The environment encyclical Laudato Si will be published on ThursdayA Catholic, an Orthodox Christian and an atheist are to present the encyclical Laudato Si, Pope Francis has said. The Pope, speaking during an audience with priests in Rome, said the line-up would reflect the fact that “we need unity to protect creation”. Almost everyone would agree with the Pope that "we need unity to protect creation". However, the devil is in the details. Global warming is not a scientific reality. The Church condemned Galileo for stating that the sun was not the center of the universe. In trying to be a scientific authority, the Catholic Church is moving from being a religious authority to a secular authority. It is losing its moral authority. It is using an atheist scientist to present the encyclical, Laudato Si. Does the encyclical address what will happen to the workers who lose their jobs when the coal mines close? Does the encyclical address how the poor will be able to afford the higher cost of energy?
Albanian furniture maker refuses to sell chair which Pope sat on Pope Francis visited Albania last September The manager of a furniture factory in Albania, who made a chair for the Pope’s visit to his country last September, is refusing to sell the piece of furniture. The chair, on display at Tonin Alia’s furniture factory, is made of wood with upholstered yellow velvet, and is one of several which accommodated Pope Francis on his one-day trip last year to the Balkan nation. The chair is not for sale, even to the most tenacious of costumers. “The priests are asking and asking for it,” said Alia, who manufactured the chair and an additional 1,500 others for general use during last September’s papal visit at the behest of the local Catholic Church. “I won’t give it,” the furniture maker told the Catholic News Service. Alia noted a steady rise in business and blessings which he said had begun with his “contribution” of the seats toward the event and had increased even more when he put the chair the Pope sat in on display at his factory in the Albanian capital. “I think it is linked. A lot has changed. We have more sales, and more visitors, as well as a lot of government officials and ambassadors,” he said in his office. “I feel honoured and I feel blessed,” Alia said with a grin, noting that the chair possessed other qualities as well. “It has positive energy,” said Alia, a 59-year-old Catholic from Albania’s minority Christian community. He recounted that thousands of Albanians, Muslims and Christian had lined Tirana’s main boulevard to welcome the pontiff on what was Pope Francis’ first visit to a European nation and his first to a predominantly Muslim country. During the visit, Pope Francis paid tribute to church members who had suffered persecution under the country’s former militantly-atheistic regime that targeted people of every faith between 1944 and 1991. Alia said he regretted that his now-deceased grandfather-the man he most credited with keeping Catholicism alive in the Alia home the despite the grave risks involved-had not been around to witness the Pope’s visit. “My grandfather was very religious (and) would pray every morning and do the same in the evening, especially during Easter time,” Alia recalled. He said his family had always been made up of staunch Catholics despite what many considered a typically Muslim family name. Because the family lived at the time in Albania’s isolated, mountainous region of Puke, prayer and other outlawed religious activities had been easier to hide from the government authorities. “All the prayers had to be in silent, under the roof. Grandfather also listened to Vatican Radio, in secret. He would wake up at 5 to listen to Vatican Radio which gave news in Albanian … and I would listen too,” Alia said. “We changed our (family) name to Alia in the 1800s to avoid persecution but remained always Catholic,” he said, alluding to nearly five centuries of Ottoman occupation of Albania from 1431 to 1912 that led many Albanians to convert from Christianity to Islam. While Alia seemed a bit disappointed that he did not personally meet Pope Francis during the visit, he insisted that “the biggest privilege (was) to make the chair that he sat on.” “It was very emotional,” he said. “I tell everyone about it.” Source: Catholic Herald
Breaking Down the Pope's Encyclical 2015-06-18 It's an encyclical the Pope describes as both dramatic and cheerful. The document titled 'Laudato Si' or Praise be to You, calls on Christians to care for Creation and not ignore the wounds of Mother Nature. 1. LOOKING AT REALITY WITH HONESTY The Pope describes with great clarity what many scientific experts already agree on, including: -Pollution that leads to premature deaths. -Global warming, which goes hand in hand with increasing sea levels and other extreme weather conditions. -The marginalized, have less and less access to drinkable water. -The disappearance of crops and animals that are essential for the survival of many. These points, writes the Pope, are at least in part caused by the actions of mankind, so we should act. PAUL O'CALLAGHAN Theologian "It is not just enough to say: "Well, let's go ahead and make sure that it's true before saying something about it. You can't do this that way, because maybe it will be too late. So if there is a good probability that we could be doing serious irreparable damage to the atmosphere and to the world, it is up to us to make sure that we stop it in time.” 2 UNETHICAL GROWTH The Pope also says that the problem is not an environmental one, but by and large and ethical issue. He speaks out against companies that increase pollution and contamination in third world countries, because the actions they carry wouldn't be approved in developed nations. Case in point: The Amazon. MAURICIO LÓPEZ OROPEZA Executive Secretary, Red Eclesial Panamazónica "Communities that show us how to look at life differently through a unique perspective are being displaced. Many of them are not only losing their land...they are also losing their identity.” The encyclical has triggered controversy even before its publication, especially in the U.S where climate change is still highly debated. 