(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Wednesday greeted former prisoners of the Auschwitz concentration camp during his remarks to Polish-speaking pilgrims during the General Audience.
“Today we celebrate the memory of St. Faustina Kowalska,” – Pope Francis said – “She reminded the world that God is rich in mercy and that His love is more powerful than death, sin and every evil. May this message of the Merciful Jesus, entrusted to her, bear fruit in your life with a deeper union with God and the works of mercy.”
He concluded his remarks by saying: “Entrusting to the Lord ourselves, and the difficult problems of the world, we frequently repeat: ‘Jesus, I trust in you!’. Praised be Jesus Christ.”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) At his General Audience on Wednesday, Pope Francis reflected on his recent Apostolic Voyage to Georgia and Azerbaijan.
The Holy Father said “This visit complemented my visit to Armenia in June, and fulfilled my desire to visit all three nations of the Caucasus to confirm the Catholic community and to encourage all the people in their journey toward peace and fraternity.” He concluded his address with the prayer, “May God bless Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan, and guide his holy people in those countries.”
Below, please find the English-language summary of Pope Francis’ address for the weekly General Audience on 5 October 2016:
Dear Brothers and Sisters: I thank the Lord for the grace of my recent visit to Georgia and Azerbaijan, and I renew my gratitude to the civil and religious authorities of both countries, in particular to the Patriarch of All Georgia, Ilia II, and to the Sheikh of the Muslims of the Caucasus. This visit complemented my visit to Armenia in June, and fulfilled my desire to visit all three nations of the Caucasus to confirm the Catholic community and to encourage all the people in their journey toward peace and fraternity. Though Georgia and Azerbaijan enjoy ancient historical, cultural and religious roots, they have only just celebrated twenty-five years of independence, and are experiencing great challenges. The Catholic Church is called to be close to them, especially through works of charity and promoting the good of the human person, in communion with the other Churches and Christian communities, and in dialogue with other religious communities. In Georgia, our cooperation is naturally with our Orthodox brothers and sisters, and so Patriarch Ilia’s presence at the airport upon my arrival was a very important sign, as well as our visit to the Patriarchal Cathedral and our meeting which was very moving. Our unity is seen in the blood of so many Christian martyrs of different Christian confessions, especially the Assyrian-Chaldean, with whom we prayed for peace in Syria, Iraq and the whole Middle East. In Azerbaijan, a primarily Muslim country, I was able to participate in an interreligious meeting and to celebrate Mass with the small Catholic community. Our communion of faith inspires us to deepen our encounter and dialogue with all who believe in God, so that together we can build a more just and fraternal world. May God bless Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan, and guide his holy people in those countries.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis met with the directors of the ‘Vodafone Foundation’ in a private audience in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall on Wednesday, telling them to ‘be constructive’ and make religious text available to more people.
The foundation is promoting an initiative called ‘Instant Schools for Africa’, which aims to provide online educative resources to young people on the African continent.
Pope Francis expressed his appreciation of the initiative and said it promotes “a more inclusive and familial world capable of offering development opportunities to people in social groups at risk of exclusion”.
He suggested such initiatives should take care “to supply young people also with some notions of method, so that they learn not only to use instruments but to use them as instruments , becoming capable of using them more freely and critically”.
The Pope also expressed his desire that “among the resources offered to young people, there be access to the sacred texts of various religions in different languages. This would be a beautiful sign of attention to the religious dimension, so rooted in the African peoples, and of encouragement for interreligious dialogue.”
In conclusive off-the-cuff remarks, he added, “I really like what I’ve heard [about this project] – it’s constructive – and nowadays there is a need to be constructive, to do things which promote human advancement and not only to see bombs fall on innocent people, children, sick people, and entire cities. Build, and not destroy!”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has released his videomessage accompanying his monthly prayer intention for October. This month’s intention is for Journalists: That journalists, in carrying out their work, may always be motivated by respect for truth and a strong sense of ethics.
The text of the video message reads:
“I often wonder: How can media be put to the service of a culture of encounter?
We need information leading to compromise for the good of humanity and the planet.
Join me in this prayer request.
That journalists, in carrying out their work, may always be motivated by respect for truth and a strong sense of ethics.
Can you help me spread this prayer request?
Yes. ”
The Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network of the Apostleship of Prayer developed the “Pope Video” initiative to assist in the worldwide dissemination of monthly intentions of the Holy Father in relation to the challenges facing humanity.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has visited the earthquake-hit towns of central Italy in a surprise journey, praying with and greeting residents of Amatrice.
The Holy Father arrived by car with the Bishop of Rieti, Domenico Pompili, in Amatrice on Tuesday morning at 9:20 a.m. to visit those people affected by the earthquake of 24 August.
His first visit was to the newly constructed school ‘Capranica’, where the Pope met with elementary and middle-school aged children, who gave him several of their handmade drawings.
Pope Francis hugged them one-by-one and listened to their stories of the deadly earthquake in which 231 of the total 297 people died.
During his visit, Pope Francis told the residents of Amatrice, “I thought long and hard in the first days of these many pains that my visit, perhaps, would be more of a hindrance than a help, a greeting. I didn’t want to be a bother so I let a little time pass, so that some things could be resolved, like the school. But from the first moment, I felt that I needed to come to you! Simply to express my closeness to you, nothing more. And I pray, pray for you! Solidarity and prayer: this is my offering to you. May the Lord bless you all; may Our Lady watch over you in this moment of sadness, pain, and trial.”
After blessing them, he said, “Let’s move forward; there is always a future. There are many loved ones who have left us, who fell here under the rubble. Let us pray to Our Lady for them; let us do it together. Always look ahead. Courage, and help each other. One walks better together, alone we go nowhere. Forward! Thank you.”
The Holy Father then went to the heavily damaged centre of Amatrice accompanied by the Mayor Sergio Pirozzi. There he paused for several minutes to pray.
A press release by the Holy See Press Office said, “Already on Sunday, during his inflight press conference on the flight from Baku to Rome, Pope Francis had said he would make this visit ‘privately, alone, as a priest, as a bishop, as Pope. But alone. This is how I want to do it. And I would like to be close to the people.’”
Nealy 4,000 people are living in tents near Amatrice after their homes were destroyed in the 6.0-magnitude earthquake.
Afterwards the Pope headed to nearby Accumoli and Arquata del Tronto to bring a message of hope and solidarity to them as well.
(from Vatican Radio)…