(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis called for Catholics to pray the Rosary for peace on Sunday. In remarks to pilgrims and tourists gathered in St. Peter’s Square to pray the Regina coeli with him on the Fourth Sunday of Easter, the Holy Father said, “[I]n this month of May, let us pray the Rosary in particular for peace.”
“Please!” he said, “let us pray the Rosary for peace, as the Virgin of Fatima asked us to do.”
Pope Francis is scheduled to travel to Fatima, in Portugal, this weekend, to lead celebrations marking the 100 th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Blessed Lady there.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis ordained ten men to the sacred priesthood on Sunday morning, the Fourth Sunday of Easter and “Good Shepherd Sunday” after the Gospel reading of the day, which is also celebrated as the day of prayer for vocations.
The Holy Father delivered the standard, prepared “template” homily found in the Roman Ritual for priestly ordinations, with three significant extemporaneous deviations from the text.
The first, was a reminder that the priesthood is not a “career” in the usual sense, and ought not be lived as a path to advancement within the Church. “These men have been elected by the Lord Jesus not to make their own way, but to do this [priestly] service.”
Pope Francis also broke with the prepared text to say, “Do not give homilies that are too intellectual or elaborate,” he said. “[Be] simple, as Our Lord spoke, who reached hearts.”
Pope Francis went on to say, “A presbyter who has perhaps studied much theology and has achieved one or two or three advanced degrees, but has not learned to carry the Cross of Christ, is useless: he will be a good academic, a good professor, but not a priest.”
The Holy Father also broke from the prepared text to say, “Please, I ask you in the name of Christ and of the Church to be merciful, always: do not saddle the faithful with burdens they cannot carry (nor ought you so burden yourselves). Jesus reproved the doctors of the law for this, and called them hypocrites.”
A concrete work of mercy to which Pope Francis called the ordinands was that of visiting the sick. “One of the tasks,” he said, “perhaps a nuisance, even painful – is to go to visit the sick. Do it, all of you. Yes, it is well that the lay faithful should do it, and deacons, but do not forget to touch the flesh of the suffering Christ in the sick: this sanctifies you, it brings you closer to Christ.”
The Holy Father concluded his homily with an appeal to joy.
“Be joyful, never sad,” he said. “With the joy of Christ’s service, even in the midst of suffering, misunderstanding, [even] one’s own sins. Have the example of the Good Shepherd ever before your eyes,” the Pope continued, “He did not come to be served, but to serve.”
“Please,” Pope Francis said at the last, “do not be ‘lords’, do not be ‘State Clerics’, but shepherds, pastors of the People of God.”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis received the President of the Swiss Confederation, Doris Leuthard, on Saturday morning in the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican.
A communiqué from the Press Office of the Holy See says the Pope and the President held cordial discussions, during which the parties emphasized the mutual wish to strengthen the already good relations between the Holy See and Switzerland, and to intensify cooperation between the Catholic Church and the State.
The statement from the Press Office goes on to say Pope Francis and President Leuthard discussed various themes of common interest, including the reception of migrants, the challenge of the world of work for the young, the fight against terrorism and commitment to the protection of the environment, as well as the future of Europe.
The visit of the President of the Swiss Confederation coincided with the swearing-in of new soldiers of the Pontifical Swiss Guard.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Saturday accepted the resignation of the Melkite Greek Patriarch of Antioch, His Beatitude Gregory II Laham, from his pastoral office. A letter from the Holy Father to the Patriarch-emeritus and all the Melkite bishops explains that His Beatitude presented his resignation during the course of a special audience with the Holy Father in February, and that the Holy Father has decided to accept the resignation.
In the letter, Pope Francis thanks the 83 year-old Patriarch-emeritus, “a zealous servant of the People of God, for the generous service to his Church and for keeping the international community’s attention focused on the tragedy of Syria.”
The Holy Father goes on to write, “I invoke upon you all the intercession of The Holy Mother of God and willingly give the Apostolic Blessing to our dear Greco-Melkite Church as a sign of grace and encouragement for the future of communion and witness of the Gospel.”
Below, please find the full text of the letter, in the original French
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À Sa Béatitude Grégoire III Laham
Patriarche d’Antioche des Gréco-melkites
et à tous les Évêques de cette Église
Béatitude et Vénérables Frères dans le Christ,
Dans ma sollicitude pour toutes les Églises, je m’adresse à vous, reconnaissant pour votre service auprès du Peuple de Dieu et conscient de votre responsabilité de Pasteurs.
Depuis la réunion du Synode des Évêques du mois de février dernier, Sa Béatitude, lors de l’audience que je lui ai accordée, m’a présenté spontanément sa renonciation à la charge patriarcale, en me demandant de décider du moment le plus favorable pour l’accepter. Après avoir prié et réfléchi attentivement, je retiens opportun et nécessaire pour le bien de l’Église gréco-melkite d’accueillir aujourd’hui sa renonciation.
En remerciant Sa Béatitude, serviteur zélé du Peuple de Dieu, pour les années de service généreux de son Église et pour avoir entretenu l’attention de la communauté internationale sur le drame vécu par la Syrie, j’invoque sur vous tous l’intercession da la Sainte Mère de Dieu et donne volontiers la Bénédiction apostolique à notre chère Église gréco-melkite, comme signe de grâce et d’encouragement pour l’avenir de communion et de témoignage de l’Évangile.
Du Vatican, le 6 mai 2017
François
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Saturday received the president of the Swiss Confederation, Doris Leuthard , in audience at the Vatican. President Leuthard subsequently met with Abp Paul Richard Gallagher, secretary for Relations with States.
A communique from the Holy See Press Office said, “During the cordial discussions, aside from mentioning the generous service of the Pontifical Swiss Guard on the day of the swearing in of new members, the parties emphasized the mutual wish to further strengthen the existing good relations between the Holy See and Switzerland , and to intensify collaboration between the Catholic Church and the State.”
The statement continued, “Various themes of common interest were then considered, such as the future of the European continent, the reception of migrants, the challenge of the world of work for the young, the fight against terrorism and commitment to the protection of the environment.”
The Swiss president will be present on Saturday evening at the swearing-in ceremony for new recruits of the Pontifical Swiss Guard, which will take place in the San Damaso courtyard of the Apostolic Palace.
(from Vatican Radio)…