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(Vatican Radio) The in-flight press conference, now a regular and much-anticipated feature of papal voyages, once again covered a range of diverse topics, as reporters took the opportunity to speak frankly with Pope Francis.The Holy Father answered questions on topics including his upcoming meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, to relations with the Society of Saint Pius X; from the alleged apparitions associated with Medjugorje, to the Church’s ongoing attempts to confront the sex abuse crisis.The press conference began, however, with questions about his pilgrimage. “Fatima is a message of peace brought to humanity by three great communicators who were less than 13 years old,” the Pope said. He emphasized the theme of peace: “The world can hope for peace… With everyone I speak of peace!”Asked about his prayer at the Chapel of Apparitions, in which he referred to himself as a “Bishop in white” – a clear allusion to the fam...
(Vatican Radio) The in-flight press conference, now a regular and much-anticipated feature of papal voyages, once again covered a range of diverse topics, as reporters took the opportunity to speak frankly with Pope Francis.
The Holy Father answered questions on topics including his upcoming meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, to relations with the Society of Saint Pius X; from the alleged apparitions associated with Medjugorje, to the Church’s ongoing attempts to confront the sex abuse crisis.
The press conference began, however, with questions about his pilgrimage. “Fatima is a message of peace brought to humanity by three great communicators who were less than 13 years old,” the Pope said. He emphasized the theme of peace: “The world can hope for peace… With everyone I speak of peace!”
Asked about his prayer at the Chapel of Apparitions, in which he referred to himself as a “Bishop in white” – a clear allusion to the famous “Third Secret” of Fatima, Pope Francis noted that the prayer was composed by the staff of the Sanctuary in Fatima. He drew a connection between the so-called Bishop in white, Our Lady dressed in white at Fatima, and the white garment that expresses the innocence of little children after their Baptism. “I believe,” he said, “that (through the color white) they have tried to literally express the will of peace, of innocence, of not making war to the other.” With regard to the Third Secret, Pope Francis said then-Cardinal Ratzinger “explained everything about the third secret clearly” when the content of the message was made public by the Vatican in 2000.
The full text of the Pope’s in-flight press conference can be found at the Vatican website; an unofficial English translation can be found on the website of Catholic News Agency. The quotations used above, as well as the excerpts below, are from CNA’s English translation.
Concerning his meeting with Donald Trump
“I never judge a person without listening to them. Things will emerge from our conversation, he will say what he thinks and I will say what I think. On migrants, you already my opinion. There are always doors that are not completely closed, one must look for the doors that are at least a bit open, you have to go in and talk about what is common and go forward, step by step. Peace is handmade and is made each and every day. Friendship among people, mutual knowledge, mutual esteem are handmade, and done daily. Respect the other, saying what you think in a very honest way.”
About the Society of Saint Pius X
“The current relationships are fraternal, last year I gave all their priests the permit to confess as well as a form of jurisdiction for celebrating marriages. . . . With Bishop Fellay I have a good relationship; I’ve talked to him several times. I do not like to rush things, but by walking and walking, we will then see. For me it is not a matter of winners or losers, but of brothers who are moving forward.”
On the alleged apparitions connected with Medjugorje
“All apparitions or alleged apparitions belong to the private sphere; they are not part of the ordinary public magisterium. For Medjugorje, Benedict XVI set up a commission presided over by Cardinal Ruini. I received the results; the commission was composed of good theologians, bishops and cardinals. The committee report is very, very good. . . . The Ruini report states that the first apparitions when the seers were young must be distinguished from the others, and says that investigation should be done on those first ones. The report presents its doubts on the current alleged visions.”
Concerning the sex abuse crisis in the Church
“I talked to [sex abuse survivor] Marie Collins and she explained to me the situation well, she is a good woman. She will continue to work with priests on training on this issue. She addressed this accusation and with some reason as there are so many cases, which are being delayed. Delayed because they were piling up. In this time, a legislation needed to be done; today in almost all dioceses there is a protocol to follow, and the dossiers are done well, it is a great advance.”
