the world is a joyful mystery to be contemplated with gladness and praise” (Laudato Si’, 12). But above all, Bolivia is a land blessed in its people. It is home to a great cultural and ethnic variety, which is at once a great source of enrichment and a constant summons to mutual respect and dialogue. There are the ancient aboriginal peoples and the more recent native peoples. The Spanish language brought to this land now happily exists with thirty-six native languages, which come together – like the red and yellow in the national flowers of Kantuta and Patujú – to create beauty and unity in diversity. In this land and people the proclamation of the Gospel took deep root, and through the years it has continued to shed its light upon society, contributing to the development of the nation and shaping its culture. As a guest and a pilgrim, I have come to confirm the faith of those who believe in the Risen Christ, so that, during our pilgrimage on earth, we believers may be witnesses of his love, leaven for a better world and co-operators in the building of a more just and fraternal society. Bolivia is making important steps towards including broad sectors in the country’s economic, social and political life. Your constitution recognizes the rights of individuals, minorities and the natural environment, and provides for institutions to promote them. To achieve these goals a spirit of civic cooperation and dialogue is required, as well as the participation of individuals and social groups in issues of interest to everyone. The integral advancement of a nation demands an ever greater appreciation of values by individuals and their growing convergence with regard to common ideals to which all can work together, no one being excluded or overlooked. A growth which is merely material will always run the risk of creating new divisions, of the wealth of some being built on the poverty of others. Hence, in addition to institutional transparency, social unity requires efforts to promote the education of citizens. In days to come, I would like to encourage the vocation of Christ’s disciples to share the joy of the Gospel, to be salt for the earth and light to the world. The voice of the bishops, which must be prophetic, speaks to society in the name of the Church, our Mother, from her preferential, evangelical option for the poor. Fraternal charity, the living expression of the new commandment of Jesus, is expressed in programs, works and institutions which work for the integral development of the person, as well as for the care and protection of those who are most vulnerable. We cannot believe in God the Father without seeing a brother or sister in every person, and we cannot follow Jesus without giving our lives for those for whom he died on the cross. In an age when basic values are often neglected or distorted, the family merits special attention on the part of those responsible for the common good, since it is the basic cell of society. Families foster the solid bonds of unity on which human coexistence is based, and, through the bearing and education of children, they ensure the renewal of society. The Church also feels a special concern for young people who, committed to their faith and cherishing great ideals, are the promise of the future, “watchmen to proclaim the light of dawn and the new springtime of the Gospel” (John Paul II, Message for the 18th World Youth Day, 6). To care for children, and to help young people to embrace noble ideals, is a guarantee of the future of society. A society discovers renewed strength when it values, respects and cares for its elderly, when it chooses to foster a “culture of remembrance” capable of ensuring that the elderly not only enjoy quality of life in their final years but also affection, as your Constitution puts it so well. Mr President, dear brothers and sisters, I thank you for your presence. In these days we can look forward to moments of encounter, dialogue and the celebration of faith. I am pleased to be here, in a country which calls itself pacifist, a country which promotes the culture of peace and the right to peace. I entrust this visit to the protection of the Blessed Virgin of Copacabana, Queen of Bolivia, and I ask her to protect all her children. Thank you. May the Lord bless you! Jallalla Bolivia. (from Vatican Radio)
Pope speaks to Journalists aboard his papal plane 2015-07-13 Pope Francis concluded his trip to Latin America with this intense press conference aboard the papal plane. He explained what he was thinking when Bolivian President Evo Morales handed him a crucifix tied to the universal symbol for communism. POPE FRANCIS "We have to look at the context of this time. Fr. Espinal (the designer of the crucifix) was enthusiastic about Marxism, theology, and combining the two. And so that piece was made. Also, the poems Espinal composed were of this genre, poems of protest. It was his life, his thought. He was a special man, with creative thoughts. He fought with good intentions. Looking at it through this context, I understand the design. For me, it wasn't offensive, once it's seen in context. I want to make this clear, so there's no confusion.” But he discussed much more than just that. He explained why he spoke in front of thousands of people who are involved in Catholic movements and why he didn't mind being used as a spokesperson. POPE FRANCIS "What have I