HOW POPE FRANCIS RENEWS APPEAL FOR CEASEFIRE, CHILDREN ARE GOD'S GREATEST GIFT, SYNOD ... (437 hits)
For Immediate Release From Vatican News!
(A Ten-Minute Read)
Pope Francis renews appeal for ceasefire in Middle East
At the conclusion of his midday Angelus prayer, Pope Francis appeals for a ceasefire in the Middle East, a release of hostages, and facilitating humanitarian aid to those in need. By Deborah Castellano Lubov
Pope Francis renewed his appeal for a ceasefire in the Middle East and warned against spiraling into an even bigger war, at the conclusion of his Sunday Angelus address in the Vatican.
Addressing the thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square after the midday prayer, the Holy Father turned his attention to the war in the Holy Land.
Appeal to Release Hostages
"Tomorrow," Pope Francis recalled, "will be one year since the terrorist attack against the people in Israel, to whom I renew my sympathy."
"Let us not forget that there are still many hostages in Gaza, for whom," he appealed, "I call for their immediate release."
Since that day, the Holy Father decried, "the Middle East has plunged into ever greater suffering, with destructive military actions that continue to affect the Palestinian population."
Pope at Angelus: Children are God's greatest blessing.
Humanitarian Aid in Gaza
The Pope turned to the great suffering of the people of Gaza and the other territories.
"These are mostly innocent civilians, all people who must receive all the humanitarian aid they need."
Immediate Ceasefire
The Pope called for an "immediate ceasefire" on all fronts, including Lebanon, inviting the faithful in joining him in praying "for the Lebanese people, especially for the inhabitants of the south, who are forced to leave their villages."
"I call on the international community," the Pope continued, "to put an end to the spiral of vengeance and to stop any more attacks, like the one carried out by Iran a few days ago, which could plunge the region into an even bigger war."
"All nations," he said, "have the right to exist in peace and security, and their territories must not be attacked or invaded; sovereignty must be respected and guaranteed by dialogue and peace, not hatred and war."
Rosary for Peace and Day of Prayer and Fasting
In this context, the Pope recalled that later in the day he will travel to Rome's Marian Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore to pray a rosary for peace.
Last Wednesday, at the Opening Mass of the Second Session of the Synod on Synodality, Pope Francis announced that he was declaring this October 7th as a day of fasting and prayer for peace in the world.
Encouraging faithful to join him in these prayer initiatives, he said, "Let us unite with the power of Good against the diabolical plots of war."
Consistory announcement and closeness to flood-affected Bosnia and Herzegovina
Finally, before announcing he would hold an 8 December consistory for the creation of new Cardinals in the Vatican, the Holy Father expressed his closeness to those suffering from natural disasters.
"I am close," he reassured, "to the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina affected by the floods."
"May the Lord," Pope Francis commended, "receive the deceased, comfort their families and sustain those communities."
“I am close to the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina affected by the floods. May the Lord receive the deceased, comfort their families and sustain those communities.”
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Patriarch Pizzaballa: 'A Year After October 7 We Implore Peace'
Ahead of the day of prayer and fasting for peace called by Pope Francis, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, shares his reflections with Vatican News on these 12 months of war, suffering, and fear in the Middle East, which began on that tragic day of October 7, 2023. By Roberto Cetera
Life in Jerusalem was not easy even before October 7, but certainly, over the past year the days of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem have been intense and frantic, filled with pastoral care, institutional relationships, and, inevitably, interactions with international media. "Undoubtedly, the part that bothers me the most is the press. It wastes a lot of my time," jokes Cardinal Pizzaballa.
Q: Your Eminence, a year has already passed since that terrible morning...
Yes, a terrible year. And we will remember it, together with Pope Francis and all the Churches of the world, with a day of prayer and penance. To keep our hearts free from all forms of fear and anger. And to bring to God through prayer our desire for peace for all humanity.
Q: A month after the massacre of October 7, you granted us a long interview. It deeply touched our readers because it was like emerging from the stunned silence into which that tragedy had plunged us, where you also shared your personal feelings. "Everything will change," you told us. What has actually changed? And what has changed for you and for Christians in the Holy Land?
Before October 7, 2023, political prospects were certainly completely different. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, though latent, seemed to have entered a routine that was not particularly alarming, so much so that it did not constitute a priority on international diplomatic agendas. Interreligious dialogue followed its ordinary course, strengthened by Pope Francis’ travels and the Encyclical Fratelli Tutti.
