POPE FRANCIS HOLDS MASS IN CASA SANTA MARTA FOR PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS

 

 

 Pope and Patriarch, Together at Santa Marta Mass

 

 

 

 

 

L'abbraccio tra il Papa e il Patriarca Youssef, ricordando la sofferenza del popolo del Medioriente
Una Messa che ha manifestato la comunione tra Pietro e la Chiesa greco melkita cattolica, quella celebrata oggi a Casa Santa Marta da Francesco insieme al Patriarca di Antiochia, Youssef e ai vescovi greco melkiti cattolici a Roma al termine del Sinodo tenuto in Libano all’inizio di febbraio.

Papa Francesco Messa Santa Marta 2018-02-13





Pope Francis says Mass with Melkite Greek Patriarch

http://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope-francis/mass-casa-santa-marta/2018-02/pope-francis-says-mass-with-melkite-greek-patriarch-.html

At Mass on Tuesday morning in the Casa Santa Marta, Pope Francis concelebrates with the Melkite Greek Patriarch of Antioch, calling it a sign of the Apostolic Communion between the Latin- and Eastern-rite Churches within the universal Church.

By Devin Watkins
Pope Francis concelebrated Mass on Tuesday morning with the Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch of Antioch, Youssef Absi.
Instead of delivering a homily, Pope Francis said a few words about the meaning of the day’s celebration, at which members of the Melkite Greek Synod participated.
“This Mass with our brother, Patriarch Youssef,” the Pope said, “confirms our Apostolic Communion: He is the father of a very ancient Church, and he comes to embrace Peter and to say ‘I am in communion with Peter.’” The Holy Father said this was the meaning of the Eucharistic celebration.

‘Suffering Church’

He said the Melkite Greek Church is “a rich Church with its own theology within Catholic theology and with its own marvelous liturgy”.
The Pope said “at this moment a large part of the [Melkite] people is crucified, like Jesus.”
He said the Mass was being celebrated for the people of the Melkite Greek Church, “for the people who suffer, and for persecuted Christians in the Middle East, who give up their lives, goods, and property because they are driven out.” Pope Francis said he also offered the Mass for the ministry of “our brother Youssef”.

Patriarch: ‘Mass of communion’

Following the Mass, Patriarch Youssef thanked the Pope for “this beautiful Mass of communion”. He said, “Personally, I am truly moved by your fraternal charity and the solidarity you have shown to our Church.”
Patriarch Youssef promised to keep Pope Francis in his heart and prayers. “I cannot describe the beauty,” the Patriarch said, of “this communion, which unites all the disciples of Christ.”

+ AUDIO



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and from Aleteia ... 


On Saturday evening of February 24, Rome’s Colosseum to be lit red in solidarity with persecuted Christians
https://aleteia.org/2018/02/09/romes-colosseum-to-be-lit-red-in-solidarity-with-persecuted-christians/












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Pope Francis calls for a special Day of Prayer and Fasting for Peace on the Friday of the First Week of Lent - this year February 23, 2018

Pope Francis invites all the faithful to take part in a special Day of Prayer and Fasting for PEACE - on February 23rd, 2018, the Friday of the First Week of Lent.

Pope in Angelus: Victories won through violence are false victories - Published on Feb 5, 2018






IL-PAPA FRANĠISKU ANGELUS Pjazza San Pietru Il-Ħadd, 4 ta’ Frar 2018






Pope Francis fights corruption with invisible ministry - Published on Feb 5, 2018

 

Ignoring the corruption around us doesn’t do any good. If we want to end corruption and stop it from doing so much damage in our world, we have to stare it down and speak clearly, just as Pope Francis is.

