Itinerary for the papal visit to Cuba and the USA

During the month of September, the Holy Father will pay a Pastoral Visit to Cuba and the United States of America.  During his visit to the USA, the Holy Father will visit the United Nations and he will attend the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) which will be taking place from September 19 to 28, 2015.

Programme for the Apostolic Voyage of His Holiness, Pope Francis

to Cuba and the United States of America

Saturday, September 19, 2015
10:15am
Departure from Rome's Fumicino International Airport

4:00pm
Arrival at the José Marti International Airport in La Habana, Cuba

4:05pm
Welcoming ceremony at the International Airport in La Habana, where the Holy Father will make a speech

Sunday, September 20, 2015
9:00am
Mass in the Plaza de la Revolución in La Habana, including a homily by the Holy Father
Angelus greetings by the Holy Father will follow the conclusion of the Mass

4:00pm
Courtesy visit with the President of the State Council and the Council of Ministries of the Republic in the Palacio de la Revolución in La Habana

5:15pm
Celebration of Vespers with priests, religious men and women and seminarians in the Cathedral of La Habana, including a homily by the Holy Father

6:30pm
Greetings to youth in the Father Félix Varela Cultural Centre in La Habana, including a speech by the Holy Father

Monday, September 21, 2015
8:00am
Departure from the International Airport in La Habana for Holguín

9:20am
Arrival at the Frank Pais International Airport in Holguín

10:30am
Mass in the Plaza de la Revolución in Holguín, including a homily by the Holy Father

3:45pm
Blessing of the City of Lorma de la Cruz a Holguín

4:40pm
Departure by aircraft for Santiago

5:30pm
Arrival at the Antonio Maceo International Airport in Santiago

7:00pm
Meeting with the bishops at the Saint Basil the Great Seminary in Santiago

7:45pm
Prayer to the Virgin of Charity, with the Bishops and the Papal party in the Minor Basilica of the Shrine of the Virgin of Charity of Cobre in Santiago

Tuesday, September 22, 2015
8:00am
Mass in the Minor Basilica of the Shrine of the Virgin of Charity of Cobre in Santiago, including a homily by the Holy Father

11:00am
Meeting with families in the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption in Santiago, including a speech by the Holy Father

Blessing of the city outside the Cathedral of Santiago

12:15pm
Departure ceremony at the International Airport in Santiago

12:30pm
Departure of the aircraft from Santiago

4:00pm
Arrival at Andrews Air Force Base in Washington, D.C.
Official welcoming ceremony at Andrews Air Force Base in Washington, D.C.

Wednesday, September 23, 2015
9:15am
Welcoming ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House, including a speech by the Holy Father
Courtesy visit with the President of the United States of America

11:30am
Meeting with the Bishops of the United States of America in the Cathedral of Saint Matthew in Washington, D.C., including a speech by the Holy Father

4:15pm
Mass and Canonization of Blessed Father Junípero Serra in the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., including a homily by the Holy Father

Thursday, September 24, 2015
9:20am
Visit to the Congress of the United States of America, including a speech by the Holy Father

11:15am
Visit to the Care Centre of the Parish of Saint Patrick and meeting with the homeless of Washington, D.C., including greetings by the Holy Father

4:00pm
Departure by aircraft for New York

5:00pm
Arrival at the JFK Airport in New York

6:45pm
Vespers with the clergy and religious men and women in the Cathedral of Saint Patrick in New York, including a homily by the Holy Father

Friday, September 25, 2015
8:30am
Visit to the offices of the United Nations, including greetings and a speech by the Holy Father

11:30am
Inter-religious gathering at the Ground Zero Memorial in New York, including a speech by the Holy Father

4:00pm
Visit to the Our Lady, Queen of Angels school and meeting with immigrant children and families in New York (Harlem), including a speech by the Holy Father

6:00pm
Mass in Madison Square Gardens in New York, including a homily by the Holy Father

Saturday, September 26, 2015
8:40am
Departure by aircraft for Philadelphia

9:30am
Arrival at the Philadelphia International Airport

10:30am
Mass with Bishops, clergy, religious men and women of the State of Pennsylvania in the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia, including a homily by the Holy Father

4:45pm
Meeting for Religious Freedom with the Hispanic community and other immigrants at the Independence Mall in Philadelphia, including a speech by the Holy Father

7:30pm
Festival of Families and prayer vigil on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia, including a speech by the Holy Father

