HOW POPE FRANCIS SAYS EUCHARISTS MAKES PROPHETS OF A NEW WORLD, SYNOD SPIRITUALLY, ALL ARE WELCOMED IN CHURCH! (1321 hits)
For Immediate Release From Vatican News!
(A Ten-Minute Read)
Pope At Angelus: Eucharist Makes Us Prophets Of A New World
At the Sunday Angelus prayer, Pope Francis reflects on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, and says the Eucharist helps us overcome selfishness and opens us to love and fraternity. By Devin Watkins
Pope Francis prayed the Angelus on Sunday, as the Church in many countries celebrated the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, known as Corpus Christi.
Ahead of the traditional Marian prayer, the Pope reflected on Jesus’ act of giving Himself to us in the Eucharist on the night of the Last Supper.
The Gospel emphasizes the dimension of “gift,” he said, noting that Jesus revealed His identity and mission in this simple act of giving bread to His disciples.
“He did not hold back His life for Himself, but gave it to us,” said Pope Francis. “He did not consider His being like God a jealous treasure, but stripped Himself of His glory to share our humanity and bring us into eternal life.”
Jesus, added the Pope, made his entire life a gift on our behalf.
Connection To Entire Church
He went on to note that the Eucharist is a core part of the Christian life of faith.
“Celebrating the Eucharist and feeding on this Bread,” he said, “as we do especially on Sundays, is not an act of worship detached from life or a simple moment of personal consolation.”
Communion, said the Pope, makes each of us capable of offering our own lives for others, since it teaches us to share what we are and what we have.
Prophets Of New World
Pope Francis pointed out that the Eucharist helps us turn away from the logic of possession and consumption for its own sake, as we become “prophets and builders of a new world.”
“When we overcome selfishness and open ourselves to love, when we cultivate bonds of fraternity, when we participate in the sufferings of our brothers and sisters and share bread and resources with those in need, when we make our talents available to everyone,” he said, “then we are breaking the bread of our life like Jesus.”
Seeking benefit Of All
In conclusion, the Pope invited us to ask ourselves if we share our lives with others or if we seek our own interests.
“May the Virgin Mary, who welcomed Jesus, Bread come down from Heaven, and gave herself entirely with Him,” prayed Pope Francis, “help us to become a gift of love, united with Jesus in the Eucharist.”
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SYNOD PODCAST SERIES: Samaritan Woman At The Well
In the seventh episode of a nine-part series, Fr. Timothy Radcliffe, OP, guides our reflections on the spirituality of the Synod on synodality.
Catholic Sisters Initiative: Sisters Collaborating In Service Of Common Good
Catholic sisters from more than 15 countries were brought together in Zambia by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. They are embracing a shared vision: impact, learning, and collaboration in the service of the common good. By Sr. Michelle Njeri – Lusaka
More than 100 religious sisters from over 15 countries gathered in Lusaka, Zambia, from May 29 to May 31, for a convention organised by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation’s Catholic Sisters Initiative.
The aim of the event was to provide opportunities to deepen the understanding and practice of synodality and exchange ideas to advance a shared vision for mutual learning for strategic impact and growth, and continued collaboration for the common good.
“Coming together is an opportunity to allow space for new connections to be made and existing ones to be deepened, as we aspire to strengthen the quality and sustainability of our collective efforts,” said Sr. Jane Wakahiu, Associate Vice President of Program Operations and Head of Catholic Sisters Initiative at the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.
During the convention, religious sisters discussed topics that included elevating the voices of people living in disadvantaged conditions, embracing evidence-informed approaches to foster thriving religious communities, and transforming deep-rooted cultural practices to serve the common good. One golden thread uniting the themes was synodality.
Religious sisters as protagonists of communication in the Church During the panel on synodality, representatives from the Vatican engaged in a conversation on the mission and pastoral responsibilities of their Dicasteries, as well as the process of engagement with the local Churches. The panel was guided by Sr. Mumbi Kigutha, President of Friends in Solidarity, who highlighted Pope Francis’ encouragement of listening, collaboration, and communion.
Dr. Paolo Ruffini, the Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication, emphasised the importance of working together to give visibility to the work of the Catholic sisters in the world.
“Sister communicators should be the protagonists of communication in the Church by offering a Christian perspective,” he said. He added that they should be open to telling stories with a redemptive angle, “create a new way of communication that focuses on the good of society.”
