Like
Tweet
Forward
Pope’s Morning Homily: Don’t Lose Memory of Gifts God Gave You by Deborah Castellano Lubov
Remember the blessings God has given you.
According to Vatican Radio, Pope Francis urged faithful to do this during his daily morning Mass at Casa Santa Marta, drawing from today’s Gospel from St. Mark, in which Jesus addresses the Priests, Scribes and Pharisees with the parable of the murderous tenant-farmers.
In the reading, the tenants revolt against the landowner who planted a well-organized vineyard and entrusted them with its care. They insult, beat and kill, first, the servants that the master sent to reclaim the land and collect his due, and then, at the drama’s climax, murder the owner’s only son, believing– incorrectly–that such an act could earn them a right to inherit the owner’s substance.
The Pope used this passage to reflected on the threefold theme of the dynamic unity in Christian life, the signs of which are memory, prophecy, and hope.
Stressing that those who killed in today’s reading were without these three elements, the Pope lamented that the leaders of the people, in particular, were interested in erecting a wall of laws, a “closed juridical system,” and nothing else.
“Memory is no concern…This is the system through which they legitimate: the lawyers, theologians who always go the way of casuistry and do not allow the freedom of the Holy Spirit; they do not recognize God’s gift, the gift of the Spirit; and they cage the Spirit, because they do not allow prophecy in hope.”
The Pontiff pointed out how Jesus criticized this religious system, which was marked by corruption, worldliness and concupiscence.
Jesus, Pope Francis acknowledged, “was Himself tempted to lose the memory of His own mission, to not give way to prophecy and to prefer security instead of hope,” i.e. the essence of the three temptations suffered in the desert.
Given Jesus knew temptation Himself, He reproached these people, the Pope explained, telling them: ‘You traverse half the world to have one proselyte, and when you find him, you make him a slave.’
“These people thus organized, this Church so organized, makes slaves – and so it is understandable how Paul reacts when he speaks of slavery to the law and of the liberty that grace gives: people are free, a Church is free, when it has memory, when it makes room for prophets, when it does not lose hope,” the Pope said.
The well-organized vineyard, the Pope explained, is in fact “the image of the People of God, the image of the Church and also the image of our soul,” for which the Father always cares “with much love and tenderness.”
In rebelling, the people lose memory of the gift they’ve received from God, the Argentine Pope said.
Urging faithful to remember their roots and blessings, the Pope asked, “Do I have the memory of the wonders that the Lord has wrought in my life? Can I remember the gifts of the Lord?
“Am I able to open my heart to the prophets, i.e. to him, who says to me, ‘this isn’t working, you have to go beyond: go ahead, take a risk’?” He noted that this is what prophets do. am I open to that, or am I afraid, and do I prefer to close myself within the cage of the law?
“Finally: do I have hope in God’s promises, such as had our father Abraham, who left his home without knowing where he was going, only because he hoped in God?”
Pope Francis concluded, urging those present to repeatedly ask themselves these three questions.
INTERVIEW: Archbishop Diarmuid Martin: ‘Value Family Again,’ ‘Have Courage’ by Deborah Castellano Lubov
In the face of a changing culture, families must be valued again as an institution and mustn’t lose courage.
In an exclusive interview with ZENIT, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin, Ireland, stressed this. The vice-president of the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference spoke with us following a Vatican press conferenceTuesday to present the World Meeting of Families. The meeting will be held August 22-26, 2018, in Dublin on the theme “The Gospel of the Family, Joy for the World.”
In this interview, he also discusses how families facing persecution have been considered, how the meeting in Philadelphia, Sept 2015, has impacted the upcoming one’s planning, and what he hopes it brings to his nation’s families.
Moreover, the Irish prelate discusses why Pope Francis has ‘revolutionized’ the concept of the synod, and how its fruits require the Church’s continued cooperation.
****
ZENIT: Archbishop Martin, how has Pope Francis supported the family and why is this World Meeting of Families so important?
Archbishop Diarmuid Martin: The day belongs within a process which has been initiated by Pope Francis, almost since the beginning of his pontificate, its first days. He chose the theme of the family for the synod. He revolutionized the concept of the synod, including also, consultation of families and this process has to go on. It’s a process of accompanying families, in their challenges and difficulties, including in the economic and cultural difficulties in which they live. And it’s a process of encouraging families. Families–or at least the vast majority of families–do their very best in a cultural or economic climate which is not always very positive. We need to support them, give them encouragement, and also work toward the legislation and economic policy which enables them to carry on the things they want to do.