Sunday, September 27, 2015
9:15am
Meeting with the Bishops partaking in the World Meeting of Families at the Saint Charles Boromeo Seminary in Philadelphia, including a speech by the Holy Father

11:00am
Visit with prisoners at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Institute in Philadelphia, including a speech by the Holy Father

4:00pm
Concluding Mass of the VIII World Meeting of Families on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia, including a homily by the Holy Father

7:00pm
Greetings to the organizing committee, volunteers and benefactors at the Philadelphia International Airport, including a speech by the Holy Father

7:45pm
Departure ceremony

8:00pm
Departure of the papal aircraft from Philadelphia

Monday, September 28, 2015
10:00am
Arrival at Rome's Ciampino Airport

Time differences
Rome: GMT+2
La Habana/Holguín/Santiago: GMT-4
Washington/New York/Philadelphia: GMT-4

Speaking with Christians and Jews

At noon today, in the Sala Clementina at the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience a group of participants taking part in an International Convention organized by the International Council of Christians and Jews, taking part in Rome from June 28 to July 1 and focused on the theme: The 50th Anniversary of Nostra Aetate: The Past, Present and Future of the Christian-Jewish Relationship.

Speech of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

for the meeting with participants in the 

International Convention organized by the 

International Council of Christians and Jews

Dear brothers and sisters,

I am pleased that your meeting is taking place this year in Rome, the city where the Apostles Peter and Paul are buried. For all Christians, both Apostles are an important point of reference: they are like pillars of the Church. Here in Rome, we also find the most ancient Jewish community in Western Europe, whose origins can be traced to the time of the Maccabees. Christians and Jews therefore have lived together in Rome for almost two thousand years, even though their relationship through the course of history have not been without difficulty.

The development of an authentic fraternal dialogue has been made possible since the Second Vatican Council, following the promulgation of the Declaration Nostra Aetate. This document represents a definitive yes to the Jewish roots of Christianity and an irrevocable no to anti-Semitism. In celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of Nostra Aetate, we are able to see the rich fruits which it has brought about and to gratefully appraise Jewish-Catholic dialogue. In this way, we can express our thanks to God for all the good which has been realized in terms of friendship and mutual understanding these past fifty years, as his Holy Spirit has accompanied our efforts in dialogue. Our fragmented humanity, mistrust and pride have been overcome thanks to the Spirit of Almighty God, in such a way that trust and fraternity between us have continued to grow. We are strangers no more, but friends, and brothers and sisters. Even with our different perspectives, we confess one God, Creator of the Universe and Lord of history. And he, in his infinite goodness and wisdom, always blesses our commitment to dialogue.

Christians, all Christians, have Jewish roots. Because of this, since its inception, the International Council of Christians and Jews has welcomed the various Christian confessions. Each of them, in its own way, has drawn near to Judaism, which in its time, has been distinguished by diverse trends and sensibilities. The Christian confessions find their unity in Christ; Judaism finds its unity in the Torah. Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the Word of God made flesh in the world; for Jews the Word of God is present above all in the Torah. Both faith traditions find their foundation in the One God, the God of the Covenant, who reveals himself through his Word. In seeking a right attitude towards God, Christians turn to Christ as the font of new life, and Jews to the teaching of the Torah. This pattern of theological reflection on the relationship between Judaism and Christianity arises precisely from Nostra Aetate (NA, 4), and this solid basis can be developed yet further.

In its reflection on Judaism, the Second Vatican Council took account of the ten theses of Seelisberg, formulated in that Swiss town in 1947. These theses are closely linked to the founding of the International Council of Christians and Jews. We can say that there was already in embryonic form an initial concept of cooperation between your organization and the Catholic Church. This cooperation was officially inaugurated after the Council, and especially after the establishment of our Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews in 1947. This Commission of the Holy See always follows your organization’s activities with great interest, in particular the annual international meetings, which offer a notable contribution to Jewish-Christian dialogue.

Dear friends, I thank all of you for this visit and I wish you well for your meeting. May the Lord bless you and keep you in his peace. I ask you please to pray for me. Thank you.

Regular schedule to be suspended

The usual Wednesday General Audiences at the Vatican will be suspended for the month of July, and will begin again in the Paul VI Hall at the beginning of August.

With the exception of the already planned audience on the afternoon of Friday, July 3 with the Renewal in the Spirit Movement which will take place in Saint Peter's Square, all other audiences have also been suspended until the beginning of August.

