(Vatican Radio) The relics of St. Pius of Pietralcina – Padre Pio, as he is popularly known around the world – and St. Leopold Mandic, made their way on Friday afternoon from the Church of San Salvatore in Lauro to St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.The relics of the two great saints – both of whom were Capuchin Franciscan friars and priests who were renowned as confessors – have come to Rome by the desire of Pope Francis in connection with the Jubilee Year of Mercy, as part of efforts to renew, rekindle and strengthen interest in and love for the Sacrament of Penance or Reconciliation. Click below to hear our report Following a Mass in nearby San Salvatore, at which the principal celebrant was the Archbishop of Manfredonia – Vieste – San Giovanni Rotondo, Michele Castoro, the saints' relics were carried in solemn procession through the streets of Rome, across the Tiber River and into St. Peter’s, where they were ...
(Vatican Radio) The relics of St. Pius of Pietralcina – Padre Pio, as he is popularly known around the world – and St. Leopold Mandic, made their way on Friday afternoon from the Church of San Salvatore in Lauro to St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.
The relics of the two great saints – both of whom were Capuchin Franciscan friars and priests who were renowned as confessors – have come to Rome by the desire of Pope Francis in connection with the Jubilee Year of Mercy, as part of efforts to renew, rekindle and strengthen interest in and love for the Sacrament of Penance or Reconciliation.
Click below to hear our report
Following a Mass in nearby San Salvatore, at which the principal celebrant was the Archbishop of Manfredonia – Vieste – San Giovanni Rotondo, Michele Castoro, the saints' relics were carried in solemn procession through the streets of Rome, across the Tiber River and into St. Peter’s, where they were received by the Cardinal-Archpriest, Angelo Comastri, who, after a moment of prayer, accompanied them into the Basilica and saw them placed in the central nave before the Altar of the Confession for the faithful to venerate.
The relics will remain in St. Peter’s for veneration until the morning of February 11 when, after a Holy Mass of thanksgiving at 7:30 am at the Altar of the Chair, they will be returned to their places of repose.
By Cindy WoodenVATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Russian Orthodox officials said theplanned meeting between Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill of Moscow is not asignal that decades of tension have been resolved, but emphasizes the need towork together on behalf of persecuted Christians in the Middle East.As the Vatican was announcing the Feb. 12 date for themeeting of the pope and patriarch in Cuba, the Russian Orthodox also held anews conference to speak about it.Russian Orthodox Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk,director of foreign relations for the Moscow Patriarchate, told reporters theactivity of the Ukrainian Catholics that prevented the Russian Orthodox fromagreeing to a meeting in the past is still a problem today. In a statement on the website of MetropolitanHilarion's office, he referred to the Ukrainian Catholics with the pejorativeterm "uniates," and said, "Regrettably, the problem of the uniatesis still there, with uniatism remaining a never-healing, bloody wound thatprevents th...
By Cindy Wooden
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Russian Orthodox officials said the
planned meeting between Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill of Moscow is not a
signal that decades of tension have been resolved, but emphasizes the need to
work together on behalf of persecuted Christians in the Middle East.
As the Vatican was announcing the Feb. 12 date for the
meeting of the pope and patriarch in Cuba, the Russian Orthodox also held a
news conference to speak about it.
Russian Orthodox Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk,
director of foreign relations for the Moscow Patriarchate, told reporters the
activity of the Ukrainian Catholics that prevented the Russian Orthodox from
agreeing to a meeting in the past is still a problem today.
In a statement on the website of Metropolitan
Hilarion's office, he referred to the Ukrainian Catholics with the pejorative
term "uniates," and said, "Regrettably, the problem of the uniates
is still there, with uniatism remaining a never-healing, bloody wound that
prevents the full normalization of relations between the two churches."
At Orthodox urging, the Catholic Church rejected
"uniatism" -- the uniting of a segment of an Orthodox Church with
Rome -- as a model for future Catholic-Orthodox union, but at the same time it
affirmed the authenticity of Eastern Catholic churches formed in the past under
such a model.
Metropolitan Hilarion said that despite Orthodox
reservations about the Eastern Catholic churches, with the serious problem of
religious persecution of Christians in the Middle East calling for action on
the part of all Christians worldwide, "urgent measures and closer
cooperation" are necessary. "In the present tragic situation, it is
necessary to put aside internal disagreements and unite efforts for saving
Christianity in the regions where it is subjected to the most severe
persecution."