3 LACK OF INTEREST In the document, the Pope laments that efforts to improve conditions and care for Mother Nature usually die out, because of lack of interest. He speaks out against "obstructionist attitudes, even on the part of believers, that can range from denial of the problem to indifference, nonchalant resignation or blind confidence in technical solutions.” He calls on Christians to embrace a so called 'ecological conversion' so live out 'our vocation to be protectors of God's handiwork.” Something that's not optional or secondary. 4 CONSISTENCY He also addresses environmental activists. He calls on them to not fall into contradiction. He states "when we fail to acknowledge as part of reality the worth of a poor person, a human embryo, a person with disabilities – to offer just a few examples – it becomes difficult to hear the cry of nature itself.” 5 ADMIRE NATURE The encyclical challenges not just politicians, but every day Christians. Because the problem is an ethical issue, the solution, he writes, needs to include an inner reflection. The Pope recommends admiring nature and all its splendor and greatness. To sit back and admire its power, instead of acting like consumers who only want immediate profit. POPE FRANCIS June 17, 2015 "I ask you to be responsible with the mission God entrusted to mankind with Creation. To cultivate it and care for the garden in which He has placed us.” 6. YOU ARE PART OF THE SOLUTION The Pope writes, "The effects of the present imbalance can only be reduced by our decisive action, here and now.” One doesn't need to be the head of a company to make changes. Average people can help mother nature as well. Therefore, it proposes to change lifestyles through small everyday gestures: -Recycle -Separate Garbage -Put on a sweater instead of turning up the heat. Even though some believed before reading the Pope's analysis that it wouldn't be 100 percent accurate, ignoring the current state of mother nature, could prove to be a lot more dangerous. http://www.romereports.com/pg161857-breaking-down-the-pope-s-encyclical--en
Live feed: Encyclical press conference Pope Francis's encyclical Laudato Si' is being presented at the Vatican this morning Pope Francis’s encyclical on the environment, Laudato Si’, is currently being presented at a press conference at the synod hall in the Vatican. The speakers at the press conference are Cardinal Turkson, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, His Eminence Metropolitan John (Zizioulas) of Pergamon, representing the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Orthodox Church and Prof John Schellnhuber, founding director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. According to Catholic News Service, Cardinal Turkson has said: “Our sister, earth, is mistreated, robbed. She’s crying out for help like our sisters, brothers exploited, suffering in world.” He also said that “at the heart of Laudato Si is Pope Francis’s question: What kind of a world do we want to leave to our children?” Patriarch John Zizioulas quoted the encyclical, saying that: “Human life is grounded in three fundamental relations: God, our neighbour and the earth itself”. He added that “ecological sin is rooted in greed it is a sin against God and neighbor a sin of now and for the future”. For a live feed of the press conference see below. The full text of the encyclical and further coverage will be posted oncatholicherald.co.uk from 11am (UK time). Source: Catholic Herald
Encyclical: The planet is at breaking point, says Pope Francis In Laudato Si' Francis calls for humanity to rethink what progress actually means Pope Francis has said the planet is “reaching a breaking point” in his encyclical on the environment, Laudato Si’, released today. He said: “Hope would have us recognise that there is always a way out, that we can always redirect our steps, that we can always do something to solve our problems. “Still, we can see signs that things are now reaching a breaking point, due to the rapid pace of change and degradation; these are evident in large-scale natural disasters as well as social and even financial crises, for the world’s problems cannot be analysed or explained in isolation. “There are regions now at high risk and, aside from all doomsday predictions, the present world system is certainly unsustainable from a number of points of view, for we have stopped thinking about the goals of human activity.” The Earth, which was created to support life and give praise to God, was crying out with pain because human activity is destroying it, Pope Francis said. On climate change specifically, the Pope said “a very solid scientific consensus indicates that we are presently witnessing a disturbing warming of the climatic system” that was either “produced or aggravated” by human activity. He said that all who believe in God and all people of good will have an obligation to take steps to mitigate climate change, clean the land and the seas, and start treating all of creation — including poor people — with respect and concern. A lack of respect for creation is a lack of respect for God who created all that exists, the Pope said. In fact, he continued, a person cannot claim to respect nature while supporting abortion, nor can one claim to be pro-life without a commitment to reversing damage to the environment. With unusually blunt language for a papal document, the Pope decried centuries of exploiting the earth, exploiting other people and acting as if the point of human life is to buy and consume as much as possible. “The Earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth,” the Pope writes in the document. Situating ecology firmly within Catholic social teaching, Pope Francis not only insisted that wealthier nations — who contributed more to despoiling the earth — must bear more of the costs of remedying the damage, he also called for their solidarity with the poorest of the earth. He urged generosity in transferring clean technology, protecting small