(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis called on fathers to be present in the lives of their children pointing out that the absence of a ‘father figure’ can have grave consequences.
Speaking on Wednesday during the weekly General Audience, the Pope continued in his catechesis on the family, choosing to focus on the dignity and role of fathers.
He said that teaching us to call God our Father, Jesus gave new depth and richness to this relationship, so fundamental to the life of society.
Sadly – Francis said – in our modern societies, we are experiencing a crisis of fatherhood. In the past it was common practice to perceive the image of the father as authoritarian and at times even repressive, today – he said – we now sense uncertainty and confusion about the role of the father.
And speaking of an “absence” of the father figure in society, the Pope said that “without father figures, young people often feel ‘orphaned’, left adrift at a critical moment in their growth and development.
Calling on fathers to be responsible, he said that fathers are necessary as examples and guides for our children in wisdom and virtue.
Society itself – he continued – has a similar responsibility not to leave the young as orphans, without ideals, sound values, hopes and possibilities for work and for authentic spiritual fulfilment.
Just as Jesus promised that he would not leave us orphans – Pope Francis concluded – let us ask him to deepen and renew our appreciation of fatherhood and to raise up good fathers for the benefit of our families, our Church and our world.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis called on fathers to be present in the lives of their children pointing out that the absence of a ‘father figure’ can have grave consequences. Speaking on Wednesday during the weekly General Audience, the Pope continued in his catechesis on the family, choosing to focus on the dignity and role of…
Read more
Vatican City, 27 January 2015 (VIS) – The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff has published the following calendar of liturgical celebrations at which the Holy Father will preside from February to April: FEBRUARY Monday 2: Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, 19th World Day of Consecrated Life. At 5.30 p.m. in the Vatican Basilica, Mass with the members of the Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life. Sunday 8: Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time. At 4 p.m., pastoral visit to the Roman parish of “St. Michael the Archangel in Pietralata”. Saturday 14: At 11 a.m. in the Vatican Basilica, Ordinary Public Consistory for the creation of new cardinals and for several causes of canonisation. Sunday 15: Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time. At 10 a.m. in the Vatican Basilica, Mass with newly-created cardinals. Wednesday 18: Ash Wednesday. At 4.30 p.m., Basilica of St. Anselm, “Statio” and penitential procession. At 5 p.m. at the Basilica of St. Sabina, blessing and imposition of the ashes. Sunday 22, First Sunday of Lent. Ariccia, beginning of spiritual exercises for the Roman Curia. Friday 27: Conclusion of spiritual exercises for the Roman Curia. MARCH Sunday 8: Third Sunday of Lent. At 4 p.m., pastoral visit to the Roman parish of “Holy Mary Mother of the Redeemer”. Friday 13: At 5 p.m. in the Vatican Basilica, penitential liturgy. Saturday 21: pastoral visit to Naples-Pompeii. Sunday 29: Palm Sunday and the Passion of the Lord. At 9.30 a.m. in St. Peter’s Square, blessing of the palms, procession and Mass. APRIL Thursday 2: Holy Thursday. At 9.30 a.m. in the Vatican Basilica, Chrism Mass. Friday 3: Good Friday. At 5 p.m. in the Vatican Basilica, celebration of the Passion of the Lord. Friday 3: Good Friday. At 9.15 p.m., at the Colosseum, Via Crucis. Saturday 4: Holy Saturday. At 8.30 p.m. in the Vatican Basilica, Easter Vigil. Sunday 5: Easter Sunday. At 12 p.m., central balcony of the Vatican Basilica, “Urbi et Orbi” blessing. Sunday 12: Second Sunday of Easter, Divine Mercy Sunday. At 10 a.m. at the Vatican Basilica, Mass for the faithful of Armenian rite….
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis says we need to pray to God every day for the grace to understand His will, to follow it and to carry it out fully. This was the core message of his homily at the morning Mass on Tuesday at the Santa Marta residence.
Listen to this report by Susy Hodges:
Taking his cue from the day’s readings, the Pope reflected on one of the cornerstones of our faith: obedience to God’s will. This, he explained, is the path to holiness for each Christian, namely that we carry out God’s will.
“The opposite began in Paradise with Adam’s failure to obey. And that disobedience brought evil to the whole of humanity. And sins too are acts of disobedience towards God, of not doing God’s will. The Lord teaches us instead that this is the path, there is no other one. And it begins with Jesus in Heaven, in his desire to obey the Father. But here on earth it begins with Our Lady: what did she say to the Angel? ‘Let it be done to me according to your word’, namely that God’s will is carried out. And with that ‘Yes’ to the Lord, our Lord began his journey amongst us.”
Many options on the tray
Pope Francis, stressed, however, that following God’s will is not easy. Even for Jesus it wasn’t easy when he faced temptations in the wilderness or in the Gardens of Olives. And, continued the Pope, it wasn’t easy either for his disciples and neither is it easy for us, when each day we are faced with a tray of so many different options and that’s why we need the gift of God’s grace.
“Do I pray that the Lord gives me the desire to do his will, or do I look for compromises because I’m afraid of God’s will? Another thing: praying to know God’s will for me and my life, concerning a decision that I must take now… there are so many things. The way in which we handle things…. Praying for the desire to do God’s will and praying to know God’s will. And when I know God’s will, praying again for the third time, to follow it. To carry out that will, which is not my own, it is His will. And all this is not easy.”
Desire to do God’s will
In conclusion, Pope Francis said, we need to pray to have the desire to follow God’s will, pray to know God’s will and once we know this, pray for the strength to go ahead and do His will.
“The Lord grants His grace to all of us so that one day He can say about us the same thing that He said about that group, that crowd who followed Him, those who were seated around Him, just as we have heard in the Gospel: ‘Here is my mother and my brothers and sisters. Whoever does the will of God is my brother, my sister and my mother.’ Doing God’s will makes us become part of Jesus’ family, it makes us his mother, father, sister, brother.”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis says we need to pray to God every day for the grace to understand His will, to follow it and to carry it out fully. This was the core message of his homily at the morning Mass on Tuesday at the Santa Marta residence. Taking his cue from the day’s readings,…
Read more