Most families are very pleased when their child does better than they did and they take great pride in their child doing well. When we talk about the families in the Church, it isn’t just that families should be involved in structures, but that they witness to the love of Jesus Christ, the tender love of God, especially through their own love of their spouses or their children. Maybe in the Church, we have not underlined this as much as we could have.
ZENIT: The families experiencing persecution at this time, how are they being considered?
Archbishop Diarmuid Martin: One needs to, in an international context, raise this question. Very often these families give extraordinary witness in just simply being Christians, in an area where they’ve become second class citizens.
ZENIT: Has the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia this past September played a role in the planning?
Archbishop Diarmuid Martin: Well, I was there. I watched. I think that one of the problems that occurred in Philadelphia was that the level of security was extraordinarily high, and we hope, that in Ireland, we won’t have the threats which raised the level of security … A lot of people just want to see the Pope and many couldn’t due to the incredibly heightened security. But otherwise, it was an extremely well-organized event and we will learn from the experience.
ZENIT: What do you hope Irish families take away from this meeting? What do they need?
Archbishop Diarmuid Martin: I hope that they begin to value the family as an institution again and not to lose courage in the face of a changing culture. I hope that they are able to explain to their children what the fundamental values of family are about: Why should people be faithful? What are the benefits that come from this? And families do experience this.
I gave an example when I spoke at the synod of when I worked in an institute in central London for ex-prisoners. And we had in front of one of the largest prisons in London, a small shop which was to be knocked down, demolished. And I remember we used it to offer the wives of prisoners to come prepare themselves, prepare their babies, leave them there, as they couldn’t bring them into the prison. But these women never missed a week, even if it were to visit someone who probably had been very unfaithful to them. And I said they probably wouldn’t have been able to pronounce the word ‘indissolubility,’ but they knew what faithfulness meant. That was the extraordinary thing. And that visit meant so much to the person who was in prison.
ZENIT: Archbishop, do you read ZENIT?
Archbishop Diarmuid Martin: Yes, because I am curious about what’s going on in the Church.
***
On ZENIT’s Web page:
Archbishop Diarmuid Martin’s Intervention at Press Conference Presenting Upcoming World Meeting of Families:https://zenit.org/articles/archbishop-diarmuid-martins-intervention-at-presentation-of-upcoming-world-meeting-of-families/
Synod14: Summary of Archbishop Diarmuid Martin’s Intervention:https://zenit.org/articles/synod14-summary-of-archbishop-diarmuid-martin-s-intervention/
FAQ on World Meeting of Families (from 2015 WMOF website): http://www.worldmeeting2015.org/about-the-event/faqs/
Pope Remembers Child Migrant Killed at Sea by ZENIT Staff
From Vatican Radio:
Pope Francis on Saturday received some 400 children of different ethnicities, cultures and religions – many of them migrants and refugees – who had traveled to Rome from Calabria in southern Italy aboard the “Children’s Train” – the Treno dei Bambini – an annual initiative of the Pontifical Council for Culture, which this year has as its theme, “Carried by waves.” The theme is designed at once to invoke the often deadly danger of migration, and the hope in the promise of a better future that drives people – along with the threat of torture, slavery and death – to flee their homelands and seek a better life on strange and distant shores.
The children arrived Saturday at St. Peter’s railway station in the Vatican: their conveyance brining also the pain of the experience of its young passengers – their undeniable suffering, weaved together with the care and affection offered the children by the John XXIII Association, and the work of the “Quattrocanti” Children’s Orchestra of Palermo (in which boys and girls of eight different ethnicities are involved), as well as the initiative of Mary Salvia, principal of a school in Vibo Marina, who brought to Pope Francis the money from her school’s collection for the children of Lesbos and a letter signed by her pupils, which Cardinal Ravasi read to the Pope. “We children promise that we will welcome anyone who arrives in our country: we shall never consider anyone who has a different skin color, or who speaks a different language, or who professes a different religion from ours, a dangerous enemy.”
In an unscripted exchange with the young travelers, Pope Francis focused on the human cost of indifference to the plight of migrants, recounting the story and sharing the words of a rescue worker who brought the Holy Father the life vest of a young migrant who drowned at sea. “He brought me this jacket,” said Pope Francis, “and with tears in his eyes he said to me, ‘Father, I couldn’t do it – there was a little girl on the waves, and I did all I could, but I couldn’t save her: only her life vest was left.’”