farms, opening access to markets and protecting people’s jobs. Quoting St John Paul II and a constant theme of the Church’s social doctrine, Pope Francis said the Church recognised the “legitimate right” to private property, but that right is never “absolute or inviolable,” since the goods of the Earth were created to benefit all. Regarding pollution and environmental destruction in general, he said it was important to acknowledge “the human origins of the ecological crisis”, and while ecology was not only a religious concern, those who believe in God should be especially passionate on the subject because they professed the divine origin of all creation. Pope Francis singled out for special praise Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, who has made environmental theology a key topic of his research and teaching since the early 1990s. Before the encyclical’s release, the Pope told a group of priests that he had asked the patriarch to join him for the public presentation of the encyclical, but the patriarch had a scheduling conflict and so sent one of his top theologians, Metropolitan John of Pergamon. People are fooling themselves, Pope Francis said in the document, if they think “things do not look that serious, and the planet could continue as it is for some time”. Such people in all honesty are giving themselves permission to carry on with their current lifestyles and habits; their attitude is “self-destructive”, he said. In large sections of the encyclical, Pope Francis’s language is poetic, echoing the tone of St Francis of Assisi’s “Canticle of the Creatures,” which is the source of the “laudato si’” (praised be you) in the encyclical’s title. He quotes a large section of the hymn of praise in a section on the place of each creature in the harmony of creation. The canticle is most famous for its references to “Brother Sun,” “Sister Moon” and “our sister, Mother Earth.” But, the Pope said, “sister earth” is crying out, “pleading that we take another course” marked by healing and protecting the earth and all its inhabitants. While Christians cannot “put all living beings on the same level nor … deprive human beings of their unique worth and the tremendous responsibility it entails”, St Francis’s hymn expresses the truth that God is creator of all things, that every part of creation speaks of God’s love and power and that every created being is part of interdependent whole, the pope writes. “Everything is related,” the Pope said, “and we human beings are united as brothers and sisters on a wonderful pilgrimage, woven together by the love God has for each of his creatures and which also unites us in fond affection with brother sun, sister moon, brother river and mother earth.” In the document, Pope Francis called on national governments and the leaders of international institutions to be serious and courageous in adopting strict measures to slow and reverse global warming, protect the rain forests and ensure the availability of clean water for all. Courage will be needed, he says, to adopt policies that initially may slow the pace of economic growth, but which will be farsighted in ensuring a future for their voters, their voters’ grandchildren and all humanity. “We know that technology based on the use of highly polluting fossil fuels — especially coal, but also oil and, to a lesser degree, gas — needs to be progressively replaced without delay,” he said. But he also called on every Catholic and all people of good will to do their part by, for example, using only non-polluting detergents, recycling paper, using public transportation and putting on a sweater instead of raising the heat in the winter. And he urged Catholics to return to the practice of saying grace before meals, a habit that reminds them regularly that the food they are about to eat is a gift that comes from the earth and from God. At the end of the document, Pope Francis offered two prayers he composed himself: “A Prayer for Our Earth” and “A Christian Prayer in Union with Creation.” The first prayer includes asking God to “bring healing to our lives that we may protect the world and not prey on it, that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.” The second prayer includes the petition, “O Lord, seize us with your power and light, help us to protect all life, to prepare for a better future, for the coming of your kingdom of justice, peace, love and beauty.” In the encyclical, Pope Francis urged Catholics to cultivate simplicity; it is good for the soul and for the planet, he says. “A constant flood of new consumer goods can baffle the heart and prevent us from cherishing each thing and each moment,” the pope writes. The encyclical presents the vision of an “integral ecology” that highlights not only the interconnectedness of all created life, but recognises how political, economic, social and religious values and decisions are interrelated and impact the way people live with one another on the planet and use its resources. “A sense of deep communion with the rest of nature cannot be real if our hearts lack tenderness, compassion and concern for our fellow human beings,” Pope Francis said. For example, he said, “it is clearly inconsistent to combat trafficking in endangered species while remaining completely indifferent to human trafficking, unconcerned about the poor, or undertaking to destroy another human being deemed unwanted.” “Everything is connected,” the Pope said. “Concern for the environment thus needs to be joined to a sincere love for our fellow human beings and an unwavering commitment to resolving the problems of society.” Source: Catholic Herald
Full text: Laudato Si’ The encyclical letter of the Holy Father Francis - Laudato Si': On Care for Our Common Home Read the full text here: Catholic Herald