As for the choice of Havana, Metropolitan Hilarion recalled
that in the late 1990s serious efforts were made to arrange a meeting in Vienna
between St. John Paul and then-Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow; the meeting never
occurred.
In the current discussions, the metropolitan said, "Patriarch
Kirill, from the very beginning, did not want it to take place in Europe, since
it is with Europe that the grave history of divisions and conflicts between
Christians is associated. The coincidence of the date of Patriarch Kirill's
visit to Latin American countries with that of the pope of Rome's visit to
Mexico has become an opportunity for holding the meeting in the New World, and
we hope that it will open a new page in the relations between the two churches."
WASHINGTON (AP) -- U.S. manufacturing is shrinking, corporate profits are declining and goods are piling up on warehouse shelves. Those trends have elevated concern that a U.S. recession may loom in the next year or two....
WASHINGTON (AP) -- U.S. manufacturing is shrinking, corporate profits are declining and goods are piling up on warehouse shelves. Those trends have elevated concern that a U.S. recession may loom in the next year or two....
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The U.S. economy added 151,000 jobs in January, a slowdown from recent months but still a sign of a solid job market. Employers raised pay, more people felt confident enough to look for work and the unemployment rate dipped to 4.9 percent, its lowest level since 2008....
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The U.S. economy added 151,000 jobs in January, a slowdown from recent months but still a sign of a solid job market. Employers raised pay, more people felt confident enough to look for work and the unemployment rate dipped to 4.9 percent, its lowest level since 2008....
GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba (AP) -- Empty cells outnumber occupied ones. There are fewer prisoners than the assorted medical personnel to care for them. The number of hunger strikers is down to a handful....
GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba (AP) -- Empty cells outnumber occupied ones. There are fewer prisoners than the assorted medical personnel to care for them. The number of hunger strikers is down to a handful....
LONDON (AP) -- Brazil says it's sending a set of Zika samples to U.S. health authorities following complaints over the South American nation's hoarding of data and biological material related to the disease....
LONDON (AP) -- Brazil says it's sending a set of Zika samples to U.S. health authorities following complaints over the South American nation's hoarding of data and biological material related to the disease....
WASHINGTON-Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York called on everyone "concerned about the tragedy of abortion" to recommit to a "vision of life and love, a vision that excludes no one" on January 14. His statement marks the 43rd anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion. Cardinal Dolan chairs the Committee on Pro-Life Activities of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops."Most Americans oppose a policy allowing legal abortion for virtually any reason - though many still do not realize that this is what the Supreme Court gave us," wrote Cardinal Dolan. "Most want to protect unborn children at later stages of pregnancy, to regulate or limit the practice of abortion, and to stop the use of taxpayer dollars for the destruction of unborn children. Yet many who support important goals of the pro-life movement do not identify as 'pro-life,' a fact which should lead us to examine how we present our pro-life vision to others.""Even as Americans rema...
WASHINGTON-Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York called on everyone "concerned about the tragedy of abortion" to recommit to a "vision of life and love, a vision that excludes no one" on January 14. His statement marks the 43rd anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion. Cardinal Dolan chairs the Committee on Pro-Life Activities of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
"Most Americans oppose a policy allowing legal abortion for virtually any reason - though many still do not realize that this is what the Supreme Court gave us," wrote Cardinal Dolan. "Most want to protect unborn children at later stages of pregnancy, to regulate or limit the practice of abortion, and to stop the use of taxpayer dollars for the destruction of unborn children. Yet many who support important goals of the pro-life movement do not identify as 'pro-life,' a fact which should lead us to examine how we present our pro-life vision to others."
"Even as Americans remain troubled by abortion," wrote Cardinal Dolan, a powerful and well-funded lobby holds "that abortion must be celebrated as a positive good for women and society, and those who cannot in conscience provide it are to be condemned for practicing substandard medicine and waging a 'war on women'." He said this trend was seen recently when President Obama and other Democratic leaders prevented passage of the Abortion Non-Discrimination Act, "a modest measure to provide for effective enforcement" of conscience laws.
