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(Vatican Radio) Young pilgrims from around the world have been gathering since early on Saturday at an outdoor venue in Krakow called the Campus Misericordiae, or Field of Mercy, for an evening prayer vigil. The event marks the penultimate celebration that Pope Francis is leading for the 31st World Youth Day, culminating in a Sunday morning concluding Mass.The venue contains two new charitable centres, a day care for the elderly and a storage building for food parcels donated by local parishes for those most in need. Both buildings will be blessed during the Mass and were constructed as a permanent reminder of the theme for this year’s World Youth Day: ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy’.Our correspondent in Krakow, Lydia O’Kane caught up with some of the pilgrims waiting to take part in the evening prayer vigil. As loudspeakers directed the crowds to their designated areas, Lydia spoke to Greg, a Londoner attending his fifth world youth...
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis visited the Church of St. Francis in Krakow on Saturday to venerate the relics housed there of two Polish Franciscan martyrs, Zbigniew Strzalkowski and Michal Tomaszek. They were killed by the Sendero Luminoso guerrillas in Peru in 1991 and were beatified in 2015, together with the Italian priest Don Alessandro Dordi from the diocese of Bergamo. Several relatives of the martyrs were present together with the Superior General of the Franciscans and the Superior of the Franciscan House in Peru where the two martyrs lived.During his visit to the church, Pope Francis said the following prayer (in Italian). Please find below a translation into English of the Pope’s prayer: “Prayer for peace and protection from violence and from terrorism”O almighty and merciful God, Lord of the universe and of history. All that You have created is good and your compassion for the mistakes of mankind knows no limits.We come to You tod...
(Vatican Radio) Vatican Weekend for July 30, 2016 features the first days of Pope Francis’ Apostolic Journey to Poland where he has travelled both to be with the people there, and to participate in the 31st World Youth Day. It also has a focus on the significance of World Youth Day and of how it brings millions of young people together in faith and in hope. And finally, an indepth interview with the Director of the Auschwitz Memorial and Museum is also a reflection on how this ‘terrible’ but very important place is highly significant in a world marked by so mucyh conflict and crises.Listen to this programme presented and produced by Linda Bordoni:
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis paid a previously unannounced visit to the Jesuit House in Krakow on Saturday and urged them to look outwards and not just be concerned with abstract ideas. The Pope spent about 40 minutes with the Jesuits in an informal encounter where they chatted and he answered a number of question but said he had no desire to make a speech. Around 30 Jesuits were present for the encounter including the Provincials. The visit was not included in the Pope’s official programme during his stay in Krakow. However, Father Antonio Spadaro, Director of the Jesuit magazine Civilita Cattolica who was present for the meeting, said such visits have become almost a regular habit during the Pope’s pastoral journeys abroad.Father Spadaro described the encounter as very cheerful, relaxed and informal. Asked about the Jesuits’ work with the world of culture especially at universities, Pope Francis said their work in this field “must be out...
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis will be leaving a powerful legacy of faith and hope in the people of Poland and in the millions of young people gathered in Krakow for World Youth Day.Apart from his prayers, his encouragement and his closeness, his words of hope and his tears of sorrow, he will also be leaving two houses for the poor and the elderly in need.Through the work and intervention of Caritas Poland and Caritas Internationalis, headed by Cardinal Luis Tagle, two solid Centers made of bricks and cement are a concrete witness of solidarity for the poor on the part of the Pope who is scheduled to bless them on Sunday morning before their inauguration.Lydia O’Kane caught up with Cardinal Tagle in Krakow and asked him to tell her about the two houses, one for the poor and the other for the elderly…Listen: Cardinal Luis Tagle says that a gesture such this is a mark of papal visits such as when he went to the Philippines last year when – aside from the gift ...
(Vatican Radio) From early on Saturday morning, World Youth Day pilgrims caught trams and buses from central Krakow to bring them as close as possible to the Campus Misericordiae. From there, they walked a further four kilometres to get to these grounds in order to be with the Holy Father at this ever popular vigil. Some of them carried mats to lie on for the long evening ahead, while others made sure they had food supplies to the ready. Under the searing heat of the sun pilgrims protected themselves with hats and sunglasses. There were also sprinkler systems dousing the young people with water and the voice of a loud speaker advised the mass of youth to take advantage of the zones for bottled water.Once inside, the many thousands of young people in the camp joyously waved flags and sang songs, and when the Pope arrived, this field of pilgrims erupted with cheers.One of the highlights of this vigil was when the Holy Father walked hand in hand with young representatives from 5 cont...
Krakow, Poland, Jul 30, 2016 / 12:30 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis challenged massive crowds of young people at World Youth Day's final vigil to step away from the “sofa” of comfort and convenience, and respond to Christ's call to transform a suffering world.“Today Jesus, who is the way, the truth and the life, is calling you to leave your mark on history,” the Pope told the estimated 1.6 million people attending Saturday's vigil at the “Campus Misericordiae” – or “Field of Mercy.”In his address, the pontiff warned against opting “for ease and convenience, for confusing happiness with consumption,” because then “we end up paying a high price indeed: we lose our freedom.”“Jesus,” however, “is the Lord of risk, of the eternal 'more',” he said. “Following Jesus demands a good dose of courage, a readiness to trade in the sofa for a pair of walking shoes and...
Krakow, Poland, Jul 30, 2016 / 04:02 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Many things happen during World Youth Day. Young people from all over the world travel to meet the Pope, they meet peers with whom they can share their faith, many have personal conversions and many even discover their vocations.In fact, one of the things WYD is most known for, aside from the mass numbers it attracts, is the emphasis it places on vocations.Not only are thousands of priests and religious present for the event, but there is even a vocations center aimed at giving exposure to religious life, and helping teens and young adults who might be thinking about a religious vocation to answer any questions they might have.While she didn’t discover her vocation at WYD, Ana, a young postulant with the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, has met several thousand youth in Krakow this week who have come for the July 26-31 event.Since her order is the one to which Sr. Maria Faustina Kowalska’s belonged, the majority...
IMAGE: CNS/Paul HaringBy Junno Arocho EstevesKRAKOW, Poland (CNS) -- PopeFrancis told young people they are not called to be couch potatoes, living boringlives, but should leave their mark in history and not let others determinetheir future.Like a soccer match, life "onlytakes players on the first string and has no room for benchwarmers," thepope young people at the World Youth Day prayer vigil July 30. "Today'sworld demands that you be a protagonist of history, because life is alwaysbeautiful when we choose to live it fully, when we choose to leave a mark."Organizers said up to 1.6million youths from around the world -- many of whom walked more than fourmiles to the Field of Mercy -- attended the prayer vigil with the pope.Arriving in his popemobile, PopeFrancis waved at the throngs of young people who stretched out their hands. Stoppingat a wooden Door of Mercy inscribed with the words "Jesus, I trust in you"in five languages, he was greeted by several young men and women. Hand-i...
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump says he doesn't like going up against NFL games when he debates Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton this fall and that the football league complained to him about the debate schedule in a letter....