The Christian community actively carried out its pastoral activities. Now, all of this seems like a dead letter. Today, the Palestinian issue has resurfaced in such dramatic terms that it makes it even more difficult to resolve. Interreligious dialogue is going through a deep crisis. And the pastoral initiatives of the Christian community must be completely rethought in a new context, laden with distrust and misunderstandings. There is a widespread hatred, both in language and physical, military violence, that we had never seen before. All of this cannot leave us indifferent.
So, to answer your question: yes, a lot has changed, immensely. We must start talking about the future again, but keeping in mind that the wounds this conflict is leaving are numerous and deep. It has also been an incredibly difficult year for me. On the one hand, even if overwhelmed by this daily chaos, one must preserve and focus on spiritual life. And then, help guide the community in understanding the reasons for being here and their role. These are always very open questions because they do not have set answers that are valid over time.
Q: In that November conversation, I remember thinking that in a few weeks, some sort of truce would be reached. We were wrong: we found ourselves commenting on the sixth month of war in an even more desperate atmosphere. There is a tragic paradox in this conflict: the longer it lasts, the more distant its resolution seems…
Pope Francis Announces Consistory For Creation Of 21 New Cardinals
Pope Francis announces a consistory for the creation of 21 new Cardinals from around the world to be held in the Vatican on 8 December 2024. By Deborah Castellano Lubov
Pope Francis announced after his Sunday Angelus that he would hold a Consistory for the creation of new Cardinals on 8 December 2024, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, in the Vatican.
The Consistory, set to take place with representatives from all over the world, will fall before the opening of the 2025 Jubilee of Hope and after the conclusion of the Second Session of the Synod on Synodality in the Vatican. Pope Francis' most recent consistory to create new Cardinals had taken place ahead of the First Session of the Synod on Synodality on 30 September 2023.
The Holy Father pointed out that the Cardinal-elects hail from around the world.
"Their origins," he said, "expresses the universality of the Church, which continues to proclaim God's merciful love to all people on earth. Their inclusion in the Diocese of Rome also manifests the inseparable bond between the See of Peter and the particular Churches spread throughout the world."
Moreover, he asked the faithful to pray for the future Cardinals.
"Let's pray for the new Cardinals, that by confirming their adherence to Christ, the merciful and faithful High Priest, they may help me in my ministry as Bishop of Rome for the good of all God's holy people."
With the upcoming Consistory, according to today's data, the College of Cardinals will enlarge to 256 Cardinals, 141 of whom will be Cardinal electors.
List of the Future Cardinals Here is a list of the future Cardinals:
1. H.E. Msgr. Angelo Acerbi, Apostolic Nuncio
2. H.E. Mgr. Carlos Gustavo CASTILLO MATTASOGLIO Archbishop of Lima (Peru)
3. H.E. Msgr. Vicente BOKALIC IGLIC C.M., Archbishop of Santiago del Estero (Primate of Argentina).
4. H.E. Msgr. Luis Gerardo CABRERA HERRERA, O.F.M., Archbishop of Guayaquil (Ecuador).
5. H.E. Msgr. Fernando Natalio CHOMALÍ GARIB Archbishop of Santiago de Chile (Chile).
6. Archbishop Tarcisio Isao KIKUCHI, S.V.D., Archbishop of Tokyo (Japan).
7. H.E. Msgr. Pablo Virgilio SIONGCO DAVID, Bishop of Kalookan (Philippines).
8. H. E. Msgr. Ladislav NEMET, S.V.D., Archbishop of Beograd -Smederevo, (Serbia).
9. H.E. Msgr. Jaime SPENGLER, O.F.M., Archbishop of Porto Alegre (Brasil).
Pope At Angelus: Children Are God's Greatest Blessing
During his Sunday Angelus, Pope Francis encourages Christian couples to persevere in love, marriage, and welcoming the beautiful gift of life, which he acknowledges is demanding, but well worth it. By Deborah Castellano Lubov
"Let us not forget, also, that for spouses, it is essential to be open to the gift of life, to children, that are the most beautiful fruit of love, the greatest blessing from God, a source of joy and hope for every home and for all of society."
Pope Francis offered this reminder during his Sunday Angelus address in the Vatican.
Addressing the thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square, the Holy Father recounted the day's Gospel according to St. Mark in which Jesus speaks to us about marital love.
Back In Jesus' Time
In today's Gospel reading, the Pope remembered that some Pharisees ask the Lord "a provocative question about a controversial issue," namely a husband's divorce from his wife.
