Vatican Radio - Pope Francis greets Cardinals: Full text - further articles

Vatican Radio - Pope Francis greets Cardinals: Full text

Home > Church >  2013-03-15 13:48:03 Pope Francis greets Cardinals: Full text This morning, Pope Francis met with the Cardinals in the Sala Clementina.  Below please find Vatican Radio's translation of the full text of the Holy Father's address to the Cardinals: Brother Cardinals, This period of the Conclave has been filled with meaning not just for the College of Cardinals but also for all the faithful. During these days we have felt almost palpably the affection and solidarity of the universal Church, as well as the attention of many people who, even if not sharing our faith, look upon the Church and the Holy See with respect and admiration. From every corner of the earth a heart-felt chorus of prayer was raised by Christian peoples for the new Pope, and my first encounter with the crowds filling St. Peter’s Square was an emotional one. With that eloquent image of a praying and joyful populace still fixed in my mind, I would like to manifest my sincere gratitude to the Bishops, priests, consecrated persons, young people, families, and to the aged for their spiritual closeness which is so touching and sincere. I feel the need to express my deepest gratitude to all of you, venerable and dear Brother Cardinals, for your collaboration in running the Church during the Sede Vacante. I greet, to begin with, the Dean of the College of Cardinals, Angelo Sodano, who I thank with expressions of devotion for the kind wishes he extended to me in your name. With him I thank Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, for his fine work during this delicate transition phase, and also Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, who led us in the Conclave. Many thanks! I think with particular affection of the venerable Cardinals who, because of age or illness, assured us of their participation and love for the Church by offering their suffering and prayers. And I would like to inform them that, the day before yesterday, Cardinal Mejia had a heart attack and is in hospital. I believe he is in stable condition and he has sent us his greetings. I cannot forget to thank all those, who in so many ways, worked to prepare and conduct the Conclave, ensuring the safety and tranquillity of the Cardinals during this very important time in the life of the Church. I extend an especially affectionate thought, filled with gratitude, to my venerable predecessor, Benedict XVI, who, during the years of his pontificate enriched and invigorated the Church with his teaching, his goodness, guidance, faith, humility, and his meekness, which will remain the spiritual patrimony of all. The Petrine ministry, lived with total dedication, found in him a wise and humble interpreter with his gaze always fixed on Christ, the Risen Christ, present and alive in the Eucharist. Our fervent prayer will always accompany him, our eternal memory, and affectionate gratitude. We feel that Benedict XVI lit a flame in the depth of our hearts, a flame that continues to burn because it will be fanned by his prayers that will continue to sustain the Church on its spiritual and missionary journey. Dear Brother Cardinals, this meeting of ours is meant to be the continuation of that intense ecclesial communion we experienced during this period. Animated by a profound sense of responsibility and sustained by a great love for Christ and for the Church, we prayed together, fraternally sharing our feelings, our experiences and reflections. In this very cordial atmosphere our reciprocal knowledge of one another and mutual openness to one another, grew. And this is good because we are brothers. As someone told me: the Cardinals are the Holy Father’s priests. But we are that community, that friendship, that closeness, that will do good for every one of us. That mutual knowledge and openness to one