(Vatican Radio) On Friday morning the preacher of the Pontifical Household, Franciscan Father Raniero Cantalamessa gave his fourth Lenten sermon in the Mater Redemptoris chapel in the Vatican. Here is the full text of his reflections, entitled ‘East and West Before the Mystery of Salvation’ With this meditation we conclude our overview of the…
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(Vatican Radio) On Friday morning the preacher of the Pontifical Household, Franciscan Father Raniero Cantalamessa gave his fourth Lenten sermon in the Mater Redemptoris chapel in the Vatican. Here is the full text of his reflections, entitled ‘East and West Before the Mystery of Salvation’ With this meditation we conclude our overview of the…
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(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis made a surprise visit to greet 150 homeless people who were given a special tour of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican Museums Thursday by the papal charitable office. It was a brief, affectionate and emotional encounter.
The Pope crossed the threshold of the Sistine Chapel to the disbelief of his guests, saying this visit and meeting are “a small caress – because this is the home of all; it is your home. The doors are always open for everyone. ”
The Pope thanked Mgr. Konrad Krajewski, head of the Elemosineria, the Apostolic charity office, for arranging the visit and told his guests, “I need the prayers of people like you.”
He left them with the blessing: “May the Lord keep you, help you on the journey of life – and make you feel His tender, fatherly love.”
“E’ scoppiata una bombola…”
Carla, one of the homeless women present, described how a propane gas tank exploded, killing all of her family three years ago. Since the accident, she has been living on and off the street. She said she was taken in by religious at a Franciscan convent outside Rome and with their help has been able to overcome much of her pain and suffering.
The homeless guests were later offered dinner in the Vatican Museums’ cafeteria.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis made a surprise visit to greet 150 homeless people who were given a special tour of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican Museums Thursday by the papal charitable office. It was a brief, affectionate and emotional encounter. The Pope crossed the threshold of the Sistine Chapel to the disbelief of his guests,…
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Vatican City – “Pope Francis has expressed his concern for Christian families and other victims of violence who have been expelled from their homes and villages in Iraq, in particular those from Mosul and the Nineveh Plains, many of whom have found refuge in Iraqi Kurdistan. The Holy Father is praying for the victims and hopes that they will soon be able to return to their former lives in their homeland where for centuries they have lived in good relations with their neighbours”, So says a statement issued today by the Holy See press office.
The text continues: “In this coming Holy Week these families particularly share in the injustice and sufferings of Christ, and as a sign of unity, Cardinal Fernando Filoni, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, will return to Iraq to be with the expelled families and to pray with them during this time of suffering. The Diocese of Rome will be taking up a special collection in parishes, and in a sign of solidarity, will be sending traditional Italian cakes to the persecuted families of Iraq so that they may be able to share in the joy of Easter”.
The statement ends by saying that: “The Holy Father would also like to express his closeness to suffering families in northern Nigeria. The Holy Father has also asked the local Episcopal Conference to join with him in extending a similar sign of solidarity with those families”.
Already last August, following the serious situation in Iraq, the Holy Father appointed Cardinal Fernando Filoni, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, His Personal Envoy in the Asian country “to express his spiritual closeness to the populations that suffer and bring them the solidarity of the Church “….