"While this is disturbing," said Cardinal Dolan, "it is also an opportunity." Pro-life Americans should reach out to "the great majority of Americans" who are "open to hearing a message of reverence for life." He added that "we who present the pro-life message must always strive to be better messengers. A cause that teaches the inexpressibly great value of each and every human being cannot show disdain or disrespect for any fellow human being." He encouraged Catholics to take part, through prayer and action, in the upcoming "9 Days for Life" campaign, January 16-24. More information on the campaign is available online: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxJwfcefUiU
He also cited the Year of Mercy called by Pope Francis as a time for women and men to find healing through the Church's Project Rachel post-abortion ministry.
The full text of Cardinal Dolan's message is available online. --- Keywords: Roe v. Wade, anniversary, Pro-Life, Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, 9 Days for Life, USCCB, U.S. bishops, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Year of Mercy, Project Rachel, Pope Francis # # # MEDIA CONTACT Don Clemmer O: 202-541-3206
WASHINGTON-The Office of General Counsel of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) filed an amicus curiae brief in the U.S. Supreme Court, February 1, on behalf of USCCB, the Texas Catholic Conference and several Christian partners in support of a Texas law mandating health and safety standards protecting women who undergo abortions. Other groups joining the brief include the National Association of Evangelicals, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, and the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. The case is Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, currently before the U.S. Supreme Court."There is ample evidence in this case that hospital admitting privileges and ambulatory surgical center requirements protect women's lives and health," said the brief. "When such requirements are not enforced, abuses detrimental to women's lives and health arise."The brief noted that some abortion clinics have decla...
WASHINGTON-The Office of General Counsel of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) filed an amicus curiae brief in the U.S. Supreme Court, February 1, on behalf of USCCB, the Texas Catholic Conference and several Christian partners in support of a Texas law mandating health and safety standards protecting women who undergo abortions. Other groups joining the brief include the National Association of Evangelicals, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, and the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. The case is Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, currently before the U.S. Supreme Court.
"There is ample evidence in this case that hospital admitting privileges and ambulatory surgical center requirements protect women's lives and health," said the brief. "When such requirements are not enforced, abuses detrimental to women's lives and health arise."
The brief noted that some abortion clinics have declared the standards too strict, although the standards are similar to those issued by the abortion industry. It added that abortion providers "should not be allowed to rely upon their own failure to comply with health and safety laws" as a reason to strike such laws down. The brief said the providers' resistance to such regulations is not in the best interests of women's health and safety. It also noted that over 40 years of precedent, including the Court's 1992 decision in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, reaffirms that states may regulate abortion to protect maternal life and health.
Full text of the brief is available online: www.usccb.org/about/general-counsel/amicus-briefs/upload/Whole-Woman-s-Health-v-Hellerstedt.pdf --- Keywords: General Counsel, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, USCCB, Texas law abortion, amicus curia, National Association of Evangelicals, Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, U.S. Supreme Court
(Vatican Radio) A 7-year-old Syrian girl suffering from a rare form of eye cancer is Friday being treated at the world renowned Bambino Gesu children’s hospital in Rome a day after arriving in Italy with her family.Falak al Hourani, her parents and her younger brother Hussein have come to Rome thanks to a “humanitarian corridor" project initiated by the Rome-based Catholic Sant'Egidio Community and the Federation of Protestant Churches in Italy.Listen: The al Hourani family fled their home in Homs, nearly three years ago due to the conflict engulfing Syria and went to Tripoli, in northern Lebanon.The family’s arrival in Italy is the first of an estimated 1,000 refugees who are being brought to the country in an ecumenical project aimed at deterring people from making the perilous journey by sea.Speaking to Vatican Radio about the family and the project, Sant'Egidio’s Cesare Zucconi explained that, “the Churches together wi...
(Vatican Radio) A 7-year-old Syrian girl suffering from a rare form of eye cancer is Friday being treated at the world renowned Bambino Gesu children’s hospital in Rome a day after arriving in Italy with her family.
Falak al Hourani, her parents and her younger brother Hussein have come to Rome thanks to a “humanitarian corridor" project initiated by the Rome-based Catholic Sant'Egidio Community and the Federation of Protestant Churches in Italy.
Listen:
The al Hourani family fled their home in Homs, nearly three years ago due to the conflict engulfing Syria and went to Tripoli, in northern Lebanon.