Here, the Holy Father pointed out, they were intent on dragging Jesus into a quarrel, "but he does not let them." Instead, the Pope observes the Lord uses the opportunity to draw their attention to a more important discussion on the value of love between a man and a woman in God's plan.
In Jesus’ time, Pope Francis recalled, the condition of the woman in marriage was greatly disadvantaged compared to that of the man: "the husband could send his wife away, divorce her, even for trivial reasons, and this would be justified by legalistic interpretations of Scripture. For this reason, the Lord brings his interlocutors back to the demands of love."
Jesus, the Holy Father remembered, reminds them that woman and man were willed by the Creator as equal in dignity and complementary in diversity, enabling one another to be "the other’s helper" and companion.
Love Is Demanding But Worth It
For this to happen, he emphasizes the need for their mutual gift to be full, engaging, without "half measures," or ideas that it is destined for "as long as I feel like it," rather than forever.
This, the Pope stressed, requires "fidelity, even in difficulties, respect, sincerity, and simplicity," as well as "being open to confrontation, sometimes even to discussion when it is necessary, but also to be always ready to forgive and to be reconciled to the other."
Always Make Peace Before Bedtime
As in the past, he told husbands and wives that whenever they may quarrel or have a disagreement to never let the day end without making peace.
Also as the Church in the United States observes today, being the first Sunday of October, Respect Life Sunday, the Holy Father marveled at children as God's "greatest blessing."
"For spouses, it is essential to be open to the gift of life, to children," he said, as he called them the "most beautiful fruit of love," "the greatest blessing from God," and a "source of joy and hope for every home and for all of society."
In this context, he urged Christian spouses to be open to having children.
While acknowledging that love is demanding, he said it is beautiful, "and the more we allow ourselves to be involved by it," he said, "the more we discover true happiness in it."
Questions to Ponder
With this in mind, he asked faithful to ask themselves some questions.
"How is our love? Is it faithful? Is it generous? How are our families: are they open to life, to the gift of children?"
Pope Francis concluded by praying to the Virgin Mary help Christian spouses.
"Let us turn to her in spiritual union with the faithful gathered at the Shrine of Pompeii," he incited, "for the traditional Supplication to Our Lady of the Holy Rosary."
At the Synod press briefing on October 5, Lebanese Bishop Mounir Khairallah shares his personal experience of tragedy, as his parents were brutally murdered when he was 5 years old, saying he forgave his parents’ murderer and urging others to embrace reconciliation even amid conflict.
Bishop Khairallah on Synod: 'I carry from Lebanon a message of forgiveness' At the Synod press briefing on October 5, Lebanese Bishop Mounir Khairallah shares his personal experience of tragedy, as his parents were brutally murdered when he was 5 years old, saying he forgave his parents’ murderer and urging others to embrace reconciliation even amid conflict. By Bishop Mounir Khairallah, Maronite Catholic Bishop of Batrun.
I come from a country that has been engulfed in fire and blood for fifty years now. In 1975, the war in Lebanon began under the pretext of a religious and confessional war, mainly between Muslims and Christians.
Fifty years later, they have failed to understand that it is not entirely a war of confession or religion. It is a war that has been imposed upon us, in Lebanon, a “country-message,” as Saint John Paul II always said; a country-message of conviviality, freedom, democracy, and life in respect of diversity. Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, recognizes this.
Lebanon is a message of peace and should remain a message of peace. It is the only country in the Middle East where Christians, Muslims, and Jews can live together, respecting their diversities, in a nation that is a “model nation,” as Pope Benedict XVI said.
Coming here, in this situation, to speak at the Synod might seem strange. Speaking also about forgiveness, which Pope Francis has taken as a sign for this Second Session, would be even more complex. Yes, I come here to speak about forgiveness and reconciliation, while my country and my people suffer and experience the consequences of wars, conflicts, violence, vengeance, and hatred.
We Lebanese always want to condemn hatred, vengeance, and violence. We want to build peace. We are capable of doing so. If Pope Francis has chosen forgiveness, for us and for me, it is a great message to give.
Talking about forgiveness, when bombings strike all of Lebanon, would it be impossible? No. In all this, the population of Lebanon rejects, as always, the language of hatred and vengeance.
I have personally experienced forgiveness. When I was five years old, someone came to our house and brutally murdered my parents. I have a aunt who is a nun in the Lebanese Maronite order. She came to our house to take us four children—the eldest was six years old, the youngest two—and took us to her monastery. In the church, she invited us to kneel and pray—to pray to God for mercy, for love. She told us: “Let us not pray so much for your parents; they are martyrs before God. Let us instead pray for those who killed them and seek to forgive throughout your lives. Thus you will be the children of your Father, who is in Heaven.”