The only public engagement that the Pope will continue is that of the Sunday Angelus greeting.

The morning masses that the Pope celebrates with groups of the faithful at Santa Marta are also suspended during the month of July and August.  They will begin again in September.

Greetings to the emeritus

This morning, at about 10:00am, Pope Francis went to the residence of Pope emeritus Benedict XVI, located at the former Mater Ecclesiae Convent in the Vatican, to greet him and to wish him before he left for a two-week holiday at Castelgandolfo.

Pope emeritus Benedict XVI will remain at Castelgandalfo until July 14, at which time he will return to his residence at the Vatican.

The entire meeting between Pope Francis and Pope emeritus Benedict XVI this morning lasted about 30 minutes.

Angelus for Peter and Paul

At noon today, the Holy Father, Pope Francis appeared at the window of his study in the Vatican Apostolic Palace to recite the Angelus with the faithful and with pilgrims who had gathered in Saint Peter's Square.

Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

prior to the recitation of the Angelus

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

Today's solemnity of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul is celebrated, as you know, by the universal Church, but it is lived with joy especially by the Church of Rome, since in their testimony, marked by blood, this local church finds its foundations.  Rome reserves special affection and gratitude for these two men of God, who came from a far-away land to proclaim the gospel of Christ at the cost of their own lives, a cause to which they were totally dedicated.  The glorious legacy of these two Apostles is a source of spiritual pride for Rome and, at the same time, it calls us to live the Christian virtues, especially faith and charity: faith in Jesus, the Messiah and Son of God, who Peter professed for the first time and who Paul proclaimed to the gentiles; and charity, which this Church is called to serve for the sake of the whole world.

In the prayer of the Angelus, along with the memory of the Saints Peter and Paul, we also recall that of Mary, the living image of the Church, the spouse of Christ, who the two Apostles fertilized with their blood (Entrance antiphon for the Mass of the day).  Peter personally knew Mary, and in conversation with her, especially during the days preceding Pentecost (cf Acts 1:14), he could deepen his appreciation for the mystery of Christ.  Paul, in the accomplishment of the salvific plan in the fullness of time, did not fail to remember the woman of whom the Son of God was born in time (cf Gal 4:4).  In the evangelization of the two Apostles here in Rome, we also find the roots of the profound and secular devotion of the Roman people to the Virgin, especially invoked under the title of Salus Populi Romani.  Mary, Peter and Paul: are our companions on the journey in search of God; they are our guides along the path of faith and holiness; they draw us ever closer to Jesus, spurring us on to do whatever he might ask of us.  Let us call upon their help, that our hearts might always be open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and to the encounter with our brothers and sisters.

During the Eucharistic celebration which took place this morning in Saint Peter's Basilica, I blessed the Pallia for the Metropolitan Archbishops who were appointed during the past year, in various parts of the world.  I renew my greetings and my good wishes for them, for their families and for all those who have accompanied them in this significant pilgrimage, and I hope that the Pallium, in addition to strengthening the bonds of communion with the See of Peter, may be a stimulus for an evermore generous attitude of service in the hearts of those who have been confided to their pastoral zeal.  During this same liturgy, I had the pleasure to greet the members of the Delegation that was sent to Rome in the name of the Ecumenical Patriarch, my beloved brother Bartholomew I, to participate, as they do every year, in the celebrations of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul.  This presence is also a sign of the existing fraternal bonds between our Churches.  Let us pray together that our journey toward full unity will thus be strengthened.

Today, we pray above all for the city of Rome, for her spiritual and material wellbeing: may divine grace support all the people of Rome, so that we may know the fullness of Christian faith, witnessed through the intrepid zeal of Saints Peter and Paul.  May the Holy Virgin, Queen of the Apostles, always intercede for us.

Following the proclamation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:

Dear brothers and sisters,

I greet you all, families, parishes and associations from Italy and from many parts of the world; but above all today, I greet the faithful of Rome, on the feast of the Patron Saints of this city!

I greet the students from some of the Catholic schools in the United States of America and from Scotland.

I congratulate the artists who have created a large and beautiful floral display, and I thank the Pro Loco of Rome for having organized it.  Thank you very much!

Best wishes also for the traditional fireworks display which will be held tonight at Castel Sant'Angelo, the proceeds of which will support charitable work in the Holy Land and in the countries of the Middle East.

