Tag: Pope

“At a time when the complexity of Italian and international political life requires statesmen of substantial human and Christian” value in the service of common good, Pope Francis held up the figure of the Venerable Giorgio La Pira saying he is an exemplary model for the Church and for the contemporary world. The Pope was addressing some 200 members of the “Giorgio La Pira Foundation” whom he received in the Vatican. St. Pope John Paul II recalled La Pira several times pointing out his “extraordinary experience as a politician and a believer, capable of uniting contemplation and prayer to social and administrative activity, with a preference for the poor and the suffering”. He mentioned his long career in the public space, of how he gave life to charitable works, and of how, when persecuted by the fascist regime he took refuge in the Vatican before being able to join the Constituent Assembly and to contribute to the drafting of the Italian Constitution. “But his mission in the service of the common good found its summit in the period when he was mayor of Florence, in the fifties” the Pope said, when “La Pira took a political line open to the needs of social Catholicism and always on the side of the last and most fragile sections of the population.” He also upheld La Pira’s work to promote social and international peace, with diplomatic activity, international conferences, a strong stance against nuclear war and the war in Vietnam. Prophets of peace and workers for the common good He encouraged those present to “keep alive and to spread the patrimony of ecclesial and social action of Venerable Giorgio La Pira; in particular his integral witness of faith, his love for the poor and marginalized, his work for peace, the implementation of the social message of the Church and his great fidelity to Catholic guidelines”. “These are all elements which constitute a valid message for the Church and society today” he said. Example for those who work in public sector Pope Francis noted that La Pira’s example “is especially valuable for those who work in the public sector” and are called to be vigilant towards those negative situations that undermine the common good and the dignity of the person. He urged those present to treasure the legacy of La Pira and to “be peacemakers, architects of justice, witnesses of solidarity and charity”. Speaking off-the-cuff the Pope concluded his discourse with an encouragement to be bringers of a “new spring” by being prophets of hope and of holiness, and by never being afraid to soil one’s hands to work and go forward.

South Korean President Moon Jae-In plans to deliver the message during a meeting with Pope Francis; Sen. Corey Gardner reacts to the report and U.S. relations with the regime. FOX News Channel (FNC) is a 24-hour all-encompassing news service dedicated…

YAOUNDÉ, Cameroon - Malawi’s bishops have urged the country’s politicians to keep Pope Francis out of “petty politics.” The statement from the bishops’ conference came after Hophmally Makande, an official of the ruling Democratic Progressive Part, said those urging 79 -year-old President Peter Mutharika to resign should also ask Pope Francis, who is 81, to step down. Isn’t it the pope … why does he not resign then? I am not despising the Church. But leave our president alone,” Makande told a campaign rally in Blantyre. I am surprised no one condemned him right there and then considering that there were Catholics in attendance at the same podium,” he wrote. “Religion is a line you don’t cross regardless of how desperate you want to seek to appease the appointing authority…If you want to resuscitate your career, find other means but this one is a no-go zone,” he said. “We are of the opinion that Malawi as a nation needs a change of direction if we are to reverse the situation. “This entails a change of mindset leading to a new era of fairness and justice for all.” Mutharika only came to power in 2014, but has since come under fire for alleged corruption. “We wish to reiterate that while the Church encourages Catholics to take an active role in politics, we the Catholic bishops in Malawi cannot and shall not support or endorse any particular politician or political party,” the bishops wrote in their Sept. statement. They urged Malawians to register and vote in next year’s elections, noting that “voting in such elections is not only a right but also an obligation of every eligible Malawian.” The bishops called for political and religious tolerance, saying that should prevent politicians from dragging the Church into petty politics.

Pope Francis addresses abuse in the Catholic church in his first Vatican appearance since Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, a former Vatican official, accused him of covering up ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick's misconduct; chief religion correspondent Lauren Green reports. FOX News Channel…

Pope Francis has acknowledged "with shame and repentance" the Catholic Church's failure to act over sexual abuse by clerics against minors going back decades, writing "we showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them."

Last night in New York City was the 70th annual Met Gala/costume party at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The theme this year was “Fashion and the Catholic Imagination” and attendees included celebrities from Kim Kardashian to Tom Brady. We…