Then, indicating the Jacket, the Holy Father said, “I do not [tell you this because I] want you to be sad, but [because] you are brave and you [should] know the truth: they are in danger – many boys and girls, small children, men, women – they are in danger,” he said. “Let us think of this little girl: what was her name? I do not know: a little girl with no name. Each of you give her the name you would like, each in his heart. She is in heaven, she is looking on us.”
A teachable moment among many afforded by the occasion, as was the moment in which one of the Pope’s young visitors asked him what it means “to be Pope”: The Holy Father replied, “[to do] the good that I can do.” He went on to say, “I feel that Jesus called me to this: Jesus wanted me to be a Christian, and a Christian must do [the good he can]; and Jesus also wanted me to be a priest, and a bishop – and a priest and a bishop must do [the good they can]; I feel that Jesus is calling me to do this – that’s what I feel,” he said.
Friendship Is Opposite of Throwaway Culture, Says Pope to ‘Scholas’ by Sergio Mora
On Sunday afternoon Pope Francis addressed participants in the “4thInternational Congress of Scholas Occurrences,” which began on Fridayin Vatican City and in Rome, and ended later on Sunday.
Part of the meeting was dedicated to the 30 youths selected among the thousands that took part in Scholas’ projects on citizenship, and the other part to a hundred University students and professionals, which was held in the Pius IV Casina in the Vatican.
Announced during the meeting also was that the next “Game of Peace” will take place on June 10 in Argentina, on the occasion of the country’s bicentenary. Therefore, they presented the Pope with an olive tree, to be blessed, which will be planted before the sports event. The Holy Father was also given a soccer ball, which he handed to some players who were there.
Scholas Ocurrentes – now a papal foundation – is a Worldwide Network of Schools for Meeting, which were born inspired by Pope Francis to promote the linking of the world’s schools, with shared projects for those with fewer resources. It began when Bergoglio was Archbishop of Buenos Aires with the “Neighbors’ Schools” and the “Sister Schools.”
Before the Pope’s arrival, three famous actors — George Clooney, Salma Hayek and Richard Gere — talked about education and values. Later they received a decoration with medals bearing the symbol of the olive tree of peace.
On his arrival, the Pontiff said he hoped that an atmosphere of “communication, bridge and meeting” had prevailed in the Congress, which is a challenge for this world that is running the risk of being atomized and separated.” The Holy Father pointed out that when nations and friends separate, hatred and enmity can easily be sown; instead, when they meet, a culture of friendship is born, which is the opposite of the throwaway culture.
Uproot cruelty
Maria Paz Jurado, one of the coordinators, had with her, over the three days, 30 youths from the five continents. Sana Ali, of the Arab Emirates, mentioned the difficulties and hopes seen at the conference. Nahuel Moreno, a youth of the Argentine province of Salta, highlighted the importance of having communicated, overcoming languages differences and distances. And, in a moving story, young Mexican Ariana Licet Nunez spoke of the problem of bullying, which she suffered personally.
Responding to the question “if he ever thought of leaving <the papacy> because it is too great a responsibility,” the Holy Father said “it never occurred to me that they were going to elect me,” but that at that moment he felt profound peace.
He went on to say that the building of a better world can be summarized in what was discussed, “that each person is recognized in his/her identity,” adding that “the personality needs to belong,” that a person without identity has no future, and that it is necessary to have identity, of whatever kind it is.
It is not enough to talk, necessary also is the languages of gestures, “a pat, a smile that gives hope, looking into the other’s eyes and gestures of approval and hope,” added the Pontiff.
Bullying is an aggression that conceals profound cruelty, like wars, said the Pontiff, who added that a nun in an African country enduring civil wars, “sent me photos that I have here” of events “that happened last month.” A child was decapitated! It’s the same cruelty!
Therefore, the Holy Father called for the “uprooting of all types of cruelty, explaining that one must have the capacity to listen to the other, not to argue immediately. When there is dialogue both win. “Do not argue but persuade with gentleness,” he said.
Carina Rosa and Daniel Sigliano, also coordinators of these initiatives, described Scholas’ teaching posts and the proposal to unite the wisdom of the Universities to the projects that Scholas receives. So they presented to the Holy Father the commitments that the 37 Universities assumed with Scholas’ teaching posts to develop an expert consultancy of at least one of Scholas’ projects during one year, 17 of them of America, 2 of Africa, 2 of Asia and 16 of Europe.