Next week, from July 5 to 13, I will travel to Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay.  I ask you all to accompany me with your prayer, that the Lord may bless my travels to the Latin American continent which is so dear to me, as you can imagine.  To the dear people of Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay, I express my joyful anticipation of visiting with you and I ask you especially to pray for me and for this voyage, that the Virgin Mary may give us the grace to live this time under her maternal protection.

I wish you all a good day of celebration.  Please don't forget to pray for me.  Enjoy your lunch and good bye.

Mass for Saints Peter and Paul

On the Solemnity of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, at 9:30am in the Vatican Basilica, the Holy Father, Pope Francis blessed the Pallia which were taken from the Confession of the Apostle Peter (a small room located directly above the tomb of the Apostle) and destined for the 46 Metropolitan Archbishops who were appointed during the previous year.  The Pallia will be placed around the neck of each of the Metropolitan Archbishops by the Pontifical Representatives of their respective countries in their respective Metropolitan Sees.

Following the Rite of Blessing of the Pallia, the Pope presided at the concelebration of the Eucharist with the new Metropolitan Archbishops.  As usual, on the occasion of the Feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, Patrons of the Church of Rome, there was also present at this celebration a delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, including the Delegation which had been sent by His All Holiness, Bartholomew I, which was led by His Eminence, John Ziziolas, Metropolitan of Pergamo who was accompanied by His Eminence, Maximos, Metropolitan of Silyvria and by Father Heikki Huttunen, a representative from the Orthodox Church of Finland.

Homily of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

for the Mass celebrated on the Feast of 

the Holy Apostles, Peter and Paul

The reading, taken from the Acts of the Apostles, speaks to us of the first Christian community besieged by persecution. A community harshly persecuted by Herod who laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the Church… proceeded to arrest Peter also… and when he had seized him he put him in prison (Acts 12:1-4).

However, I do not wish to dwell on these atrocious, inhuman and incomprehensible persecutions, sadly still present in many parts of the world today, often under the silent gaze of all. I would like instead to pay homage today to the courage of the Apostles and that of the first Christian community. This courage carried forward the work of evangelization, free of fear of death and martyrdom, within the social context of a pagan empire; their Christian life is for us, the Christians of today, a powerful call to prayer, to faith and to witness.

A call to prayer: the first community was a Church at prayer: Peter was kept in prison; but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the Church (Acts 12:5). And if we think of Rome, the catacombs were not places to escape to from persecution but rather, they were places of prayer, for sanctifying the Lord’s day and for raising up, from the heart of the earth, adoration to God who never forgets his sons and daughters.

The community of Peter and Paul teaches us that the Church at prayer is a Church on her feet, strong, moving forward! Indeed, a Christian who prays is a Christian who is protected, guarded and sustained, and above all, who is never alone.

The first reading continues: Sentries before the door were guarding the prison; and behold, an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter on the side… And the chains fell off his hands (Acts 12:6-7).

Let us think about how many times the Lord has heard our prayer and sent us an angel? An angel who unexpectedly comes to pull us out of a difficult situation? Who comes to snatch us from the hands of death and from the evil one; who points out the wrong path; who rekindles in us the flame of hope; who gives us tender comfort; who consoles our broken hearts; who awakens us from our slumber to the world; or who simply tells us, You are not alone.

How many angels he places on our path, and yet when we are overwhelmed by fear, unbelief or even euphoria, we leave them outside the door, just as happened to Peter when he knocked on the door of the house and the maid named Rhoda came to answer. Recognizing Peter’s voice, in her joy she did not open the door (Acts 12:13-14).

No Christian community can go forward without being supported by persistent prayer! Prayer is the encounter with God, with God who never lets us down; with God who is faithful to his word; with God who does not abandon his children. Jesus asked himself: And will not God vindicate his elect, who cry to him day and night? (Lk 18:7). In prayer, believers express their faith and their trust, and God reveals his closeness, also by giving us the angels, his messengers.

A call to faith: in the second reading Saint Paul writes to Timothy: But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength to proclaim the word fully …  So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil and save me for his heavenly Kingdom (2 Tim 4:17-18). God does not take his children out of the world or away from evil but he does grant them strength to prevail. Only the one who believes can truly say: The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want (Ps 23:1).

How many forces in the course of history have tried, and still do, to destroy the Church, from without as well as within, but they themselves are destroyed and the Church remains alive and fruitful! She remains inexplicably solid, so that, as Saint Paul says, she may acclaim: To him be glory for ever and ever (2 Tim 4:18).