Key quotes from the Pope’s encyclical On waste The Earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth. On the extinction of species Because of us, thousands of species will no longer give glory to God by their very existence, nor convey their message to us. We have no such right. On God’s love The entire material universe speaks of God’s love, his boundless affection for us. Soil, water, mountains: everything is, as it were, a caress of God. On climate change A very solid scientific consensus indicates that we are presently witnessing a disturbing warming of the climatic system. In recent decades this warming has been accompanied by a constant rise in the sea level and, it would appear, by an increase of extreme weather events, even if a scientifically determinable cause cannot be assigned to each particular phenomenon. Humanity is called to recognise the need for changes of lifestyle, production and consumption, in order to combat this warming or at least the human causes which produce or aggravate it. On the need for action Doomsday predictions can no longer be met with irony or disdain. We may well be leaving to coming generations debris, desolation and filth. The pace of consumption, waste and environmental change has so stretched the planet’s capacity that our contemporary lifestyle, unsustainable as it is, can only precipitate catastrophes, such as those which even now periodically occur in different areas of the world. The effects of the present imbalance can only be reduced by our decisive action, here and now. On consumerism Less is more.” A constant flood of new consumer goods can baffle the heart and prevent us from cherishing each thing and each moment. Obsession with a consumerist lifestyle, above all when few people are capable of maintaining it, can only lead to violence and mutual destruction. On abortion Since everything is interrelated, concern for the protection of nature is also incompatible with the justification of abortion. How can we genuinely teach the importance of concern for other vulnerable beings, however troublesome or inconvenient they may be, if we fail to protect a human embryo, even when its presence is uncomfortable and creates difficulties? “If personal and social sensitivity towards the acceptance of the new life is lost, then other forms of acceptance that are valuable for society also wither away”. On embryo experimentation It is troubling that, when some ecological movements defend the integrity of the environment, rightly demanding that certain limits be imposed on scientific research, they sometimes fail to apply those same principles to human life. There is a tendency to justify transgressing all boundaries when experimentation is carried out on living human embryos. We forget that the inalienable worth of a human being transcends his or her degree of development. On gender ideology Also, valuing one’s own body in its femininity or masculinity is necessary if I am going to be able to recognise myself in an encounter with someone who is different. In this way we can joyfully accept the specific gifts of another man or woman, the work of God the Creator, and find mutual enrichment. It is not a healthy attitude which would seek “to cancel out sexual difference because it no longer knows how to confront it”. On progress There is also the fact that people no longer seem to believe in a happy future; they no longer have blind trust in a better tomorrow based on the present state of the world and our technical abilities. There is a growing awareness that scientific and technological progress cannot be equated with the progress of humanity and history, a growing sense that the way to a better future lies elsewhere. This is not to reject the possibilities which technology continues to offer us. But humanity has changed profoundly, and the accumulation of constant novelties exalts a superficiality which pulls us in one direction. It becomes difficult to pause and recover depth in life. If architecture reflects the spirit of an age, our megastructures and drab apartment blocks express the spirit of globalised technology, where a constant flood of new products coexists with a tedious monotony. Let us refuse to resign ourselves to this, and continue to wonder about the purpose and meaning of everything. Otherwise we would simply legitimate the present situation and need new forms of escapism to help us endure the emptiness. All of this shows the urgent need for us to move forward in a bold cultural revolution. Science and technology are not neutral; from the beginning to the end of a process, various intentions and possibilities are in play and can take on distinct shapes. Nobody is suggesting a return to the Stone Age, but we do need to slow down and look at reality in a different way, to appropriate the positive and sustainable progress which has been made, but also to recover the values and the great goals swept away by our unrestrained delusions of grandeur. Source: Catholic Herald
Morning Catholic must-reads: 19/06/15 A daily guide to what's happening in the Catholic Church US President Barack Obama has urged “all world leaders” to heed the message of Pope Francis’s new encyclical. A suspected arson attack has “caused heavy damage” at the Church of the Multiplication near the Sea of Galilee in Israel. The Holy See has promised to abide by a proposed law on foreign funding of religious groups in Russia. Jimmy Akin, John Allen, Catholic Voices, Meghan Clark, Paul Collins, Kevin Cotter, EJ Dionne, Fr Raymond de Souza, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, Massimo Faggioli, Andrea Gagliarducci, Justin Gillis,Samuel Gregg, the Guardian, Elizabeth Kolbert, Austen Ivereigh, Fr James Martin SJ, Bill McKibben, George Monbiot, Rupert Myers, Michael Peppard, RR Reno, Andrew Revkin, Robert Royal, Sara Sidner, Andrew Simms, John Smeaton, Tim Stanley, Damian Thompson, George Weigel,Garry Wills and Michael Sean Winters comment on the environment encyclical. Alan Holdren says Benedict XVI is likely to have his most active summer since his resignation in 2013. Ross Douthat argues that the new Vatican abuse tribunal will “centralise power further within the Church”. And R Jared Staudt witnesses the revival of Benedictine monasticism in Norcia. Source: Catholic Herald
