Pope Francis: 'Every vocation is animated by hope'
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Catholics attend the Mass and episcopal ordination of two new bishops in St. Peter's Basilica Oct. 17, 2021. / Credit: Daniel Ibanez/EWTN/Vatican PoolCNA Newsroom, Mar 19, 2025 / 09:25 am (CNA).Writing from Gemelli Hospital, Pope Francis emphasized the role of hope in vocational discernment in his message for the 62nd World Day of Prayer for Vocations released by the Vatican on Wednesday."Vocation is a precious gift that God sows in hearts, a call to step outside oneself to undertake a journey of love and service," wrote Francis in his address on March 19.The hospitalized pope described how vocations develop through "trust in providence" and said Christian hope goes beyond optimism to become "a certainty rooted in faith in God, who works in the history of every person."Francis called on Church leaders to support younger generations in their vocational journeys while encouraging young people to work with "the Holy Spirit" in discovering their life's purpose.The pope pointed...
Catholics attend the Mass and episcopal ordination of two new bishops in St. Peter's Basilica Oct. 17, 2021. / Credit: Daniel Ibanez/EWTN/Vatican Pool
CNA Newsroom, Mar 19, 2025 / 09:25 am (CNA).
Writing from Gemelli Hospital, Pope Francis emphasized the role of hope in vocational discernment in his message for the 62nd World Day of Prayer for Vocations released by the Vatican on Wednesday.
"Vocation is a precious gift that God sows in hearts, a call to step outside oneself to undertake a journey of love and service," wrote Francis in his address on March 19.
The hospitalized pope described how vocations develop through "trust in providence" and said Christian hope goes beyond optimism to become "a certainty rooted in faith in God, who works in the history of every person."
Francis called on Church leaders to support younger generations in their vocational journeys while encouraging young people to work with "the Holy Spirit" in discovering their life's purpose.
The pope pointed to young saints as examples of those who found "complete happiness in relationship with the living Christ" through their vocations.
On the solemnity of St. Joseph, Francis explained that vocational paths develop through "daily fidelity to the Gospel, prayer, discernment, and service" and concluded by urging Church communities to foster vocational awareness across various aspects of life.
"The Church is alive and fruitful when it generates new vocations," he added.
"Our world looks, often unknowingly, for witnesses of hope who proclaim with their lives that following Christ is a source of true joy. Let us never tire, then, of asking the Lord for new laborers for his harvest, certain that with great love he continues to call them."
In closing, the pope entrusted efforts of the young faithful "to follow the Lord to the intercession of Mary, mother of the Church and mother of vocations. Keep walking as pilgrims of hope on the path of the Gospel! I accompany you with my blessing and I ask you, please, to pray for me."
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Cardinal Baltazar Enrique Porras. / Daniel Ibanez/CNACaracas, Venezuela, Dec 10, 2025 / 16:45 pm (CNA).On Dec. 10 Venezuelan immigration police confiscated and invalidated the passport of Cardinal Baltazar Porras, the archbishop emeritus of Caracas, as he was preparing to travel to Bogotá, Colombia, from Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía.According to the Grand Priory of the Military and Hospitaller Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem in Venezuela, on Wednesday morning the cardinal "was subjected to humiliating treatment" by airport authorities under the government of Nicolas Maduro.From Bogotá, Porras was scheduled to take a flight to Madrid and then travel to Toledo, where he was going to participate in the solemn ceremony that would invest him as Spiritual Protector of the Order of St. Lazarus in Venezuela. Accompanying the cardinal were Grand Prior José Antonio Rodríguez and his wife, who were allowed to board the plane."Immigration police officers unjustly deta...
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null / Credit: Rohane Hamilton/ShutterstockWashington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 10, 2025 / 18:00 pm (CNA).The House passed a defense authorization bill Dec. 10 without a provision to allow health care coverage of in vitro fertilization for active-duty military. Pro-life groups cheered the provision's removal from the bill. The original bill would have required Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to "ensure that fertility-related care for a member of the uniformed services on active duty (or a dependent of such a member) shall be covered under TRICARE Prime and TRICARE Select." Tricare does not cover IVF.The House passed the bill (S. 1071) by a vote of 312-112, and Senate consideration is next.Like last year, the IVF provision was eliminated from the defense authorization bill shortly before its consideration. President Donald Trump had made a campaign promise to make IVF free.A spokesperson for House Speaker Mike Johnson told CNA in a statement that "President Trump and Congressional...
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Notre Dame College in Mymensingh district, Bangladesh / Credit: Stephan Uttom RozarioDhaka, Bangladesh, Dec 10, 2025 / 12:00 pm (CNA).The president of the Bangladesh Catholic Bishops' Conference, Archbishop Bejoy D'Cruze of Dhaka, has expressed concern after threats against two prominent Catholic colleges posed "a grave concern for the Catholic Church," particularly ahead of Christmas and elections scheduled for February in a Dec. 3 statement.On Dec. 2, a letter written in Bengali under the name Tawhidee Muslim Janata ("faithful Muslim people") was sent to two of Bangladesh's most prestigious colleges: Notre Dame College, run by the Holy Cross Fathers, and Holy Cross College, run by the Holy Cross Sisters.The letter thanked the Catholic Church for its role in education but said that the Church is now trying to convert not only indigenous groups and Muslims to Christianity by offering various incentives."In a country where 90% of Muslims live, you are trying to convert people by...
