(Vatican Radio) Ahead of the Sunday Angelus prayer with pilgrims and tourists in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis shared a reflection on two of the three parables from the 13 th chapter of the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew , which were read during Mass on Sunday.
Click below to hear our report
Focusing exclusively on the parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price , the Holy Father said, “This day, we are exhorted to contemplate the joy of the farmer,” who sells all he has in order to purchase the field wherein he had hidden the treasure he discovered, “and of the merchant,” who sells all he had in order to purchase the pearl of great price.
“It is the joy of each of us when we discover the closeness and consoling presence of Jesus in our lives,” he said.
“A presence,” Pope Francis went on to say, “that transforms the heart and opens us to [meet] the needs and to welcome our brothers and sisters, especially the weakest ones.”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis called for increased efforts to end human trafficking on Sunday. The Holy Father’s appeal came in remarks following the Angelus prayer with pilgrims and tourists gathered in St. Peter’s Square, on the 17 th Sunday in Ordinary Time and the World Day against Trafficking in Persons , sponsored by the United Nations .
“Each year,” said Pope Francis, “thousands of men, women and children are innocent victims of sexual and organ trafficking, and it seems that we are so accustomed to seeing it as a normal thing.”
Click below to hear our report
The Holy Father went on to say, “This is ugly, it is cruel, it is criminal.” He called human trafficking , “an aberrant plague,” and, “a modern form of slavery ,” renewing his appeal for universal commitment to ending the practice.
Pope Francis concluded his appeal by leading everyone present in the recitation of the Hail Mary for the intention of ending human trafficking.
Below, please find the full text of Pope Francis’ appeal, in our English translation
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Today is the World Day against Trafficking in Persons, promoted by the United Nations. Each year, thousands of men, women and children are innocent victims of sexual and organ trafficking, and it seems that we are so accustomed to seeing it as a normal thing. This is ugly, it is cruel, it is criminal! I would like to draw on everyone’s commitment to make this aberrant plague, a modern form of slavery, adequately countered. Let us pray together the Virgin Mary to support the victims of trafficking and to convert the hearts of traffickers.
(from Vatican Radio)…
Bulletin for 07/30/2017
(Vatican Radio) The biggest event of the Asian Catholic Church this year, is taking place in Yogyakarta city, Indonesia, next week. The 7th Asian Youth Day (AYD7) is being hosted by the Archdiocese of Semarang, August 2-6, with over 2000 young people from 21 Asian countries rallying around the theme, “Joyful Asian Youth: Living the Gospel in Multicultural Asia!” The continent-level event has been held in various Asian cities since 1999 in intervals of 2, 3 and 5 years, with the last AYD in Daejeon Diocese in Korea in 2014, in which Pope Francis participated.
Organizers have divided the entire AYD into three events spread across 11 days from July 30 to August 9 . On arrival, the participants will head to the 11 of Indonesia’s 37 dioceses who will be hosting them from July 30 to August 2 in what is called Days in the Dioceses (DID). All the participants will then converge in Yogyakarta from August 2 to 6 for the central event of the AYD7 . The 5 days will include a variety of activities such as adoration, confession, Mass, reflections, testimonies, workshops, group sharing, country exhibits and cultural performances. After the main event, the Asian Youth Ministers will stay back for a meeting, August 6 to 9.
Among the 21 countries participating in the AYD is also the Philippines. To know about it, we called Fr. Conegundo Garganta, the executive secretary of the Episcopal Commission on Youth of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines. Speaking to us on the phone from Manila Fr. Garganta first talked about the Philippine youth delegation to the Asian Youth Day.
Listen:
Summary:
Fr. Garganta said that 69 young people have been officially registered with the AYD7 but with bishops and youth ministers accompanying them, the entire delegation has 82 members.
Peparation
The young people will first head to the Indonesian dioceses of Bogor and Jakarta for the Days in the Diocese (DID). The young people have been preparing for the event following the pre-event modules of the AYD, that recommend reflecting and meditating on the suggested scripture passages, visiting churches, talking to priests, visiting non-Christian families and communities etc.
Philippine contribution to AYD
Fr. Garganta also talked about the contribution that the Philippine young people will be brining to the AYD. He talked about the warmth and friendship of the Filipino people, particularly visible in their smiles, and their strong faith. They would also display the “multi-culturality” of the Philippines, where there are minority and tribal groups and followers of other faiths, “but still people are able to blend well.”
Message
The executive secretary of the Philippine Episcopal Commission on Youth sent a message to Filipinos abroad assuring them that despite numerous challenges and struggles, as in many countries, the faith of the Philippine people was leading them to hope and to continue working for peace . The Church regards the young not merely as hope for the future but much more for the present. Fr. Garganta urged the country, the Church and the government, also of other countries, to “ really invest in the young people” , because they provide “new perspectives in ways of looking at life…” which promote solidarity, unity, friendship, and understanding.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) The drought that is affecting the city of Rome and the surrounding areas of the capital has led the Holy See to take measures to save water.
The Governorate of Vatican City State has decided to turn off all the fountains, both the external ones located in St. Peter’s Square, and the interior fountains including those in the Vatican Gardens.
The move is in line with the teachings of Pope Francis in his Encyclical on creation Laudate Si.
(from Vatican Radio)…