Pope's Homily: Don't become obsessed with material wealth 2015-06-19 In his Friday morning Mass, Pope Francis talked about the dangers of becoming a slave to material wealth. He said focusing on accumulating riches, corrupts the heart. POPE FRANCIS "In the end wealth doesn’t give us lasting security. Instead, it tends to reduce one's dignity. We see this in families – so many divided families. This ambition that destroys and corrupts is also at the root of wars. There are so many wars in our world nowadays because of greed for power and wealth. We can think of the war in our own hearts. The Lord said, ‘Be on your guard against avarice of any kind.’ Because greed moves and moves forward. It’s like a flight of steps, the door opens and then vanity comes in - convincing ourselves that we are important, believing ourselves to be powerful… and then in the end comes pride, along with all its vices.” He then added that riches should be shared with those in need. SUMMARY OF THE POPE'S HOMILY: (Source: Vatican Radio) Pope Francis warns against the corrupting effects of greed and accumulating wealth for ourselves, saying they are at the root of wars and family divisions. His words came during his homily at his morning Mass on Friday (June 19th) at the Santa Marta residence. Taking his inspiration from the day’s gospel reading where Jesus warned his disciples not to accumulate treasures on the earth but instead in heaven, the Pope reflects on the many dangers posed by greed and human ambition. He said these vices end up corrupting and enslaving our hearts and rather than accumulating wealth for ourselves we should be using it for the common good. "In the end this wealth doesn’t give us lasting security. Instead, it tends to reduce your dignity. And this happens in families – so many divided families. And this ambition that destroys and corrupts is also at the root of wars. There are so many wars in our world nowadays because of greed for power and wealth. We can think of the war in our own hearts. As the Lord said, ‘Be on your guard against avarice of any kind.’ Because greed moves forward, moves forward, moves forward… it’s like a flight of steps, the door opens and then vanity comes in - believing ourselves to be important, believing ourselves to be powerful… and then in the end pride (comes). And all the vices come from that, all of them. They are steps but the first step is avarice, that desire to accumulate wealth.” http://www.romereports.com/pg161888-pope-s-homily-don-t-become-obsessed-with-material-wealth--en
Pope Francis to Syrian Church leaders: What unites us is stronger than what divides us 2015-06-19 "Your Holiness...dear brother in Christ. Thank you very much for having us. It's good to see you.” And this was how the meeting between Pope Francis and the Patriarch of the Syrian Orthodox Church began. The Patriarch came from Damascus, but he brought other leaders from as far away as India and California. After the warm introductions and after all the smiles, the conversation turned more serious. "We come to you from Damascus, the oldest continually inhabited city in the world. Bringing with us the suffering of its people and their aspirations.” "Today, Your Holiness, the genocide continues, targeting not only Christians but all those who love peace.” Pope Francis also delivered emotional remarks, in which he expressed his solidarity. He decried their people's suffering. POPE FRANCIS "How much has changed since these first encounters! Yours, Holiness, is a Church of martyrs from the beginning, and it is so today, too, in the Middle East, where it continues to endure, together with other Christian communities and other minorities, the terrible sufferings caused by war, violence, and persecutions. So much suffering! So many innocent victims.” The Patriarch also exchanged gifts with Pope Francis. There was a small mishap with one of the gifts when it was being flown to Rome. "Unfortunately, the Germans put their knife through it in customs. But this was made recently, specifically for the visit.” One piece of artwork for the Pope came from India, and the other was made in Syria, from stone that has been used since before the days of Christ. In return, Pope Francis gave the Patriarch copies of "Laudato Si” and "Evangelii Gaudium,” along with other artwork. The men concluded their ecumenical meeting by praying together. Although the two religions may differ on some issues, they agreed that their love for Christ is equally profound. http://www.romereports.com/pg161896...unites-us-is-stronger-than-what-divides-us-en
I strongly agree. This goes along with our Pope's environmental encyclical whereby business becomes greedy with profit without regards for the environmental impact. Take a look at what's happening in California right now... the drought problem may be a natural phenomena but the dwindling amount of groundwater?! Yep! Big companies can afford to dig & pump water on their own, big profits for them in the past years. NOW. where is it leaving CA? Or even themselves who did NOT bother to consider the environmental sustainability?
Pope Francis at Mass in Turin: 'Found yourselves on the rock of God’s love' 20 137Print 2015-06-21 Vatican Radio (Vatican Radio) Pope Francis celebrated Mass in Piazza Vittorio during his Apostolic Visit to Turin on Sunday, reminding all to found their lives upon the ‘rock’ which is Christ. Listen to Devin Watkins' report: (from Vatican Radio) The Holy Father based his Sunday homily to the faithful of Turin on the Collect: “you never fail to help and govern those whom you have set upon the sure foundation of the rock of your love”, saying that three important aspects of the love of God are that it is ‘faithful’, it ‘recreates all things’, and is ‘stable and sure’. Recalling the Psalm 'His love endures forever', Pope Francis said that Jesus embodies the faithfulness of God’s love without limits or measure, since he is indeed 'the face of God’s mercy'. The love of God recreates all things and renews them. The concrete expression of this is the recognition of one’s limits and weaknesses, which is the 'door to pardon which renews us'. The sure sign of our transformation by God’s love is the ability to divest ourselves of rancor and hatred by putting on 'the vest of service and kindness to others'. 'The love of God', Pope Francis said, 'is stable and secure', as Jesus shows in the Gospel. He calms the storm of our lives by commanding the winds and sea. For the person at the point of surrender, the Lord 'comes to him and offers him the Rock of His Love'. The Holy Father also encouraged the residents of Turin to 'not be paralyzed by fear of the future and to search for security in passing things or in a closed model of society which tends to exclude rather than include'. Concluding his homily, Pope Francis asked the Holy Spirit 'to help us be always mindful of this ‘rocky’ love which makes us stable and strong in the little and great sufferings' and 'to look to the future with hope'. (from Vatican Radio)