another helped us to be open to the action of Holy Spirit. He, the Paraclete, is the supreme protagonist of every initiative and manifestation of faith. It’s interesting and it makes me think. The Paraclete creates all the differences in the Church and seems like an apostle of Babel. On the other hand, the Paraclete unifies all these differences – not making them equal – but in harmony with one another. I remember a Church father who described it like this: “Ipse harmonia est.” The Paraclete gives each one of us a different charism, and unites us in this community of the Church that adores the Father, the Son, and Him – the Holy Spirit. Starting from the authentic collegial affection that united the College of Cardinals, I express my desire to serve the Gospel with renewed love, helping the Church to become ever more in Christ and with Christ, the fruitful life of the Lord. Stimulated by the Year of Faith, all together, pastors and faithful, we will make an effort to respond faithfully to the eternal mission: to bring Jesus Christ to humanity, and to lead humanity to an encounter with Jesus Christ: the Way, the Truth and the Life, truly present in the Church and, at the same time, in every person. This encounter makes us become new men in the mystery of Grace, provoking in our hearts the Christian joy that is a hundredfold that given us by Christ to those who welcome Him into their lives. As Pope Benedict XVI reminded us so many times in his teachings and, finally, with that courageous and humble gesture, it is Christ who guides the Church through His Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the soul of the Church, with His life-giving and unifying strength. Of many He makes a single body – the mystical Body of Christ. Let us never give in to pessimism, to that bitterness that the devil tempts us with every day. Let us not give into pessimism and let us not be discouraged. We have the certainty that the Holy Spirit gives His Church, with His powerful breath, the courage to persevere, the courage to persevere and to search for new ways to evangelise, to bring the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Christian truth is attractive and convincing because it responds to the deep need of human existence, announcing in a convincing way that Christ is the one Saviour of the whole of man and of all men. This announcement is as valid today as it was at the beginning of Christianity when the Church worked for the great missionary expansion of the Gospel. Dear Brothers, have courage! Half of us are old: I like to think of old age as the seat of wisdom in life. Old people have wisdom because they know they have journeyed through life – like the aged Simeon and Anna in the Temple. It was that wisdom that allowed them to recognise Jesus. We must give this wisdom to young people: like good wine that improves with age, let us give young people this life’s wisdom. I’m reminded of what a German poet said about aging: “Es ist ruhig, das Alter, und fromm” – “age is the time of peace and prayer”. We need to give young people this wisdom. You are returning to your respective Sees to continue your ministry, enriched by these days so filled with faith and ecclesial communion. This unique and incomparable experience has allowed us to capture all the beauty of the ecclesial reality, which is a refection of the light of the Risen Christ: one day we shall gaze upon the beautiful face of that Risen Christ. I commit my ministry, and your ministry, to the powerful intercession of Mary, our Mother, Mother of the Church. Beneath her maternal gaze, may each one of us walk and listen to the voice of her divine Son, strengthening unity, persevering together in prayer and giving witness to the true faith in the continual presence of the Lord. With these sentiments, sincere sentiments, I impart my Apostolic Blessing, which I extend to your collaborators and to the people under your pastoral care.

