Care of creation is not just something God spoke of at the dawn of history: he entrusts it to each of us as part of his plan.
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Hypocrisy
June 4, 2013. (Romereports.com) During his daily Mass at the Vatican's Casa Santa Marta, Pope Francis talked about hypocrisy. He explained a specific Gospel passage, where a group of Jews tries to talk Jesus into a trap. The Pope said that hypocritical language, is what corrupt people normally use.
POPE FRANCIS“Hypocrisy is the very language of corruption. And when Jesus speaks to his disciples, he says: 'let your language be: Yes, yes! No, no.' Hypocrisy is not a language of truth, because the truth is never given alone. Never! It is always given with love! There is no truth without love. Love is the first truth. If there is no love, there is no truth. These men want truth enslaved to their own interests. There is a love, of sorts: it is love of the self, love for themselves. That narcissist idolatry that leads them to betray others, that leads them to the abuse of trust.”
The Pope explained the importance of speaking clearly, of telling the truth without failing to be charitable with others and without trying to manipulate them.
POPE FRANCIS“We all have some inner weakness and we like people to compliment us. We like that, we are all a bit vain, and these corrupt people know that and so they try to weaken us. Let us think closely today: What is our language? Do we speak in truth, with love, or do we speak with in a 'sociable language': we are polite, we even say nice things, but we do not feel them? Let our language be evangelical brothers and sisters! These hypocrites that start out with flattery, adulation and all of that, will end up as false witnesses, accusing the very ones they had flattered. Let us ask the Lord today that our language be the language of the simple, the language of a child, the language of the children of God, the language of truth in love.”
POPE FRANCIS“Hypocrisy is the very language of corruption. And when Jesus speaks to his disciples, he says: 'let your language be: Yes, yes! No, no.' Hypocrisy is not a language of truth, because the truth is never given alone. Never! It is always given with love! There is no truth without love. Love is the first truth. If there is no love, there is no truth. These men want truth enslaved to their own interests. There is a love, of sorts: it is love of the self, love for themselves. That narcissist idolatry that leads them to betray others, that leads them to the abuse of trust.”
The Pope explained the importance of speaking clearly, of telling the truth without failing to be charitable with others and without trying to manipulate them.
POPE FRANCIS“We all have some inner weakness and we like people to compliment us. We like that, we are all a bit vain, and these corrupt people know that and so they try to weaken us. Let us think closely today: What is our language? Do we speak in truth, with love, or do we speak with in a 'sociable language': we are polite, we even say nice things, but we do not feel them? Let our language be evangelical brothers and sisters! These hypocrites that start out with flattery, adulation and all of that, will end up as false witnesses, accusing the very ones they had flattered. Let us ask the Lord today that our language be the language of the simple, the language of a child, the language of the children of God, the language of truth in love.”
Martyrs
une 4, 2013. (Romereports.com) Pope Francis recognized a total of 95 new Spanish martyrs who were killed because of their faith, during Spain's civil war. He also gave the title of 'venerable' to four founders of religious congregations.
The group of 95 martyrs include 66 Marist Brothers and two laymen, as well as 17 Benedictines, led by Abel Angel Palazuelos. A group of five Discalced Carmelites and a diocesan priest. There's also a group of nuns and three Servants of Mary, who served as Ministers to the Sick.
On October 27th, Spain's Episcopal Conference will hold a beatification celebration, towards the end of the Year of Faith.
In addition, the Pope has recognized the heroic virtues of four founders of religious congregations. They include Italian priest, Nicola Mazza, who founded the Institute for Education;
Portuguese Bishop João de Oliveira Matos, founder of the 'Liga dos servos de Jesus.' Also Giulia Crostarosa, the Italian founder of the Sisters of the Holy Redeemer, and the Spanish Teresa of St. Joseph, founder of the Congregation of Teresian Carmelite Sisters of St. Joseph.
The group of 95 martyrs include 66 Marist Brothers and two laymen, as well as 17 Benedictines, led by Abel Angel Palazuelos. A group of five Discalced Carmelites and a diocesan priest. There's also a group of nuns and three Servants of Mary, who served as Ministers to the Sick.
On October 27th, Spain's Episcopal Conference will hold a beatification celebration, towards the end of the Year of Faith.
