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(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Friday told bishops that division, gossip and money are weapons in the hands of the devil.Speaking to a group of recently appointed bishops of mission countries at the end of a formation course organized by the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, the Pope said each bishop is called to give testimony of God’s love, care and mercy with their own lives and example.Listen to the report by Linda Bordoni: Pointing out that bishops of mission countries come from places that are “different and distant”, each of you – Pope Francis said – has “the great privilege and responsibility of being on the front lines of evangelization”.Inviting them never to forget that one of their foremost duties is to respond immediately to the requests and needs of their priests, the Pope warned them against the evils that can wreak damage and destroy their mission to evangelize.He reminded them that a missionary bishop’...
(Vatican Radio) As the United States marks the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See, Kenneth Hackett, recalls his own reactions and emotions on that fateful day and discusses whether enough has been done to engage a public debate about the causes of the attacks and how to address them. He was interviewed by Tracey McClure.Listen to the interview with the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, Kenneth Hackett: Ambassador Hackett was working as the head of Catholic Relief Services in the U.S. city of Baltimore when news broke of the first plane crashing into New York's Twin Towers and as he put it, “things kept getting worse throughout the day” with each new attack. Recalling his own emotions, he spoke of how “shocking” it all was, that “sense of helplessness” and just “the enormity of it.” On the practical level, Hackett said his first reaction was to check on the safety of all ...
(Vatican Radio) As Iraqi government forces step up military efforts to take back towns in the north and west of the country held by so-called Islamic State fighters, doctors in the city of Erbil struggle to provide vital support to displaced families fleeing from the conflict.The Humanitarian “Nineveh Relief” Organization is an independent, non-governmental organisation founded in November 2015 to provide medical services to all displaced people in the Kurdistan region, regardless of their religion and ethnicity.Wissam Elias is one of the doctors working for the organisation which Pope Francis has also supported in a personal way by helping provide transport for medical supplies to Iraq.Listen to Philippa HItchen’s interview with Dr Elias….. HNRO runs two primary health care units providing different services, such as pediatric care, dental and ophthalmic services, medical tests and medicines for the internally displaced people. While other NGOs in t...
IMAGE: CNS/Stefano SpazianiBy Cindy WoodenVATICAN CITY (CNS) -- As he prays in his house in theVatican Gardens and, especially, as he ages, retired Pope Benedict XVI said hefinds many Scripture passages "more challenging in their greatness andgravity."Retirement has given the 89-year-old Pope Benedict what hedescribes as the gift of silence to enter more deeply into prayer, especiallywith the Psalms and the writings of early church theologians, but theinevitable approach of death also makes his failings and God's judgment a morepressing concern, he said."Despite all the confidence I have that the loving Godcannot forsake me, the closer you come to his face, the more intensely you feelhow much you have done wrong," the retired pope told Peter Seewald, aGerman writer.Pope Benedict's reflections on his life and his discussionof how his prayer life has changed as he ages are included in Seewald's newbook-length interview, "Last Testament," which will be released inEnglish by Bloomsbury...
NEW YORK (AP) -- Geraldo Rivera says he's "filled with regret" for initially discounting the sexual harassment allegations against his former Fox News Channel boss, Roger Ailes, and is apologizing for his skepticism....
PARIS (AP) -- Paris prosecutor Francois Molins says a cell of young women radicalized by the Islamic State group were behind a failed attack near Notre Dame Cathedral and were guided by commanders in Syria....
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) -- Norway's prime minister on Friday challenged Facebook's restrictions on nude photos by posting an iconic 1972 image of a naked, screaming girl running from a napalm attack in Vietnam. Facebook quickly deleted it....
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) -- Republicans control all of Arkansas' statewide offices, hold a majority in both chambers of the Legislature and are nearly assured of winning the state's six electoral votes in the presidential election....
GENEVA (AP) -- American officials played down hopes Friday of an imminent cease-fire agreement for Syria as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry held a fourth set of negotiations with his Russian counterpart in the past two weeks. Previously, officials suggested Kerry wouldn't travel to Geneva unless a deal was clearly at hand....
(Vatican Radio) More than 15 million pilgrims have crossed the threshold of the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica during the first nine months of the Jubilee Year of Mercy.Those numbers were released on Wednesday by the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization.Fr. Eugene Sylva of the Pontifical Council spoke to Vatican Radio’s Alessandro Gisotti about the experience of millions of pilgrims in the Year of Mercy.Listen to the full interview: Commenting on the influx of pilgrims into Rome, Fr. Sylva said their number in the months of July and August 'was wonderfully surprising', since most tourists avoid the city during the scorching heat of summer. "This is just proof of how mercy is touching the hearts of so many around the world and inspiring people to come and go through the Holy Door to receive the grace of this incredible time and to be in the presence of Pope Francis, which is so important as well."Reminder that Ch...
