Synod on the Family: More than 100 associations meet to discuss the family 2015-01-22 These couples are getting ready for the second phase of the Vatican's Synod on the Family. They represent over 100 associations that deal different aspects of the family, from strengths to challenges. Italian Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia opened the session. ARCH. VINCENZO PAGLIA President of the Pontifical Council for the Family "The Church must find a way to touch the hearts of everyone, because there are a series of different problems.” Even though not everyone will directly take part in the synod, it's an important way to identify and share the problems families face in different parts of the world. This married couple from Paraguay, talked about their mission. STELLA AND VICTOR DOMÍNGUEZ Project Hope (Paraguay) "Project Hope is just that. It's a program to give hope to all families, especially divorced couples who re-marry, so that they can feel welcomed in the Church, because sometimes they feel rejected. "It's a place where they can feel at home. We have a presence throughout the country and we're supported by the Episcopal Conference and we're trying to organize it in all dioceses.” The three day meeting will discuss a series of challenges the family faces, from single parents homes to gay children and divorce. http://www.romereports.com/pg160039...0-associations-meet-to-discuss-the-family--en
Pope meets with Vatican's Public Security Team 2015-01-22 These men and women oversee public security in the Vatican. Today they had an audience with the Pope. They supervise some of the most important faith sites in the world, including the millions of pilgrims who visit them every year. POPE FRANCIS "This traditional meeting, gives me the opportunity to address you and personally express my deep gratitude for the work you carry out every day, with professionalism.” Their official name is the General Inspectorate for Public Security in the Vatican. This year it celebrates its 70th anniversary of having a presence in the Vatican. For the very first time, it's led by a woman. MARIA ROSARIA MAIORINO "I have the privilege of expressing the gratitude of these men and women, for once more, granting us this special audience.” Along with the Swiss Guard and the Gendarmeria, or Vatican Police, these three departments collaborate to enforce the security of holy shrines, the Pope and of pilgrims during public events. http://www.romereports.com/pg160036-pope-meets-with-vatican-s-public-security-team-en
Pope's Mass: Jesus prays for us everyday 2015-01-22 During his Thursday morning Mass, Pope Francis explained that Jesus is a Savior and not someone from the past. He added that Salvation is something that happens every single day. POPE FRANCIS "We often forget it and say ‘Jesus ... yes, it’s all finished, He is now in Heaven. He sent us the Holy Spirit and that's it. End of story. No! Even now, at all moments, Jesus intercedes.” The Pope concluded that the wounds of Christ show the high price of human salvation. EXCERPTS OF THE POPE'S HOMILY (Source: Vatican Radio) "The people feel this, and see that promises are fulfilled in Jesus, that in Jesus there is hope. The people were a bit bored by the way of teaching the faith, by the teachers of the Law of that time, who burdened the shoulders of the people with so many commandments, so many precepts, but did not come to people’s hearts. And when the people see Jesus and hear Jesus - His proposals, the Beatitudes – they feel something moving inside – it is the Holy Spirit that is causing people to stir – and they go to see Jesus.” "Jesus saves!” said Pope Francis. "These healings, these words that reach the heart, are the sign and the beginning of salvation – the path of salvation for many who begin to go to hear Jesus or to ask for a healing and then come back to Him and feel salvation.” He went on to ask, "What, though, is most important? That Jesus heals? No, that is not the most important thing. That He teaches us? That is not the most important thing [either]. [The most important thing] is that He saves! He is the Savior and we are saved by him: this is the most important thing, and this is the strength of our faith.” "This is relevant today. Jesus stands before the Father, offering His life – the redemption – He shows His wounds to the Father, the price of salvation – and so it is that every day, Jesus intercedes. When we, for one thing or the other, are feeling a little down, let us remember that it is He who prays for us, intercedes for us continually. So many times we forget this: ‘Jesus ... but yes, it’s finished, he’s gone to heaven, sent us the Holy Spirit, the story’s over.’ No! Even now, in every moment, Jesus intercedes. In this prayer: ‘Lord Jesus, only have mercy on me,’ He intercedes for me. Turn to the Lord, asking for this intercession.” http://www.romereports.com/pg160032-pope-s-mass-jesus-prays-for-us-everyday-en
Pope Francis: God always forgives everything 24 1 Print 2015-01-23 Vatican Radio (Vatican Radio) Pope Francis said confession is not a judgment but a meeting with God who forgives all our sins, without exception. His words came during his homily at his morning Mass on Friday celebrated in the Santa Marta residence. Basing his reflections on an extract from St Paul’s letter to the Hebrews, the Pope said our God forgives all our sins, always and without exception and He rejoices when somebody asks him for pardon. This God who reconciles, he continued, choose Jesus to set up a new pact with humanity and the cornerstone of this pact is forgiveness for our sins. “First of all, God always forgives us. He never tires of this. It’s we who get tired of asking for forgiveness. But HE does not tire of pardoning us. When Peter asked Jesus: ‘How many times must I forgive? Seven times?’ – ‘Not seven times: seventy times by seven.’ Namely always. That’s how God forgives us: always. But if you have lived a life full of so many sins, so many bad things, but in the end, a bit repentant, you ask for forgiveness, He will immediately pardon you! He always forgives us.” Pope Francis said a doubt can arrive in a person’s heart over how far God is prepared to forgive us. But, he stressed, all you have to do is repent and ask for forgiveness and you don’t have to pay because Christ has already paid on our behalf. “There is no sin which He won’t pardon. He forgives everything. ‘But father, I don’t go to confession because I have committed so many really bad sins, so many that I can’t be forgiven….’ No, this is not true. He forgives everything. If you go (to confession) repentant, He will forgive everything. When… so many times He doesn’t even let you speak! You start to ask for forgiveness and He lets you feel that joy of forgiveness before you have even finished confessing everything.” The Pope went on to describe how God rejoices when somebody asks for forgiveness and at the same time He “forgets” or wipes out from his memory our sins. The reason for this, he explained, is because what matters for God is for us to meet with him. Confession is not a judgment but a meeting with God. “Confessions often seem like a procedure, a formality. Everything is mechanical! No! Where’s the meeting in this? The meeting with the Lord who pardons you, hugs you and rejoices. And this is our God who is so good. We too need to teach (others): teach our children, our youngsters to make a good confession, because going to confession is not like going to the dry cleaners to get a stain removed. No! It’s about going to meet with our Father who reconciles, who forgives us and who rejoices.” (from Vatican Radio) http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-god-always-forgives-everything
What is the Pope doing to stop radical Islam? 2015-01-24 The world looked on as Pope Francis held a massive prayer gathering to stop military intervention in Syria. Privately, he helped re-establish diplomatic ties between the U.S and Cuba. Now one of his greatest challenges is stopping Islamic extremists and the violence they are waging. CARD. ZENON GROCHOLEWSKI Prefect, Congregation for Catholic Education "It's either war or dialogue. Right now the greatest priority for the Pope is for us to embrace dialogue. It's the only solution. We have seen results, but not as many as we would like. So we need to see more results.” The Pope has called on Muslim leaders to condemn jihadists who wage war and violence in the name of God. Often their targets are Christians. MSGR. MICHAEL FITZGERALD Former Nuncio in Egypt "Muslims are reflecting, I think. For instance the formation of the Islamic State has been a shock to the Muslim world.” YAHYA SERGIO YAHE PALLAVICINI Vice President, Islamic Community in Italy "There is a great crisis in the contemporary Islamic community and, so, theologians and persons of wisdom are needed to analyze it and to face and solve the internal crisis and the internal intellectual debate.” With instability and violence in the Middle East, the Vatican has also increased the number of interfaith meetings, like this one organized by the Pontifical Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies. MSGR. JUSTO LACUNZA BALDA Rector Emeritus Pontifical Institute for Arabic Studies "We have a different religion, faith, rituals and symbols. But we have life in common. We are here together, so we share culture, language and challenges. So for example, is the air is contaminated, it will affect a Catholic and also a Muslim.” Christians in the Middle East are the ones who are paying the highest price of radical Islam. In 2003, there were roughly 1.6 million Christians in Irak. Now, there are less than 300,000. http://www.romereports.com/pg160052-what-is-the-pope-doing-to-stop-radical-islam-en
Pope's Mass: Confession is not about judgment, but rather it's a meeting with God 2015-01-23 During his Friday morning Mass, Pope Francis talked about Confession. He explained that although God never tires of forgiving, Christians should go to confession to embrace Him. POPE FRANCIS "Confessions often seem like a procedure, a formality.... And that's that. Everything is mechanical. No! Where’s the encounter in all of this?” The Pope concluded that God forgives every kind of sin, and that Christians should never get tired of asking for forgiveness. EXPERPTS OF THE POPE'S HOMILY (Source: Vatican Radio) "First of all, God always forgives us. He never tires of this. It’s we who get tired of asking for forgiveness. But HE does not tire of pardoning us. When Peter asked Jesus: ‘How many times must I forgive? Seven times?’ – ‘Not seven times: seventy times by seven.’ Namely always. That’s how God forgives us: always. But if you have lived a life full of so many sins, so many bad things, but in the end, a bit repentant, you ask for forgiveness, He will immediately pardon you! He always forgives us.” "There is no sin which He won’t pardon. He forgives everything. ‘But father, I don’t go to confession because I have committed so many really bad sins, so many that I can’t be forgiven….’ No, this is not true. He forgives everything. If you go (to confession) repentant, He will forgive everything. When… so many times He doesn’t even let you speak! You start to ask for forgiveness and He lets you feel that joy of forgiveness before you have even finished confessing everything.” "Confessions often seem like a procedure, a formality. Everything is mechanical! No! Where’s the meeting in this? The meeting with the Lord who pardons you, hugs you and rejoices. And this is our God who is so good. We too need to teach (others): teach our children, our youngsters to make a good confession, because going to confession is not like going to the dry cleaners to get a stain removed. No! It’s about going to meet with our Father who reconciles, who forgives us and who rejoices.” http://www.romereports.com/pg160058...udgment-but-rather-it-s-a-meeting-with-god-en