Pope Francis prays in silence in front of the Holy Shroud 2015-06-22 Pope Francis visited Turin to pray in front of the Holy Shroud. He was welcomed to the cathedral with strong applause. There was silence as Pope Francis prayed for several minutes in front of the relic, which is said to have covered Jesus' dead body. When he finished praying, the Pope reached out and touched the frame that holds the Shroud. Later, still inside the cathedral, he visited the tomb of Pier Giorgio Frassati, who is one of the patrons of World Youth Day. He then met with family members of the young man who was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1990. The Catholic Church does not have an official position on the authenticity of the Holy Shroud. Still, it is one of the most highly valued relics and many people have visited it, including Pope Benedict XVI. http://www.romereports.com/pg161899-pope-francis-prays-in-silence-in-front-of-the-holy-shroud-en
LIVE: Synod on the Family Vatican Press Conference 2015-06-23 The preparatory document for the next phase of the Synod on the Family, known as 'Instrumentum Laboris,' will be presented in the Vatican's press office. The next phase of the Synod will take place from October 4th-25th. http://www.romereports.com/pg161909-live-synod-on-the-family-vatican-press-conference--en
Pope: True authority of Church of Rome is the love of Christ 12 113Print 2015-06-25 Vatican Radio (Vatican Radio) “The true authority of the Church of Rome is the charity of Christ.” That was the message of Pope Francis to members of the Pontifical Eccesiastical Academy, the “Accademia” – the Roman institution responsible for preparing priests for the diplomatic service of the Holy See. Listen: http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-true-authority-of-church-of-rome-is-the-love It is only the charity of Christ that makes the Church of Rome “universal and credible” to human beings and to the world. This, the Pope continued, “is the heart of its truth, which does not build walls of division and exclusion, but makes bridges that build communion and recall the whole human race to unity; this is its secret power, which nourishes its unshakable hope, invincible despite momentary defeats.” Pope Francis told the future diplomats that the service to which they will be called requires them to defend the liberty of the Apostolic See, which, “in order not to betray its mission before God and for the true good of men,” must not get caught up in factions, or “allow itself to be colonized by the popular thoughts of the day, or by the illusory hegemony of the ‘mainstream’.” In a series of analogies, the Holy Father warned the students not to expect “the ground to be ready” but to be prepared to “plow it with your hands… in order to prepare it for the seed” in hopeful expectation of a harvest which they, perhaps, may never see. He asked them not “to fish in aquariums or fish farms” but to have the courage to go to the margins, to cast their “nets and fishing poles” in lesser known areas, without getting used to “eating fish that others have prepared.” The Holy Father reminded them that their mission will take them all over the world: “To Europe, needing to be awakened; to Africa, thirsty for reconciliation; to Latin America starving for nourishment and interiority; to North America, intent upon rediscovering the roots of an identity that does not define itself in terms of exclusion; in Asia and Oceania, challenged by the capacity of fermenting in diaspora and dialogue with the vastness of ancestral culture.” Pope Francis assuring his audience of his prayers for them, and asked for theirs in return. He concluded his remarks with a reminder: “Your whole life is at the service of the Gospel and of the Church. Never forget it!” (from Vatican Radio)
Pope Francis open to set Holy Week on a fixed date in common with other Christians 2015-06-25 During a question and answer session with more than 1,000 priests from 90 countries, Pope Francis described a proposition he had recently heard: Orthodox Christians, Coptic Christians, Protestants, and Catholics should all agree to celebrate Easter at the same time. POPE FRANCIS June 12, 2015 "The Catholic Church is open, since the pontificate of Pope Paul VI, to set a fixed date, and to waive the first solstice after the full moon of March.” For centuries, Catholics and other Christians have celebrated Easter on different days. Pope Francis suggested that this is a scandal that must be resolved. He said that a shared agreement is possible. POPE FRANCIS "Is this not a scandal? 'When did your Christ rise?' 'My Christ rose today, and yours next week.' A scandal. The most definitive way is to have a fixed date, which is, I suppose, the second Sunday in April. Because if it follows the classical tradition of the conservative Orthodox monasteries, it is always the first full moon after 14 of Nisan, which every year progresses. It advances a few days. It advances a week and we run the risk of celebrating Easter in August 60 years from now. So, we have to solve it.” What the Pope suggested is a proposal that is under consideration but it is far from definitive. The most complicated part is finding support from Orthodox Christian churches. It's a possibility but one that is still far from reality. http://www.romereports.com/pg161934...fixed-date-in-common-with-other-christians-en
