Pope Francis

Pope Francis’ message for the International Day of Persons with Disabilities

“You are my friends” (Jn 15:14)

03/12/2021

Dear brothers and sisters!

As we celebrate your International Day, I would like to speak directly to all of you who live with any condition of disability, to tell you that the Church loves you and needs each of you for the fulfilment of her mission at the service of the Gospel.

Jesus, our friend

Jesus is our friend! That is what he told his disciples at the Last Supper (cf. Jn 15:14)… Read more »

Pope entrusts Cyprus & Greece visit to Our Lady’s protection

02/12/2021

Photo: Pope Francis prays at the feet of the ancient icon of Our Lady – vatican.va

The Pope took a moment from his busy schedule on Wednesday afternoon to pray a while at the feet of the ancient Roman icon of Mary Salus Populi Romani. He traveled to the papal Basilica of St Mary Major for a brief visit, before returning to the Vatican… Read more »

The Pope’s message to engaged couples at audience: true love begins when courting phase ends

01/12/2021   The Vatican

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

Let us continue our journey of reflection on the person of Saint Joseph. Today, I would like to deepen his being “just” and “Mary’s betrothed spouse”, and thus provide a message to all engaged couples, and newlyweds as well. Many events connected with Joseph fill the stories of the apocryphal, that is, non-canonical gospels, that have even influenced art and various places of worship… Read more »

Pope at Audience: St Joseph a model for meaningful human relationships

24/11/2021   The Vatican

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

Last Wednesday we began a cycle of catecheses on Saint Joseph – the year dedicated to him is coming to an end. Today we will continue this journey, focusing on his role in salvation history.

Jesus in the Gospels is indicated as the “son of Joseph” (Lk 3:23; 4: 22; Jn 1:45; 6:42) and the “carpenter’s son” (Mt 13:55; Mk 6:3)… Read more »

Pope at Angelus: To reign is to serve

22/11/2021   The Vatican

Dear brothers and sisters, buongiorno!

The Gospel from today’s liturgy, the last Sunday of the Liturgical Year, ends with an affirmation made by Jesus who says: “I am a king” (Jn 18:37). He pronounces these words in front of Pilate, while the crowd shouts out that he be condemned to death. He says: “I am a king”, and the crowd cries out that he be condemned to death… Read more »

Pope Francis: St Joseph, an example and a witness for our times

17/11/2021

Following his catechesis on St Paul’s Letter to the Galatians at the Wednesday General Audience, Pope Francis begins a new series of reflections on St Joseph as an example and a witness for our times.

Catechesis on Saint Joseph – 1. Saint Joseph and the environment in which he lived

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

On 8 December 1870, Blessed Pius IX proclaimed Saint Joseph Patron of the Universal Church… Read more »

Pope at Angelus encourages active citizenship for the care of the common home

15/11/2021   The Vatican

Dear brothers and sisters, buongiorno!

The Gospel passage of today’s liturgy opens with a phrase of Jesus that leaves us astonished: “The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven” (Mk 13:24-25). But what now, even the Lord was a doomsdayer? No, this is certainly not His intention… Read more »

Pope prays with the poor in Assisi: ‘May we always share our bread with those in need’

13/11/2021

Pope Francis kicked off his Friday morning visit to the Italian town of Assisi with an unexpected visit to the Poor Clares Convent, where he met privately with the cloistered nuns serving the Church in prayer.

He then travelled to the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, where a poor person presented him with the pilgrim’s staff and mantle, to show that all present were pilgrims in the town of St… Read more »

The Pope at Audience: Let us not grow weary

11/11/2021   The Vatican

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

We have reached the end of the catechesis on the Letter to the Galatians. We could have reflected on so much other content contained in this writing of Saint Paul! The Word of God is an inexhaustible font. And in this letter, the Apostle has spoken to us as an evangeliser, as a theologian and as a pastor… Read more »