News

Pope Francis: ‘persecution is the Church’s daily bread’

Being deprived of the possibility of conscientious objection is another type of persecution, says the Pope.

  • Pope Francis on Tuesday said that, “persecution is the Church’s daily bread”. Speaking during morning Mass at the Casa Santa Marta, the Pope recalled the first Christian martyr, St Stephen and said that “still today so many Christians are killed or persecuted for their faith in Christ”. Pope Francis said “there are bloody persecutions, like being torn to pieces by wild beasts to the delight of the audience in the stands or being blown up by a bomb at the end of Mass” and there are “velvet-gloved” persecutions that are “cloaked in politeness”: the ones that marginalize you, take your job away if you fail to adapt to laws that “go against God the Creator.” The story of the martyrdom of Stephen, described in the Acts of the Apostles in the liturgy of the day, led the Pope to remark on how persecution is a reality that has been part of the history of Christian faith for 2000 years…
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The Archbishop receives the American Ambassador

  • On Wednesday 27th April 2016, Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna received the new Ambassador for the United States of America, H.E. G. Kathleen Hill, during a courtesy visit at the Archbishop’s Curia, Floriana.    Photo: Curia Communications Office
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Pope Francis: Love thy neighbour like the Good Samaritan

    • The story of the Good Samaritan and its lesson of “love thy neighbour” were at the heart of Pope Francis’ catechesis during the General Audience on Wednesday 27th April. Message by Pope Francis Dear Brothers and Sisters:  In our catechesis for this Holy Year of Mercy, we now turn to the parable of the Good Samaritan.  Jesus had taught the great commandment of love for God and neighbour.  In reply to the question: “Who is my neighbour?”, he recounts the story of the priest and the levite who pass by a man in need at the side of the road.  Their religiosity is ultimately inauthentic, for it does not find expression in service to others.  Love, the Lord tells us, is never abstract or distant; it “sees” and it responds.  The compassion shown by the Samaritan is an image of the infinite mercy of God, who always sees our needs and draws near to us in love. 
  • The command to love God and neighbour, then, is supremely practical; it entails caring for others even to the point of personal sacrifice.  By the end of the parable, we see that the “neighbour” is not so much the man in need, but rather the one who responded to that need with compassion.  Jesus tells all of us to be neighbours in this sense: “Go and do likewise”.  He himself is the model of the Good Samaritan; by imitating his love and compassion, we show ourselves truly to be his followers…
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Pope Francis: Clericalism distorts the Church

  • Pope Francis said Tuesday that the clergy should serve lay people and not make use of them and spoke out against clericalism, calling it one of the greatest distortions affecting the Church in Latin America. His comments came in a wide-ranging letter reflecting on the role of the laity that was addressed to Cardinal Marc Ouellet, President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.  The Pope’s letter was a follow-up to the commission’s recent Plenary Assembly whose theme was “the indispensable role of the lay faithful in the public life of Latin American countries.” In his letter, Pope Francis explained that he wished to follow-up the discussions and reflections that emerged during the Plenary Assembly in order to prevent them “from not bearing fruit.”  He urged the clergy to look closely at the people and lives of the lay faithful and avoid falling into the trap of adopting certain slogans on their behalf that seem well-meaning but in practice don’t succeed in supporting the lives of our communities…
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Pope prays for the release of priests and religious kidnapped in Syria

  • During his Regina Coeli address on Sunday, Pope Francis prayed for the release of those priests and religious held hostage in Syria saying, “may the merciful God touch the hearts of the kidnappers”. He also remembered young martyrs killed during the Spanish Civil War who were beatified in Burgos, Spain on Saturday. The Message by Pope Francis At the end of this Jubilee celebration, my thoughts turn in a particular to you, dear boys and girls…
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Meetings about faith around Malta by Neo Catechumenal Way

    • Fl-1 ta’ Mejju ser issir l-aħħar laqgħa minn sensiela ta’ Missjonijiet li saru f’diversi lokalitajiet madwar Malta.  Hawn il-knisja ħarġet ixxandar l-aħbar tajba f’dan iż-żmien tal-Għid.  Nhar il-Ħadd li ġej, fil-lokalitajiet tal-Ħamrun, G’Mangia u Msida, il-Mixja Neo Katekuminali ser tagħmel laqgħa li tinkludi katekeżi fuq il-knisja u l-esperjenza tiegħek fil-knisja.  Il-Mixja qiegħda wkoll tistieden lil kull min jixtieq ikun parti minn komunita’ Nisranija biex jiġi jisma’…
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“The path of the Christian is not that of solitude but of communion with others” – The Archbishop

Archbishop celebrates Mass on the installation of the new Parish Priest of Tal-Ibraġ

  • Nhar il-Ħadd 24 ta’ April 2016, l-Arċisqof Charles J. Scicluna ċċelebra Quddiesa tal-pussess tal-kappillan il-ġdid tal-Ibraġ,  Dun Mario Tong, fil-Knisja Parrokjali.
  • Homily by Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna 
  • Knisja Parrokjali Tal-Ibraġ 24 ta’ April 2016 Għażiż Fr Mario, nixtieq inwassal ftit kliem ta’ inkoraġġiment u nsellem lil din il-komunità għażiża li int se tkun bħala r-ragħaj tagħha.    L-ewwel ispirazzjoni li tiġini hija mill-Ewwel Qari tal-lum (Atti 14, 21-27) fejn nisimgħu b’ħafna postijiet b’mod speċjali fil-Greċja u fit-Turkija, li kienu l-bliet fejn marru Pawlu u Barnaba…
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Pope to teens: Love is the Christian identity card

  • At the heart of Pope Francis’ message during the Jubilee Mass for Teens celebrated on Sunday was quite simply one word Love. The Pope told the thousands of 13 to 16 year olds gathered in St Peter’s Square that “love, was the Christian’s identity card, the only valid “document” identifying us as Christians.  If this card expires and is not constantly renewed,” he said, “we stop being witnesses of the Master.” Then he asked the teenagers gathered “Do you want to experience the love of Jesus? …
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St George should be the protector of those who safeguard our natural environment for future generations – The Archbishop

Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna celebrates Mass on the feast of St George, Martyr

  • On Saturday 24th April 2016, Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna celebrated Mass on the feast of St George the Martyr, at St George’s Parish in Qormi. Homily by Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna
  • Knisja Parrokkjali ta’ San Ġorġ, Ħal Qormi 23 ta’ April 2016 Għażiż poplu ta’ Alla, għeżież membri ta’ din il-Parroċċa Arċipretali ta’ San Ġorġ Martri, L-Eċċellenza għażiża President tar-Repubblika, Sur Preca, rispettabli Sindku, membri distinti speċjalment il-Membri Parlamentari, tant rappreżentanti, u qed nieħu pjaċir nara lilkom ukoll, għeżież membri tal-fratellanza…
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The Gospel of the day: 24th April

  • St John 13:31-33A, 34-35 When Judas had left them, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and God will glorify him at once. My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. I give you a new commandment: love one another…
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