Pope greeted by inmates during his visit to Rome's Rebibbia prison

“‘I was in prison and you came to me’ (Matthew 25:36). These are the words of the Last Judgment, as told by the Evangelist Matthew, and these words of the Lord, in which he identifies with the prisoners, express the full meaning of my visit with you today. Wherever there is the hungry, stranger, sick, incarcerated, there is Christ himself who awaits our visit and our help… Read more »

Conflicts after Congo elections

The archbishop of Kinshasa, Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo, says the recent national election results for the Democratic Republic of Congo do not correspond either to truth or to justice.

In a statement, the cardinal said that the elections, won by incumbent president Joseph Kabila, lacked credibility. Out of the field of 10 candidates Kabila obtained 49% of the vote, held Nov… Read more »

Abuses in Holland

Following the release of a report into sexual abuses by clergy in Holland, the country’s bishops have expressed their sorrow for what happened, promising justice and support for victims.

The Commission Deetman investigated abuses against minors committed from 1945 to 2010. The commission was set up by the Church and it surveyed some 34,000 people… Read more »

Vandalised Mosque in Jerusalem

The day after an ancient mosque in Jerusalem was vandalized and burned, allegedly by Jewish extremists, participants at a Rome conference on “sacred space” called for absolute respect for all places of worship. Jewish, Christian and Muslim scholars met at Rome’s Pontifical University of St. Thomas to discuss the theological, legal and sociological implications of sacred space.

“In the course of our deliberations, we were given a reminder of how necessary and timely our exchanges indeed are, as we received news of yet another incident of mosque burning — even if a deserted mosque no longer in use — this time in Jerusalem itself, a city holy to all three religions,” said a statement issued at the end of the meeting… Read more »

The Interdiocesan Liturgical Commission has just published a book containing Responsorial Psalms for Sundays throughout the liturgical year.

The Responsorial Psalm has gained importance since Vatican Council II. Thirteen centuries of tradition had limited the psalm to an organ piece: only a line or two between the first reading and the Gospel. Since Vatican II reform demanded  “a more ample, more varied, and more siutable reading” of the Word of God, the present liturgy has a more ample, more varied, and more suitable responsorial psalm through which the community welcomes the Word that is proclaimed to it… Read more »