(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis says that the four nuns who were killed in Yemen are modern-day martyrs and victims of indifference.
During his address to the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square after the Angelus prayer, the Pope prayed for the slain nuns who belonged to Mother Teresa’s “Missionaries of Charity” and who were serving in a home for the elderly which was attacked on Friday by gunmen in the city of Aden.
Expressing his closeness to the religious Order, he said the nuns “gave their blood for the Church”’ and that they were not only victims of the attackers but also of “this indifference of globalization.”
The nuns were among 16 people killed during an attack by terrorists who stormed the retirement home.
Pope Francis also praised an ecumenical project to fly refugees to Europe as “a concrete sign of commitment for peace and life.”
He described the “pilot” project as a reality that unites solidarity with security allowing the safe transfer of people who are fleeing war and violence, such as the “one hundred refugees who have already arrived in Italy and amongst whom there are minors, sick people, disabled people, war widows with children and elderly people”.
The group that arrived in Rome last month represents the first wave of the planned transfer of 1,000 particularly vulnerable refugees from camps in Lebanon, Morocco and Ethiopia.
Pope Francis said he is particularly happy the initiative is an ecumenical one that sees the support of the Community of Saint Egidio, the Federation of Italian Evangelical Churches, the Waldensian and the Methodist Churches.
Meanwhile, during his catechesis Pope Francis reflected on the parable of the prodigal son saying that God gives us the freedom to make mistakes, but he always welcomes us back to the fold with open arms.
Jesus, he said, teaches us to be merciful just as the Father is, and he warned against pride and arrogance that can derive from feelings of righteousness. That kind of attitude, he said, is evil. The Lord welcomes those who recognize their sinfulness.
The Pope concluded his catechesis saying that God loves us immeasurably and comes towards us with tenderness when we approach Him after having wandered.
“He welcomes us, Pope Francis concluded, and restores our dignity as God’s children.”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis was “shocked and profoundly saddened” by the murder of four Missionaries of Charity and twelve other people at a home for the elderly in Aden, Yemen.
Gunmen entered the building on Friday and went room-to-room, handcuffing victims before shooting them in the head.
A message signed by the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, said the Holy Father “sends the assurance of his prayers for the dead and his spiritual closeness to their families and to all affected from this act of senseless and diabolical violence.”
The message said Pope Francis “prays that this pointless slaughter will awaken consciences, lead to a change of heart, and inspire all parties to lay down their arms and take up the path of dialogue.”
It concludes with a strong appeal for an end to the ongoing violence in Yemen.
“In the name of God, he calls upon all parties in the present conflict to renounce violence, and to renew their commitment to the people of Yemen, particularly those most in need, whom the Sisters and their helpers sought to serve” – the message reads – “Upon everyone suffering from this violence, the Holy Father invokes God’s blessing, and in a special ways he extends to the Missionaries of Charity his prayerful sympathy and solidarity.”
The full text of the message is below
His Holiness Pope Francis was shocked and profoundly saddened to learn of the killing of four Missionaries of Charity and twelve others at a home for the elderly in Aden. He sends the assurance of his prayers for the dead and his spiritual closeness to their families and to all affected from this act of senseless and diabolical violence. He prays that this pointless slaughter will awaken consciences, lead to a change of heart, and inspire all parties to lay down their arms and take up the path of dialogue. In the name of God, he calls upon all parties in the present conflict to renounce violence, and to renew their commitment to the people of Yemen, particularly those most in need, whom the Sisters and their helpers sought to serve. Upon everyone suffering from this violence, the Holy Father invokes God’s blessing, and in a special ways he extends to the Missionaries of Charity his prayerful sympathy and solidarity.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin
Secretary of State
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) As part of ongoing celebrations for the Jubilee Year of Mercy, Pope Francis on Friday evening delivered the homily at a special “Penitential Celebration” in St Peter’s Basilica.