Among the participants in the Congress, six persons of different creeds prepared an interreligious moment. In addition, a group of Scholas Arts played musical instruments and sang, and gave the Holy Father a violin made with the techniques of the first Jesuits. They also mentioned that they took an olive tree to the North Pole as a symbol of Scholas , and two surfers asked the Pope to sign their boards.
—
On ZENIT’s Web page:
Translation of the Pope’s words during the meeting: https://zenit.org/articles/text-of-popes-address-at-meeting-with-scholas-occurrentes/
Corpus Christi Processions: A Reminder and a Challenge by ZENIT Staff
Though Pope Francis celebrated Corpus Christi last Thursday, on the traditional date of the feast, parishes in many parts of the world marked the solemnity on Sunday.
Here is the homily from Archbishop Michael Neary of Tuam, Ireland, at a Corpus Christi Mass and procession in Cork on Sunday.
__
I feel privileged to join with you this evening in your Corpus Christi procession as we welcome Christ here on the streets of this city which is so dear to your hearts. These very streets down through history have welcomed famous personalities of Church and State. They have welcomed victorious Cork teams holding the Liam McCarthy or Sam Maguire aloft. These streets have welcomed returned exiles and people who have made Cork their new home. Today we join together in dignified welcome and an expression of faith in Jesus Christ as he is carried through the streets of this city. The Eucharist is central to the Church and is fundamental to our Catholic belief and life.
The Church is no longer the dominant intellectual influence in society, can no longer count on cultural or political support, and is frequently dismissed and disregarded. Not surprisingly in this situation greed overcomes gratitude while selfishness frequently displaces compassion. In our culture today perhaps the real challenge is not atheism but rather idolatry, that is the worship of false Gods whether it be money, a selfish and self-centred life-style or pleasure. There is a huge temptation to assimilate, to accept and conform to the dominant values which are at variance so often with our faith. In this situation it is so easy to pick and choose between different aspects of our Christian faith, to acknowledge publicly what may be popular at a given time but to discard what is no longer regarded as “cool” in our culture. As we move further along that road we find ourselves confining our faith and Christian values as a matter of private personal beliefs which do not impinge on our public behaviour or attitudes. In this we live a kind of double standard, having a private faith but not allowing that faith to be expressed publicly. In many respects we see this attitude borne out in many interviews where people are shy about acknowledging their faith, their value system, particularly if that value system has a religious basis. I am not referring to the uninformed, superficial and negative criticism of faith which does not merit serious consideration. I am referring rather to the kind of expediency which is afraid and ashamed to acknowledge the place which religious faith plays in the market place of our world. If we attempt to separate faith from life then we do an injustice to both. Faith and life impinge on each other, influence each other, challenge each other.
Our Corpus Christi procession ought to be both a reminder and a challenge to us of the fact that Jesus Christ can never be confined to a tabernacle or a Church building. He breaks out of all attempts to circumscribe him. As we accompany Him through the streets of our city in this Corpus Christi procession we are reminded of the fact that He accompanies us as we travel those same streets whether on our way to work, recreation, studies or shopping. On Easter Sunday evening over 2,000 years ago and well over 2,500 miles away wasn’t it on the road that two disciples were joined by the Risen Lord? You will remember their reaction when they said “was not our hearts burning within us as he talked to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us”? As we journey in these streets, whether today in our Corpus Christi Procession, or in our work, recreation or studies, we journey not on our own but as men and women who are accompanied by Jesus Christ.
In the Eucharist we adore Jesus Christ as the one who provides us with a sense of direction, who enables us to pick up and put the broken pieces of life together again in a new way. The Eucharist assures us that God is present with and for us even in our dismay and displacement. It is He who enables us to step out in courage and to go forward in faith realising that no matter how chaotic and disjointed our world might seem to be, the Lord is still in control. The Eucharist provides nourishment and strength for ourselves to reach out beyond our own cares and concerns. The sustaining power of the Eucharist, Christ the Bread of Life, stands in sharp contrast to the fast food of social ideology and consumerism. It prepares us for surprising turns in our life.
A principle symbol in the Eucharist is that of a journey. The Eucharist is intended to nourish us and strengthen us for continuing faithfully on the road of life. It nourishes the faith and the hope to move forward on that road rather than resort to the distraction of the various bye-ways which may seem so attractive. Recognising the difficulties and challenges of the journey, the Eucharist nourishes us through the wilderness where no one can survive alone. It enables us to move forward as a people, a parish, as a community who support one another.