done? I gave them the social doctrine of the Church, which is the same I do when I address the business world.” Question: Do you believe that the Church will follow you in your outreach to popular movements? POPE FRANCIS "I follow the Church. I simply preach the Social Doctrine of the Church to the movements. It is not a helping hand to an enemy, not a political event. It's based on the Catechism.” The Pope also said he was praying for the success of the peace process betweenColombia and FARC rebels and for the bishops in Venezuela who face serious tension in their country. Question: What are your thoughts about the delicate situations in Latin America, in Venezuela and in Colombia? POPE FRANCIS "At this moment, I am worried that the peace process in Colombia will stop. I must say this: I hope that it continues. In that sense, we always are available to help. It would be something terrible if it didn't go forward.” "In Venezuela, the Episcopal Conference is focused on bringing peace there. But as far as your question, there is no direct mediation. The case with the U.S and Cuba, was the work of the Lord. It was a coincidence, and then it moved forward by itself. As far as Venezuela, I don't know anything.” He also answered some more light-hearted questions, like this one about how he finds energy to keep up a long trip. Question: We've seen your energy these past few days and in the last two years and a half. What's your secret? POPE FRANCIS "Do you mean, what's my drug? That's what you really want to know. The drug! Mate tea helps me, but I didn't try any coca leaf tea. I want to make that very clear!” It was an hour-long conversations, thousands of miles in the air, in what has become a kind of tradition, where Pope Francis takes questions from journalists at the end of his papal trips. http://www.romereports.com/2015/07/13/pope-speaks-to-journalists-aboard-his-papal-plane
Pope Francis entrusts South America to Mary http://vatican.com/news/frame.aspx?...cnewsagency/dailynews-vatican/~3/34hbKZ4AM58/ Vatican City, Jul 19, 2015 / 09:14 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis entrusted his recent tri-nation voyage to South America to Our Lady of Guadalupe – praising the deeply-rooted Christianity in these countries, but also noting the social and economic challenges. “To the maternal intercession of the Virgin Mary, whom the whole of Latin America venerates as Patron by the title Our Lady of Guadalupe, I entrust the fruits of this unforgettable Apostolic journey,” the pontiff said. He made his remarks on Sunday to the large crowds who had gathered in Saint Peter’s Square for the weekly Angelus, despite the heat wave currently sweeping through Rome. It's the Pope's first Angelus address since returning from his July 5-13 trip to Ecuador, Bolivia, and Paraguay. Drawing from the Gospel reading, the Argentine-born pontiff said he had asked the Good Shepherd to accompany him on his recent trip to the continent of his birth. “I thank God with all my heart for this gift. I thank the people of the three countries for their affectionate and loving welcome and enthusiasm.” Pope Francis extended his gratitude for all those who took part in his visit, including Bishops, priests, and consecrated persons. He said that, alongside those who participated, he praised God “for the wondrous things he has worked” among them, as well as as for the natural beauty of these countries. The Holy Father then acknowledged the social and economic challenges which exist in these countries, and stressed the Church’s role in bringing about their resolutions. “The Latin-American continent has great human and spiritual potential. It protects deeply-rooted Christian values, but also lives with serious social and economic problems.” The Church has worked to offer spiritual and moral strength throughout the communities, working with all members of society, Pope Francis said. In the face of these challenges, the Pope said he prayed for “the grace which saves and which gives strength to the commitment of Christian witness, to develop the spread of God’s Word, in order that the strong religiosity of those populations may always be faithful witnesses of the Gospel. The July 19 Angelus address centered on the day’s Gospel reading, in which the Apostles return – “happy but also tired” – from the mission on which Jesus had sent them. He in turn takes them to a secluded place on a boat where they can rest. However, the crowds find Jesus, and run ahead to meet him where the boat lands. Saint Mark in his Gospel then gives a sort of “photographic” image of Jesus, the Pope said, when He feels compassion upon seeing the crowds “because they were like sheep without a shepherd,” and taught them Pope Francis honed on three key words: “to see, to have compassion, to teach.” These first two words, he said, “are always associated in Jesus’ approach: In fact, his gaze is not the gaze of a sociologist or a photojournalist, because he always looks with ‘the eyes of the heart.’” He added that seeing and having compassion “amount to Jesus as the Good Shepherd.” “Even his compassion: it is not merely a human emotion, but it is the sentiment of the Messiah in whom is made flesh the tenderness of God.” This compassion, he continued, leads Jesus to “nourish the crowds with the bread of his Word.” “Jesus sees, Jesus has compassion, Jesus teaches us. This is beautiful
