(Vatican Radio/VIS) Pope Francis on Friday morning received in audience the governor general of Grenada, Cecile Ellen Fleurette La Grenade in the Vatican Apostolic Palace.
La Grenade subsequently met with Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, accompanied by Archbishop Paul Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States.
During the cordial discussions, emphasis was placed on the good bilateral relations between the Holy See and Grenada, as well as the important contribution of the Catholic Church to the development of the country, especially with reference to social challenges and the education of the young.
Finally, the encounter was concluded with an overview of the situation of the Caribbean region, with particular reference to economic problems and environmental issues linked to climate changes.
Listen to Devin Watkins’ report:
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis urged pro-life supporters on Friday (6th November) to continue their important work of defending human life at all stages whilst also taking into account the difficult situations that many of our brothers and sisters have to face or endure. He was speaking to participants at a national conference organized by the Italian Pro-Life Movement.
The Pope said in the existential dynamics, everything is interrelated and we need to nurture personal and social sensitivity, both about welcoming a new life and about those situations of poverty and exploitation that affect the weakest and most disadvantaged people.
Quoting from his encyclical Laudato Si, Pope Francis asked how can we genuinely teach the importance of concern for other vulnerable human beings, if we fail to protect a human embryo? As disciples of Christ, helping a wounded human life means reaching out to all people in need, putting ourselves by their side and sharing their fragility and their pain. How many families and old and young people, he said, are vulnerable because of poverty, sickness, the lack of a job or a home.
Comparing the pro-life supporters to good Samaritans, the Pope noted that when faced with the various threats to human life they have stayed close to their most fragile neighbours to ensure that none of the many people living in precarious situations are excluded or discarded by society. He urged them to continue their work protecting the unborn but also the many people who are seeking a healthier and more dignified existence.
In conclusion, Pope Francis reminded his listeners that we need to promote and defend the family, above all when it concerns the gift of children and affirming the dignity of women. He said he was pleased to note that the Pro-Life Movement’s Help Centres are open to everybody, regardless of their religion or nationality and pointed to the significant number of immigrant women who seek help there.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) In his homily during Mass on Friday morning, Pope Francis said the Church is called to serve, not to be concerned solely with business affairs; and that Bishops and priests must overcome the temptation to live a “double life.” He warned, too, about “climbers,” those who are attached to money. Pope Francis developed his homily based on two images of servants presented in the readings from the day’s liturgy. First, he presented the figure of Saint Paul “who gave himself completely to service, always” such that he ended up in Rome betrayed by those who were close to him, and “condemned.” Where did this greatness of the Apostles come from? the Pope asked. It came from Jesus Christ, and Saint Paul “boasts of serving Him, of being chosen, of having the strength of the Holy Spirit.” The Christian is called to serve, not to be served He was the servant who served, the Pope said, “he ministered, laying the foundation, that is, announcing Jesus Christ” and “he never stopped to take advantage of his position, of his authority, of being served. He was a minister, a servant in order to serve, not to be served.” “I tell you how much joy I have,” Pope Francis said, “what moves me, when in this Mass some priests come up and greet me: ‘O Father, I have come here to find my own people, because for forty years I have been a missionary in the Amazon.’ Or a sister who says, ‘No, I have worked for thirty years in a hospital in Africa.’ Or when I find a little sister who for thirty, forty years is working in the department of the hospital with the disabled, always smiling. This is called ‘serving,’ this is the joy of the Church: going out to others, always; going out to others and giving life. This is what Paul did: serving.” “No to climbers, attached to money, in the Church” In the Gospel, the Pope said, the Lord shows us the image of another servant, “who instead of serving others is served by them.” He continued, “We have read what this servant did, how he acted with shrewdness, in order to remain in his position.” “In the Church, too, there are these kinds of people, who instead of serving, of thinking of others, of laying the foundations, are served by the Church: ‘climbers,’ those who are attached to money. And how many priests and Bishops like this have we seen? It’s sad to speak of it, isn’t it? The radical character of the Gospel, of the call of Jesus Christ: to serve, to be at the service [of others], of not stopping for oneself, going out to others always, being forgetful of oneself. And the comfort of the state: I have reached a certain state and I live comfortably, without integrity, like those Pharisees Jesus spoke about, who go out into the public square to be seen by others.” A Church that does not serves becomes a business-like Church The Pope described “two images of Christians, two images of priests, two images of sisters.” And Jesus, he said, “makes us see this model in Paul, this Church that never stops” that “always goes forward and shows us the path.” “Instead, when the Church is tepid, closed in on itself, businesslike, it cannot be said to be a Church that serves, that is at the service [of others], but rather [it must be said] that it is using others. May the Lord give us the grace He gave to Paul, that point of pride of always going forward, always, renouncing, time and again, its own comfort; and may He save us from temptations, from those temptations which at their base are temptations to a double life: I see myself as a minister, that is, as one who serves, but at the base I am served by others.” (from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue has sent a Message to all people professing the Hindu religion, who are preparing to celebrate the festival of Deepavali (Diwali). The theme of the Message this year is our common duty to care for creation and work to build and develop an authentic “human ecology”. Below, please find the full text of the official English translation of the Message. ********************************** Dear Hindu Friends, 1. The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue sends you warm greetings as you celebrate Deepavali on 11 November 2015. May your celebrations across the globe lead you to an experience of happiness and harmony in your families and communities. 