(Vatican Radio) On 20 April 2017, Thursday of Easter Week, Pope Francis will hold an ordinary public Consistory for the vote of the Cardinals on several causes for canonization.
Five causes of canonization are set for approval by the Cardinals:
The Martyrs of Natal, Brazil: Andrea de Soveral, Ambrogio Francesco Ferro, diocesan priests, along with Matteo Moreira, a layman, and 27 companions, martyrs;
Cristóbal, Antonio, and Juan, of Mexico, young martyrs;
Faustino Míguez, Spanish Piarist priest, and founder of the Calasanzian Institute of the Daughters of the Divine Shepherdess;
Angelo da Acri (in the world: Luca Antonio Falcone), Italian professed priest of the Franciscan Order of Friars Minor – Capuchin;
The visionaries of Fatima, Francesco Marto and Jacinto Marto, children.
The vote of the Cardinals is the final formality after Pope Francis gave approval for the causes to move forward. Upon receiving the approval of the Cardinals in Consistory, the Church will set dates for the canonization of the Blesseds.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis met on Monday afternoon with a group of young patients, doctors and nurses from Rome’s ‘Bambino Gesù’ children’s hospital. The children, aged between 5 and 18, are taking part in a documentary programme on Italian television exploring the experiences of young patients and their families at the Catholic hospital.
Listen to our report:
The ‘Bambino Gesù’ hospital, just a stone’s throw away from the Vatican, is the largest pediatric research facility in Europe. It treats over a million and a half young patients each year, with children travelling from all over the world to make use of its specialized services and equipment.
This was the second time the youngsters had come for a papal audience, which was being filmed for the TV series showing every Sunday evening on the RAI 3 channel.
Hospital must be a family
In his greetings to the children and staff, including the hospital director, Dr Mariella Enoc, Pope Francis spoke of the importance of providing a welcoming family environment. Each patient, he said, has a name and an individual story, which is more important that the sickness that he or she has come to cure. The hospital, he said, must always be first and foremost a family which takes care of the needs of each of its members.
Love overcomes fear
Going into hospital, Pope Francis said, can be quite frightening and he noted that some of the younger children cried at the audience because they confused a pope, dressed in white, with a doctor, who is coming to give them an injection. But a loving caress, he said, calms those fears and doctors are called to treat patients with their hearts and their love, as well as with their medical skills.
Finally Pope Francis thanked all the staff for providing “a witness of humanity” in the way they treat the children in their care. You are a family, he said, and nothing is more important than that!
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Tuesday sent a message to a Portuguese radio station celebrating its 80th anniversary, saying it has done “exceptional work” in promoting “fraternal solidarity”.
Listen to Devin Watkins’ report:
In his message for Radio Renascença’s 80th anniversary, Pope Francis said he valued the station’s work of carrying “the Gospel of Jesus” to “Portugal and the immense Portuguese-speaking world”.
He said the Radio has sown “fraternal solidarity and the mercy of God in the heart of humanity”.
Pope Francis’ message was sent by Archbishop Angelo Becciu, Substitute of the Vatican’s Secretariat of State, and read to the Grupo Renascença Multimédia by Archbishop Rino Passigato, Apostolic Nuncio to Portugal.
“Pope Francis cordially greets the great family of ‘Radio Renascença’ as its celebrates its 80th anniversary,” the message reads, “and expresses his appreciation for the work of all those who, over the years, have served the Church with their daily work through this medium of social communications.”
The Holy Father also assured Radio Renascença of his “prayers for the fruitfulness of its many evangelizing initiatives”.
Transmitting out of Lisbon in Portugal, Radio Renascença (‘Radio Renaissance’) is a private, commercial station under the ownership of various organizations of the Portuguese Catholic Church.
The group celebrated its 80th anniversary with a Mass celebrated by Cardinal Manuel Clemente, Patriarch of Lisbon, and a tribute to the Radio’s employees.
Pope Francis granted an interview to Radio Renascença in September 2015 .
(from Vatican Radio)…