Everything passes, only God remains. Indeed, kingdoms, peoples, cultures, nations, ideologies, powers have passed, but the Church, founded on Christ, notwithstanding the many storms and our many sins, remains ever faithful to the deposit of faith shown in service; for the Church does not belong to Popes, bishops, priests, nor the lay faithful; the Church in every moment belongs solely to Christ. Only the one who lives in Christ promotes and defends the Church by holiness of life, after the example of Peter and Paul.

In the name of Christ, believers have raised the dead; they have healed the sick; they have loved their persecutors; they have shown how there is no power capable of defeating the one who has the power of faith!

A call to witness: Peter and Paul, like all the Apostles of Christ who in their earthly life sowed the seeds of the Church by their blood, drank the Lord’s cup, and became friends of God.

Paul writes in a moving way to Timothy: My son, I am already on the point of being sacrificed; the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing (2 Tim 4: 6-8).

A Church or a Christian who does not give witness is sterile; like a dead person who thinks they are alive; like a dried up tree that produces no fruit; an empty well that offers no water! The Church has overcome evil thanks to the courageous, concrete and humble witness of her children. She has conquered evil thanks to proclaiming with conviction: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God (cf Mt 16:13-18).

Dear Archbishops who today receive the Pallium, it is a sign which represents the sheep that the shepherd carries on his shoulders as Christ the Good Shepherd does, and it is therefore a symbol of your pastoral mission. The Pallium is a liturgical sign of communion that unites the See of Peter and his Successor to the Metropolitans, and through them to the other Bishops of the world (Benedict XVI, Angelus of 29 June 2005).

Today, by these Palliums, I wish to entrust you with this call to prayer, to faith and to witness.

The Church wants you to be men of prayer, masters of prayer; that you may teach the people entrusted to your care that liberation from all forms of imprisonment is uniquely God’s work and the fruit of prayer; that God sends his angel at the opportune time in order to save us from the many forms of slavery and countless chains of worldliness. For those most in need, may you also be angels and messengers of charity!

The Church desires you to be men of faith, masters of faith, who can teach the faithful to not be frightened of the many Herods who inflict on them persecution with every kind of cross. No Herod is able to banish the light of hope, of faith, or of charity in the one who believes in Christ!

The Church wants you to be men of witness. Saint Francis used to tell his brothers: Preach the Gospel always, and if necessary, use words! (cf Franciscan sources, 43). There is no witness without a coherent lifestyle! Today there is no great need for masters, but for courageous witnesses, who are convinced and convincing; witnesses who are not ashamed of the Name of Christ and of His Cross; not before the roaring lions, nor before the powers of this world. And this follows the example of Peter and Paul and so many other witnesses along the course of the Church’s history, witnesses who, yet belonging to different Christian confessions, have contributed to demonstrating and bringing growth to the one Body of Christ. I am pleased to emphasize this, and am always pleased to do so, in the presence of the Delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, sent by my beloved brother Bartholomew I.

This is not so straightforward: because the most effective and authentic witness is one that does not contradict, by behaviour and lifestyle, what is preached with the word and taught to others!

Teach prayer by praying, announce the faith by believing; offer witness by living!

God's dream for his people

Here is the text of the homily I prepared and shared with those who came to pray with us this weekend: some thoughts about God's dream for his people to live forever in his presence.

In the image of eternity

The book of Wisdom, from which the First Reading is taken today, presents us with a curious image.  The writer says that God created man for incorruption … in the image of his own eternity (Wis 2:23).  Eternity is a very long time!  The thing is that if we are healthy, if we are content with life, eternity is never long enough, but if we are suffering, eternity can indeed seem to be a cruel punishment.  God’s dream for his people is the former, not the latter.  God’s dream, even from the time of creation was - and is - that we should live in his presence: strong, healthy, joyful and forever.

That’s the way it was supposed to be like in the Garden of Eden, but human nature being what it is, sin and temptation didn’t take long to enter into the picture, and let’s be honest, faced with temptation, all of us are weak.  The sin that caused Adam and Eve to be expelled from the garden (cf Gn 3:1-19) has haunted us ever since, but thankfully, God sent his son Jesus to remind us of the fact that God has always loved us, and that he still longs for the day when we will live in perfect harmony with him: strong, healthy, joyful and forever.