Say “No” to Corruption – February 2018 - The Pope Video - Published on 1 Feb 2018





Pope calls for Day of Prayer and Fasting for Peace on 23 February
http://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-02/pope-angelus-appeal-prayer-fasting-peace-drc-south-sudan.html
Listen to report


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and from Aleteia ... 
On Saturday evening of February 24, Rome’s Colosseum to be lit red in solidarity with persecuted Christians
https://aleteia.org/2018/02/09/romes-colosseum-to-be-lit-red-in-solidarity-with-persecuted-christians/

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"THERE IS NO HUMILITY WITHOUT HUMILIATION" Pope Francis says

Monday of the Fourth week in Ordinary Time (cycle II)

Readings: http://dailygospel.org/main.php?language=AM&module=readings&localdate=20180129

http://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope-francis/mass-casa-santa-marta/2018-01/pope-homily-santa-marta0.html

Pope Francis addressed the faithful gathered in the Casa Santa Marta for morning Mass on Monday and reflected on the First Reading of the Day.

By Linda Bordoni

Pope Francis told believers that there is no true humility without humiliation.

The Pope was speaking during morning Mass at the Casa Santa Marta on Monday as he reflected on the first liturgical reading of the day which speaks of the humiliation of King David.

Pope Francis said David was indeed a great man: he had overcome Goliath, he had “a noble soul” because twice he could have killed Saul but he had not done so. But David, he continued, was also a sinner: he had committed the serious sins of adultery and had arranged the murder of Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband.

“And yet, Francis noted, the Church venerates him as a saint" because he let himself be transformed by the Lord, he “accepted” forgiveness, he repented and recognized himself as a sinner.

David is humiliated
 

The First Reading, the Pope said, focuses on the humiliation of David: his son Absalom revolts against him but at that moment David does not think of “saving his own skin” but of saving his people, the Temple and the Ark of the Covenant.

He flees, he explained, and his gesture that appears cowardly is really a courageous one: “he wept without ceasing, his head was covered, and he was walking barefoot”.

David lets himself be insulted
 

Pope Francis noted that the great David is humiliated not only by defeat and by flight, but also by insult. In fact, during his escape, a man named Shimei “cursed and threw stones at David” telling him that the Lord had requited him and put the kingdom in the hands of his son Absalom.

Shimei, the Pope continued, tells David that he is now suffering ruin “because he is a murderer" and David lets him continue to curse and insult him saying: “Perhaps the Lord will look upon my affliction and make it up to me with benefits for the curses he is uttering this day."

“Ready-to-wear” humility is not salvific
 

Pope Francis noted that David’s ascent up the Mount of Olives is prophetic of Jesus’ climb up the hill of Calvary to give life: he too was insulted and discarded. This he explained refers precisely to the humility of Jesus:

“Sometimes we think that humility is to go quietly, perhaps head-down looking at the floor… but even pigs walk with their heads down: this is not humility. This is that fake, ready-to-wear humility, which neither saves nor guards the heart. We have to be aware that there is no true humility without humiliation, and if you are not able to tolerate, to carry humiliation on your shoulders, you are not truly humble: you pretend you are, but you are not”.

Turning humiliation into hope
 

The Pope pointed out that both David and Jesus burden themselves with sins and said: “David is a saint, and Jesus, with the sanctity of God, is really a saint” and they are both humiliated.

“There is always the temptation to counter slander and oppose anything that humiliates us or makes us feel ashamed - like Shimei. But David says “No”; the Lord says “No”, that is not the right path. The path is the one taken by Jesus and prophesied by David: bearing humiliation. ‘Perhaps the Lord will look upon my affliction and make it up to me with benefits for the curses he is uttering this day’: turning humiliation into hope.

There is no humility without humiliation
 

Pope Francis concluded warning that humility is not justifying oneself immediately in the face of an offense and trying to look good: “if you are unable to bear humiliation, you are not humble” he warned: “this is the golden rule”.

“Let us ask the Lord for the grace of humility, with humiliations. There was a nun who used to say: ‘yes, I am humble, but never humiliated!’ No, no! There is no humility without humiliation. We are asking for this grace. And if someone is brave – just as as St. Ignatius teaches us - he can even ask the Lord to send humiliations so he can be more like the Lord”.

