Amid war and violence, Mercy is the way to reconcile people, says Vicar of Phnom Penh
By Admin Webmaster 2/6/2016 10:31:10 AMIn a pastoral letter for the Year of Jubilee, Mgr Olivier Schmitthaeusler calls on the faithful to be living signs of God’s Mercy and live together as brothers and sisters. The prelate urges believers to undertake pilgrimages to Christian holy places in Cambodia, and announces events for next year.
Card Parolin at COP21 stresses ethical imperative to act in a context of global solidarity
By Admin Webmaster 2/6/2016 10:31:10 AMThe Paris Conference should result in the adoption of a “global and ‘transformational’ agreement based on the principles of solidarity, justice, equality and participation; ...: lessening the impact of climate change, fighting poverty and ensuring respect for human dignity.”
Happy Birthday Holy Father!
By Admin Webmaster 2/6/2016 10:31:10 AMPope Francis turns 77 today. Pope Francis invited four homeless people to celebrate his 77th birthday today at the Vatican...
World's faith leaders sign up to stamp out modern slavery
By Admin Webmaster 2/6/2016 10:31:10 AMAn unprecedented gathering of religious leaders from all corners of the globe took place in the Vatican on Tuesday for the signing of a joint declaration against modern slavery. Pope Francis joined Anglican, Orthodox, Jewish, Shia and Sunni Muslim...
7 Ways to Fit More Quiet into Your Life
By Admin Webmaster 2/6/2016 10:31:10 AMYou know that quiet is an important part of life. It helps you find your center, strengthen your spirituality, and reduce harmful stress. But in a busy life, how do you find the time and opportunity to be still? Here are five ways to fit more quiet into your life...
‘Son of God’ movie brings Gospels to life, Catholic leaders say
By Admin Webmaster 2/6/2016 10:31:10 AMA new movie about Jesus Christ – to be released by the makers of the popular History Channel television miniseries “The Bible” – has drawn praise from several Catholic bishops and leaders...
Iraq declares Christmas a holiday in bid to support Christian minority
By Admin Webmaster 2/6/2016 10:31:10 AMThe government of Iraq has declared Christmas Day a national holiday, in a gesture of support for the country’s embattled religious minority.
Is God Interfering? A Question of Great Intellectual Debate
By Admin Webmaster 2/6/2016 10:31:10 AMLately, I have been reading a book called Conversations with God by Neale Donald Walsch. It is an amazing book with so much articulation about the Lord, his intent of creating this universe, and the reason for duality and relativity in this world, among many other issues of great spiritual ...
Bishop of Assisi: Pope Francis brings with him the sense of the Gospel
By Admin Webmaster 2/6/2016 10:31:10 AMPope Francis on Friday travels to Assisi. It is October 4, the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi. Among the many stops of the Pope's intense schedule, is the so called “Renunciation Room” or “Stripping Room” which is where Francis renounced his ...
Dutch Jesuit in Syria battles war, hunger and fear
By Admin Webmaster 2/6/2016 10:31:10 AM“For the past fifteen months we have been surviving off the emergency supplies we had in our basements and in abandoned houses throughout the neighbourhood. All we have left is a load of bulgar which is slowly running out. And we don’t know for how much...
Pope Francis: Communication to be at the service of an authentic culture of encounter
By Admin Webmaster 2/6/2016 10:31:10 AMIs the theme chosen by Pope Francis for the World Day of Social Communications in 2014. The Holy Father's message for World Communications Day is traditionally published in conjunction with the Memorial of St. Francis de Sales, patron of writers (January 24).
Catechism and the New Evangelization
By Admin Webmaster 2/6/2016 10:31:10 AMSpeaking after the presentation, the President of the Pontifical Council, Archbishop Rino Fisichella told Lydia O’Kane that it is important for Catholics to know the Catechism well because, “unfortunately the crisis of faith that we see every day belongs also to a big...
For Franciscan friar, "some hope for the Syrians in the war" as the Custody of the Holy Land makes an appeal
By Admin Webmaster 2/6/2016 10:31:10 AMFor Fr Halim, a former provincial, the situation in Syria is getting worse. "Villages are empty. In Aleppo and the along the Orontes, hundreds of thousands of people have been surviving for months with no electricity, water, and gas. Those who flee are resigned never to ...
Pope Francis meets with Prime Minister of Thailand
By Admin Webmaster 2/6/2016 10:31:10 AMPope Francis on Thursday received the Prime Minister of Thailand, Yingluck Shinawatra. A statement released by the Holy See Press Office described the talks as cordial, in which the two spoke about the good relations between the Holy See and Thailand, was ...
A wind of hope passing through the world
By Admin Webmaster 2/6/2016 10:31:10 AMFrom Jerusalem to Assisi and from Havana to Taizé prayers were sent to Damascus. Numerous faithful from every part of the world gathered on Saturday evening to raise their “cry for peace” in response to Pope Francis' appeal...