Signed in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace - Comprehensive agreement between the Holy See and the State of Palestine 2015-06-26 L’Osservatore Romano On Friday 26 June 2015, at the Vatican Apostolic Palace, a Comprehensive Agreement was signed between the Holy See and the State of Palestine. The accord follows on the Basic Agreement which was signed between the Holy See and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) on 15 February 2000 and is the result of the negotiations undertaken by a bilateral working commission over the past number of years. His Excellency Archbishop Paul R. Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States, signed for the Holy See and His Excellency Dr. Riad Al-Malki, Minister of Foreign Affairs, signed for the State of Palestine. The following took part in the solemn act: For the Holy See: His Excellency Archbishop Giuseppe Lazzarotto, Apostolic Delegate to Jerusalem and Palestine; His Excellency Archbishop Antonio Franco, Apostolic Nuncio; His Beatitude Fouad Twal, Patriarch of Jerusalem of the Latins; Mgr. Antoine Camilleri, Under-Secretary for the Holy See’s Relations with States; Rev. Fr. Lorenzo Lorusso, O.P., Under-Secretary of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches; Mgr. Alberto Ortega, Official of the Section for Relations with States of the Secretariat of State; Mgr. Paolo Borgia, Official of the Section for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State; and Rev. Fr. Oscar Marzo, O.F.M., member of the Custody of the Holy Land and Official of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches. For the State of Palestine: His Excellency Dr. Ramzi Khoury, Advisor to the President, Deputy Head of the Presidential Higher Committee on Church Affairs in Palestine; Ambassador Issa Kassissieh, Representative of the State of Palestine to the Holy See; Ambassador Rawan Sulaiman, Assistant Foreign Minister for Multilateral Affairs; Mrs. Vera Baboun, Mayor of Bethlehem; Mr. Moussa Abu Hadeed, Mayor of Ramallah; Mr. Ammar Hijazi, Deputy Assistant Foreign Minister for Multilateral Affairs; Mr. Azem Bishara, Legal Advisor of the PLO; Mr. Ammar Nisnas, Counselor of the Diplomatic Representation of the State of Palestine to the Holy See. The Agreement is comprised of a Preamble and 32 Articles distributed in 8 Chapters. It deals with essential aspects of the life and activity of the Catholic Church in the State of Palestine, while reaffirming support for a negotiated and peaceful resolution of the situation in the region. The Agreement shall come into force when both Parties have notified each other in writing that the constitutional or internal requirements for the coming into force of the Agreement have been met. Address given by Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States, on the signing of the comprehensive agreement between the State of Palestine and the Holy See Your Excellency, I would like, first and foremost, to welcome you and your Delegation to the Secretariat of State, on the auspicious occasion of the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement between the Holy See and the State of Palestine, which marks an important step on the path of good relations which for some time have happily existed between the Parties. This present Agreement follows on from the Basic Agreement between the Holy See and the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), which was signed on 15 February 2000. It is the result of the negotiations of a special Bilateral Commission which has worked at various levels over recent years, with dedication and competence, in a most cordial atmosphere. In contrast with the earlier Agreement, the present one is being signed by the Holy See and the State of Palestine; this is indicative of the progress made by the Palestinian Authority in recent years, and above all of the level of international support, which culminated in the Resolution of the General Assembly of the United Nations of 29 November 2012, which recognized Palestine as a non-member Observer State at the United Nations. In this context, it is my hope that the present Agreement may in some way be a stimulus to bringing a definitive end to the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which continues to cause suffering for both Parties. I also hope that the much desired two-State solution may become a reality as soon as possible. The peace process can move forward only if it is directly negotiated between the Parties, with the support of the international community. This certainly requires courageous decisions, but it will also offer a major contribution to peace and stability in the region. The Comprehensive Agreement, while constituting an understanding between two subjects of international law, basically concerns the life and activity of the Church in Palestine. In this respect, I am pleased that juridical recognition is clearly established and that guarantees have been given for the work of the Catholic Church and her institutions. Catholics do not seek any privilege other than continued cooperation with their fellow-citizens for the good of society. I am also pleased to say that the local Church, which has been actively involved in the negotiations, is satisfied with the goal attained and is happy to see the strengthening of its good relations with the civil Authorities. In the complex reality of the Middle East, where in some countries Christians have even suffered persecution, this Agreement offers a good example of dialogue and cooperation, and I earnestly hope that this may serve as a model for other Arab and Muslim majority countries. With this in mind, I would like to emphasize the importance of the chapter dedicated to freedom of religion and freedom of conscience. To conclude, may I once again reaffirm the Holy See’s particular solicitude for the Middle East and for the Holy Land, and its joy at the Agreement that has been reached, which I am hopeful will take effect without delay. Thank you!
