At Mass on 21 November in St. Martha’s House, the Pope spoke out strongly against priests, lay people and secretaries who serve in the Church acting like businessmen. “The people of God cannot forgive this. “Price lists for baptism, blessings, Mass intentions need to go. “Churches must never become businesses. “Ever. “God’s redemption is free. “Always”. Pope Francis Read more
Posts Tagged ‘Pope Francis’
Pope launches stinging attack on ‘parish businessmen’; secretaries, laity, and priests
Tuesday, November 25th, 2014Pope embraces children with autism
Tuesday, November 25th, 2014Pope Francis tenderly embraced children with autism spectrum disorders, some of whom avoided meeting his gaze, during an audience Saturday aimed at offering solidarity to people living with the condition. The pope urged governments and institutions to respond to the needs of people with autism to help break “the isolation and, in many cases also Read more
Turkish pope-shooter wants to meet Pope Francis
Friday, November 21st, 2014
The man who tried to assassinate John Paul II wants to meet Pope Francis during the Holy Father’s November 28-30 visit to Turkey. “I had met with a pope before. It is quite normal to meet with him (Pope Francis) as well,” said gunman Mehmet Ali Agca in a written statement. In mentioning his first papal meeting Agca Read more
Take Synod ‘hot-button’ issues off table urges Cardinal Burke
Friday, November 21st, 2014
The cardinal patron of the Knights of Malta, Cardinal Raymond Burke, is urging Pope Francis to take the “hot-button” issues off the table at the 2015 Synod on the family. The former Cardinal Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura made the comments while addressing more than 300 delegates at a family and marriage conference Read more
Papal raffle: All proceeds to the poor
Friday, November 21st, 2014Want a white Panama hat owned by the pope? Now is your chance. Pope Francis is raffling off the Homero Ortega brand hat, a new four-wheel-drive Fiat Panda, bicycles, an espresso coffee machine, watches and other objects he has received as gifts to raise money for the poor. A poster recently went up around the Read more
It’s official: Pope Francis to visit the US
Friday, November 21st, 2014Pope Francis is to make his first trip to the United States as the head of the Catholic Church in September, the Vatican said Tuesday, NZ time. He will travel to the World Meeting of the Families, said Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi. The Catholic public event, which celebrates the family as the basic Read more
Pope plans major interfaith summit on climate change
Tuesday, November 18th, 2014
Pope Francis is to convene a meeting of faith leaders to address climate change issues ahead of two international summits next year. An encyclical on the environment, which will also address climate change, is expected from Francis next year. Bishop Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo, chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, said the encyclical would be Read more
Pope condemns right to die, anti-life ethos
Tuesday, November 18th, 2014
Pope Francis denounced the right to die movement on Saturday, saying that euthanasia is a sin against God and creation. The Latin American pontiff said it was a “false sense of compassion” to consider euthanasia as an act of dignity. He classified as equally false the belief that abortion helps women. Rather, the image of Read more
Pope invites punk rocker Patti Smith to sing at Xmas concert
Tuesday, November 18th, 2014Pope Francis has invited the performer dubbed the “godmother of punk” to sing at the Vatican’s Christmas concert next month. Patti Smith will be one of 18 artists performing at Rome’s Auditorium Conciliazione on December 13. Also singing at the concert will be Italy’s singing nun Sr Cristina Scuccia. The Pope met Ms Smith in Read more
Chicago cardinal puzzled as to what Pope Francis wants
Friday, November 14th, 2014
The outgoing Archbishop of Chicago says he has sometimes been puzzled as to what Pope Francis’ intentions are in the wake of some papal statements. According to a New York Times report, Cardinal Francis George stated that Francis has “said some wonderful things”. But Cardinal George added: “But he doesn’t put them together all the Read more