Pope to commemorate 2014 invocation for peace in Holy Land Ten years after the invocation for peace by Pope Francis, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, and the leaders of Israel and Palestine, the Pope is to commemorate the historic anniversary and issue yet another appeal for peace as the war in the Holy Land continues. By Deborah Castellano Lubov
Ten years ago, Pope Francis organized a historic invocation for peace in the Holy Land in the Vatican Gardens. Ten years on, as war devastates the region, he is set to renew his appeal with a momentous gesture.
The commemoration will take place in the same place and on the same date, however, amid a totally devastated and devastating scenario, confirmed the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni.
On 8 June 2014, Pope Francis, the then-President of the State of Israel, Shimon Peres, the President of the State of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas, and the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, made history in an unprecedented event in which the leaders planted an olive tree for peace and addressed those present in the Vatican Gardens.
During that occasion, Pope Francis reminded the presidents that our world not only "is a legacy bequeathed to us from past generations," but also is "on loan to us from our children: our children who are weary, worn out by conflicts and yearning for the dawn of peace, our children who plead with us to tear down the walls of enmity and to set out on the path of dialogue and peace, so that love and friendship will prevail."
In his remarks, the Holy Father also reaffirmed that peacemaking, "much more than warfare," calls for courage.
"It calls for the courage to say yes to encounter and no to conflict: yes to dialogue and no to violence; yes to negotiations and no to hostilities; yes to respect for agreements and no to acts of provocation; yes to sincerity and no to duplicity. All of this takes courage, it takes strength and tenacity."
The Pope had visited the Holy Land only a couple of months prior, where he had made a 24-26 May pilgrimage on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the meeting between Pope St. Paul VI and then-Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras in Jerusalem.
Now, Pope Francis renews his appeal for peace in the Lord's homeland more than ever.
Pope Calls For ‘Strong Alliance ’Between Parents And Schools
Pope Francis sends a message to the Association des Parents d’Élèves de l’Enseignement Libre (Association of Parents for Free Education), saying parents are the primary educators of children while reminding them that “this task requires the help of the of the whole society, beginning with the school.” By Christopher Wells
Parents are “indeed the protagonists and primary architects of [their] children’s education,” the Pope told members of the French Association des Parents d’Élèves de l’Enseignement Libre (Association of Parents for Free Education), while reminding them of the need to work in collaboration with all of society.
“A strong alliance between schools and families enables knowledge to be passed on at the same time as human and spiritual values,” he wrote in a Message on the occasion of the group’s 23rd National Congress.
Discovering God's Plan
Pope Francis explained that the aim of this alliance is “to help young people discover God’s plan for each and every one of them.” The relationship between parents and educators gives life “to a community which, with a diversity of roles but a convergence of ends, takes on the characteristics of a Christian and human community cemented by charity.”
He emphasized the characteristics of alliance, encounter, and collaboration, while insisting that the role of parents is essential – a theme he elaborated as one of the pillars of the Global Educational Pact promoted by the Vatican.
In this regard, Pope Francis insisted on the importance “religious convictions on the sacred meaning of human life” as contributing to the recognition of “the fundamental values of our common humanity.”
The Challenge of AI
Finally, the Holy Father highlighted the importance of time, recognizing that education does not stop in the classroom. He warned of the “challenges” of artificial intelligence, which influence “not only the way we learn, but also the way we think for ourselves.”
He assured parents, “the Church is at your side” in facing those challenges, reminding them that discernment is required, in conversation with the Church and with the “entire educational community.”
Global Executions Surge To Highest Level In Eight Years
An Amnesty International report reveals the distressingly high number of people who were killed via capital punishment around the world in 2023. By Francesca Merlo
The world has witnessed the highest number of annual deaths by capital punishment in eight years.
The international human rights NGO, Amnesty International’s latest annual report dedicated to the Death Penalty, published on 29 May, has revealed a harrowing increase in global executions. In fact, according to the report, in 2023, 1153 people were killed in 16 countries across the globe – a 30% increase since 2022.
As the world advances in the fields of technology and medicine, human rights continue to fall behind. Amidst wars, climate disasters and indifference, capital punishment is persistently seen as a viable form of punishment in so many countries across the globe, completely disregarding human life and the idea of rehabilitation, change and forgiveness.
Middle East
According to Amnesty International, the alarming increase in deaths in 2023 came predominantly from Middle Eastern nations, with Iran and Saudi Arabia at the forefront.
Iran alone was responsible for 74% of these executions, mostly for drug-related offences, while Saudi Arabia accounted for 15%.
