Article Archive
Please click below to view any of the articles in our archive.
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis met on Monday with staff and students of Rome’s Pontifical Portuguese College, reflecting on his forthcoming visit to Fatima this weekend.Recalling the apparitions of Our Lady to the three shepherd children of Fatima, exactly a century ago, the Pope said that encounter was a moment of grace, which enabled Francesco, Giacinta and Lucia to know and love Jesus.Like a wise and tender teacher, he said, Mary helped them to understand the love of the Trinitarian God as the most important part of their human existence.In the same way, the Pope said, all those studying and working at the college today must have as their principle goal to know and love Christ, learning how to give themselves totally to him.Whatever academic specialisations they may choose, he continued, the first concern of all priests must be to grow in the experience of the love of God, who is always close to us, just as he was close to the three shepherd children.Look to Mary, Pop...
(Vatican Radio) Watch out against the sin of resisting the Holy Spirit and always be open to the surprises of God. This was the exhortation of Pope Francis in his homily at Mass, Monday morning, in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta residence in the Vatican. He was commenting on the episode of the Acts of the Apostles where St. Peter confronts the first Christian community regarding being open to pagans who joined the Church. Reflecting on the Acts of the Apostles episode, the Pope stressed that Holy Spirit always moves the Church and the Christian community. God always surprises us as He is a loving God who accompanies usThe Pope said the Holy Spirit works miracles and creates new things and “obviously some feared these novelties of the Church.” “The Spirit is the gift of God, of this God, our Father who always surprises us. The God of surprises… Why? Because He is a living God, who dwells in us, a God who mov...
Acts 6: 1-7, I Pt 2: 4-9, John 14: 1-12 “My Father’s house.” When St. John Chrysostom was summoned before the Roman Emperor Arcadius and threatened with banishment, he replied, “You cannot banish me, for the world is my Father’s house.” “Then I will kill you,” exclaimed the Emperor angrily. “No, you cannot,” retorted Chrysostom, “because my life is hidden with Christ in God.” “Your treasures shall be confiscated,” the Emperor replied grimly. “Sir, you can’t do that because my treasures are in heaven as my heart is there.” “I will drive you from your people and you shall have no friends left,” threatened the Emperor. “That you cannot do either, Sir, for I have a Friend in heaven who has said, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’” I...
Indonesia’s 14 new priests were ordained this year in different parishes of the dioceses of Manado, Sibolga and Bandung, in the presence of thousands of faithful.What made these ceremonies a "rare opportunity" for local Catholics was that they occurred in parishes. Contrary to usual practice, whereby ordinations are performed in seminaries and episcopal sees, this group of deacons received their consecration among their people, including family and friends.The country has a lot of seminaries, where most ordinations take place. However, for many Catholics this can be a disadvantage due to the great distances and their limited capacity to host visitors.Therefore, ordinations are such a "rare event," a real "liturgical show" when they occur in village parishes, where everyone can participate.This is what just happened, starting in the diocese of Bandung (West Java), on April 25, for three deacons, a diocesan priest and two members of the Orde...
(Vatican Radio) The Vatican’s representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Archbishop Ivan Jurkovic addressed a consultation conference on Monday, preparing for the way for an international agreement on migration and human rights.The agreement, known as a ‘global compact’ aims to draw up a list of principles and commitments addressing all aspects of international migration.At the meeting, the Vatican envoy called for fraternity and solidarity to take precedence over political divisions and geographical borders. Focusing especially on the need to protect child migrants, he appealed for a “far-sighted and people-centered Global Compact which hinges on migrants as the active protagonists”.Please see below the full statement by H.E. Archbishop Ivan Jurkovic, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva at the First Thematic Consultation on the Global Compact for safe, orderly and regular migra...
IMAGE: CNS/Paul HaringBy Carol GlatzVATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Be readywith the spiritual weapon of faith because the biggest battle facing the SwissGuard today is fighting the devil and worldly vices, Pope Francis told theguard's members.The Swiss Guards' colorful andvaluable presence at the service of the pope and Vatican City State "is anoccasion to grow as courageous 'soldiers of Christ'" and be witnesses ofholiness to countless tourists and visitors, he said.The pope held a private audiencewith the Swiss Guard, including 40 new recruits and their family members, themorning of May 6, the day of the guard's annual swearing-in ceremony.New recruits pledge to"faithfully, loyally and honorably" serve and protect the pontiffand, if necessary, sacrifice their lives for him.The colorful induction ceremonyis held May 6 every year to mark the date in 1527 when 147 Swiss Guards losttheir lives defending Pope Clement VII in the Sack of Rome. Only 42 guardssurvived. Holding the ceremony on the ...
By Cindy WoodenVATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Two months after bishops of theMelkite Catholic Church declared they had reconciled with each other and founda way to move forward together, the Vatican announced Pope Francis had acceptedthe resignation of Melkite Patriarch Gregoire III Laham.In a letter released by the Vatican May 6, Pope Francis saidthat in February, the 84-year-old Syrian-born patriarch "spontaneouslypresented me with his renunciation of the patriarchal office, asking me todecide the most favorable moment to accept it.""After praying and reflecting attentively, I considerit opportune and necessary for the good of the Greek Melkite Church to accepthis resignation today," said the letter addressed to Patriarch Laham and all the bishops of the Melkite Church.Pope Francis thanked the patriarch for his service and,especially, for his work to keep the suffering and the needs of the people ofSyria in the public eye.Patriarch Laham had convoked a synod of the Melkitebishops in June ...
BERLIN (AP) -- German police say a gold-and-platinum tiara adorned with 367 diamonds that once belonged to a duchess has been stolen from a state museum....
BOSTON (AP) -- A man accused of killing two engaged doctors inside the penthouse of a luxury condominium building was scheduled to be arraigned Monday on two counts of murder....
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) -- Democrats desperate for fresh faces cast 37-year-old Heath Mello as a pragmatic, next-generation leader who could win in the Nebraska heartland. Yet his anti-abortion stance has become a flashpoint for the national party....
