(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis delivered the homily on Monday afternoon at Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, being celebrated to mark the feast of the Presentation of the Lord and the World Day for Consecrated Life, in the context of the Year dedicated to the same. Below, please find Vatican Radio’s English translation of the Holy…
Read more
(Vatican Radio) Lithuania’s clergy have been “heroic” in defending the Church in times of persecution – that’s what Pope Francis told Bishops from the Baltic nation who are in Rome for their ad Limina visit. If Lithuania was for many years “oppressed by regimes founded on ideologies contrary to human dignity and freedom,” the former…
Read more
(Vatican Radio) Presenting the Vatican Council for Culture Plenary Assembly to press Monday, the President Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi spoke of the need to avoid rhetoric and clichés when exploring the theme of women, in society and the Church.
The Plenary will run from February 4-7 and explore the topic Women’s cultures: equality and difference.
Card. Ravasi told reporters the expression “women’s cultures” doesn’t imply division from men’s cultures, but awareness of women’s “perspective” on the world.
The Council has identified key areas it wants to explore during the Plenary’s four sessions: generativity, rights, poor and invisible women, women’s spirituality, equality and reciprocity, power and service, insights and vision, biology and women in the Church.
While these sessions are closed to the Council’s 31 members and 35 consulters, the Cardinal invited participation in a public session to be held in Rome’s Teatro Argentina on Wednesday February 4 th or on social media using the hastag #Lifeof Women from 15:30 pm Rome time.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Presenting the Vatican Council for Culture Plenary Assembly to press Monday, the President Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi spoke of the need to avoid rhetoric and clichés when exploring the theme of women, in society and the Church. The Plenary will run from February 4-7 and explore the topic Women’s cultures: equality and difference. Card. Ravasi…
Read more
(Vatican Radio) Lithuania’s clergy have been “heroic” in defending the Church in times of persecution – that’s what Pope Francis told Bishops from the Baltic nation who are in Rome for their ad Limina visit. If Lithuania was for many years “oppressed by regimes founded on ideologies contrary to human dignity and freedom,” the former Soviet state is now faced with “other dangers such as secularism and relativism,” the Pope said in a written statement.
The last Soviet troops left Lithuania on 31 August 1993 and the country became a full member of the European Union in 2004. Lithuania adopted the euro as its official currency on 1 January 2015.
In his remarks to Lithuanian bishops meeting in the Vatican Monday, Pope Francis noted some of them had lived through the “sad times” of persecution and observed the Church’s pastors have historically accompanied the faithful spiritually, through material difficulties, and in the construction of society.
The Pope invited the prelates to “tirelessly announce the Gospel and Christian values” and to “ constructive dialogue with all, even those who do not belong to the Church or are far from the religious experience.”
The Holy Father called them to pray for “generous priests capable of sacrifice and dedication,” and for lay people capable of taking responsibility within the Church community and of giving valuable Christian witness in society, particularly in the civil, cultural, and socio-political spheres.
With its full membership in the European Union, Lithuania, the Pope warned, is exposed to an “influx of ideologies that would introduce elements of destabilization for families , fruit of a poorly understood sense of personal freedom.” He encouraged them to provide pastoral guidance and support to help strengthen families.
The Pope further urged the bishops to pay special attention to vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life, saying that they need “adequate training” throughout their ministry. The poor, unemployed, the sick and young people, the Pope concluded, are also in need of the Lithuanian Church’s pastoral solicitude.
(from Vatican Radio)…