Vatican City, May 14, 2017 / 06:07 am (CNA/EWTN News).- On Sunday Pope Francis reflected on the May 13 canonization of the child visionaries St. Francisco and Jacinta Marto, saying that their faithfulness, despite their young age, reminds us to pay special attention to children in the ministry of the Church.“In Fatima the Virgin chose the innocent heart and the simplicity of little Francisco, Jacinta and Lucia, as guardians of her message. These children received it worthily, so to be recognized as reliable witnesses to the apparitions, and to become models of Christian life.”“With the canonization of Francisco and Jacinta, I wanted to propose to the whole Church their example of adherence to Christ and of evangelical witness, and I also wanted to propose to the whole Church to take care of children,” he said May 14.The holiness of these children is not a consequence of the apparitions they received, he said, but of the “fidelity and ardor with which th...
Vatican City, May 14, 2017 / 06:07 am (CNA/EWTN News).- On Sunday Pope Francis reflected on the May 13 canonization of the child visionaries St. Francisco and Jacinta Marto, saying that their faithfulness, despite their young age, reminds us to pay special attention to children in the ministry of the Church.
“In Fatima the Virgin chose the innocent heart and the simplicity of little Francisco, Jacinta and Lucia, as guardians of her message. These children received it worthily, so to be recognized as reliable witnesses to the apparitions, and to become models of Christian life.”
“With the canonization of Francisco and Jacinta, I wanted to propose to the whole Church their example of adherence to Christ and of evangelical witness, and I also wanted to propose to the whole Church to take care of children,” he said May 14.
The holiness of these children is not a consequence of the apparitions they received, he said, but of the “fidelity and ardor with which they returned the privilege they received of being able to see the Virgin Mary.”
“After the encounter with the ‘beautiful lady,’ as they called her, they frequently recited the Rosary, they did penance and offered sacrifices for the end of the war and for the most needy souls of divine mercy.”
This is what made them saints, he said.
Pope Francis addressed around 25,000 people in St. Peter’s Square Sunday afternoon before praying the Regina Coeli.
In his greeting, he expressed his gratefulness to God for the opportunity to make a pilgrimage to Fatima May 12-13 for the centenary of the apparitions, going “to the feet of the Virgin Mother as a pilgrim of hope and peace.”
He also thanked the bishops of Portugal, and in particular the Bishop of Leiria-Fátima, António Augusto dos Santos Marto, as well as the local authorities and everyone who helped to organize the visit.
“Last night I returned from the pilgrimage to Fatima,” he said, pausing to add a greeting to “the Madonna of Fatima!” followed by cheers from those present.
“In Fatima, I was immersed in the prayer of the holy faithful people, a prayer that flows there for a hundred years as a river, to beg Mary's maternal protection on the whole world,” he went on.
“From the very beginning, when in the Chapel of the Apparitions I stayed for a long time in silence, accompanied by the prayerful silence of all the pilgrims, a together and contemplative climate was created where the various moments of prayer took place.”
And at the center of all of this, he said, was the Risen Lord present in the Eucharist.
Even 100 years after the first appearance of Our Lady of Fatima there is still a great need for prayer and penance for the grace of conversion, Francis said. We also need prayers “to implore the end of so many wars that are everywhere in the world… and which disfigure the face of humanity.”
“Let us be guided by the light coming from Fatima. The Immaculate Heart of Mary is always our shelter, our consolation, and the way that leads us to Christ,” he said.
Following the prayer, the Pope spoke with sympathy for the people affected by wars and conflicts in the Middle East, both Christians and Muslims, who suffer from violence and discrimination.
“My solidarity accompanies the memory of prayer,” he said, thanking all those who provide humanitarian aid and encouraging “the various communities to follow the path of dialogue and reconciliation to build a future of respect, security and peace.”
He also mentioned the beatification in Dublin May 13 of Jesuit priest John Sullivan, who lived during the 19th and 20th centuries in Ireland. He was devoted to the teaching and training of young people, the Pope said, “and was loved and respected as a father to the poor and the suffering.”
Pope Francis concluded his address by mentioning the celebration of Mother’s Day in several countries. “Let us remember with gratitude and affection all moms, even our moms in heaven, trusting them to Mary, the mother of Jesus,” he said, concluding with a moment of silent prayer for mothers.
