On September 30, 2019, Pope Francis declared the third Sunday of Ordinary time as a special feast day in honor of the Bible whose official name is “The Sunday of the Word of God.” This is great news. This coming year, it will be on January 26, 2020. Pope Francis wrote a new Motu Proprio (Aperuit Illis) to go with this new feast day. It is a great read you can find at: http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/motu_proprio/documents/papa-francesco-motu-proprio-20190930_aperuit-illis.html.
Pope Francis wanted to stress some things that are particular to the Bible that we do not find in any other written text. The first is that the Bible is the word of God, and not just some words of men or wise sayings (1 Thess 2:13). The Bible is not something we can change or try to twist into what we want it to mean. It is something we should live by and consult every day. In the Bible, God instructs how we are to live, tells us who God is and how we can get to know Him, and strengthens us in times when life gets hard. But the desires of our Supreme Pontiff are marked best by the end of the second paragraph of the Motu Proprio, “It is fitting that the life of our people be constantly marked by this decisive relationship with the living word that the Lord never tires of speaking to His bride, that she may grow in love and faithful witness.” The Bible is a place where we can get to know our savior more. He even quotes the famous quote from St Jerome, “ignorance of scripture is Ignorance of Christ.” Without the Bible, we could hardly get to know Jesus. Continue reading
Category Archives: Pope Francis
Pope Francis Will Beatify These Martyred Greek-Catholic Bishops in Romania
ROME — On Sunday in Blaj, Pope Francis will beatify seven Greek-Catholic bishops of Romania who were killed by the communist regime between 1950 and 1970.
These martyrs “have given all to defend the Church. And at the cost of their lives, they did not accept the situation; they did not deny their very faith,” a Romanian Greek-Catholic priest told CNA.
Father Vasile Man, the postulator of the bishops’ causes for…
Pope Francis Calls for ‘Renewed and Decisive Approach to Resolving Conflicts’
“Combatting the culture of abuse, the loss of credibility, the resulting bewilderment and confusion, and the discrediting of our mission urgently demands of us a renewed and decisive approach to resolving conflicts,” according to Pope Francis.
His remarks came in a 3600-word letter to the US bishops, who are meeting for a spiritual retreat January 2-8, 2019. The letter, Dated January 1, 2019, was released by the Vatican on January 3.
Preacher to the Papal Household, Capuchin Friar Father Raniero Cantalamessa, O.F.M. Cap., is directing the retreat under the theme of “He appointed Twelve, to be with Him and to Send Out to Preach” based on Mark 3:14. The retreat is taking place at the invitation of Pope Francis who has asked all bishops in the United States to pause in prayer as the Church seeks to respond to the signs of the times.
GENERAL AUDIENCE: On the 5th Commandment ‘Thou Shall Not Kill’ (II) (FULL TEXT)
This morning’s General Audience was held at 9:30 in St. Peter’s Square, where the Holy Father Francis met with groups of pilgrims and faithful from Italy and from all over the world.
Continuing with the series of catecheses on the Commandments, in his address in Italian the Pope focused his meditation on: “Do not kill” according to Jesus (Biblical passage from the Gospel according to Matthew 5:21-24). …
https://zenit.org/articles/general-audience-on-the-5th-commandment-thou-shall-not-kill-ii-full-text/
Pope Decries Abortion: One Cannot Do Away With a Human Being, Even If Small, to Resolve a Problem
Abortion, Pope Francis said today, is a way of “eliminating someone” that is similar to the services of a “hired assassin.”
The Pope deviated from his prepared text to underscore this during his General Audience on October 10, 2018, reflecting on the 5th Commandment “Thou shall not kill.” He reminded: “The ‘he’ or ‘she’ that one presents as a problem, is, in reality, a gift from God, which can make me come out of my egocentrism and make me grow in love.” …
Vatican Draft Alters Catechism Wording on Capital Punishment, Calling It ‘Inadmissible’
VATICAN CITY — The Vatican Thursday altered the Catechism’s wording on the permissibility of the death penalty, which the Church teaches is legitimate in extreme cases, stating it is “inadmissible,” and its elimination will be sought.
A new draft of paragraph 2267 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church was issued by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Aug. 2, after Pope Francis approved it in May. …
Pope Says No to Women Priests, Yes to Women in Curial Leadership
VATICAN CITY — In an interview with Reuters, Pope Francis said more space has to be created for women to take on leading roles in the Roman Curia, but that priestly ordination is not an option.
Responding to a question about women’s ordination to the priesthood, the Pope said that “there is the temptation to ‘functionalize’ the reflection on women in the Church, what they should do, what they should become.” …
http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/pope-says-no-to-women-priests-yes-to-women-in-curial-leadership