Pope: When it comes to communication, go back to the basics, starting with your family 2015-01-23 Pope Francis is calling on Christians to reflect on their families as a way to make communication more humane. In fact it's part of his message for this year's World Communication Day. The text reads: "In the family, we learn to embrace and support one another, to discern the meaning of facial expressions and moments of silence, to laugh and cry together with people who did not choose one other yet are so important to each other. This greatly helps us to understand the meaning of communication as recognizing and creating closeness.” The Vatican invited this married couple, which has five children, to delve into the message. CHIARA GIACCARDI Università del Sacro Cuore (Milan) "The Pope is asking us go back to basics, which is all about communication. It's about mutual conversation and hospitality, which is how we learn to communicate.” MAURO MAGATTI Università del Sacro Cuore (Milán) "Communication improves within the family when we can use our bodies, gestures and movements where words aren't enough. It may be a hug or a kiss. These are all important communication factors. In essence, the Pope is inviting us to embrace all dimensions of communication in our families.” But every family has its challenges, for it's within the family, says the Pope, where one understands their own limits and those of others. The statement goes on to say that a 'perfect family does not exist. We should not be fearful of imperfections, weakness or even conflict, but rather learn how to deal with them constructively.' The tone of the message surprised some, because usually the Pope gives practical tips for those who work in the media. But this time around, the approach was more anthropological. MSGR. CLAUDIO MARIA CELLI Pontifical Council for Social Communications "I think what the Pope is inviting us to do, is to re-discover the human approach of communication instead of the technological one. It goes to the root of communication.” CHIARA GIACCARDI Università del Sacro Cuore (Milan) "The Pope is a great communicator, but not because he goes around studying this or that gesture. Rather, it's just because he loves people. He expresses this loving side without words.” The three page document also includes tips so that children can learn how to talk positively about others. Also how to use social media to ask for forgiveness and to respect the point of view of others. http://www.romereports.com/pg160067...ck-to-the-basics-starting-with-your-family-en
Pope speaks on 10th anniversary of Church instruction on nullity of marriage 45 208 Print 2015-01-24 Vatican Radio (Vatican Radio) Pope Francis met on Saturday afternoon with the participants of a three-day international conference in Rome, marking the 10th anniversary of Dignitas connubii, the instruction to be observed by diocesan and inter-diocesan tribunals in handling cases of the nullity of marriage. Listen to the report by Laura Ieraci: In his prepared text, Pope Francis said the high participation at the three-day conference demonstrates “a generous response to the stresses that every authentic minister of the tribunals of the Church feels for the good of souls.” It also demonstrates the “importance of Dignitas connubii, which is not directed to law specialists but to the workers in the local tribunals,” he said. "It is, in fact, a modest but useful vademecum (handbook) that really takes the ministers of the tribunals by the hand toward the implementation of a process that is both sure and expeditious.” “A sure process because it indicates and explains with clarity the goal of the process itself, namely moral certainty: this requires that any prudent, positive doubt of error be totally excluded, even if the mere possibility of the contrary is not excluded,” he said, referring to Article 247, Section 2, of the instruction. “An expeditious process because—as common experience teaches—those who know well the road to travel, go more quickly,” he continued. “The knowledge and, I would say, the use of this instruction can, even in the future, help ministers of the tribunals to shorten case proceedings, often perceived by spouses as long and wearisome.” “Up until now, not all of the resources that this instruction makes available for an expeditious process, devoid of every formalism for its own sake, have been explored; nor can we exclude further legislative acts in the future aimed at the same end,” he stated. “Among the concerns that the Instruction Dignitas connubii manifests, I have already recalled that of the proper and original contribution of the defender of the bond in the marriage process,” he said. “His presence and the faithful fulfillment of his task do not condition the judge, but allow and encourage the impartiality of his judgment, having set before him the arguments for and against the declaration of nullity of marriage." The three-day conference on Dignitas Connubii was organized by the faculty of canon law of the Pontifical Gregorian University, with the collaboration of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts and the Consociatio internationalis studio iuris canonici promovendo. (from Vatican Radio) http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-speaks-on-10th-anniversary-of-church-instruct
Pope Francis: Religious who pray for Christian unity an "invisible monastery" 16 69 Print 2015-01-24 Vatican Radio (Vatican Radio) The vital role that men and women religious of different Christian Churches play in the ecumenical journey was at the heart of Pope Francis’s meeting on Saturday with participants in a conference on consecrated life and the search for Christian Unity. The three day meeting, which concludes on Sunday, comes in the context of both this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and the Year of Consecrated Life. Participants are concluding each day with Vespers in the Orthodox, Anglican and Catholic traditions, including the liturgy presided over by Pope Francis in the Basilica of St Paul’s Outside the Walls on Sunday. Listen to the report by Philippa Hitchen: In his meeting with the men and women religious, Pope Francis recalled the words of the Second Vatican Council document ‘Unitatis Redintegratio’ stressing that spiritual ecumenism is the soul of the whole