(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis paid a private visit to the Basilica of St. Mary Major on Monday morning to thank Our Lady for the success of his just-ended one-day apostolic visit to Albania. A brief statement from the Director of the Press Office of the Holy See, Fr. Federico Lombardi SJ, said the Pope made…
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(Vatican Radio) Although the plane-trip from Albania to Rome was only 90 minutes, it still left time for Pope Francis to give what has become a traditional post-trip in-flight interview with journalists. While answering questions by the journalists, Pope Francis apologized and said he would only respond to those concerning the trip itself, not wanting…
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(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis told Albania’s priests, religious and lay movements that despite their many difficulties, they must have the courage to go out and serve those most in need. Speaking at Vespers in Tirana’s Catholic cathedral, the Pope recalled those pastors who paid a huge price under the atheist regime, experiencing prison and persecution…
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(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has visited a residential centre for disabled and needy children run by an Italian charity in the Albanian capital, Tirana. It was the final engagement of his one-day visit to Albania on Sunday. In his address at the Bethany Centre the Pope spoke of how faith, working through charity, can dislodge…
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(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis said on Sunday that no one must consider themselves to be the “armour” of God while planning and carrying out acts of violence and oppression. “May no one” he said “use religion as a pretext for actions against human dignity and against the fundamental rights of every man and woman, above all,…
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