(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis made a special appeal for suffering Christians in the Middle Ease on Wednesday, during the course of his weekly General Audience in St. Peter’s Square. “God does not remain silent before the suffering and cries of His children,” he said, “nor does He remain silent before injustice and persecution: He rather intervenes and gives, by His mercy, rescue and salvation.”
“God uses patience with the sinner,” the Holy Father continued, “to induce him to conversion, and he searches for the lost sheep, for, “[God] will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Tim 2:4)”
Pope Francis has been a vocal advocate for the rights of religious minorities around the world, and particularly of Christians in the Middle East, where ancient Christian communities are suffering often brutal and deadly persecution, particularly at the hands of militants fighting for the so-called Islamic State.
Pope Francis concluded his remarks to Arabic-speaking pilgrims with a blessing and an invocation of Divine protection. “God bless you all,” he said, “and protect you from the Evil One.”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) During his General Audience on Wednesday, Pope Francis called attention to a Jubilee Year initiative of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum , promoting a day of spiritual retreat for persons and groups dedicated to the service of charitable works. These days of retreat, to be offered in each diocese during the coming Lent, will offer an opportunity to reflect on the call to be merciful as the Father is merciful. “I invite you to welcome this initiative,” Pope Francis said, “making use of the suggestions and materials prepared by Cor Unum.”
The day of retreat will have as its theme “Caritas Christi urget nos” (2 Cor 5,14: the love of Christ compels us). In a letter announcing the initiative, Cor Unum suggests that each individual charitable group should celebrate its own day of reflection, citing the Holy Father’s desire that the Jubilee be celebrated in local communities. The letter suggests the retreat be organized in three parts: “a penitential celebration with individual confessions; a time of sharing in group and the Eucharistic celebration.”
More information on the Day of Spiritual Retreat can be found here .
The Pontifical Council Cor Unum was instituted by Pope Paul VI in 1971 and, in the words of Pope Benedict XVI, its tasks are to orient and coordinate the Organizations and charitable activities promoted by the Catholic Church.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Wednesday dedicated his weekly General Audience to God’s work of mercy throughout the history of the Chosen people.
Below please find the official English language summary of Pope Francis’ remarks:
Dear Brothers and Sisters: Continuing our weekly catecheses inspired by this Holy Year devoted to divine mercy, we now consider God’s mercy at work in the history of the Chosen People. The Scriptures show the Lord’s merciful concern for Israel throughout its history, beginning with the call of Abraham. God’s mercy is expressed particularly, however, in the experience of the exodus from Egypt. God heard the cry of his people, as he hears the cry of the poor and oppressed in every age. He raised up Moses to be the mediator of his mercy and salvation. Through Moses, he led Israel to freedom and, through the covenant, he made them his own possession, “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Ex 19:5-6), a people precious in his eyes. The mystery of God’s mercy culminates in the sending of his Son, the Lord Jesus, in that “new and eternal covenant” inaugurated in his blood, whereby we are granted the forgiveness of our sins and become truly God’s children, beloved sons and daughters of our good and merciful Father.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) It’s the fourth day of the International Eucharistic Congress taking place in Cebu, Philippines and this morning thousands of people gathered in a pavilion built especially for the event to hear a message that arrived from the President of the Pontifical Council of Justice and Peace, Cardinal Peter Turkson on the “Care for Creation”.
The Head of Vatican Radio’s English programme Seàn Patrick Lovett is in Cebu and told us that this event is much more than just a Eucharistic Congress, it is an experience of encounter.
Listen:
(from Vatican Radio)…