• When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together… Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.”
  —Acts 2:1, 4

   

• Jesus had promised his Apostles that “the Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you” (John 14:26)…

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• Members of Chile’s bishops conference release a statement in which they offer to resign following the clerical sex abuse scandal in their country.

   

• Following three days of meetings with Pope Francis in the Vatican, the bishops of Chile met the press and read a statement in which they thanked the Pope for having listened to them “paternally and for having offered his fraternal correction” during these days “of reflection and prayer”…

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• At the conclusion of three days of “fraternal” meetings, Pope Francis hands the following letter to the 34 Chilean bishops with whom he had closely examined the clerical sex abuse scandal that has tarnished the image of the Latin American Church in recent decades:

   

• To the bishops of Chile:

  Dear brothers in the episcopate,

  I wish to thank you for having accepted my invitation so that, together, we may make a frank discernment regarding the serious events which have damaged the ecclesial communion and undermined the work of the Church in Chile in recent years…

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• The first reading from Acts 23:6-11 and the Gospel from John 17:20-26 demonstrate two styles of unity, Pope Francis said during his homily at Mass at Casa Santa Marta on Thursday morning.

  False unity divides

  Pope Francis sees a false unity binding Paul’s accusers together. It is false because it leads to division he said. The Sadducees and Pharisees are at first united in their accusation against Paul…

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• We join the Catholic Church in the Holy Land to deplore “yet another explosion of hatred and violence, which is once again staining the Holy Land with blood” in these days. The Presidency of the CCEE wants to witness the closeness of the European Church and welcomes the invitation of the Apostolic Administrator of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, H.E…

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• Today, at 16:00, the Holy Father met with 34 Chilean bishops in Paolo VI Hall. A further meeting will take place on Wednesday afternoon, May 16, and two more meetings on Thursday, May 17th.

  This evening the Pope delivered to each of the bishops a text with some themes to meditate on; from this moment until the next meeting, a time dedicated exclusively to meditation and prayer will be open. 

  Photo: Vatican Media

   

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• In Iran, conversion to Christianity can be a crime meriting a sentence of more than 10 years imprisonment. Catholic churches within the country are closely monitored with surveillance cameras to ensure that Muslims do not enter, and religious schools are limited in what they can teach, an Iranian-born journalist, Sohrab Ahmari, explained to CNA.

  Ahmari is currently writing a spiritual memoir about his own journey to the Catholic faith for Ignatius Press…

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