2. His Holiness Pope Francis, in his Encyclical Letter Laudato Si, has recently addressed the environmental and human ecological crisis threatening our planet. Thus we deem it opportune to share, in keeping with our cherished tradition, some thoughts on the need to promote human ecology, and to foster a rediscovery of the interconnectedness of creation. Human ecology points to the relationship and responsibility which humans have towards the earth and to the cultivation of “ecological virtues”. These virtues include a sustainable use of the earth’s resources through the adoption of policies, at national and international levels, which respect the interconnectedness and interdependence of human beings and nature. These issues, as we know, have a direct bearing not only on the current health of our earth – the home of the human family- but also for generations to come. 3. Human selfishness, as evidenced in consumerist and hedonistic tendencies in some individuals and groups, nurtures an insatiable desire to be “masters” and “conquerors” rather than “guardians” and “stewards” of nature. We are all called, regardless of religious belief or national identity, to live with a greater responsibility towards nature, to nurture life-giving relationships and, most of all, to reorder our lifestyles and economic structures according to the ecological challenges facing us. Your tradition stresses the “oneness” of nature, humanity and the divine. The Christian faith teaches that the created world is God’s gift to all human beings. As stewards of the created order, we are called to care for it responsibly and resolutely. 4. There is an inseparable link between our harmony with creation and our peace with one another. If peace is to prevail in the world, we must, together and as individuals, consciously give ourselves to “protecting nature, defending the poor, and building networks of respect and fraternity” (Laudato Si, 201). Promotion of human ecology requires formation and education, at all levels, in ecological consciousness and responsibility, and in the wise stewardship of the earth’s resources. This begins in the family, “the first and fundamental structure for `human ecology’… in which man receives his formative ideas about truth and goodness, and learns what it means to love and to be loved, and thus what it actually means to be a person” (John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Centesimus Annus, 39). Educational and governmental structures have a responsibility to form citizens in a proper understanding of human ecology and its relationship to the future of humanity and the created world. 5. United by our humanity and mutual responsibility, as well as our shared values and convictions, may we Hindus and Christians, together with people of all religious traditions and good will, always foster a culture which promotes human ecology. In this way, there will be harmony within us, and in our relationships with others, with nature and with God, which will “favour the growth of the `tree of peace'” (Pope Benedict XVI, Message for the World Day of Peace, 2007). 6. Praying for a healthy ecology and creating awareness of the various ways to care for creation is a truly ennobling work. Pope Francis has instituted, therefore, an annual `World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation’ to be observed on 1 September. It is hoped that this initiative will increase awareness among all people of the need to be good stewards of creation and, thereby, promote a true human ecology. With these sentiments, we wish you all a joyous Deepavali ! Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran
President (from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis granted an interview to the Dutch paper, Straatnieuws, published by the homeless of the city of Utrecht. In the broad-ranging conversation, Pope Francis touches on topics of interest both personal and ecclesiastical: from his childhood in Argentina, including his boyhood dream of becoming a butcher, to his solicitude for the poor, and his appreciation of his reputation (“Right now,” he tells himself, “you have an important job, but in ten years or so, no one will recognize you.”).
Below, please find some of the highlights.
The interview began with the Pope’s memories of his childhood home in Buenos Aires, “the street in which he grew up.” He recalled playing soccer as a child, and spoke about how everything in his neighbourhood was within walking distance.
His memories of neighbours in Buenos Aires were the source of his personal commitment to the poor. Asked about the Church’s response to poverty, Pope Francis said, “Jesus came into the world homeless and was poor. Then the Church wants to embrace everyone, and say that everyone has a right to have a roof ‘over you’. In the popular movements they are working with three Spanish ‘t’s: trabajo (work), techo (house), and tierra (land). The Church preaches that every person has a right to these three t’s.”
The Holy Father also spoke about the necessity of resisting “two temptations” the Church faces as she tries to speak for the poor without being exploited by different political camps. “The Church must speak with the truth and also with testimony: the testimony of the poor. If a believer speaks about poverty or about the homeless, and leads the life of a pharaoh: this can’t be done.”
The second temptation, he said, “is to make agreements with government leaders. Agreements can be made, but they must be clear agreements, transparent agreements. . . because there is always the temptation to corruption in public life – both political and religious. . . . There is always the danger of corruption.”
Pope Francis said he wants a world without poverty: “We must continue to struggle for this.” But, he said, “I am a believer and I know that sin is always within us. And there is always human greed, the lack of solidarity, selfishness, which create poverty. For this reason, it seems to me a little difficult to imagine a world without poverty. . . . But we must always struggle, always, always.”
(from Vatican Radio)…