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(Vatican Radio) Vatican Weekend for May 15, 2016 features a selection of readings and reflections relating to the Sunday gospel, a musical meditation focusing on the third Glorious Mystery of the Rosary and a timely spiritual reflection.A programme presented and produced by Veronica Scarisbrick:
(Vatican Radio) Vatican Weekend for May 14, 2016 features our report on the weekly general audience of Pope Francis with pilgrims from across the world. This is followed by echoes of the days when the Papal Palace in Castelgandolfo became a safe haven for tens of thousands of refugees escaping from the battle fronts south of Rome at the will of Pius XII and the story of Jacob brought alive by scripture scholar Archbishop Mark Benedict Coleridge. In the final segment of the programme Veronica Scarisbrick shares a brief tour of the Roman Forum she once went on with Carmelite Father Reginald Foster.A programme presented and produced by Veronica Scarisbrick:
(Vatican Radio) Today Pope Francis received in audience the Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland, Beata Szydlo, who subsequently met with Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States.In a statement, the Vatican Press Office described the talks as “cordial” and said the two “noted the positive contribution of the Catholic Church in Polish society.”Particular reference was made, it said, to the visit that the Holy Father will make to Poland in the month of July for World Youth Day. Also mentioned were recent celebrations in Gniezno and Poznan for the 1050 anniversary of the Baptism of Poland, that were attended by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, acting as Papal Legate.Later, the Pope and Prime Minister focused on themes of mutual interest, such as the promotion of the family in the current socio-cultural context and the reception of refugees. Finally, issues of concern to the internat...
(Vatican Radio) The head of the International Union of Superiors General on Friday shared details of the organisation’s meeting with Pope Francis, including his comments on women in leadership and the possibility of their being readmitted to the diaconate.Philippa Hitchen reports: Sr Carmen Sammut, the president of the UISG and superior general of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa, spoke one day after the group of some 900 leaders of women’s congregations had a closed door meeting with the Pope in the Paul VI audience hall.She said that ahead of the encounter the sisters had asked for a dialogue with the pontiff, rather than simply listening to a speech, as happened on their previous meeting three years ago. The UISG then asked for input from their sisters across the globe and received around thirty questions which they were able to put to Pope Francis.“We were quite excited by the fact that Pope Francis did not leave any question out – he ...
(Vatican Radio) The Director of the Holy See’s Press office, Father Federico Lombardi, said Pope Francis did not say in his remarks to the Heads of female religious orders and congregations that he intends to introduce the ordination of women and even less the ordination of women as priests. Father Lombardi’s statement followed the Pope’s widely-reported remarks that he wants to set up a Commission to study the question of female deacons. Pope Francis’ remarks on deaconesses came during a question and answer session on Thursday with some 900 heads of female religious orders and congregations who form part of the International Union of Superiors General. During the hour and a half long conversation about the mission and ministry of women in religious life, the Pope responded to several delicate questions, including one where he was asked what prevents the Church from including women among the permanent deacons, just like during the early Church. In his ...
India has four of the 10 cities in the world with the worst air pollution, the World Health Organization said on Thursday. But while WHO experts acknowledge India faces a "huge challenge", many countries are so bad that they have no monitoring system and cannot be included in its ranking. The dirtiest air was recorded at Zabol in Iran, which suffers from months of dust storms in the summer, and which clocked a so-called PM2.5 measure of 217. The next pair were Indian - Gwalior, Allahabad, followed by Riyadh and Al Jubail in Saudi Arabia, then two more Indian cities, Patna and Raipur. India's capital New Delhi was the survey's 11th worst city, measured by the amount of particulate matter under 2.5 micrograms found in every cubic metre of air. Delhi had an annual average PM2.5 measurement of 122.Tiny particulate matter can cause lung cancer, strokes and heart disease over the long term, as well as trigger symptoms suc...
(Vatican Radio) Two canonization ceremonies, including that of Mother Teresa of Kolkata and two foreing visits are among the highlights of the schedule of Pope Francis in the coming months. The Office for the Liturgical Celebration of the Surpreme Pointiff on Friday released the Pope’s June- 4 September schedule. On June 5, the Pope will declare as saints, Polish priest Fr. Stanislaus of Jesus-Mary and Swedish nun Sr. Maria Elizabeth Hesselblad, and on Sept. 4 he will canonize Mother Teresa. Both ceremonies will be held in Rome’s St. Peter’s Square. The Pope has two foreign trips. He will visit Armenia, June 24-26, and Poland, July 27-31, for the 31 World Youth Day in Krakow. In June he has two Year of Mercy Jubilee celebrations - that of priests on the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, June 3, and that of the sick and persons with disabilities on June 12. On June 29, the feast of Sts Peter and Pa...
Vatican City, May 12, 2016 / 10:18 am (CNA/EWTN News).- On Thursday Pope Francis said he would be open to the idea of forming a commission to study the historical context of the female deaconate, as well as the possibility of women serving as deacons today.He spoke to some 800 members of the International Union of Superiors General (UISG), who are meeting in Rome May 9-13 for their Plenary Assembly, which focuses largely on the role of women in the Church, and obstacles hindering it.According to Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano, during their May 12 audience with the Pope, Francis, in addition to other topics, spoke about the role of women, both consecrated and lay, which is “still weak both in decision-making processes in the Church” and in preaching.He briefly touched on the temptations of both feminism and clericalism, as well as the question of the presence of women in the permanent diaconate of the Church, saying it would be “useful to establish a c...
Vatican City, May 13, 2016 / 04:55 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Yesterday Pope Francis raised eyebrows around the world after declaring his openness to establishing a commission to study the female diaconate, but a careful look at his full response is less of a shocker, and points to nothing new.In fact, in addition to giving a brief summary of a deaconesses duties in the ancient Church, the Pope suggested that in modern times, nuns perhaps already fill the role.“(The question) touches the problem of the permanent diaconate. One could say that the 'permanent deaconesses' in the life of the Church are the sisters,” he said May 12, with a laugh."What were these deaconesses? Were they ordained or no?” he asked, and noted that the Council of Chalcedon in 451 spoke about the topic, but was “a bit obscure.” It is because of this obscurity the Pope said he wanted to form a commission to study the topic.Francis’ comments came in response to a questio...
IMAGE: CNS photo/Larry Burgess, University of DaytonBy Carol ZimmermannWASHINGTON(CNS) -- Dominic Sanfilippo, one of 12 students who graduated with a degree in human rights May 8 at the Universityof Dayton in Ohio, said he has grown accustomed to explaining his major to peopleover the years.He's often been asked: "Whatdo you plan to do with that?" Or he has picked up the unspoken questionfrom "the uncle who says, 'Oh that's nice'" when Sanfilippo says whathe's studying.He understands the reaction, pointingout: "Business majors do business and engineering majors doengineering." But even if there are not specific human rights jobsavailable, he said the degree equips graduates to navigate careers they choose wherethey can apply learned skills of critical thinking, compassion and advocacy.Sanfilippo, who spoke toCatholic News Service May 3, less than a week before graduation, said when hewas looking at colleges four years ago, Dayton's human rights program appealedto him. The new gradu...