The gospel passage we have heard today recounts one of the occasions when Jesus was teaching the crowds about God’s dream for his people.  Great crowds had gathered around him (Mk 5:21) for they were fascinated by the tale he had to tell.  Even some of the synagogue leaders had heard about him.  Perhaps they had even witnessed some of the miracles he had worked.

There is nothing more painful for a parent than to watch his or her child suffering.  The feeling of powerlessness is debilitating.  A parent will do anything to relieve such suffering, even if it means reaching out for help to places and to people we wouldn’t normally consult.  Jairus had no doubt had a discussion or two about Jesus with other synagogue officials.  Perhaps he had heard Jesus speaking to the crowds.  Maybe he had even dared to hope that what Jesus spoke about could actually be true.   We can almost hear the desperation in his voice as he calls out for help: My little daughter is at the point of death.  Come and lay your hands on her so that she may be made well and live (Mk 5:23).  How many times have such prayers been raised from our lips or from the lips of others we have known?  Remember: Jesus came to remind us about God’s dream – that we should all live in his presence: strong, healthy, joyful and forever.  Jairus was about to get a glimpse of God's dream in action.

Jesus went with Jairus, and a large crowd followed him (Mk 5:24).  Jesus is always with us along the journey of life.  At times, we might think him hidden; at times, we might ignore him, but he is always with us.  Even at moments when we receive the most tragic news, or when others might try to dissuade us from believing that Jesus truly wants to show us the way, he never gives up, and neither should we.  Do not fear, Jesus told Jairus, only believe (Mt 5:36).  The clouds of fear and doubt can sometimes feel very heavy, even oppressive, and yet, Jesus always repeats the same encouragement: do not fear, only believe.  These were the words that gave Jairus hope.  These are the same words that give us hope today.

Events such as the attacks which took place in Tunisia this week, leaving 38 tourists dead, are carried out in order to instil fear in the hearts of innocent people.  These are the actions of those who seek power for themselves, those who don't want to believe that Jesus is the one who's in charge, not us.  There have always been skeptics, like those who laughed at Jesus when he dared to say that the child was not dead but sleeping (Mt 5:39-40).  

Jesus is always close to us, always ready to show us the power of his love.  He is so generous with his love that though he is rich in mercy, yet for our sakes he became poor so that by his poverty, we might become rich (cf 2 Cor 8:9).  Only a person that has made himself poor is able to truly understand the powerlessness of a father who hears that his daughter has died.  Yet God’s dream is that we should live, and God has the power to restore life, with the utterance of just a few words: Talitha cum.  Little girl, get up! Even physical death is overcome by such simple words spoken by our God.  Such simple words, spoken with faith were enough to change the jeering laughter of the crowds into amazement that day.   Such simple words still have the power to amaze us, if we truly believe that God’s dream is for us to live in his presence: strong, healthy, joyful and forever.

Angelus for the thirteenth Sunday

At noon today, the Holy Father, Pope Francis appeared at the window of his study in the Vatican Apostolic Palace to recite the Angelus with the faithful and with pilgrims who had gathered in Saint Peter's Square for the usual Sunday meeting.

Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

prior to the recitation of the Angelus

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

Today's gospel presents the account of the raising of a twelve-year-old girl, the daughter of one of the leaders of the synagogue who throws himself at the feet of Jesus and begs: My little daughter is dying; come and place your hands on her so that she might be saved and live (Mk 5:23).  In this man's prayer, we hear the preoccupations of every father for the life and the well-being of his children.  But was also hear the great faith that this man had in Jesus.  When the news arrives that the little girl is dead, Jesus says to him: Do not be afraid, only have faith (Mk 5:36).  Jesus' word gives us courage!  He says these words also to us, many times: Do not be afraid, only have faith!  Entering into the house, the Lord sends away all the other people who are crying and shouting, and he speaks directly to the dead child, saying: Little girl, I tell you, get up! (Mk 5:41).  Suddenly, the little girl gets up and begins to walk.  We see here the absolute power that Jesus has over death, which to him is like a dream from which we can awaken.