ecumenical movement. Consecrated people like yourselves, he said, therefore have a particular vocation in this work of promoting unity. The Pope also mentioned ecumenical communities like Taizé and Bose which have taken up this vocation and are privileged places of encounter between Christians of different denominations. The Pope spoke of three conditions at the core of the search for Christian unity – firstly, there’s no unity without conversion of heart, which includes forgiving and asking for forgiveness. Secondly he said there is no unity without prayer and therefore men and women religious who pray for unity are like ‘an invisible monastery’ bringing together Christians of different denominations from different countries around the world. Thirdly, the Pope said, there is no unity without holiness of daily life. so the more we put our search for unity into practise in our relations with others, the more we will be modelling our lives on the message of the Gospel. (from Vatican Radio) http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-religious-who-pray-for-christian-unit
And I have to post this one, of a family waiting for the pope's motorcade by the side of the road. The pope stops and gets out to bless the group, starting with a handicapped person on a stretcher. Truly touching. https://www.youtube.com/watch?x-yt-...QJOE&x-yt-cl=84503534&feature=player_embedded
Pope Francis concludes Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 8 1 Print 2015-01-25 Vatican Radio (Vatican Radio) Pope Francis this evening has gathered with the faithful of the diocese of Rome and with the representatives of the different Churches and Ecclesial Communities, in the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls to mark the conclusion of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Please find below a English language translation of the Pope's words during Vespers at the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls On his way from Judea to Galilee, Jesus passes through Samaria. He has no problem dealing with Samaritans, who were considered by the Jews to be heretics, schismatics, separated. His attitude tells us that encounter with those who are different from ourselves can make us grow. Weary from his journey, Jesus does not hesitate to ask the Samaritan woman for something to drink. His thirst, however, is much more than physical: it is also a thirst for encounter, a desire to enter into dialogue with that woman and to invite her to make a journey of interior conversion. Jesus is patient, respectful of the person before him, and gradually reveals himself to her. His example encourages us to seek a serene encounter with others. To understand one another, and to grow in charity and truth, we need to pause, to accept and listen to one another. In this way, we already begin to experience unity. The woman of Sychar asks Jesus about the place where God is truly worshiped. Jesus does not side with the mountain or the temple, but goes to the heart of the matter, breaking down every wall of division. He speaks instead of the meaning of true worship: “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (Jn 4:24). So many past controversies between Christians can be overcome when we put aside all polemical or apologetic approaches, and seek instead to grasp more fully what unites us, namely, our call to share in the mystery of the Father’s love revealed to us by the Son through the Holy Spirit. Christian unity will not be the fruit of subtle theoretical discussions in which each party tries to convince the other of the soundness of their opinions. We need to realize that, to plumb the depths of the mystery of God, we need one another, we need to encounter one another and to challenge one another under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, who harmonizes diversities and overcomes conflicts. Gradually the Samaritan woman comes to realize that the one who has asked her for a drink is able to slake her own thirst. Jesus in effect tells her that he is the source of living water which can satisfy her thirst for ever (cf. Jn 4:13-14). Our human existence is marked by boundless aspirations: we seek truth, we thirst for love, justice and freedom. These desires can only be partially satisfied, for from the depths of our being we are prompted to seek “something more”, something capable of fully quenching our thirst. The response to these aspirations is given by God in Jesus Christ, in his paschal mystery. From the pierced side of Jesus there flowed blood and water (cf. Jn 19:34). He is the brimming fount of the water of the Holy Spirit, “the love of God poured into our hearts (Rom 5:5) on the day of our baptism. By the working of the Holy Spirit, we have become one in Christ, sons in the Son, true worshipers of the Father. This mystery of love is the deepest ground of the unity which binds all Christians and is much greater than their historical divisions. To the extent that we humbly advance towards the Lord, then, we also draw nearer to one another. Her encounter with Jesus made the Samaritan women a missionary. Having received a greater and more important gift than mere water from a well, she leaves her jar behind (cf. Jn 4:28) and runs back to tell her townspeople that she has met the Christ (cf. Jn 4:29). Her encounter with Jesus restored meaning and joy to her life, and she felt the desire to share this with others. Today there are so many men and women around us who are weary and thirsting, and who ask us Christians to give them something to drink. It is a request which we cannot evade. In the call to be evangelizers, all the Churches and Ecclesial Communities discover a privileged setting for closer cooperation. For this to be effective, we need to stop being self-enclosed, exclusive, and bent on imposing a uniformity based on merely human calculations (cf. Evangelii Gaudium, 131). Our shared commitment to proclaiming the Gospel enables us to overcome proselytism and competition in all their forms. All of us are at the service of the one Gospel! In this joyful conviction, I