In addition, the Pope has recognized the heroic virtues of four founders of religious congregations. They include Italian priest, Nicola Mazza, who founded the Institute for Education;
Portuguese Bishop João de Oliveira Matos, founder of the 'Liga dos servos de Jesus.' Also Giulia Crostarosa, the Italian founder of the Sisters of the Holy Redeemer, and the Spanish Teresa of St. Joseph, founder of the Congregation of Teresian Carmelite Sisters of St. Joseph.
Waste
June 5, 2013. (Romereports.com) During his weekly general audience, Pope Francis talked about the need to protect the Earth and its resources. More specifically, he talked about not wasting food.
Wednesday marks 'World Environment Day,' and so the Pope talked about not giving into a culture of extreme consumerism, where things are bought, only to be thrown away soon after. As a prime example, he talked about the problem of throwing away food, while others go hungry.
POPE FRANCIS “We must remember that when we waste or throw away food, it's as if we're stealing it from the table of the poor. From those who are hungry! I invite everyone to reflect upon this problem of waste, so that solutions to this problem can be faced with seriousness. May the solutions lead us to a culture of solidarity and sharing with those who need it most.”
With thousands of people in St. Peter's Square, the Pope explained that extreme consumerism and poverty are not really economic problems, but rather, ethical and anthropological ones.
He said sharing is part of the solution. As an example, the Pope highlighted the multiplication of loaves, where Jesus feeds a huge crowd with only five loaves of bread and two fishes.
POPE FRANCIS “Jesus asks his apostles that nothing be wasted. Nothing! This is where the 12 food baskets come into play. Why 12? What does this mean? Twelve represents the number of Israeli tribes, so symbolically it means everyone, the entire community.”
The Pope went on to explain that human ecology and environmental ecology are inseparable. The also reminded the crowd that people are called by God to cultivate and care for the Earth.
Wednesday marks 'World Environment Day,' and so the Pope talked about not giving into a culture of extreme consumerism, where things are bought, only to be thrown away soon after. As a prime example, he talked about the problem of throwing away food, while others go hungry.
POPE FRANCIS “We must remember that when we waste or throw away food, it's as if we're stealing it from the table of the poor. From those who are hungry! I invite everyone to reflect upon this problem of waste, so that solutions to this problem can be faced with seriousness. May the solutions lead us to a culture of solidarity and sharing with those who need it most.”
With thousands of people in St. Peter's Square, the Pope explained that extreme consumerism and poverty are not really economic problems, but rather, ethical and anthropological ones.
He said sharing is part of the solution. As an example, the Pope highlighted the multiplication of loaves, where Jesus feeds a huge crowd with only five loaves of bread and two fishes.
POPE FRANCIS “Jesus asks his apostles that nothing be wasted. Nothing! This is where the 12 food baskets come into play. Why 12? What does this mean? Twelve represents the number of Israeli tribes, so symbolically it means everyone, the entire community.”
The Pope went on to explain that human ecology and environmental ecology are inseparable. The also reminded the crowd that people are called by God to cultivate and care for the Earth.
Complain
une 5, 2013. (Romereports.com) As the war in Syria continues, Pope Francis once again called for peace. On Wednesday morning he met with representatives of theChurch in Syria and with members of the Vatican's Council 'Cor Unum,' which deals with humanitarian aid.
POPE FRANCIS
“A priest I know once told a woman who complained to God about her misfortunes. He said, ‘That is a form of prayer. Go ahead with it.’ The Lord hears us, He listens to our complaints. Think of the great men, of Job, when in chapter III he says: ‘Cursed be the day I came into the world,’ and then there's Jeremiah, in the twentieth chapter: ‘Damned be the day’ they complained and even cursed,' not to the Lord, but to the situation, right? It is only human.”“To lament before God is not a sin. A priest I know once said to a woman who lamented to God about her misfortune: ‘But, madam, that is a form of prayer. Go ahead with it.’ The Lord hears, He listens to our complaints. Think of the great men, of Job, when in chapter III he says: ‘Cursed be the day I came into the world,’ and Jeremiah, in the twentieth chapter: ‘Cursed be the day’ – they complain even cursing, not the Lord, but the situation, right? It is only human.”