Below, please find the full text of Pope Francis’ prepared homily for the Celebration
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Homily of His Holiness Pope Francis
Penitential Celebration
Saint Peter’s Basilica
Friday, 4 March 2016
“I want to see again” (Mk 10:51). This is what we ask of the Lord today. To see again, because our sins have made us lose sight of all that is good, and have robbed us of the beauty of our calling, leading us instead far away from our journey’s end.
This Gospel passage has great symbolic value for our lives, because we all find ourselves in the same situation as Bartimaeus. His blindness led him to poverty and to living on the outskirts of the city, dependent on others for everything he needed. Sin also has this effect: it impoverishes and isolates us. It is a blindness of the spirit, which prevents us from seeing what is most important, from fixing our gaze on the love that gives us life. This blindness leads us little by little to dwell on what is superficial, until we are indifferent to others and to what is good. How many temptations have the power to cloud the heart’s vision and to make it myopic! How easy and misguided it is to believe that life depends on what we have, on our successes and on the approval we receive; to believe that the economy is only for profit and consumption; that personal desires are more important than social responsibility! When we only look to ourselves, we become blind, lifeless and self-centred, devoid of joy and true freedom.
But Jesus is passing by; he is passing by, and he halts: the Gospel tells us that “he stopped” (v. 49). Our hearts race, because we realize that the Light is gazing upon us, that kindly Light which invites us to come out of our dark blindness. Jesus’ closeness to us makes us see that when we are far from him there is something important missing from our lives. His presence makes us feel in need of salvation, and this begins the healing of our heart. Then, when our desire to be healed becomes more courageous, it leads to prayer, to crying out fervently and persistently for help, as did Bartimaeus: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (v. 47).
Unfortunately, like the “many” in the Gospel, there is always someone who does not want to stop, who does not want to be bothered by someone else crying out in pain, preferring instead to silence and rebuke the person in need who is only a nuisance (cf. v. 48). There is the temptation to move on as if it were nothing, but then we would remain far from the Lord and we would also keep others away from Jesus. May we realize that we are all begging for God’s love, and not allow ourselves to miss the Lord as he passes by. “Timeo transeuntem Dominum” (Saint Augustine). Let us voice our truest desire: “[Jesus], let me receive my sight!” (v. 51). This Jubilee of Mercy is the favourable time to welcome God’s presence, to experience his love and to return to him with all our heart. Like Bartimaeus, let us cast off our cloak and rise to our feet (cf. v. 50): that is, let us cast aside all that prevents us from racing towards him, unafraid of leaving behind those things which make us feel safe and to which we are attached. Let us not remain sedentary, but let us get up and find our spiritual worth again, our dignity as loved sons and daughters who stand before the Lord so that we can be seen by him, forgiven and recreated.
Today more than ever, we Pastors are especially called to hear the cry, perhaps hidden, of all those who wish to encounter the Lord. We need to re-examine those behaviours of ours which at times do not help others to draw close to Jesus; the schedules and programmes which do not meet the real needs of those who may approach the confessional; human regulations, if they are more important than the desire for forgiveness; our own inflexibility which may keep others away from God’s tenderness. We must certainly not water down the demands of the Gospel, but we cannot risk frustrating the desire of the sinner to be reconciled with the Father. For what the Father awaits more than anything is for his sons and daughters to return home (cf. Lk 15:20-32).
May our words be those of the disciples who, echoing Jesus, said to Bartimaeus: “Take heart; rise, he is calling you” (Mk 10:49). We have been sent to inspire courage, to support and to lead others to Jesus. Our ministry is one of accompaniment, so that the encounter with the Lord may be personal and intimate, and the heart may open itself to the Saviour in honesty and without fear. May we not forget: it is God alone who is at work in every person. In the Gospel it is he who stops and speaks to the blind man; it is he who orders the man to be brought to him, and who listens to him and heals him. We have been chosen to awaken the desire for conversion, to be instruments that facilitate this encounter, to stretch out our hand and to absolve, thus making his mercy visible and effective.