offer a cordial and fraternal greeting to His Eminence Metropolitan Gennadios, the representative of the Ecumenical Patriarch, to His Grace David Moxon, the personal representative in Rome of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and to all the representatives of the various Churches and Ecclesial Communions gathered here to celebrate the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul. I am also pleased to greet the members of the Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Churches, and I offer them my best wishes for the fruitfulness of the plenary session to be held in these coming days. I also greet the students from the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, and the young recipients of study grants from by the Committee for Cultural Collaboration with the Orthodox Churches, centred in the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. Also present today are men and women religious from various Churches and Ecclesial Communities who have taken part in an ecumenical meeting organized by the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and for Societies of Apostolic Life, in conjunction with the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, to mark the Year for Consecrated Life. Religious life, as prophetic sign of the world to come, is called to offer in our time a witness to that communion in Christ which transcends all differences and finds expression in concrete gestures of acceptance and dialogue. The pursuit of Christian unity cannot be the sole prerogative of individuals or religious communities particularly concerned with this issue. A shared knowledge of the different traditions of consecrated life, and a fruitful exchange of experiences, can prove beneficial for the vitality of all forms of religious life in the different Churches and Ecclesial Communities. Dear brothers and sisters, today all of us who thirst for peace and fraternity trustingly implore from our heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ the one Priest, and through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Apostle Paul and all the saints, the gift of full communion between all Christians, so that “the sacred mystery of the unity of the Church” (Unitatis Redintegratio, 2) may shine forth as the sign and instrument of reconciliation for the whole world. (from Vatican Radio) http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-concludes-week-of-prayer-for-christia
This short extract from Pope Francis' homily at vespers on the final day of the octave of Christian Unity is just so clear but so powerful: “On his way from Judea to Galilee, Jesus passes through Samaria. He has no problem dealing with Samaritans, who were considered by the Jews to be heretics, schismatics, separated. His attitude tells us that encounter with those who are different from ourselves can make us grow. Weary from his journey, Jesus does not hesitate to ask the Samaritan woman for something to drink. His thirst, however, is much more than physical: it is also a thirst for encounter, a desire to enter into dialogue with that woman and to invite her to make a journey of interior conversion. Jesus is patient, respectful of the person before him, and gradually reveals himself to her. Christ’s example encourages us to seek a serene encounter with others. To understand one another, and to grow in charity and truth, we need to pause, to accept and listen to one another. In this way, we already begin to experience unity, “So many past controversies between Christians can be overcome when we put aside all polemical or apologetic approaches, and seek instead to grasp more fully what unites us, namely, our call to share in the mystery of the Father’s love revealed to us by the Son through the Holy Spirit. Christian unity will not be the fruit of subtle theoretical discussions in which each party tries to convince the other of the soundness of their opinions. The Son of man will come and find us engaged in an argument. Instead, we need to realize that, to plumb the depths of the mystery of God, we need one another, we need to encounter one another and to challenge one another under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, who harmonizes diversities and overcomes conflicts.
Pope on Christian Unity: It takes more than just theoretical discussions... 2015-01-26 In the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, Pope Francis led the Vespers, to mark the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul and also the end of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Representatives of other Christian denominations were also there. Along with them, the Pope prayed before the tomb of St. Paul. The Pope explained that differences among Christians can be overcome by setting aside all polemical or apologetic approaches. Instead, he said, the focus must be on what unites all Christians. POPE FRANCIS "The unity of Christians will not come from sophisticated theoretical discussions, where people try to convince others of their own fundamental opinions.” He then made a reference to modern day martyrs who give glory to God, to the point of giving their lives. That, said the Pope, is the ecumenism of blood, where Christians are persecuted for professing their faith. POPE FRANCIS "They are hunted and killed for being Christian. They are persecuted, regardless of what denomination they belong to. They are Christian and they are targeted. This is, my brothers and sisters, the ecumenism of blood.” Imposing uniformity is not the best way to reach unity, he explained. All Christian Churches, he added have one mission in common: To transmit the message of the Gospel. Focusing on this aspect, he explained, can overcome the temptation of competition. http://www.romereports.com/pg160074...es-more-than-just-theoretical-discussions--en