Jesus describes himself as the way, the truth and the life. He is the way for all who in the confusion of today’s world are losing their sense of direction and getting distracted by various events and who find themselves in the layby of life. He is the truth for those who deny that there is any such thing. He is the life for those whose prevailing philosophy today is one of despair and death.
London Event Aims to Educate Catholic Leaders on Nuclear Disarmament by ZENIT Staff
Representatives from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops joined 40 Roman Catholic bishops, scholars and policy specialists from nine countries at a colloquium in London, England, May 24-25, to voice moral concerns about nuclear proliferation and the urgent need for disarmament.
“The policy debate is ahead of the moral debate,” said Bishop Oscar Cantú, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on International Justice and Peace. “We need to educate and empower new generations of Catholic leaders on the ethical and policy arguments for reducing and eliminating nuclear weapons.”
Related: Obama urged to announce in Hiroshima reductions to nuclear risk
The colloquium entitled “Catholic Approaches to Nuclear Proliferation and Disarmament” identified key issues, especially theological and moral issues, which need to be addressed in order to create the conditions for a world without nuclear weapons. It also highlighted policy issues on which religious leaders and ethicists have a comparative advantage or can make a distinctive contribution.
This event was sponsored by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales; Deutsche Bischofskonferenz; Justice et Paix, Conférence des évêques de France; the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Office of International Justice and Peace; the University of Notre Dame’s Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies; Institut fur Theologie und Frieden; the Catholic Peacebuilding Network; Georgetown University’s Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs; and the Nuclear Threat Initiative.
The London Colloquium is part of an initiative in the United States to empower a new generation of Catholic bishops, scholars, professionals and students to address the ethical and policy challenges of reducing and eliminating nuclear weapons.
Bishops Criticize Plan to Up Deportations of Central American Moms, Kids by ZENIT Staff
Bishop Eusebio Elizondo, auxiliary bishop of Seattle and chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Migration, expressed deep concern over reports that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will soon begin a month-long series of immigrant deportation raids. Incoming committee chairman, Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, also voiced such concern.
Like the ICE enforcement actions conducted in early January, the upcoming operation is expected to focus on undocumented Central American mothers and children.
While recognizing the federal government’s role in upholding immigration laws, Bishop Elizondo warns against the underlying rationale behind the ICE enforcement actions.
“Sending women and children back to Central America will not serve as an effective deterrent to migration because this is a humanitarian crisis and individuals from the region are being forced to flee for their lives,” Bishop Elizondo said. “The mission of the Committee on Migration—and USCCB Migration & Refugee Services—is to protect these vulnerable populations.”
Archbishop Gomez also noted that “The raids are yet another depressing sign of the failed state of American immigration policy.”
While ICE is reportedly expected to target individuals with deportation orders, many of these cases raise due process concerns. Data shows many of the families with outstanding removal orders were issued such orders in their absence from court or without legal representation. As Bishop Elizondo noted in a January 2016 letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson, the objection is to “the removal of any migrants who were apprehended without first confirming that they received actual meaningful opportunities to present their asylum claims at hearings in immigration court.”
“These operations spark panic among our parishes,” said Bishop Elizondo. “No person, migrant or otherwise, should have to fear leaving their home to attend church or school. No person should have to fear being torn away from their family and returned to danger.”
Bishop Elizondo and Archbishop Gomez remind the administration and ICE that enforcement actions that cause families to live in constant fear run contrary to long-standing American values and challenge the God-given dignity of every person.
The January 2016 letter can be found at: http://www.usccb.org/about/migration-policy/bishops-statements/upload/Letter-to-Jeh-Johnson-on-Deportations.pdf.
Text of Pope’s Address at Meeting With ‘Scholas Occurrentes’ by ZENIT Staff
On Sunday, Pope Francis met with participants in a seminar titled “Between the University and the School, A Wall and A Bridge,” promoted by the Sholas Occurrentes Foundation of Papal Right, in collaboration with LUMSA’s High School “Educate to Encounter and to Solidarity” (Rome, May 27-29, 2016).
Here is a ZENIT translation of Pope Francis’ words
__
Pope Francis introduction:
Thank you for being here. I am happy to greet you and I hope that all this wasn’t to boring for you. I hope that there was that atmosphere of communication, that atmosphere of encounter, that atmosphere of bridge, which unites us and which is a challenge for this world, which always runs the risk of being atomized and being separated and, when nations separate, families separate, friends separate, only in separation can enmity and even hatred be sown. Instead, when they come together there is social friendship, fraternal friendship and a culture of encounter that defends us from any sort of the disposable culture. Thank you for that and for what you are doing with it.
