(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has given €500,000 to provide humanitarian assistance to those affected by the Ebola crisis in West Africa, especially Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea. The Fund is being distributed by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. Cardinal Peter Turkson, the President of the Council, said the Fund has many objectives, including…
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(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has given €500,000 to provide humanitarian assistance to those affected by the Ebola crisis in West Africa, especially Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea.
The Fund is being distributed by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.
Cardinal Peter Turkson, the President of the Council, said the Fund has many objectives, including improving existing health care structures, offering psychological help for families affected by the Ebola crisis, and to aid local dioceses and parishes to develop sacramental practices which minimize the risk of transmitting the virus.
Listen to the interview by Vatican Radio with Cardinal Peter Turkson:
The Council is currently seeking additional donors to add to the fund, and has doubled the amount of the original papal donation, but Cardinal Turkson said he hopes to have 2 or 3 million euros before distributing funds to Catholic organizations battling the crisis.
“ The applications [for grants] have started coming already, but want to reach a decent level before we start treating applications,” Cardinal Turkson told Vatican Radio.
The Council has limited initial grants to €30,000, and is encouraging larger projects to get matching funds before applying.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis today turned his thoughts to the countless children across the world who live in poverty and need.
Addressing the crowds in St. Peter’s Square gathered for the weekly General Audience, the Pope continued in his catechesis on the family, focusing this time on children.
Pope Francis said that children are a great gift for humanity and for the Church. Recalling the many happy children he met during his recent journey to Asia brimming with life and enthusiasm, he said that on the other hand he thinks of the countless children throughout our world who are living in poverty and need.
“A society can be judged by the way it treats its children” he said.
The Pope said that children remind us that from our earliest years we are dependent on others. We see this in Jesus himself, who was born a child in Bethlehem. This – he said – is a precious reminder of the fact the necessary condition to enter the reign of God is to never consider ourselves self-sufficient, but in need of help, love and forgiveness.
He said that children also remind us that we are always sons and daughters. This identity – he said – reminds us that we have been given the gift of life, that we never cease to be radically dependent.
And speaking of the many gifts that children bring to humanity, Francis said they challenge us to see things with a simple, pure and trusting heart.
They have the capacity to receive and to offer warmth and “tenderness”, to laugh and cry freely in response to the world around us.
And he pointed to a child’s spontaneous trust in his mother and father, in God, Jesus and in Our Lady and said Jesus urges us to become like children, since God’s Kingdom belongs to such as these (cf. Mt 18:3).
Pope Francis concluded inviting all to “welcome and treasure our children, who bring so much life, joy and hope to the world”.
“How sad and bleak would our world be without them!” he said.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis today turned his thoughts to the countless children across the world who live in poverty and need. Addressing the crowds in St. Peter’s Square gathered for the weekly General Audience, the Pope continued in his catechesis on the family, focusing this time on children. Pope Francis said that children are a…
Read more