Within this story, the Evangelist inserts another encounter: the healing of a woman who for twelve hears, had suffered from a hemorrhage.  Because of this illness which, according to the culture of the time, made her impure, she would have to avoid any human contact: poor her, she was condemned to a living death.  This anonymous woman, amidst the crowd that is following Jesus, says to herself: If I only I could manage to touch just the hem of his garment, I will be saved (Mk 5:28).  So it comes to pass; the need to be freed along with her so-called gut wrenching faith drives her to the Lord in hopes of healing.  She believes that all she needs to do is to touch Jesus and draw from him his saving grace.  This is true faith: to touch him and to expect to draw from Him the saving grace we need.  It saves us in our spiritual life, and it saves us many problems!  Jesus notices her and, even from the midst of the people, he seeks her face.  She comes forward trembling and He says to her: Daughter, your faith has saved you (Mk 5:34).  It is the voice of the Heavenly Father that is speaking in Jesus: Daughter, you are not cursed, you are not excluded, you are my daughter!  Every time that Jesus comes close to us, every time we go to Him, we too hear the voice of the Father: Child.  You are my son, you are my daughter, you are healed, you are healed.  I heal everyone and everything.

These two encounters - a healing and resurrection - have a single centre: faith. The message is clear and can be summed up in one question: Do we believe that Jesus can heal us and can awaken us from the dead? The whole gospel is written in the light of faith: Jesus is risen, He has conquered death, and because of this victory, we will be raised. This faith, which for the first Christians was secure, can become tarnished and uncertain, to the point that some people confuse resurrection with reincarnation. This Sunday's gospel invites us to live in the certainty of the resurrection: Jesus is Lord, Jesus has power over sin and death, and He wants to take us into the Father's house, where we will know the fullness of life.

The Resurrection of Christ acts in history as the beginning of renewal and hope. Anyone who is desperate and tired to the point of death, can experience his love living within him if he relies on Jesus. Faith is a life-giving strength, it gives fullness to our humanity; and those who believe in Christ must recognize that because he promotes life in every situation, life to be lived by all, especially the weakest among us, the love of God frees and saves us all. Let us ask the Lord, through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, for the gift of a strong faith and courage that compels us to spread hope and life among our brothers.

After the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:

Dear brothers and sisters,

I greet you all, Romans and pilgrims! I greet in particular the Una Terra, Una Famiglia Umana marchers (One land, one Human Family). I encourage collaboration between people of different religions and associations for the promotion of an integral ecology. Thank you FOCSIV, OurVoices and other organizers, and I wish you good work for young people of different countries who in these days are confronted with the care of the common home.

I cordially salute a group of Bolivian residents in Italy that have brought here some of the images of the Virgin of Urkupina and the Virgin of Copacabana, among others. Our Heavenly Mother protects us. I also send greetings to the youth group from Ibiza who are preparing to receive Confirmation. I ask you to pray, pray for me .

I greet all the Guides, they are really great, really great, and they do a lot of good, the women Scouts who belong to the International Catholic Conference and renew my encouragement to all of them. Thank you!

I greet the faithful from Novoli, the polyphonic choir from Augusta, the boys from some parishes in the diocese of Padua who received their Confirmation; the Grandparents of Sydney, an association of elderly immigrants in Australia have come here with their grandchildren; the children from Chernobyl and the families from Este and Ospedaletto who are hosting them; and I greet  the cyclists and motorcyclists from Cardito and the lovers of vintage cars.

I wish you all a good Sunday and a good lunch. Please do not forget to pray for me. see you soon!

Condolences to France, Tunisia and Kuwait

A series of telegrams were sent in recent days in the name of the Holy Father, by the Cardinal Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin to the Apostolic Nuncios in France, Tunisia and Kuwait.  The Nuncio's have been asked to share these telegrams with the respective authorities and interested persons following terrorist attacks which took place in Saint-Quentin Fallavier (France), Sousse (Tunisia) and Kuwait City on Friday, June 26.

Telegrams of condolence

sent in the name of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

from the Vatican on June 26, 2015

Learning of the attack that took place in Saint-Quentin Fallavier, His Holiness, Pope Francis us united in prayer with all those who are close to the victims and suffering at this time, especially those who have lost one of their loved ones.  He confides the person who has died to the mercy of God, and expresses his sympathy to all those who were wounded and to their families, asking the Lord to grant them comfort and consolation in their hour of need.  The Holy Father condemns once again the violence that brings about so much suffering, and praying that God may grant the gift of his peace, he invokes the benefits of divine blessings upon all the families who are mourning and upon all the people of France.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin
Secretary of State of His Holiness
From the Vatican, June 26, 2015