The family’s arrival in Italy is the first of an estimated 1,000 refugees who are being brought to the country in an ecumenical project aimed at deterring people from making the perilous journey by sea.
Speaking to Vatican Radio about the family and the project, Sant'Egidio’s Cesare Zucconi explained that, “the Churches together with the Italian government is issuing, for the first two years up to one thousand humanitarian visas, so up to one thousand people, more or less, will come from Lebanon, Morocco and Ethiopia in the next month."
Regarding the plight of the family, Mr Zucconi said the family had been living in bad conditions and had no money, just like many of the thousands of other refugees that have fled to Lebanon from Syria.
The U.N. refugee agency UNHCR has welcomed the initiative, one of a number of private sponsorships helping refugees to rebuild there lives.
(Vatican Radio) God’s ‘style’ is not man’s ‘style,’ because God triumphs through humility. That was Pope Francis’ message in his homily during daily Mass at the Casa Santa Marta.God’s style can be seen in the death of the greatest of the prophets, St John the Baptist. This “just and holy man,” the “greatest man,” the man who had prepared the people for the coming of the Messiah, was beheaded in the darkness of his cell, alone, condemned by the vindictive hatred of a queen and the cowardice of a submissive king. Listen: The ultimate prophetAnd yet that is how “God triumphs,” the Pope said, commenting on the day’s Gospel which relates the circumstances of John’s death:“John the Baptist, ‘the greatest man born of a woman’ – so says the formula for the canonization of John. But this formula was used not of a Pope, or even of Jesus. That man is the greatest...
(Vatican Radio) God’s ‘style’ is not man’s ‘style,’ because God triumphs through humility. That was Pope Francis’ message in his homily during daily Mass at the Casa Santa Marta.
God’s style can be seen in the death of the greatest of the prophets, St John the Baptist. This “just and holy man,” the “greatest man,” the man who had prepared the people for the coming of the Messiah, was beheaded in the darkness of his cell, alone, condemned by the vindictive hatred of a queen and the cowardice of a submissive king.
Listen:
The ultimate prophet
And yet that is how “God triumphs,” the Pope said, commenting on the day’s Gospel which relates the circumstances of John’s death:
“John the Baptist, ‘the greatest man born of a woman’ – so says the formula for the canonization of John. But this formula was used not of a Pope, or even of Jesus. That man is the greatest man born of a woman: The greatest saint: Thus Jesus canonized him. And he ended his life in jail, beheaded, and the final phrase [of the Gospel reading] seems almost one of resignation: ‘When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.’ This is the end of ‘the greatest man born of a woman.’ A great prophet. The ultimate, the last of prophets. The only one to whom it was granted to see the hope of Israel.”
The suffering of the greatest
Pope Francis took his congregation beyond the text of the Gospel, inviting them to enter into John’s cell, to look into the soul of the voice crying out in the desert, of the one who baptized the crowds in the name of Him who was to come, the one who was now weighed down not only by the iron chains that bound him in his prison, but by the shackles of some doubt, despite everything:
“But he also suffered in prison – let us say the word – the interior torture of doubt: ‘But maybe I made a mistake? This Messiah is not how I imagined the Messiah would be.’ And he invited his disciples to ask Jesus: ‘But tell us, tell us the truth: are you He who is to come?’ because that doubt made him suffer. ‘Was I mistaken in proclaiming someone who isn’t [who I thought]?’ The suffering, the interior solitude of this man. ‘I, on the other hand, must diminish, but diminish thus: in soul, in body, in everything…”
Humble to the very end
“To diminish, diminish, diminish.” That “was the life of John,” Pope Francis repeated. “A great man who did not seek his own glory, but the glory of God”; a man who died in such a prosaic manner, in anonymity. But with this attitude, the Pope concluded, John “prepared the way for Jesus,’ who, in a similar manner, “died in agony, alone, without the disciples’:
“It does us good to read this passage from the Gospel, the Gospel of Mark, chapter 6. Reading this passage, seeing how God triumphs: the style of God is not the style of man. Asking the Lord for the grace of humility that John had, and not leaning on our own merits or the glory of others. And above all, the grace that in our life that might always be a place that Christ might grow greater, and we might come down, even to the very end.”
