Church – Francis – Movements Category

FRANCIS IN ROME – CHRISTMAS IN THE HOLY YEAR OF MERCY• “Where God is born, peace is born. And where peace is born, there is no longer room for hatred and for war.” Merry Christmas to Rome and the whole world. As is tradition, Pope Francis gave his “Urbi et Orbi” blessing from the main balcony of the gallery above St. Peter’s Basilica to several thousand Catholics. In the Year of Mercy, Pope Francis called for peace among the Israelis and Palestinians, condemned “brutal acts of terrorism” by the IslamicRead More
FRANCIS IN ROME – CHRISTMAS IN THE HOLY YEAR OF MERCY • “Like the shepherds of Bethlehem, may we too, with eyes full of amazement and wonder, gaze upon the Child Jesus, the Son of God. And in his presence may our hearts burst forth in prayer: Show us, Lord, your mercy, and grant us your salvation,” Pope Francis wished the faithful who joined him for 2015 Midnight Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica. Francis called on the faithful to allow themselves to be embraced by the Christ Child and toRead More
FRANCIS IN ROME • “All of us are called to immerse ourselves in this ocean, to let ourselves be reborn, to overcome the indifference which blocks solidarity, and to leave behind the false neutrality which prevents sharing,” said Pope Francis as he presided at the Mass on 1 January on the feast of Mary, Mother of God and the 49th World Day of Peace in St. Peter’s Basilica. Then and before praying the Angelus, the pontiff invited the pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square to open their hearts, awakening careRead More
FRANCIS IN ROME, HOLY YEAR OF MERCY • “Don’t you have another question?” He also noticed that the goodbye was near and perhaps he wanted to give me the joy of enjoying this meeting to the last moment, because we knew that it would not happen again for some time. I went to interview him, but in the end it was he who gently took care that I could ask all of my questions…Trying to be creative for my last question, I told him somewhat abruptly: “Yes, Your Holiness. ThereRead More
FRANCIS IN ROME • In the first Angelus of 2016, the Pope extended an invitation to open “the doors of our heart to Christ” and warned against the “evil that lies in wait at our door and our hearts to enter.” In order to prevent it from entering, Francis invited the faithful to always carry a Gospel in their pockets and to read “a passage every day.” Complete text of the Angelus on 3 January 2016 Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday! The liturgy of today, the second Sunday afterRead More
PARAGUAY, by María Fischer • “The private initiative of a member of our Family, in the context of the Jubilee Year – to build in the heart of Paraguay the basic infrastructures for homes which can continue being built by their beneficiaries – led us to the decision that the gift we can give to His Holiness through Covenant solidarity and with the support of friends and acquaintances, is to give 100 basic homes to 100 families who live in extreme poverty. They will be the living remembrance of ourRead More
ROME, ITALY, via sac.info, Casa Generalizia della Società dell’Apostolato Cattolico • Every Wednesday, the Pallottine Family in Rome gathers around the altar of St. Vincent Pallotti to pray together. 2nd December 2015 was a special day because, together with the priests, brothers, sisters and lay members of the UAC, were present also the Superior General of the Schoenstatt Fathers, Fr. Juan Pablo Catoggio and all the other members of his General Administration, elected on 22 August 2015. The Holy Mass was presided over by Fr. Martin Manus, General Consultor. InRead More
FRANCIS IN AFRICA, by Maria Fischer • The news about the three deaths in a Bangui parish was mentioned to the Pope. He asked: “Can I go?” Bishop Juan José Aguirre of Bangassou related, “This morning with all the joy occurring in Bangui, with all the overwhelming joy present… yet, just a kilometer and a half from the place where the Pope had lunch with the bishops, three people were killed in the Fatima neighborhood.” “I was with the Pope, and I told him: Your Holiness, this morning three peopleRead More
POPE FRANCIS IN AFRICA, by Sarah-Leah Pimentel • On the last night of Pope Francis’ visit to Africa, he gathered with young people in the Central African Republic (CAR). The cathedral in Bangui became a holy place of mercy. Here, in this forgotten corner of Africa, in a country torn by seemingly endless cycles of conflict and death, Pope Francis opened the door of the cathedral that will be the Holy Door through which everyone is invited to enter in the Year of Mercy. Perhaps it will also be theRead More
POPE FRANCIS IN AFRICA, by Sarah-Leah Pimentel • After meeting the leaders of the Central African Republic (CAR), Pope Francis visited a refugee camp, administered the sacrament of reconciliation to a gathering of young people and celebrated two masses. Thousands came to see Francis despite a security lockdown Despite the fears of security, people turned out in large numbers to meet with Pope Francis. Journal de Bangui described the atmosphere as follows: “Despite the security threats and the fear that is now a part of their daily lives, the CentralRead More