“A priest I know once told a woman who complained to God about her misfortunes. He said, ‘That is a form of prayer. Go ahead with it.’ The Lord hears us, He listens to our complaints. Think of the great men, of Job, when in chapter III he says: ‘Cursed be the day I came into the world,’ and then there's Jeremiah, in the twentieth chapter: ‘Damned be the day’ they complained and even cursed,' not to the Lord, but to the situation, right? It is only human.”“To lament before God is not a sin. A priest I know once said to a woman who lamented to God about her misfortune: ‘But, madam, that is a form of prayer. Go ahead with it.’ The Lord hears, He listens to our complaints. Think of the great men, of Job, when in chapter III he says: ‘Cursed be the day I came into the world,’ and Jeremiah, in the twentieth chapter: ‘Cursed be the day’ – they complain even cursing, not the Lord, but the situation, right? It is only human.”
“The Sadducees were talking about this woman as if she were a laboratory, all aseptic - hers was a moral problem. When we think of the people who suffer so much, do we think of them as though they were an [abstract moral conundrum], pure ideas, ‘but in this case ... this case ...’, or do we think about them with our hearts, with our flesh, too? I do not like it when people speak about tough situations in an academic and not a human manner, sometimes with statistics ... and that’s it. In the Church there are many people in this situation.”
“Pray for them. They must come into my heart, they must be a cause of restlessness for me: my brother is suffering, my sister suffers. Here is the mystery of the communion of saints: pray to the Lord, ‘But, Lord, look at that person: he cries, he is suffering. Pray, let me say, with the flesh: that our flesh pray. Not with ideas. Praying with the heart.”
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
John XXIII
June 4, 2013.
(Romereports.com) The Pope visited the tomb of John XXIII on the
day that marked 50 years since his death. Moments before, after a Mass in
St. Peter's Basilica, the Pope greeted thousands of pilgrims who came to
visit from the late Pope's Diocese of Bergamo. The Pope prayed with them, and
asked them to imitate his predecessor by focusing on the virtues of peace and
obedience.
POPE FRANCIS
“Angelo Roncalli was able to convey peace: It was a natural, serene and cordial kind of peace. As Pope, he transmitted that peace to the world, adding to this reputation of kindness. It's so nice to encounter such a good priest. A priest with graciousness.”
The Pope explained that in order to achieve peace, it is necessary to put selfishness aside and instead to make room for God.
The Bishop of Bergamo provoked some nervous laughs, when he told Pope Francis that after his election, many thought his gestures resembled those of Pope John XXIII.
POPE FRANCIS
“Angelo Roncalli was able to convey peace: It was a natural, serene and cordial kind of peace. As Pope, he transmitted that peace to the world, adding to this reputation of kindness. It's so nice to encounter such a good priest. A priest with graciousness.”
The Pope explained that in order to achieve peace, it is necessary to put selfishness aside and instead to make room for God.
The Bishop of Bergamo provoked some nervous laughs, when he told Pope Francis that after his election, many thought his gestures resembled those of Pope John XXIII.
June 3, 2013. (Romereports.com) Pope Francis was visited by a group of young cancer patients
who are being treated at Rome's Agostino Gemelli hospital. They all prayed
together, and a young girl read the Pope a very moving letter.
“I am happy I can see you in person, and not as I usually do in television. At Lourdes, we prayed for you: we made you a sketch of the grotto, as a present. We promise we will pray for you and we ask you to pray for all the sick children at the hospital and all over the world. Please bless all the mothers and fathers, so that they will have a wonderful smile, just like yours!”
Pope Francis blessed the audience, which also included the hospital's medical staff and several volunteers. Then, the Pope made a special request to the children.
Pope Francis
“At this moment, Jesus comes to you and gives you a big hug.
And I ask you one last favor: pray for me! Will you do that? Are you sure? Great!”
At the end of the meeting, the Pope took the time to individually greet the 22 children and their families.
“I am happy I can see you in person, and not as I usually do in television. At Lourdes, we prayed for you: we made you a sketch of the grotto, as a present. We promise we will pray for you and we ask you to pray for all the sick children at the hospital and all over the world. Please bless all the mothers and fathers, so that they will have a wonderful smile, just like yours!”
Pope Francis blessed the audience, which also included the hospital's medical staff and several volunteers. Then, the Pope made a special request to the children.
Pope Francis
“At this moment, Jesus comes to you and gives you a big hug.
And I ask you one last favor: pray for me! Will you do that? Are you sure? Great!”
At the end of the meeting, the Pope took the time to individually greet the 22 children and their families.
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