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Vatican Radio - Pope Francis meets with full College of Cardinals

Home > Church >  2013-03-15 16:33:29 

Pope Francis meets with full College of Cardinals

(Vatican Radio) The Holy See Press Office held a briefing on Friday afternoon, where the Director, Father Federico Lombardi, SJ, continued to provide as much information as possible about Pope Francis, and his activities.

Summaries were given of the Pope’s homily on Thursday evening and speech to the cardinals on Friday morning.

More details on the way Pope Francis is living the papacy emerged: At the Domus Santa Marta, the Pope just sits where there is a place available in the dining hall. He concelebrated Mass in the Domus Santa Marta Friday morning with several of the Cardinals, and he gave a homily without a prepared text.

It was confirmed that on Wednesday evening, Pope Francis called the Apostolic Nuncio in Argentina to tell him to tell the people of the country not to come to the Installation Mass, and to use the money to help the poor. The Nuncio also informed Father Lombardi that many people of Argentina are going to confession for the first time in many years.

It was also confirmed that Pope Francis will not be able to take possession of his Cathedral, the Papal Basilica of St. John Lateran, until after Easter. Therefore, the Mass of the Last Supper will this year take place in St. Peter’s Basilica.

Listen to the English-language portions of the press briefing: 
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Vatican Radio - Pope Francis meets with full College of Cardinals

Home > Church >  2013-03-15 11:48:20 

Pope Francis meets with full College of Cardinals

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis met on Friday with the College of Cardinals in the Clementine Hall. It was his first meeting with the full College of Cardinals. On Thursday evening, he celebrated Mass ending the Conclave with the Cardinals under 80 who participated in the election of the Pope.
During the meeting, Pope Francis entrusted his ministry, and that of the Cardinals, to the protection of Mary, Mother of the Church.
“One day we will contemplate the Face of the Risen Christ through the intercession of Mary the Mother of the Church,” he said. “I entrust my ministry, and your ministry, to her maternal protection. We all listen to the voice of her Son, persevering together in prayer and witnessing to the presence of the Lord.
Bringing attention to the fact that most of the Cardinals are not you men, he also spoke about the duty of those of advanced years to pass on what they know to younger generations.
“Old age is the seat of life’s wisdom. People who are wise go a long way - like old Simeon in the Temple, who met Jesus,” he said.
“We need to hand on this wisdom to young people. Wisdom is like good wine that matures with age. A German poet said about old age: ‘old age is a time of peace and prayer’. We need to hand on this wisdom to the young,” he said.
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Vatican Radio - Pope Francis pays his hotel bill, avoids pomp and visits chapel revered by Jesuits

Home > Church >  2013-03-14 17:06:49 Pope Francis pays his hotel bill, avoids pomp and visits chapel revered by Jesuits (Vatican Radio) The humility and spontaneity of the new Pope along with his deep Jesuit spirituality were revealed at Thursday’s briefing held by the Director of the Holy See’s Press Office, Father Federico Lombardi. Listen to the following report by Susy Hodges:   Father Lombardi told the journalists that after his election in the Sistine Chapel, Pope Francis didn’t sit on the special throne chair to receive the oath of obedience and homage from his brother cardinals but stood instead. When it came to his attire, Francis wore a simple white cassock with no red “mozzetta” (cape) and also chose to wear his own simple pectoral cross. Father Lombardi also made clear that the new Pope should be known as Francis, not Francis the First, given that he is the first Pope to choose this name in honour of St Francis of Assisi. The Director of the Holy See’s press office also revealed another incident that made clear Pope Francis’s desire to avoid pomp when it came to the ride back to the Santa Marta Hotel after his election. He said a “special papal limousine” with the number plates SCV I had been prepared for the new Pope but he declined to ride in it back to the hotel, saying he preferred to go back in the bus along with all the other cardinals. Later, Father Lombardi said Pope Francis and the other cardinals had a very “festive and joyful dinner together. He added that the Holy Father briefly thanked the cardinals during the meal and jokingly said: “May God forgive you for what you have done!” Father Lombardi also gave further details of Pope Francis’s surprise early morning visit to the Marian basilica of St. Mary Major where he prayed at the Chapel where the founder of the Jesuit order Saint Ignatius di Loyola celebrated his first mass on the night of Christmas. The Basilica also houses the relics of some of the manger that held the baby Jesus. Father Lombardi also revealed how following his visit to St. Mary Major, Pope Francis went to the Casa del Clero in Rome’s Via Della Scrofa, (a guest house for priests) where he had been staying before the start of the conclave and collected his luggage and paid the bill for his room, saying he wanted “to give a good example to others.” The New Pope, Father Lombardi continued, will also be going to the papal apartment in the Apostolic Palace to break the seals in order that the planned renovations can begin as quickly as possible. In the meantime, the new Pope will be staying at the papal apartment in the Santa Marta. He said Pope Francis had spoken by telephone to Benedict XVI after his election but there are no immediate plans for the two men to meet in person. Pope Francis’s engagements during the next week are: Friday the 15th at 11am: a meeting with all the cardinals, not just the cardinal-electors in the Vatican's Sala Clementina. Saturday the 16th at 11am: an audience with all the representatives of the media accredited to the Holy See in the Paul the 6th Hall. No special tickets required. Sunday the 17th at 12 noon: His first Angelus prayer and blessing from the window of the papal study. Tuesday the 19th at 9.30 am: Papal Inauguration Mass in St. Peter’s Square. No special tickets required. Wednesday the 20th: There will be NO Wednesday general audience for the Pope. Instead he will receive members of delegations from other Christian denominations who attended the inauguration mass.

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Vatican Radio - Pope Francis: A humanitarian perspective

Home > Charity & Solidarity  >  2013-03-15 13:08:51 

Pope Francis: A humanitarian perspective

(Vatican Radio) Reaction to the election of Pope Francis is still continuing around the world two days after his appearance on the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica. One organisation which has warmly welcomed the new Holy Father is CAFOD, the official aid agency for England and Wales.

