Monthly Archives: February 2019

Pope Francis: Protecting children – Eradicating abuse

25/02/2019

  • “The time has come, then, to work together to eradicate the evil” of child abuse, Pope Francis said, in a speech delivered at the close of the final Mass for the Meeting on the Protection of Minors in the Church. “The time has come to find a correct equilibrium of all values in play and to provide uniform directives for the Church, avoiding the two extremes of a ‘justicialism’ provoked by guilt for past errors and media pressure, and a defensiveness that fails to confront the causes and effects of these grave crimes”…

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The Gospel of the day: 25th February

25/02/2019
  • Readings of the day

  • First Reading: Sir 1, 1-10
    Psalm: 92 (93), 1ab.1c-2.5

    Gospel: Mk 9, 14-29

  • As Jesus came down from the mountain with Peter, James, John and approached the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and scribes arguing with them. Immediately on seeing him, the whole crowd was utterly amazed…

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The Sunday Gospel: 24th February

24/02/2019
  • Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

  • First Reading: 1 Sam 26, 2.7-9.12-13.22-23
    Psalm: 102 (103), 1-2.3-4.8 & 10.12-13
    Second Reading: 1 Cor 15, 45-49

    Gospel: Lk 6, 27-38

  • Jesus said to his disciples: “To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you…

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Pope Francis: Woman is the image of the Church that is Mother

23/02/2019

  • For the first time since his opening address, Pope Francis on Friday afternoon took the floor to speak to the participants at the Meeting for the Protection of Minors in the Church.

    The Pope’s off-the-cuff remarks followed the speech by Dr Linda Ghisoni, the first woman to deliver a presentation during the General Assemblies. “Listening to Dr Ghisoni,” the Pope said, “I heard the Church speaking about herself.” He explained, “Inviting a woman to speak about the wounds of the Church is to invite the Church to speak about herself, about the wounds she has.”

    Pope Francis said that this is “not just a question of style, the feminine genius reflected in the Church, which is woman.” Nor is it simply a matter of giving women a greater role in the Church, although this is important…

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The Gospel of the day: 23rd February

23/02/2019
  • Readings of the day

  • First Reading: Heb 11, 1-7
    Psalm: 144 (145), 2-3.4-5.10-11

    Gospel: Mk 9, 2-13

     

  • Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them…

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The Gospel of the day: 22nd February

22/02/2019
  • Chair of Saint Peter, Apostle – Feast Readings of the day

  • First Reading: 1 Pet 5,1-4
    Psalm: 22,1-6

    Gospel: Mt 16,13-19

  • Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

    Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah…

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Pope: Hear the cry of the little ones who ask for justice

21/02/2019

  • The “Protection of Minors in the Church” Meeting began on Thursday with prayers, readings, and brief periods of silent reflection, before Pope Francis gave his opening remarks in the Vatican’s Synod Hall. In front of the Patriarchs, Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops, Religious Superiors and other leaders, the Pope told them that, “in the face of the plague of sexual abuse perpetrated by men of the Church against children”, he had called them together so, “we may listen to the Holy Spirit and with docility to His guidance we may hear the cry of the little ones who ask for justice.”

    Evil of abuse that afflicts the Church and humanity

    He told those gathered that this meeting was, “weighed down by the weight of pastoral and ecclesial responsibility which obliges us to discuss together, in a synodal, sincere and profound way, how to deal with this evil which afflicts the Church and humanity.”
    Pope Francis noted that, “the Holy People of God look to us and expect from us not simple and predictable condemnations, but concrete and effective measures to be prepared”…

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