(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis had a special gift for the pilgrims and tourists present in St. Peter’s Square for the Angelus prayer on the 5 th Sunday of Lent: a pocket-sized copy of the Holy Gospel According to St. Luke. Inspired by the words of our Lord as recorded in Chapter 6, verse 36 of Luke’s Gospel, “Be ye merciful as your Father [in Heaven is merciful],” the little volume is titled, St. Luke’s Gospel of Mercy , reporting the theme of the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy underway in the Church throughout the world.
Volunteers from the Saint Martha Pediatric Dispensary distributed the copies of the special edition (not available for sale) to those present, with the aid of a number of grandparents of the diocese of Rome. “How worthy are grandfathers and grandmothers who transmit the faith to their grandchildren,” said Pope Francis.
The Holy Father also called the attention of the faithful to page 123 of the volume, on which the full list of the Seven Corporal and Seven Spiritual Works of Mercy appear. “It would be nice that you should learn them by heart,” he said, “so as to make it easier for you all to do them!”
“I invite you to take this gospel and to read it, a little passage every day, so that the mercy of the Father might dwell in your heart and so that you will bring that mercy to everyone you meet.”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) During his Angelus address on the Fifth Sunday of Lent, Pope Francis drew inspiration from the Gospel reading of the day which the Pope himself described as so beautiful that he reads it and rereads it.
It tells the story of the adulterous woman, which the Pope said, highlights the theme of the mercy of God, who never wants the death of the sinner but wants them to convert and live.
Pope Francis asked the faithful present in St Peter’s Square to imagine they were witnessing the scene of Jesus, the woman and the crowd who want her stoned to death for her sins.
The Holy Father said that the crowd have not come to the Master to ask for his opinion but to make him fall into a trap.
When Jesus responds saying “Let him who is without sin, cast the first stone at her” continued the Pope this “displaces the accusers”, and disarms them. They leave aware of their sins. Just like the Gospel reading said Pope Francis, we need to be aware of our sins and have the courage to drop the stones that we aim at others and think about the wrong we do.
The Holy Father noted that when everyone has gone it is just “the woman and Jesus: misery and mercy, facing each other.”
Putting this scene into the context of today, Pope Francis explained that it is like when we are in the confessional filled with shame. We see our own misery and we ask for forgiveness.
This woman underlined, the Pope “represents all of us, sinners, that is, adulterers before God, traitors of his loyalty. And her experience is God’s will for each of us: not our condemnation, but our salvation through Jesus.”
Following the recitation of the Marian prayer, all those gathered in St. Peter’s Square, were given a copy of the Gospel of St. Luke, donated by Pope Francis, with an invitation to “read it every day.”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) A draft of the program of the trip that Pope Francis will make to Poland from July 27 to 31 in the context of the 31 st World Youth Day was presented in Krakow on Saturday.
According to the provisional schedule, the Pope is to arrive Wednesday, July 27, at Krakow-Balice airport. The first meetings are to be those with the President of the Republic and the Polish bishops. In the evening, the draft program sees the Pope with the archbishop of Krakow, and greeting people from the same window from which St. John Paul II used to speak to young people.
Thursday, July 28, Pope Francis is expected to stop in Czestochowa with a private prayer before the icon of the Black Madonna, and offer Mass on the occasion of 1,050 th anniversary of the Baptism of Poland.
Friday, July 29, the draft program contains a visit to the extermination camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau, and in the afternoon the Via Crucis on the Esplanade of Krakow.
Saturday, July 30, there is to be a visit to the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Lagiewniki, with the Holy Father passing through the Holy Door and going on to visit the chapel where St. Faustina Kowalska is buried (the chapel is not in the Sanctuary, but next door). A Mass with priests, religious and seminarians is to follow. In the Sanctuary, it is expected that the Pope should confess some young people; then take lunch with some of them. In the evening, there is scheduled a prayer vigil for World Youth Day.
Sunday, July 31, Pope Francis is to celebrate Mass in the morning with the sending out of young people. In the afternoon, he is to meet with the volunteers, organizing committee, and benefactors of World Youth Day.
Finally, there is to be the farewell ceremony and departure for Rome.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis addressed the participants of a formation course held by the Roman Rota on Saturday. The course for canon lawyers focused on the new juridical process for the verification of marital nullity.
Listen to Devin Watkins’ report:
In his prepared remarks, Pope Francis focused on the importance of the recent modifications to the Church’s process for the declaration of marital nullity.
The Holy Father said the rescripts Mitis Iudex Dominus Iesus and Mitis et Misericors Iesus were the fruit of the year long preparation for the Synod on the Family.
He said the resulting ‘short process’ had an important pastoral focus, aimed at easing the conscience of many people worried about the validity of their marriage. “Charity and mercy, beyond the reflection on experience, pushed the Church to make herself ever more near to her children, recognizing their legitimate desire for justice.”
The Pope also encouraged the canon lawyers assembled to put into practice these new norms in Ecclesial Tribunals throughout the world. “It is important that the new norms be received and meditated, in merit and in spirit, especially by members of Ecclesial Tribunals, in order to better serve families in justice and charity.”
He went on to remind those present of the reason for the changes. “The Church is Mother and desires to show the face of God who is ever faithful to His love, merciful, and always capable of giving strength and hope. What concerns us most regarding separated persons living in a new union is their participation in the community of the Church.”
Pope Francis concluded his address with words of praise for the many families who remain faithful to their marriage despite difficult situations. “These witnesses of marital fidelity should be encouraged and promoted as examples to be imitated. Many women and men put up with major problems so as not to destroy the family, to be faithful in health and sickness, in difficulty and tranquility: this is fidelity. And they are good!”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Three years ago this Sunday (March 13th) Pope Francis, the former Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio from Argentina, stepped out onto the balcony of the Vatican Basilica. His election stunned the world.
Not only was he the first Pope from Latin America, he was also the first Jesuit Pope and the first ever to take the name of Francis.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, is the head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales and Susy Hodges asked him to reflect on this papal anniversary and analyse the impact of Pope Francis’ papacy on the Church and review some of the highlights of these past three years.
Listen to the interview with Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster:
Cardinal Nichols said that for him one surprising thing about Pope Francis is his “remarkable energy, his vibrant presentation of the gospel” and his “ability to maintain a very full, personal and heartfelt presence.” He said he believes the reason for this energy this can be found in the Pope’s deep relationship with the Lord.
“Nothing else could give a man of his age the kind of vitality and freshness that he’s sustained over these past three years.”
Cardinal Nichols goes on to describe how the Pope Francis’ fidelity to the Lord and his message, together with his concern for people, “especially those on the margins of society,” is what “captures and enthralls the world.”
“Not a reformation of the papacy”
When asked about ways in which Pope Francis has changed the papacy, Cardinal Nichols cautions that “this is not a reformation of the papacy” as some would have us believe. He said there’s a “great continuity among the Popes, along with “a freshness” and “difference” with each new incumbent.
Turning to the question of what challenges face the Church, the English cardinal singled out the Pope’s desire to “galvanise” the Church around this Jubilee Year of Mercy, describing this as “an enduring challenge” to make the theme of mercy “a real central characteristic of Catholic life.”
“That’s the biggest challenge he sets us,” said Cardinal Nichols.
(from Vatican Radio)…