Monthly Archives: January 2015

Pope Francis: Catholics and Lutherans in shared Christian witness

23/01/2015

  • Pope Francis told an ecumenical delegation from Finland Thursday that Catholics and Lutherans can do much together “to bear witness to God’s mercy.”  The delegation’s visit to Rome coincides with the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and the Feast of St. Henry, the patron saint of Finland.

    In his discourse to the Finnish delegates, Pope Francis applauded the progress achieved in ecumenical dialogue between the two Churches over the last thirty years and said, “a shared Christian witness is very much needed in the face of the mistrust, insecurity, persecution, pain and suffering experienced so widely in today’s world.”

    Below, please find the text of Pope Francis’ discourse to the ecumenical delegation from Finland:

    Dear Bishop Vikström,
    Dear Bishop Sippo,
    Dear Friends,

    It is with joy that I welcome you, on the occasion of your annual ecumenical pilgrimage to Rome to celebrate the feast of Saint Henrik, the patron of your country…

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The Gospel of the day – 23rd January

23/01/2015
  • Saint Mark 3:13-19  Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted  and they came to him. He appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons: (he appointed the twelve:) Simon, whom he named Peter; James, son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus; Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.  Saint of the day: St…

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The members of the Commission for the Safeguarding of Children and Vulnerable Adults are announced

22/01/2015

  • The Commission for the Safeguarding of Children and Vulnerable Adults, which falls under the responsibility of the Maltese Episcopal Conference, will be made up of five members.  These are: Andrew Azzopardi, who will be the Head of the Safeguarding Commission, Dott. Roberta Attard, Dr Kevin Borg, Fr Antoine Farrugia S.D.B and Clarissa Sammut Scerri. Two other persons, Dr Joseph Sammut and Ms Mariella Fenech Pace, will have the role of legal consultant and administrator, respectively. 

    Andrew Azzopardi

    Andrew is a qualified social worker and specialises in safeguarding children…

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War must not be waged in the name of God – Pope Francis

22/01/2015

  • Pope Francis has appealed for peace and reconciliation in Niger.

    Speaking on Wednesday at the weekly General Audience, the Pope explicitly referred to brutalities perpetrated against Christians, children and Churches.

    He invited those present to join him in praying for the victims of recent violence in Niger.

    Let us invoke the Lord – he said – for the gift of reconciliation and peace, may “religious sentiment never give rise to violence, oppression and destruction”…

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The Gospel of the day – 22 ta’ Jannar

22/01/2015

    • Saint Matthew 25: 31-40

      “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left…

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Pope Francis appoints Bishop Charles Scicluna President of the Special College for the review of appeals

21/01/2015

  • The Holy Father has appointed the following members of the College for the review of appeals to the Ordinary Session of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, instituted by the Rescriptum ex Audientia SS.mi of 3 November 2014:

    President: Bishop Charles J. Scicluna, Auxiliary Bishop of Malta.

    Members: Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education; Cardinal Attilio Nicora, president emeritus of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Holy See (APSA) and the Financial Information Authority (AIF); Cardinal Francesco Coccopalmerio, president of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts; Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi, president of the Prefecture of the Economic Affairs of the Holy See; Archbishop Jose Luis Mollaghan, emeritus of Rosario, Argentina; and Bishop Juan Ignacio Arrieta Ochoa de Chinchetru, secretary of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts…

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Week of Prayer for Christian Unity highlights role of women in Churches

21/01/2015

  • Ecumenical celebrations on the theme of the Samaritan woman at the well can also challenge Christians to “give equal standing” to women in the different Churches today. From January 18th to 25th, Christians in many countries around the world mark the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, reflecting together on how to overcome the obstacles that still divide believers of the many different denominations…

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The Gospel of the day – 21st January

21/01/2015
    • Saint Mark 3:1-6 Jesus entered the synagogue. There was a man there who had a withered hand. They watched him closely to see if he would cure him on the sabbath so that they might accuse him. He said to the man with the withered hand, “Come up here before us.” Then he said to them, “Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” But they remained silent…

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The President of the Theological Commission attends a meeting of Doctrinal Commissions of European Bishops

20/01/2015

    • Il-Professur Dun Hector Scerri, il-President tal-Kummissjoni Teoloġika tal-Konferenza Episkopali Maltija, ħa sehem f’laqgħa importanti organizzata mill-Kongregazzjoni għad-Duttrina tal-Fidi għall-Presidenti tal-Kummissjonijiet Dottrinali tal-Konferenzi Episkopali tal-Ewropa. Il-laqgħa saret fil-belt storika ta’ Esztergom ġewwa l-Ungerija mit-12 sal-15 ta’ Jannar.

  • Għal din il-laqgħa kienu preżenti l-Kardinal Gerhard Müller, il-Prefett tal-Kongregazzjoni għad-Duttrina tal-Fidi u Uffiċjali oħra tal-istess Dikasteru tal-Kurja Rumana, tliet Kardinali oħra, u aktar minn għoxrin Isqof-President tal-Kummissjoni Dottrinali ta’ pajjiżi Ewropej…

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Pope concludes Asia tour with in-flight briefing

20/01/2015

  • During an in-flight press conference on the return flight to Rome from the Philippines on Monday, Pope Francis touched on various topics ranging from openness to life in the family to his upcoming visit to the United States.

    The briefing came at the conclusion of the Holy Father’s 12-19 Jan. tour of Sri Lanka and the Philippines.

    The Pope told journalists he was impressed by the enthusiastic “gestures” of the Filipino people which he said are not based on protocol but rather come from the heart…

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