Pope Francis writes letter to President Putin of Russia ahead of G20 summit
By Admin Webmaster 2/6/2016 10:31:10 AMTo the leaders present, to each and every one, I make a heartfelt appeal for them to help find ways to overcome the conflicting positions and to lay aside the futile pursuit of a military solution. Rather, let there be a renewed commitment to seek...
Jordan’s king decries anti-Christian violence, calls upon Christians to defend Islam
By Admin Webmaster 2/6/2016 10:31:10 AMArab Christians are the closest to understanding Islam and its true values. We call upon them at this stage to defend Islam, which is subject to a lot of injustice because some are ignorant of the essence of this faith, which preaches tolerance and...
Patriarch applauds faith conference called by King of Jordan
By Admin Webmaster 2/6/2016 10:31:10 AMPatriarch Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, spoke to Vatican Radio's Xavier Sartre about the hopes and fears of Christian communities in the Middle East, appealing for solidarity and prayer.
Pope Francis meets Jewish leaders
By Admin Webmaster 2/6/2016 10:31:10 AMDuring his first private audience with an international Jewish leader since being elected Catholic pontiff in March, Francis asked World Jewish Congress (WJC) President Ronald S. Lauder to convey...
Young Muslim: We can only rebuild Egypt together with Christians
By Admin Webmaster 2/6/2016 10:31:10 AMMohamed Elhariry, a young businessman in Cairo, reveals the on the ground reality of life in recent months in Egypt. The young man says the Muslim Brotherhood "have lied to everyone, they never wanted a democratic state. The real Egypt is multi-denominational".
There is no peace without dialogue
By Admin Webmaster 2/6/2016 10:31:10 AMPeace cannot be built without dialogue founded on meekness. Pope Francis said this on Wednesday morning, 21 August, to a group of students and teachers of the Japanese Seibu Gauken Bunri Junior High School in Tokyo,...
For Egypt's Christian Churches, Western media with their lies help Islamists
By Admin Webmaster 2/6/2016 10:31:10 AMIn two separate statements, the Coptic Orthodox and Catholic Churches condemn the recent violence and offer their support to the government. They call on Western media to show the true picture of Egypt without fomenting sectarian clashes. Only unity...
Let us pray together for peace, dialogue and reconciliation in Egypt and the world
By Admin Webmaster 2/6/2016 10:31:10 AMFrancis celebrates Mass in Castel Gandolfo. The Assumption is a "canticle of patience and victory, of struggle and joy." The Church and every Christian struggle daily against "the forces of evil." May "Mary accompany us, fight with us, and sustain Christians in the struggle against the forces of evil."
Football friendly: A spiritual dimension
By Admin Webmaster 2/6/2016 10:31:10 AMPope Francis is known as a keen football fan, so there was great excitement all round on Tuesday when the Holy Father met with players of the Italian and Argentinean national teams....
USA: State Department Establishes Office for Religious Engagement
By Admin Webmaster 2/6/2016 10:31:10 AMSecretary of State John Kerry has appointed a professor of Christian ethics as the first director of the State Department’s Office of Faith-Based Community Initiatives. The new office is the outgrowth of an initiative by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who said...
Vatican-appointed overseer to attend LCWR annual meeting
By Admin Webmaster 2/6/2016 10:31:10 AMThe US archbishop who was given expansive oversight by the Vatican of American sisters will attend their annual gathering in mid-August and will speak of his role as their church-mandated overseer.
Syria’s first lady prepares Ramadan meals
By Admin Webmaster 2/6/2016 10:31:10 AMSyria’s first lady Asma al-Assad participated in preparing Ramadan meals that were distributed to the needy and poor on Saturday. The occasion marked Laylat al-Qadr, the night...
Pope Francis: once a Jesuit always a Jesuit?
By Admin Webmaster 2/6/2016 10:31:10 AMWednesday 31st of July the Church remembers Saint Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus. To mark this occasion, Francis the first Jesuit Pope in history, crossed the Tiber River to meet with his fellow Jesuits…
Pope Francis: "Go, do not be afraid, and serve"
By Admin Webmaster 2/6/2016 10:31:10 AMCelebrating the World Youth Day Holy Mass in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, Pope Francis told those present that it was time to go and to pass on this experience to others. Addressing a crowd of over 3 million people gathered on ...
WYD Rio: speaking with Nigerian, Iraqi pilgrims
By Admin Webmaster 2/6/2016 10:31:10 AMPope Francis. Our French colleague, Olivier Tosseri, is in Rio and caught up with several pilgrims from countries marred by interfaith and ethnic violence. He asked them how it feels to be a Christian in Rio for WYD celebrations...