“If you love those who love you,” says Jesus, “what merit do you have? Love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you. Then you will be disciples of Christ and children of your Father.” We have carried this in our hearts, us, four children. And the Lord has never abandoned us; He has taken us, accompanied us, to live this forgiveness.
After my studies here in Rome as a seminarian, I returned for ordination. At 24 years old, I chose the anniversary of the murder of my parents, which was the eve of the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross—a great feast for us Eastern Churches—to just say that “a grain of wheat if it falls to the ground and does not die, it does not bear fruit.”
And we are, I said, the fruit of this grain of wheat willed by God. Yes, it is the will of God that our parents accepted and that we have lived. And I said, 'I renew my promise of forgiveness, to forgive all those who harm us.'
Then, a few months later, I was speaking in a retreat to our young people there, in Lebanon, who were in the early years of war in 1977-78. I came to talk about the sacrament of reconciliation and forgiveness.
I felt that they did not understand me: they were all armed to wage war against our enemies. After 4 hours of speaking, I felt that the message was not getting through. Then I said: 'I shall give you my personal testimony.' And I told those young Lebanese what I had experienced and that I renewed with forgiveness and reconciliation.
After a period of silence, a young man stood up and dared to ask me: “Father, I suppose you have forgiven, but imagine that now you are a priest in confession and this man comes to you, stands before you, confesses, and asks you for forgiveness. What would you do?” — the answer was not easy.
Then I said: 'Thank you for the question, because now I have understood what it means to forgive. Because it is true that I have forgiven, but now I see that I have forgiven from afar; I had never seen this person. Today they come and stand there, in front of me... I am also human; I have my feelings, but finally yes, I would give them absolution and forgiveness. But I say to you, young Lebanese, that I have understood why forgiveness is so difficult, but it is not impossible. I understand you, but it is possible to live it if we want to be disciples of Christ, in the land of Christ. On the Cross, Jesus forgave; we are capable of forgiving. And I tell you more: all those who wage war against us, whom we consider enemies—Israelis, Palestinians, Syrians, of all nationalities—these are not enemies, why? Because those who foment war have no identity, no confession, no religion; but the others, the peoples, want peace, want to live in peace on the land of the peace of Jesus Christ, King of Peace.'
Therefore, even today, despite all that happens—50 years of blind, savage war—despite everything, we as peoples of all cultures of all confessions, want peace; we are capable of building peace.
Let us put aside our politicians, ours and those of the world, the great powers: they make their interests at our expense. But we, as a people, do not want all this; we reject it.
The day will come when we will have the opportunity to pass our message, to say our word to the whole world: Enough! Enough with this vengeance, with this hatred, with these wars, enough!
Let us build peace, at least for our children, for future generations who have the right to live in peace. This is what I understood from Pope Francis's message when he called to make, to live together synodality—which is still a practice in our Eastern Churches—he asked the entire Church to begin to live forgiveness, reconciliation, and personal and community conversion in order to walk together towards the construction of the kingdom of God. Yes, we want to do it; we can do it!
On Saturday, several participants in the Synod on Synodality briefed journalists on reports presented in the small working groups and expressed their hopes that the Synod second session can provide an opportunity to seek peace and respect for human rights.
Synod Briefing - Day 4: 'We must overcome fear of one another' On Saturday, October 5, several participants in the Synod on Synodality brief journalists on the reports presented in the small working groups and express their hopes that the Synod second session can provide an opportunity to seek peace and respect for human rights. By Antonella Palermo
The Synod General Assembly has launched an urgent plea for peace, which was discussed on October 4 during the work at the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod on Synodality. Participants at the assembly condemned all forms of fundamentalism, saying: "we must all be artisans of peace."
At the same time, there was a widespread call to denounce the "main causes of all evils," namely the arms trade. These proceedings of the Synod were reported on October 5 at the day's press briefing in the Holy See Press Office by Paolo Ruffini and Sheila Leocádia Pires, president and secretary of the Synod’s Information Commission, respectively.
Appeal from Lebanon to respect rights of oppressed people “Unfortunately, the world remains silent or gives the green light to all this violence because there are too many political and economic interests that have nothing to do with Christian values.”
That was the consideration expressed by Bishop Mounir Khairallah, Maronite Catholic Bishop of Batrun.
In conflict-ridden Lebanon, said the Bishop, hope still persists, so that the Land of the Cedars may continue to be a message of peace.