The conclusion of the Gospel story is significant: Bartimaeus “immediately received his sight and followed him on the way” (v. 52). When we draw near to Jesus, we too see once more the light which enables us to look to the future with confidence. We find anew the strength and the courage to set out on the way. “Those who believe, see” (Lumen Fidei, 1) and they go forth in hope, because they know that the Lord is present, that he is sustaining and guiding them. Let us follow him, as faithful disciples, so that we can lead all those we encounter to experience the joy of his merciful love.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States, has concluded a visit to the UK where he discussed issues ranging from migration and modern slavery to climate change and international cooperation with British government ministers.
During the March 1st to 4th visit the Liverpool-born archbishop met with the Minister for Europe, David Lidington, and Baroness Anelay, Foreign Office Minister in the House of Lords. He discussed with them common concerns including the situation facing Christian communities in the Middle East, Ukraine, Kosovo and Cyprus. Mr Lidington also shared the British government’s position on remaining in the European Union, ahead of the national referendum on June 23rd.
In a meeting with Britain’s Home Secretary, Theresa May, the archbishop talked about the current migration crisis and efforts to combat slavery and trafficking. He also met with the Secretary of State for International Development, Justine Greening, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Theresa Villiers and with Lord Borne of Aberystwyth, the Climate Change Minister.
The Vatican foreign minister was welcomed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, at Lambeth Palace and had the opportunity to discuss potential cooperation with the Commonwealth in talks with its Secretary-General elect, Baroness Scotland of Asthal.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) On the afternoon of 3 March 2016, the Holy Father received in audience the Prefect of the Congregation of the Causes of Saints, Cardinal Angelo Amato, S.D.B. In the course of the Audience, Pope Francis authorized the Congregation to promulgate degrees regarding:
the miracle, attributed to the intercession of Blessed Manuel González García, Bishop of Palencia, Founder of the Children of Reparation and of the Eucharistic Missionaries of Nazareth; born 25 February 1877 and died 4 January 1940;
the miracle, attributed to the intercession of Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity (born Élizabeth Catez), professed religious of the Discalced Carmelites; born 18 July 1880 and died 9 November 1906;
the miracle, attributed to the intercession of the Venerable Servant of God Marie-Eugene of the Child Jesus (born: Henri Grialou), professed Priest of the Order of Discalced Carmelites, Founder of the Secular Institute of Notre-Dame de Vie; born 2 December 1894 and died 27 March 1967;
the miracle, attributed to the intercession of the Venerable Servant of God María Antonia of Saint Joseph (born: María Antonia de Paz y Figueroa), Founder of the Beaterio of the Spiritual Exercises of Buenos Aires in Argentina; born 1730 and died 7 marzo 1799;
the heroic virtue of the Servant of God Stefano Ferrando, of the Salesian Society of St John Bosco, Titular Archbishop of Toyna, later Bishop of Shillong, Founder of Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of Christians; born 28 September 1895 and died 20 June 1978;
the heroic virtue of the Servant of God Henri Stanislaus Verjus, of the Congregation of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Titular Bishop of Limyra, Coadjutor of the Apostolic Vicariate of New Guinea; born 26 May 1860 and died 13 November 1892;
the heroic virtue of the Servant of God Giovanni Battista Quilici, Diocesan Priest, Pastor, Founder of the Congregation of the Daughters of the Crucified, born 26 April 1791 and died 10 June 1844;
the heroic virtue of the Servant of God Bernardo Mattio, Diocesan Priest, Pastor; born 2 January 1845 and died 11 April 1914;
the heroic virtue of the Servant of God Quirico Pignalberi, professed Priest of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual; born 11 July 1891 and died 18 July 1982;
the heroic virtue of the Servant of God Teodora Campostrini, Foundress of the Congregation of the Minim Sisters of the Charity of the Sorrowful Mary; born 26 October 1788 and died 22 May 1860;
the heroic virtue of the Servant of God Bianca Piccolomini Clementini, Foundress of the Society of Saint Angela Merici; born 7 April 1875 and died 14 August 1959;
the heroic virtue of the Servant of God Maria Nieves Sánchez y Fernández (in religion: Maria Nieves of the Holy Family), professed religious of the Daughters of Mary of the Pious Schools; born 2 May 1900 and died 1 May 1978.
(from Vatican Radio)…