Study Reveals Global Shortfall In 2020 CO2 Emissions Targets
A recent investigation into the extent to which countries were able to meet their climate pledges, shows that 56% of the examined nations failed to meet the emissions reduction goals they established at COP15, raising concerns about the attainment of future climate targets, a concern already raised by Pope Francis in "Laudate Deum." By Federico Citterich
19 out of 34 countries failed to achieve their CO2 emissions targets set at COP15 for the year 2020, new research has found.
It comes amid a worsening global Climate Crisis and the publication in November 2023 by Pope Francis of his Apostolic Exhortation Laudate Deum (in advance of the 28th UN Climate Change Conference). In that document, the Pope reiterates his urgent call for action to tackle climate change, while also criticizing a failing global response to the crisis.
Meanwhile, the study in question, published in Nature Climate Change and led by University College London, Kingston University London, University of Groningen, and Tsinghua University researchers, was the first to assess the extent to which countries were able to meet the climate pledges set at COP15 in 2009.
To do this, the authors used emission and energy data from the International Energy Agency and global models of CO2 emissions based on national accounts.
Only 15 of the 34 countries – Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States – achieved their emissions reduction goals.
Of the 19 countries that failed to fully meet their CO2 emissions targets for 2020, 12 failed outright. These included Australia, Austria, Canada, Cyprus, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, and Switzerland. The remaining seven – Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Hungary, Luxembourg, Malta, and Poland – reduced carbon emissions within their own borders, but achieved that by outsourcing carbon-intensive processes to other countries, a practice known as “carbon transfer”.
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Holy See Urges Debt Cancellation For Small Poor Island Nations
Addressing the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States in Antigua and Barbuda, Vatican Representative Msgr. Robert Murphy calls on developed nations to cancel their debt to support their resilience and development in the face of climate and environmental crises. By Lisa Zengarini
The Holy See has called for increased efforts from developed nations to help Small Island Developing States (SIDS) build resilience in the face of increasing climate and environmental challenges and achieve their sustainable development goals by cancelling their debt.
“Debt cancellation is not just a matter of economic or development policy, but a moral imperative rooted in the principles of justice and solidarity,” said Msgr. Robert Murphy on Tuesday.
In the crossfires of climate, economic and debt crises
The Vatican representative was addressing the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) taking place in Antigua and Barbuda from 27 to 30 May under the theme “Charting the course toward resilient prosperity."
The SIDS comprise 37 UN member nations and 20 associate members of UN regional commissions and have been meeting every ten years since 1994 to address shared issues and concerns.
Small Island nations are today in the crossfires of multiple crises including climate change and biodiversity loss, the economic and social repercussions of COVID-19, and debt crisis. The pandemic hugely impacted all these countries,
Pope: Children Suffer From Wars In Ukraine, Myanmar, Holy Land
Pope Francis insists that children are truly the victims who suffer most in war, as he recalls a recent audience with Ukrainian children who had suffered burns and lost legs due to the 'cruelty' of war. By Deborah Castellano Lubov
"Children Suffer... Children In War Suffer."
Pope Francis wished to underline this point at the conclusion of his Wednesday General Audience in the Vatican, during his latest appeal for peace as wars plague the world.
During his closing remarks to Italian pilgrims, the Pope said his thoughts go to martyred Ukraine.
"The other day," he recalled, "I received little boys and girls who suffered burns, and lost their legs in the war," reflecting, "war is always cruel."
"These little boys and girls have to start walking, to move with artificial arms ... they have lost their smiles," he lamented, saying, "It is very bad, very sad when a child loses their smile. Let us pray for the Ukrainian children."
Pope Francis Never Intended To Offend: 'Room For Everyone In The Church'
The Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, tells reporters that Pope Francis is "aware" of the articles about a closed-door conversation with Italian Bishops, and affirms that the Pope "never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms, and he apologizes to those who felt offended". By Vatican News
"The Pope never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms, and he apologizes to those who felt offended by the use of a term, as reported by others."
The Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, made that statement on Tuesday in response to questions from journalists about the use of a term regarding the admission of homos*xual people to the seminary.
"Pope Francis is aware of the recent articles regarding a closed-door conversation with the bishops of the CEI [Italian Bishops' Conference]. As he has stated on many occasions, 'There is room for everyone in the Church, for everyone! No one is useless; no one is superfluous; there is room for everyone. Just as we are, everyone.' The Pope never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms, and he apologizes to those who felt offended by the use of a term, as reported by others."