Pope Francis: women first and foremost in transmitting faith 21 46 Print 2015-01-26 Vatican Radio (Vatican Radio) The primary and indispensable role of women in transmitting the faith to new generations: this was the focus of Pope Francis’ remarks to the faithful following the readings of the day at Mass on Monday morning in the chapel of the Santa Marta residence in the Vatican. On the day when the Church celebrates the memory of Saints Timothy and Titus – bishops and disciples of St Paul the Apostle, Pope Francis commented in particular on the second letter of Paul to Timothy. Mothers and Grandmothers transmit the faith Paul reminds Timothy of where his “sincere faith” comes from: his faith comes from the Holy Spirit, “through his mother and grandmother.” Pope Francis went on to say, “Mothers and grandmothers are the ones who [in primis] transmit the faith.” The Holy Father went on to say: It is one thing to pass on the faith, and another to teach the matters of faith. Faith is a gift: it is not possible to study Faith. We study the things of faith, yes, to understand it better, but with study [alone] one never comes to Faith. Faith is a gift of the Holy Spirit, which surpasses all [“academic”] formation. Faith, moreover, is a gift that passes from generation to generation, through the “beautiful work of mothers and grandmothers, the fine work of the women who play those roles,” in a family, “whether they be maids or aunts,” who transmit the faith: It occurs to me: why is it mainly women, who to pass on the faith? Simply because the one who brought us Jesus is a woman. It is the path chosen by Jesus. He wanted to have a mother: the gift of faith comes to us through women, as Jesus came to us through Mary. Cherish the gift of faith because you waters down “We need,” said Pope Francis, “in our own day to consider whether women really are aware of the duty they have to transmit the faith.” Paul invites Timothy to guard the Faith, the deposit of Faith, avoiding “empty pagan chatter, empty chatter of the world.” He went on to say, “We have – all of us – received the gift of faith: we have to keep it, at least in order that it not become watered down, so that it remains strong, with the power of the Holy Spirit who gave it to us.” We keep the faith by cherishing and nurturing it every day: If we do not have this care, every day, to revive this gift of God which is Faith, but rather let faith weaken, become diluted, Faith ends up being a culture: ‘Yes, but, yes, yes, I am a Christian, yes yes,’ – a mere culture – or a gnosis, [specialized kind of] knowledge: ‘Yes, I know well all the matters of Faith, I know the catechism’. But how do you live your faith? This, then, is the importance of reviving every day this gift: to bring it to life. Timidity and shame they do not increase the faith Saint Paul says that there are two things in particular, which contrast with a living Faith: “the spirits of timidity and of shame”: God has not given us a spirit of timidity. The spirit of timidity goes against the gift of faith: it does not let faith grow, advance, be great. Shame, in turn, is the following sin, [which says]: ‘Yes, I have Faith, but I cover it up, that it not be seen too much’. It’s a little bit here, a little bit there – it is, as our forebears called it, a “rosewater” Faith – because I am ashamed to live it powerfully. No: this is not the Faith: [Faith knows] neither timidity nor shame. What is it, then? It is a spirit of power and of love and of prudence: that is what Faith is This is the faith. " Faith is not negotiable Pope Francis explained that the spirit of prudence is knowing that we cannot do everything we want: it means looking for the ways, the path, the manners by which to carry the Faith forward, cautiously. “We ask the Lord’s grace,” he concluded, “that we might have a sincere Faith, a Faith that is not negotiable depending on the opportunities that come, a Faith that every day I try to revive or at least ask the Holy Spirit to revive it, and make it bear much fruit.” (from Vatican Radio) http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-women-first-and-foremost-in-transmitt
Pope on Christian-Muslim dialogue: Saying 'yes' to everything is a way of deceiving 2015-01-26 When it comes to dialogue between Christians and Muslims, there are still challenges that need to be overcome. Progress has been made said the Pope, but more work needs get done. This was the Pope's message as he addressed the Pontifical Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies. The Saturday meeting was a way to promote dialogue between both faiths. POPE FRANCIS "We must try to avoid conciliatory connections that are empty. We must avoid the comfortable approach of saying yes to everything, to merely avoid confrontation. This is just a way of deceiving one another.” Pope Francis stressed that peaceful coexistence takes for granted understanding the differences of each group. He explained that is one of the main reason why experts on Islam are so needed. POPE FRANCIS "Because of this, there's a great need for a complete formation so that, firm in our identity, we can grow in our mutual understanding.” As he concluded, the Pope added that the best way to counter-act violence and hate is through education and respect. http://www.romereports.com/pg160084...ng-yes-to-everything-is-a-way-of-deceiving-en
Pope Francis: We must ask God for the desire to do His will 16 17 Print 2015-01-27 Vatican Radio (Vatican Radio) Pope Francis says we need to pray to God every day for the grace to understand His will, to follow it and to carry it out fully. This was the core message of his homily at the morning Mass on Tuesday at the Santa Marta residence. Taking his cue from the day’s readings, the Pope reflected on one of the cornerstones of our faith: obedience to God’s will. This, he explained, is the path to holiness for each Christian, namely that we carry out God’s will. “The opposite began in Paradise with Adam’s failure to obey. And that disobedience brought evil to the whole of humanity. And sins too are acts of disobedience towards God, of not doing God’s will. The Lord teaches us instead that this is the path, there is no other one. And it begins with Jesus in Heaven, in his desire to obey the Father. But here on earth it begins with