Pope Francis on Wednesday continued his reflections on family life, focusing especially on the importance of finding time for prayer.

Greeting visitors from many different countries, gathered for the weekly General Audience in St Peter’s Square, the Pope said families often experience difficulty in devoting time for prayer. But he said a heart filled with the love of God can make even a silent thought or small gesture of devotion into a moment of prayer…

Cardinal Peter Turkson has renewed the call for radical changes in thinking and attitudes towards environment, ecology and creation.  In a message delivered to the second international gathering for talks on climate change, organised by the Peruvian government in Lima, the President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace Cardinal Turkson, invited participants “[to] assume a new ecological spirituality which favors the bond between man and environment, through an integral, ecological, community conversion.”

The 5-day event, starting on the 24th of August, is the second appointment of the COP20 forum, a global initiative which gives nations the opportunity to showcase plans to reduce carbon emissions in preparation for the Paris conference on climate change due to take place later in the year…

Following the Angelus on Sunday, Pope Francis made a new appeal for peace in Ukraine. “With deep concern, I am following the conflict in eastern Ukraine, which has accelerated anew in these last weeks,” the Pope said. “I renew my appeal that the commitments undertaken to achieve peace might be respected; and that, with the help of organizations and persons of good will, there might be a response to the humanitarian emergency in the country.” The Holy Father concluded his appeal with the prayer, “May the Lord grant peace to Ukraine, which is preparing to celebrate tomorrow the national holiday [Independence Day]…

“Who is Jesus for me?” At the end of his Angelus address on Sunday, Pope Francis called on the faithful to ask themselves this question. “Who is Jesus for me? Is He simply a name? an idea? A person from history? Or is He really someone who loves me, Who gave His life for me, and walks with me?”

The Pope asked if we would remain with Jesus, referring back to the day’s Gospel…

Pope Francis has chosen as the theme for the 2016 World Day for Migrants and Refugees the theme: Migrants and refugees challenge us. The response of the Gospel of Mercy. A communique released by the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People said the choice of this theme fits in well within the context of the upcoming Jubilee Year of Mercy proclaimed by the Pope…