Pope’s answer to questions:
The first. It didn’t occur to me to leave the papacy, and I’ll share a confidence with you: neither did it occur to me that they would elect me. It was a surprise for me. However, from that moment, God gave me a peace that has lasted up to today. And this keeps me going. That’s the grace I received. On the other hand, by nature I am carefree, so I go ahead.
Look, to build a better world, a much better <world> I said it like someone from Buenos Aires. To build a better world, I believe, can be summarized in those things we spoke about together, no? That is, that each person is recognized in his/her identity, but there is no identity if there is no belonging. There must be belonging, and one of you asked me: if a young man or a girl does not belong <to something>, how can I help him or her? At least offer him/her virtual belonging, but he/she must feel it … and then he/she will have identity. However, a person without identity doesn’t have a future. Therefore, it is urgent to offer membership of some sort, but they must feel that they belong to a group, to a family, to an organization, to something, and that will give them identity –identity, belonging.
And also this — the language of gestures, to have the courage to have the language of gestures. Sometimes we like to talk and talk. Sometimes the language of gestures is different. Talking alone is not enough. We can fall into the “syrup of the beak” and this doesn’t work. <We need> the language of gestures, which sometimes is a pat, a smile. I liked what you said: “No one takes this smile from me.” A smile that gives hope, to look at the other’s eyes, gestures of approval or patience, of tolerance — gestures.
Put aside aggressions, bullying, bullying is something else, bullying is an aggression that conceals profound cruelty and the world is cruel. The world is cruel. And wars are a monument to cruelty.
A nun of an African country, enduring internal wars, sent me photographs; I have them here. And to what point does the cruelty of war reach? — A decapitated boy. So we can understand bullying. If this happens, how can bullying not happen? It is the same cruelty against a boy, and a boy who does so to another, if one sows cruelty. A boy massacred in his head. And this happened last month. In other words, to build a better world, a better world, all kinds of cruelty must be uprooted. And war is a cruelty. But this type of war is even more cruel because it vents its anger against an innocent one.
Then to listen to the other, the capacity to listen, not to argue immediately, to ask, and this is dialogue, and dialogue is a bridge. Dialogue is a bridge. Not to be afraid of dialogue, it is not about San Lorenzo-Lanus, which is being played today, to see who wins. It is about making proposals together to go forward together. Everyone wins in dialogue; no one loses. In an argument, one wins and the other loses or both lose. Dialogue is gentleness, the capacity to listen, it is to put oneself in the other’s place, it’s to extend bridges, and within the dialogue, if I have a different opinion, not to argue, but at most to persuade with gentleness.
As you see, they are all the forms of conduct that came out in questions you asked. And pride, arrogance must be uprooted, because pride and arrogance always end badly. Pride ends badly. In other words, I would answer the question: How to build a better world? By following that path. Our world needs to lower the level of aggression. It needs tenderness. It needs gentleness, it needs to listen, it needs to walk together. Otherwise, all these things are happening today, because all those attitudes I mentioned are lacking. I don’t know if I answered the question, I say. Do you agree? Did I answer?
Final Words:
I thank all of you for your collaboration, your work and your patience. We are thinking of all the youngsters of the world, with their different cultures, languagers, races and religions. And we turn to God, praying with the oldest text of blessing, which is valid and used by the three monotheist religions: “May the Lord bless and protect you; may He make His face shine on you and show you His grace, reveal His face to you and grant you peace. Amen.” And thank you very much for everything and please, pray for me, I need it.
[Original text: Spanish] [Translation by ZENIT]
Pope Meets President of Singapore by ZENIT Staff
Pope Francis met President of the Republic of Singapore, Tony Tan Keng Yam, Saturday morning in the Vatican.
According to a statement released by the Holy See Press Office, during the cordial discussions, satisfaction was expressed “for the good state of bilateral relations between Singapore and the Holy See, as well as the collaboration between the Church and the State, especially in the educational and social fields.”
“Attention then turned to various current international themes and issues linked to the regional political situation,” it continued, “with particular reference to the importance of interreligious and intercultural dialogue for the promotion of human rights, stability, justice and peace in southeast Asia.”
After meeting with the Pope, the president met with Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, accompanied by Vatican Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher.
Innovative Media Inc.
30 Mansell Road, Suite 103
Roswell, Georgia 30076, United States
---------------------
No comments:
Post a Comment