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L'umiltà non è andare a testa bassa, quella prêt-à-porter, che non salva. La strada è quella di portare le umiliazioni come il re Davide, la cui figura è al centro dell'omelia del Papa a Casa Santa Marta

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In humility, even humiliation, human nature's transformation by living closely to The Divinity.

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January 26 - Saints Timothy and Titus, Bishops --- Powerful Homily from Pope Francis - TRANSMIT THE FAITH WITH THE COURAGE OF TRUTH AND WITNESS !

Saints Timothy and Titus, bishops - Memorial

Readings: http://dailygospel.org/main.php?language=AM&module=readings&localdate=20180126





http://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope-francis/mass-casa-santa-marta/2018-01/pope-homily-santa-marta.html

During his homily at morning Mass in the Casa Santa Marta Pope Francis reflected on the how we announce the Gospel message saying that words are empty if they do not reflect real life.

                                                                                                   By Linda Bordoni

At the heart of Pope Francis’ homily on Friday morning in the Casa Santa Marta was a reflection on how to transmit the faith.

Taking his cue from the liturgical reading of the day in which the apostle Paul addresses his disciple Timothy recalling his “sincere faith” that first lived in his grandmother and then in his mother, the Pope highlighted the words that
indicate how faith is to be transmitted: “son”, as Paul calls Timothy,
“mother,” “grandmother,” and finally "testimony".

The 'folly of preaching' according to Paul

The Pope said that Paul generated Timothy with the “folly of preaching.” He said that in the reading a mention is also made of “tears” because, he explained, Paul does not sweeten his preaching with half-truths, he does so with courage because the announcement of the Gospel “cannot be lukewarm”.

“Preaching is - allow me the word – ‘a slap’. A slap that moves you and pushes you forward” he said.

Paul himself, Francis said, describes it as ‘the folly of preaching’: “it's folly, because to say that God became man and then he was crucified and then he rose again ...” There is always a pinch of folly in preaching which must not be tempted by mediocrity
and half-truths.

The Word without testimony has no strength

The second word Pope Francis chose to highlight is testimony. Faith, he affirmed, is to be transmitted through witness which gives strength to the Word and he commented
on how people used to say of the first disciples: “How they love each other.”

He noted that in some parishes today, many tongues can be heard wagging about this
person or that… and instead of commenting on ‘how they love each other’ one
could be enticed to comment on how people speak badly of each other, on “how
they use their tongues like knives to ‘skin’ the other!”

“How can you transmit the faith in an atmosphere that is spoilt by gossip, by slander?” he said.

True testimony, the Pope explained means never speaking badly of the other, it means doing works of charity, visiting the sick, and it means asking oneself why others behave or live as they do.

Pope Francis also emphasized the fact that evil acts as “counter-testimony” or as bad testimony: it takes away faith and weakens people.

The Church gives life like a mother

The other word and concept picked out by Pope Francis is “mother” and “grandmother”. He explained that “faith is transmitted in a womb, the womb of the Church”.
He said that the “Church’s motherhood is prolonged in the maternity of the mother, the woman”.

He recalled a meeting he had with a nun while he was in Albania. She had been
imprisoned during the dictatorship, but sometimes the guards would let her take
a walk along the river thinking there could be no harm in that.

But the nun was clever, the Pope said, and the women of the nearby villages would bring their children to her when she went out and she would secretly baptize them in the river.

“I ask myself, he said, are mothers and grandmothers like the ones Paul
speaks of?” Or do they trust in the fact that the children will learn when they
go to catechism?

“It gives me sadness, Francis continued, when I see children
who do not know how to make the sign of the Cross” because their mothers and
grandmothers have not taught them.

Let us ask the Lord, he concluded, to teach us to be witnesses and preachers and to teach women who are mothers to transmit the faith.