Pope Francis

Pope Leo prays the Spirit may help build a fraternal world where peace reigns

Regina Caeli, Pentecoste Sunday

  St Peter's Square, the Vatican

Għeżież ħuti, il-Ħadd it-tajjeb!

F’dis-Solennità ta’ Pentekoste għandna sejħa biex nikkuntemplaw id-don tal-Ispirtu s-Santu msawwab b’abbundanza fuq il-Knisja bikrija u, illum, irregalat mill-ġdid lill-membri tagħha bħala dawl u qawwa li jakkupanjawhom f’kull sitwazzjoni tal-ħajja.

Nistgħu nieqfu fuq aspett tal-immaġni tal-Ispirtu li ttina l-Liturġija tal-lum: L-Ispirtu jiftaħ il-bibien.  Infatti, l-Evanġelju jgħidilna: “id-dixxipli kienu flimkien imbeżżgħa mil-Lhud, bil-bibien magħluqa (Ġw 20,19) u fl-istess ħin, il-Ktieb tal-Atti tal-Appostli jirrakkuntalna li l-Ispirtu wasal bħala riħ qawwi (Atti 2,2), li fetaħ dawk il-bibien, xpruna lid-dixxipli biex joħorġu u jibdew ixandru l-Aħbar it-Tajba ta’ Kristu Rxoxt… Read more »

The Pope: Liturgy sustains the Church and expresses her faith

  St Peter's Square, the Vatican

Initial Greeting of the Holy Father to His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of Cilicia

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Peace be with you.

Brothers and sisters, I am very happy to welcome His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of Cilicia of the Armenian Apostolic Church, together with the distinguished delegation accompanying him. This fraternal visit represents an important opportunity to strengthen the bonds of unity that already exist between us, as we move towards full communion between our Churches… Read more »

The Pope : The Lord’s Ascension draws us to the Father, it builds communion and peace

Ascension of the Lord

  St Peter's Square, the Vatican

Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday!

In many countries throughout the world, the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord is celebrated today.

The image of Jesus –– lifted up from the earth and ascending toward heaven, as the Bible states (cf. Acts 1:1-11) –– may cause us to think about this Mystery as a distant event from long ago… Read more »

A life worth living – Bishop Galea-Curmi

60th Anniversary of Religious Profession

  Little Sisters of the Poor, Ħamrun

Photo: Ian Noel Pace – Archdiocese of Malta

Today we gather in thanksgiving. It is a thanksgiving for fidelity, for vocation, and for the grace of God that has sustained two beautiful journeys of consecrated life. We celebrate Mother Mary Chantal marking sixty years of Religious Profession and Sr Amali celebrating twenty-five years. These are not simply anniversaries measured in numbers. They represent years filled with prayer, sacrifice, perseverance, hidden generosity, community life, service, and love… Read more »

Lest we be disturbed – Bishop Galea-Curmi

  Chapel of Our Lady of Manresa, Archbishop's Curia, Floriana

Photo: Ian Noel Pace – Archdiocese of Malta

“Dawn il-ħwejjeġ għedthomlkom biex ma titfixklux” (Ġw 16:1). Hawnhekk Ġesù qed jitkellem mad-dixxipli tiegħu fl-Aħħar Ċena. Kien mument żgur diffiċli ħafna għalih, u kien jaf ukoll minn xiex se jgħaddu d-dixxipli tiegħu. Imma, għalkemm qed jara din l-esperjenza kerha li se jgħaddi minnha hu bil-passjoni u l-mewt, u għad-dixxipli għalihom kien se jispiċċa kollox mitluf, ried li jgħidilhom kliem ta’ inkoraġġiment – biex huma, wara li jgħaddu minn din l-esperjenza, jiftakru li hu qalilhom dan il-kliem; imbagħad, wara l-qawmien mill-mewt tiegħu u bl-inżul tal-Ispirtu s-Santu, hemmhekk jirċievu l-qawwa biex jegħlbu kull tip ta’ biża’… Read more »

He shows us the greatest love – Bishop Galea-Curmi

  Chapel of Our Lady of Manresa, Archbishop's Curia, Floriana

Photo:Ian Noel Pace – Arċidjoċesi ta’ Malta

“Li tħobbu lil xulxin” (Ġw 15:12) jgħid Ġesù fl-Evanġelju tal-lum b’insistenza. Hawn qiegħed fl-Aħħar Ċena jitkellem mad-dixxipli tiegħu, u jgħid u jerġa’ jgħid: “li tħobbu lil xulxin” (Ġw 15:17) – dan hu l-kmandament tiegħi. Dak li qal lid-dixxipli tiegħu dak inhar jgħidu dejjem lilna, dixxipli tiegħu: li fil-qalba tal-ħajja tagħna Nisranija għandu jkun hemm dejjem din l-imħabba – l-imħabba lejn Alla li turi ruħha fl-imħabba lejn l-oħrajn… Read more »

We show love by keeping the commandments – Bishop Galea-Curmi

Mass 6th Sunday of Easter

  Chapel of St Mary 'tal-Ftajjar', Luqa

Fl-Evanġelju tal-lum, Ġesù għal darbtejn jenfasizza l-ħarsien tal-kmandamenti tiegħu. Jgħid: “Jekk tħobbuni, ħarsu l-kmandamenti tiegħi” (Ġw 14:15). Imbagħad fl-aħħar: “Min iżomm il-kmandamenti tiegħi u jħarishom, dak hu li jħobbni” (Ġw 14:21). Qed ikun ċar Ġesù li meta aħna ngħidu li nħobbuh, mhux sempliċiment kliem li ngħidu u nieqfu hemm. L-imħabba lejn Ġesù mhijiex sempliċi sentiment li nħoss. Ġesù ma jgħidx: jekk tħobbuni, oqogħdu ammirawni. Lanqas jgħid: jekk tħobbuni, ibżgħu minni… Read more »

The Pope: It is Jesus’ love that begets love within us

  St Peter's Square, the Vatican

Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday!

In today’s Gospel, we hear some of the words Jesus addressed to his disciples during the Last Supper.  As he turns the bread and wine into a living expression of his love, Christ says: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (Jn 14:15).  This statement frees us from the misconception that we are loved because we keep the commandments, as if our righteousness were a prerequisite for God’s love… Read more »

The Pope: The Church has a mission to speak out against all that mortifies life

  St Peter's Square, the Vatican

Catechesis. The Documents of the Second Vatican Council. II. Dogmatic Constitution Lumen gentium8. The Church, pilgrim in history towards the heavenly homeland

Brothers and sisters, good morning and welcome!

As we focus today on a section of Chapter VII of the Second Vatican Council’s Constitution on the Church, let us reflect on one of its defining characteristics: its eschatological dimensionRead more »