Pope to Guides: promote authentic womanhood 2015-06-26 Vatican Radio (Vatican Radio) Pope Francis received a group of some 230 participants for the World Meeting of International Conference of Catholic Guiding on Friday. The Guides are in Rome from June 25th-30th, to explore the theme of living the joy of the Gospel as a Guide. The international umbrella group for Catholic Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, ICCG, officially came into existence on the Feast of the Epiphany, 1965, in Rome, when twenty-one Girl Guide associations established the International Catholic Conference of Guiding, signing its Charter, its Statutes and approving its Internal Rules. In remarks prepared for the occasion and delivered to the group in the Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican, Pope Francis thanked the Guides for choosing a theme rooted in and responding to his Apostolic exhortation, Evangelii gaudium, and praised the program of the Meeting. “It is a wonderful program,” he said. To proclaim to others, through the witness of our lives, that encountering Jesus makes us happy; that meeting Jesus frees us and heals us; meeting Jesus opens us to others and encourages us to proclaim this especially to the poorest among us, to those who are farthest away, most lonely and abandoned.” The Holy Father went on to encourage the participants in their work of recovering, nurturing and furthering the authentic vision of womanhood, in the Church and in the world. “Today it is very important that womanhood be properly appreciated,” he said. “Here, too,” he continued, “the role of educational associations like yours – that serve girls particularly – is absolutely crucial for the future.” In a world in which ideologies contrary to the nature and God’s plan for marriage and family, “It is therefore necessary to educate girls not only to the beauty and grandeur of their vocation as women, in a fair and differentiated relationship between man and woman, but also to take on important responsibilities in the Church and in society.” The Holy Father said that, in places where women are still in a position of inferiority, and even exploited and abused, Guides are certainly called to play a major role in the promotion and education of women. Pope Francis concluded with an appeal to the Guides, calling on them to remain open to the chance that God might be calling them to religious life. “I ask you also not to forget the necessary and explicit openness of your pedagogy to the possibility of a life consecrated to the Lord, of which the movement of the Guides has been so fruitful in its history.” (from Vatican Radio)
Pope: Christians must get hands dirty and touch the excluded 2015-06-26 Vatican Radio (Vatican Radio) The Church can only become a true community if its members are willing to get their hands dirty and include the excluded. That was Pope Francis’ message during his homily at the Santa Marta Mass on Friday morning, as he reflected on the Gospel passage about Jesus healing the man with leprosy. Listen to Philippa Hitchen's report: Pope Francis noted that the miracle, in St Matthew’s Gospel, of Jesus touching and healing the leper takes place in front of the doctors of the law who considered the man to be ‘unclean’. Leprosy, the Pope said, was like a life sentence, since curing a leper was thought to be as hard as raising someone from the dead. Lepers were excluded from society, yet Jesus stretches out his hand and shows us what it means to be close to such people. We can’t be a community, we can’t make peace, and we can’t do good without being close to people, the Pope stressed. Jesus could have just said to the leper, ‘You are healed’, but instead he reaches out his hand and touches him, becoming ‘unclean’ himself. This is the mystery of Jesus, the Pope continued, that he takes upon himself our uncleanliness, our sin, our exclusion to become close to us. The Gospel passage also notes that Jesus asks the cured man not to tell anyone, but to show himself to the priest and ‘offer the gift that Moses prescribed’ in the law as proof for them. Pope Francis explained that Jesus not only gets his hands dirty but he also instructs the man to go to the priest so that he could be included in the Church and in society again. Jesus never excludes anyone, the Pope said, but rather he excludes himself in order to include us sinners. Finally Pope Francis noted the reactions of the people around Jesus, many of whom are amazed at his words and follow him. Others, he said, watch from a distance with hardened hearts to criticize and condemn him, while others would like to draw close to Jesus but lack the courage to do so. To these people, Jesus holds out his hand, as he holds it out to all of us, taking on our sins to become one of us. Do we know how to draw near to people, the Pope asked? Do we have the strength and courage to reach out and touch those who are excluded? This is the meaning of a Christian community and this is the question each one of us – priests, bishops, religious, all of us - must ask ourselves. (from Vatican Radio) Share
Pope officially paves the way for Saint Therese's parents to be canonized http://vatican.com/news/frame.aspx?...cnewsagency/dailynews-vatican/~3/-Ng7rg-ADzY/ Vatican City, Jun 27, 2015 / 10:42 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis formally approved on Saturday the decrees necessary for Blesseds Louis and Zelie Martin – known for being the parents of St. Therese of Lisieux – to be declared saints later this year. The two blesseds will be the first couple ever to be canonized at the same ceremony, which will be held Oct. 18 in the Vatican. The event will take place fewer than three weeks after the Oct. 1 feast of their daughter, and doctor of the Church, St. Therese of the Child Jesus. The Roman Pontiff approved the decrees for the Martins' canonization during a June 27 consistory of bishops at the Apostolic Palace. On March 18, the Pope had recognized a miracle attributed to the couple. Married in 1858 just three months after meeting each other, Bl. Louis and Zelie lived in celibacy for nearly a year, but eventually went on to have nine children. Four died in infancy, while the remaining five daughters entered religious life. Zelie died from cancer in 1877, leaving Louis to care for their five young daughters: Marie, Pauline, Leonie, Celine, and Therese, who was only four at the time. Louis died in 1894 after suffering two strokes in 1889, followed by five years of serious drawn-out illness. Louis and Zelie were beatified Oct. 19, 2008 by Benedict XVI. The canonizations of the married couple will coincide with the Synod on the Family, to be held on Oct. 4-25. The three-week gathering of bishops will be the second and larger of two such gatherings to take place in the course of a year. Like its 2014 precursor, the focus of the 2015 Synod of Bishops will be the family, this time with the theme: “The vocation and mission of the family in the church and the modern world.” Pope Francis venerated the relics of Blesseds Louis and Zelie ahead of the 2014 Synod on the Family, along with those of another married couple: Blessed Luigi and Maria Beltrame Quattrocchi. It was announced at Saturday’s consistory that Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin will be canonized alongside two others: Blessed Vincenzo Grossi, an Italian priest and founder of the Institute of the Daughters of the Oratory, and Bl. Maria of the Immaculate Conception, Spanish superior general of the Sisters of the Company of the Cross.
