Greek Island of Lesbos
On his way back to Rome from a visit to Lesbos on April 16, Pope Francis gave his usual glib answers to a variety of questions from reporters during an inflight press conference, including communion for the divorced and remarried, immigration, and why he chose to bring three Muslim refugee families back to Italy rather than Christians.
In his new exhortation on marriage and family, Pope Francis is adamant about how children should be taught to “accept their own body as it was created” and to avoid the pretension of cancelling out sexual difference “because one no longer knows how to deal with it.”
Commentary by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Even though some of the passages in the Pope’s new exhortation, Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love), are somewhat unclear and area already being distorted by the mainstream media, Catholics should read the document for themselves with the understanding that no Church teaching has been changed.
A five year old Ohio girl suffering from a rare condition that will gradually render her blind and deaf melted the hearts of all during Wednesday’s general audience in Rome, including Pope Francis who lovingly blessed the child’s eyes and promised to pray for her.
On the eve of Divine Mercy Sunday, Pope Francis asked for dioceses around the world to establish memorials that will serve as “a living memory” of the Year of Mercy.
A young woman who was fortunate enough to go to confession with Pope Francis says he was “very kind” and made sure to “get to the heart of the matter” being discussed.
The beautiful young cancer patient who moved the Pope to tears this week when she sang the Ave Maria says that his visit brought her a peace and tranquility she never felt before and is now convinced that she will survive.
Pope Francis met with Mexican youth yesterday and offered a message of hope and encouragement that was so moving, it caused the crowd of tens of thousands of young people to burst into spontaneous prayer and song.
Massive crowds of jubilant people have met Pope Francis along every step of his apostolic trip to Mexico, a visit the Holy Father has described as being a mission of love and mercy.
Commentary by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
In his message for the 50th World Day of Social Communications, Pope Francis is urging the faithful to reflect on how they are communicating with one another – in the home, the office, the public square – and in the digital realm.
