Pope Francis has invited a group of 200 homeless individuals to dinner at the Vatican, where they were served in his name by Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello. Cardinal Bertello, president of the governatorate of Vatican City, spent the entire evening with the guests, with whom he chatted at length and shared personal experiences. “I welcome you in the Read more
Posts Tagged ‘Pope Francis’
Faith is ‘no refuge for the fainthearted’, says Pope
Tuesday, July 9th, 2013
“Faith is no refuge for the fainthearted, but something which enhances our lives,” says Pope Francis in his first encyclical, Lumen Fidei (The Light of Faith). “It makes us aware of a magnificent calling, the vocation of love,” he says. “It assures us that this love is trustworthy and worth embracing, for it is based Read more
Useful information about Pope Francis’ first encyclical
Tuesday, July 9th, 2013
Pope Francis has just released his first encyclical, Lumen Fidei, or “the light of faith.” The first encyclical of a pope is always closely watched, because it frequently signals the way in which he intends to govern the Church. This new encyclical is even more intriguing because much of it was actually written by former Read more
World Youth Day faces shortfall in funding
Tuesday, July 9th, 2013A shortfall in registrations for World Youth Day in Brazil this month has led organisers to ask government officials for an extra $NZ50 million to cover costs. Recent mass protests across Brazil — against the lack of investment in public services compared with the 2014 World Cup, the 2016 Olympics and the WYD — may Read more
Pope: Christian life is a whole, not a collection of bits
Tuesday, July 9th, 2013Christian life is not a “collage of things”, like attending Mass, Pope Francis has said. “It is a harmonious whole, harmonious, and the Holy Spirit does it!” he explained. “He renews all things: he renews our heart, our life, and makes us live differently, but in a way that takes up the whole of our Read more
Pope to visit Lampedusa refugee destination
Friday, July 5th, 2013
“Deeply touched” by the recent sinking of a boat carrying migrants from Africa, Pope Francis will visit the Italian island of Lampedusa — a frequent destination for refugees — on July 8. Officially part of Sicilian territory, the isolated island of 5000 inhabitants is less than 115 kilometres from the coast of Tunisia, making it Read more
Pope Francis, rebel in the Vatican
Friday, July 5th, 2013
It was just another weekend at the office for Pope Francis, more of the series of actions, words and gestures that have kept him a fixture in the international media since his March 13 election. On June 15 he took a major step toward reforming the scandal-wracked Vatican bank by appointing his own man, Msg. Read more
The Catholic Church – Jewish soul, Greek mind, Roman body
Friday, July 5th, 2013
Pope Francis has appointed eight cardinals to assist him in reorganizing the Vatican’s administration. One of them is the archbishop of Sydney, Australia, George Pell. Many think he was chosen simply because he is the only cardinal in Oceania and it appears that the pope wanted one from each continental region. When asked in an Read more
Four-handed encyclical will deal with faith
Friday, July 5th, 2013Pope Francis is about to publish his first encyclical, called Lumen Fidei (Light of Faith), which he has said is largely the work of his predecessor, Benedict XVI. “It’s an encyclical written with four hands, so to speak, because Pope Benedict began writing it and he gave it to me,” Pope Francis said. “It’s a Read more
Pope Francis meets South Park
Tuesday, July 2nd, 2013A group of young Catholics have posted a cartoon called “Meet Pope Francis”. They say that their idea is to help Catholics and non-Catholics alike get to know the life and story of Pope Francis. They say that while it is true that the Holy Father represents all Catholics, “he is still only one man Read more