It said that, "This choice of Pope puts service to the poor and tackling injustice at the forefront of the Church's mission in the world.

Speaking to Lydia O’Kane about the new Pope, Tom O’Connor, CAFOD’s Director of Communities said, “There’s a real tangible sense of enthusiasm… I think certainly our Catholic community in England and Wales is really feeling a sense this is a new beginning for us and the Pope’s choice of name as well, obviously leads us to think this is going to be something very very positive in the way he’s going to conduct his Papacy.”

He goes on to say that for CAFOD it is wonderful to hear that Pope Francis has such a concern for the poor. “ To hear that concern across the church for those who are poor is really inspiring to us because we believe that is really at the heart of our faith.”

Listen to Lydia O’Kane’s interview with Tom O’Connor 
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Vatican Radio - WCC prays for Pope Francis

Home > Church >  2013-03-15 10:02:50 

WCC prays for Pope Francis

(Vatican Radio) Below is a statement from Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, General Secretary of the 
World Council of Churches on the election of Pope Francis. 
We in the fellowship of the World Council of Churches ask for God’s blessing for Francis I on his election as the new pope. We pray for his health and strength as he takes on this ministry of justice and peace.
This is a turning point in the life of the Roman Catholic Church, but it also has an impact on people of other churches and faiths.
Together with this humble pilgrim of the church, who has lived a simple lifestyle and reflects a passion for social justice and lifting up the poor, we reaffirm our commitment to seeking justice and peace.
We look forward to our continued engagement with the Catholic Church and their presence at our upcoming Assembly in Busan, Republic of Korea in October and November where justice and peace is the focus.
Ever since the Second Vatican Council of the 1960s, the Roman Catholic Church and the World Council of Churches have enjoyed constructive dialogue and cooperation on matters of faith, witness and the fundamental unity of the whole body of Christ.
We have learned that we are pilgrims together in the one ecumenical movement, and we are particularly grateful for the way the Catholic Church works with us on the highly significant issues of unity, ecclesiology, mission and inter-religious dialogue.
Now, in close collaboration with Pope Francis, we look forward to building on this positive relationship with the Catholic Church that has been nurtured so carefully in the past. An important aspect of the ecumenical movement is a concept of mutual accountability.
We in the World Council of Churches offer our cooperation to Pope Francis and the whole of the Catholic Church in this spirit. We will continue to cooperate in a loving and affirming relationship. In this way, we will grow together in grace and in hope toward that true unity of believers for which Christ prayed.
We are delighted to greet a pope from Argentina, the first pope from the Global South. Today the vast majority of Christians live in the Global South. The growth of Christianity in the South is likely to continue. This shift has already had an important impact on world Christianity. It is in this context that we will move forward, working together, building our relationship and addressing the important needs of all people today.
Let us use this opportunity to pray for and with Pope Francis to reconfirm that we need one another, to address the challenges of the world in our time.
Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit
General secretary
World Council of Churches

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Vatican Radio - "Salus Populis Romani" : popularly known as 'Our Lady of the Snows'...

Home > Church >  2013-03-14 15:26:09 

"Salus Populis Romani" : popularly known as 'Our Lady of the Snows'...

(Vatican Radio) The Pauline Chapel,visited by Pope Francis on the first morning of his pontificate is not the one in the Apostolic Palace. But another by the same name that lies within the Basilica of Saint Mary Major. The Pope went there to pray by the icon of the Madonna known as the "Salus Populi Romani", at this popular Marian shrine in the heart of Rome.

So called because it's connected to a legend: that of a miraculous snow fall during a sweltering Roman summer. An episode the Roman faithful still mark today with prayerful celebrations and a symbolic cascade of flower petals from above symbolizing snow that fell on the 5th August of the year 358 .

Veronica Scarisbrick once visited there with the late Monsignor Charles Burton Mouton, who was at the time one of the canons of this Basilica. Join her there...

Listen : 

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