Our Lady: what did she say to the Angel? ‘Let it be done to me according to your word’, namely that God’s will is carried out. And with that ‘Yes’ to the Lord, our Lord began his journey amongst us.” Many options on the tray Pope Francis, stressed, however, that following God’s will is not easy. Even for Jesus it wasn’t easy when he faced temptations in the wilderness or in the Gardens of Olives. And, continued the Pope, it wasn’t easy either for his disciples and neither is it easy for us, when each day we are faced with a tray of so many different options and that’s why we need the gift of God’s grace. “Do I pray that the Lord gives me the desire to do his will, or do I look for compromises because I’m afraid of God’s will? Another thing: praying to know God’s will for me and my life, concerning a decision that I must take now… there are so many things. The way in which we handle things…. Praying for the desire to do God’s will and praying to know God’s will. And when I know God’s will, praying again for the third time, to follow it. To carry out that will, which is not my own, it is His will. And all this is not easy.” Desire to do God's will In conclusion, Pope Francis said, we need to pray to have the desire to follow God’s will, pray to know God’s will and once we know this, pray for the strength to go ahead and do His will. “The Lord grants His grace to all of us so that one day He can say about us the same thing that He said about that group, that crowd who followed Him, those who were seated around Him, just as we have heard in the Gospel: ‘Here is my mother and my brothers and sisters. Whoever does the will of God is my brother, my sister and my mother.’ Doing God’s will makes us become part of Jesus’ family, it makes us his mother, father, sister, brother.” (from Vatican Radio) http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-we-must-ask-god-for-the-desire-to-do
Wondering What to Give Up for Lent? Try Indifference, Pope Says (2004) A ‘selfish attitude of indifference has taken on global proportions, to the extent that we can speak of a globalization of indifference,’ the Holy Father said in his annual message for Lent. by ELISE HARRIS/CNA/EWTN NEWS 01/27/2015 Comment CNA/Bohumil Petrik Pope Francis celebrates New Year's Day Mass for the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God. – CNA/Bohumil Petrik VATICAN CITY — The “globalization of indifference” was at the heart of Pope Francis’ Lenten message, in which he urged the faithful to fight individualism with merciful hearts that are more attentive to the needs of others. Jesus “is interested in each of us; his love does not allow him to be indifferent to what happens to us,” the Pope noted in the Jan. 27-released Lenten message, saying that, oftentimes, when we life a healthy and comfortable lifestyle, “we forget about others.” “We are unconcerned with their problems, their sufferings and the injustices they endure. ... Our heart grows cold,” he observed, saying that this “selfish attitude of indifference has taken on global proportions, to the extent that we can speak of a globalization of indifference.” The Holy Father’s message, titled after the biblical passage “Make Your Hearts Firm” from 1 James 5:8, was given as a precursor for the start of the Church’s Lenten season, which begins on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 18. Lent, he said, is a time of grace, in which we encounter the love of the Lord, who first served us through his life and the washing of the disciples’ feet before his passion and, ultimately, in his sacrificial death on the cross. “God is not indifferent to our world; he so loves it that he gave his Son for our salvation,” the Pope explained, saying that one of the most “urgent challenges” of today’s world, and the one to which he dedicated his Lenten message, “is precisely the globalization of indifference.” This “globalization of indifference” is a reality that Christians must confront by going outside of themselves, he said, and he highlighted three biblical passages he said would help to resist the temptation to withdraw and remain closed inside. “If one member suffers, all suffer together,” from St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, reminds us of the Church, the Pope explained, saying that the love of God breaks through the barriers of indifference we frequently put up. “But we can only bear witness to what we ourselves have experienced,” he said, and he encouraged the faithful to turn to the sacraments during Lent — particularly the Eucharist — in order to better imitate the Lord. During Mass, “we become what we receive: the body of Christ. In this body, there is no room for the indifference that so often seems to possess our hearts,” the Pope explained. He then pointed to the verse in Genesis Chapter 4 when God asks Cain: “Where is your brother?” This passage, he said, is representative of the various parishes and Christian communities around the world. “Do these ecclesial structures enable us to experience being part of one body, a body that receives and shares what God wishes to give? Or do we take refuge in a universal love that would embrace the whole world, while failing to see Lazarus sitting before our closed doors?” the Holy Father asked. In order to both receive what God gives to us and make it bear fruit in our communities, we need to go beyond the boundaries of the physical Church, the Pope said, noting that this is first done through our prayers to the saints in heaven, who intercede for us with joy. Secondly, a particular parish or community can cross these boundaries by engaging “in the life of the greater society of which it is a part, especially with the poor and those who are far away [from God].” The Church is “missionary by her very nature,” he said, and he commissioned parishes and communities not to remain self-enclosed, but to go out to every nation and people, so that they become “islands of mercy in the midst of the sea of indifference.” Pope Francis then pointed to the biblical verse in James, “Make your hearts firm,” from