(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis sent special greetings to Lithuanian Catholics on Sunday as he recalled the Beatification, in Vilnius, of the nation’s first Soviet-era martyr.
“Today in Vilnius, Bishop Teofilius Matulionis , who was murdered because of hatred towards the faith in 1962 when he was almost 90-years-old, will be Beatified” the Pope said to the pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square for the Angelus.
“Let us give thanks to the Lord for the witness of this courageous defender of the faith and of human dignity. Let us pay our respects to him and to the entire Lithuanian people with applause” he said.
Bishop Matulionis was a priest and bishop who continually defied communist rule and spent much of his ministry in prison. He was declared a martyr by Pope Francis on December 16, clearing the way for his beatification.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has expressed his closeness and grief for the victims of a landslide that engulfed a village in Sichuan province in south-western China .
Speaking on Sunday after the recitation of the Angelus in St. Peters’ Square, the Pope said “I am close to the population of the Chinese village of Xinmo that was struck yesterday morning by a landslide caused by heavy rains”.
“I pray for the dead and for the injured, he said, and for those who have lost their homes. May God comfort affected families and sustain rescuers.”
Meanwhile almost 100 people remain missing after the huge landslide buried homes in Xinmo and hopes of finding survivors are fading.
The bodies of fifteen people have so far been recovered, but many more are feared trapped beneath the rubble.
Thousands of rescuers were deployed after some 40 homes were destroyed in Xinmo village in Maoxian county.
Emergency workers have been digging through earth and rocks for a second day, with rescue dogs scouring the debris for some 93 people who remain unaccounted for.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis received the participants in the General Chapter of the Congregation of the Resurrection on Saturday.
Listen to the report by Chris Altieri :
The Congregation of the Resurrection, or “Resurrectionists” were founded in 1836 under the leadership of Polish revert to Catholicism, Bogdan Janski , who served especially the Polish faithful who had emigrated from their native country to take up new lives in France in the 19 th century, along with Peter Semenenko, and Jerome Kajsiewicz, in order to administer parishes and educate young people.
In remarks to the participants, who have been spending the past two weeks exploring the theme, “Witnesses of the presence of the Risen Lord: from community to the world,” Pope Francis encouraged the General Chapter and the whole Congregation to go forward boldly in their mission of service.
One Mission, past, present and future
“[R]emember the past with gratitude, live the present with passion, and embrace the future with hope,” Pope Francis said.
“Those who believe in the Risen One have the courage to ‘go forth’ and bring to others the Good News of the resurrection,” Pope Francis also said, “embracing the risks of testimony, even as the Apostles did.” The Holy Father went on to say, “How many people are waiting for this joyful proclamation! It is not right for us to deprive them of it. If the resurrection of Christ is our greatest certainty and our most precious treasure, how can we not run to proclaim it to others?”
The 33 rd General Chapter of the “Resurrectionists” opened in Rome on June 11 th , and concludes Sunday, June 25 th .
Click below to hear our report
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis received athletes, organisers and sponsors of the “Settecolli” international swimming competition on Saturday. The Settecolli event is the last major competition ahead of the World Championships in Budapest in July In remarks to his guests, who were gathered in the Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace on Saturday, Pope Francis said that swimming – especially competitive swimming – is an extremely demanding form of athleticism that requires the cultivation of many virtues, and also presses us to reflect on the gift of water. “Your competitiveness, your racing, your living in contact with water, can also be a contribution to a different ‘culture of water’: water is life – without water there is no life – and to talk about life is to talk about God, the origin and source of life. Even our Christian life begins with the sign of water, with Baptism,” Pope Francis said. More than 700 athletes from 36 countries are participating in the Settecolli competition this weekend. (from Vatican Radio)…
Bulletin for 06/25/2017