which the title of his message is taken, saying that it speaks to the temptation for individual Christians to become indifferent. “Flooded with news reports and troubling images of human suffering, we often feel our complete inability to help,” he observed. Both praying together as a community and performing small acts of charity are concrete ways that can prevent us from getting “caught up in this spiral of distress and powerlessness,” the Pope explained. He then drew attention to the “24 Hours for the Lord” initiative of the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization. Set to take place March 13-14, in the middle of Lent, confessions will be available for the entire 24-hour period. The Pope, who is set to preside over a penitential liturgy for the event, expressed his hope that it “will be observed throughout the Church, also at the diocesan level, [as] a sign of this need for prayer.” Also noting the importance of conversion, the Holy Father said that seeing the suffering of others inevitably reminds us of our dependency on God, as well as on our brothers and sisters, and encouraged all to ask for God’s grace in accepting their limitations. If we do this, he said, “we will trust in the infinite possibilities that God’s love holds out to us, [and] we will also be able to resist the temptation of thinking that by our own efforts we can save the world and ourselves.” Pope Francis concluded his message by praying that, during Lent, each person receives “a heart that is firm and merciful, attentive and generous, a heart that is not closed, indifferent or prey to the globalization of indifference.” Read more: http://www.ncregister.com/daily-new...ent-try-indifference-pope-says/#ixzz3Q4CjrkfC http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/wondering-what-to-give-up-for-lent-try-indifference-pope-says/
Pope explains how an absent father affects a family 2015-01-28 (-ONLY VIDEO-)The Pope resumed his weekly catechesis on the family. He talked the troubles an absent father can generate in his children and family. He also announced that next week he will talk about the beauty of fatherhood. SUMMARY OF THE POPE'S CATECHESIS Dear Brothers and Sisters: In our continuing catechesis on the family, we now turn to the dignity and role of fathers. Jesus, by teaching us to call God our Father, gave new depth and richness to this relationship, so fundamental to the life of society. Sadly, in our modern societies, we are experiencing a crisis of fatherhood; from an image of the father as authoritarian and at times even repressive, we now sense uncertainty and confusion about the role of the father. Today we can speak of an "absence” of the father figure in society. Yet responsible fathers are so necessary as examples and guides for our children in wisdom and virtue. Without father figures, young people often feel "orphaned”, left adrift at a critical moment in their growth and development. Society itself has a similar responsibility not to leave the young as orphans, without ideals, sound values, hopes and possibilities for work and for authentic spiritual fulfilment. Jesus promised that he would not leave us orphans (cf. Jn 14:18). Let us ask him to deepen and renew our appreciation of fatherhood and to raise up good fathers for the benefit of our families, our Church and our world. I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, including the various student groups from England and the United States of America. Upon you and your families I cordially invoke grace and peace in the Lord Jesus. God bless you all! http://www.romereports.com/pg160118-pope-explains-how-an-absent-father-affects-a-family-en
Pope: 3 steps to follow God's Will 2015-01-27 In his Tuesday morning Mass, Pope Francis talked about the will of God. He said prayer is key for Christians to discover what God wants and then to carry it out. POPE FRANCIS "To pray to understand God's will in our lives and the decisions we must make on....so many things. On ways to manage situations...Prayer to follow the will of God and prayer to understand God's will. Then thirdly, when we recognize God's will, we must pray, to carry it out.” He then added that following the will of God turns Christians into a family. Among those in attendance was the Archbishop of Granada, Spain, Francisco Javier Martinez. He is in the Vatican to inform in the investigation of ten priests accused of sexual abuse. SUMMARY OF THE POPE'S HOMILY: (Source: Vatican Radio) "The opposite began in Paradise with Adam’s failure to obey. And that disobedience brought evil to the whole of humanity. And sins too are acts of disobedience towards God, of not doing God’s will. The Lord teaches us instead that this is the path, there is no other one. And it begins with Jesus in Heaven, in his desire to obey the Father. But here on earth it begins with Our Lady: what did she say to the Angel? ‘Let it be done to me according to your word’, namely that God’s will is carried out. And with that ‘Yes’ to the Lord, our Lord began his journey amongst us.” "Do I pray that the Lord gives me the desire to do his will, or do I look for compromises because I’m afraid of God’s will? Another thing: praying to know God’s will for me and my life, concerning a decision that I must take now… there are so many things. The way in which we handle things…. Praying for the desire to do God’s will and praying to know God’s will. And when I know God’s will, praying again for the third time, to follow it. To carry out that will, which is not my own, it is His will. And all this is not easy.” "The Lord grants His grace to all of us so that one day He can say about us the same thing that He said about that group, that crowd who followed Him, those who were seated around Him, just as we have heard in the Gospel: ‘Here is my mother and my brothers and sisters. Whoever does the will of God is my brother, my sister and my mother.’ Doing God’s will makes us become part of Jesus’ family, it makes us his mother, father, sister, brother.” http://www.romereports.com/pg160090-pope-3-steps-to-follow-god-s-will-en