Having learned of the attack that took place at Sousse, leaving many victims, His Holiness, Pope Francis is united in prayer with all the families who are suffering and with the sadness of all Tunisians.  He confides the victims to God, who is full of mercy, praying that He will welcome them into his light.  He expresses his profound sympathy to those who have been wounded and to their families, imploring the Lord to grant them comfort and consolation in their need.  The Holy Father condemns once again the violence that generates such suffering, and praying that the Lord may grant the gift of his peace, he invokes the abundance of divine blessings upon all the families who are suffering and upon all Tunisians.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin
Secretary of State of His Holiness
From the Vatican, June 26, 2015

Deeply saddened to learn of the tragic loss of life and injuries caused by the attack today at a mosque in Kuwait City, His Holiness Pope Francis offers fervent prayers for the victims and for all who mourn. While he deplores these barbaric acts, he asks you to convey his spiritual closeness to the families affected during this time of grief. His Holiness encourages the Kuwaiti people not to lose heart in the face of evil, and willingly invokes upon the nation the consoling and healing love of the Almighty.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin
Secretary of State
From the Vatican, June 26, 2015

Meet the Communications personnel

The Holy Father, following the Apostolic Letter published in the form of a Motu Proprio, entitled The current context of communications, dated June 27, 2015, with which he instituted the Secretariat for Communication, has appointed the following the following persons to lead the newly-established office:

• Prefect of the same Secretariat for Communications, the Reverend Monsignor Dario Edoardo Viganò, Director of the Vatican Television Centre;
• Secretary, the Reverend Monsignor Lucio Adrian Ruiz, Office Manager of the Vatican Internet Service;
• Director General, Doctor Paolo Nusiner, Director General of Avvenire, the new Italian Editorial; and
• Associate Director General, Doctor Giacomo Ghisani, Office Manager for International Relations and Legal Affairs of Radio Vaticana and a member of the Administrative Council of the Vatican Television Centre. 

The new Prefect for the Secretariat for Communications, Monsignor Dario Edoardo Viganò was interviewed on Salt+Light Television by Reverend Thomas Rosica, CSB in October 2013.

Creating the Secretariat for Communications

The current context of communication, characterized by the presence and the development of digital media, by factors of convergence and of interactivity, requires a rethinking of the Holy See's information systems and compels us to a reorganization that, emphasizing how throughout history, the practice of communication within the Holy See has developed and proceeded toward a unified integration and management.

For these reasons, I felt that all the organizations that, in various ways so far have dealt with communications, should be brought together into a new Dicastery within the Roman Curia, which will be known as the Secretariat for Communication.  Thus, the Holy See's communications systems will better respond to the necessities facing the mission of the Church.

Therefore, after reviewing reports and studies, and having recently received the feasibility study, and having heard the unanimous opinion of the Council of Cardinals, I hereby institute the Secretariat for Communication and establish the following:

Article 1
In the Dicastery, according to that which was presented by the Commission for Vatican Media, instituted on April 30, 2015, the following Organizations will be incorporated: the Pontifical Council for Social Communications; the Holy See Press Centre; the Vatican Internet Service; Radio Vaticana; the Vatican Television Centre; l'Osservatore Romano; the Vatican Printing House; the Vatican Photographic Service and the Libreria Editrice Vaticana.

Article 2
These bodies, from the date of publication of this Motu Proprio, must continue their proper activities, in accordance however with the directives furnished by the Secretariat for Communication.

Article 3
The new Dicastery, in accord with the Secretariat of State, will assume the established website of the Holy See: www.vatican.va and the Twitter service of the Supreme Pontiff: @pontifex.

Article 4
The Secretariat for Communication will enter into effect as of June 29, 2015, having as its temporary location, the Palazzo Pio, located at Piazza Pia, 3; 00120; Vatican City.

Everything that has been declared in this Apostolic Letter, issued in the form of Motu Proprio, I prescribe to be observed in all its parts, notwithstanding anything to the contrary, even if it be worthy of special mention, and I decree that it be promulgated by publication in the newspaper l'Osservatore Romano and also in the Acta Apostolicae Sedis.

Given at Rome, at Saint Peter's
on the 27th day of June in the year 2015
the third of our Pontificate.

Francis

To celebrate the Solemnity of the Apostles

At 9:00am today in Rome, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience a delegation sent by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, continuing the tradition of visits to Rome for the Solemnity of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul (which will be observed on June 29).

The delegation was headed by His Eminence, Ioannis (Zizioulas) Metropolitan of Pergamo and included His Eminence Maximos, Metropolitan of Silyvria and Reverend Father Heikki Huttunen, representing the Orthodox Church of Finland.

Address of His Holiness, Pope Francis

for the meeting with the delegation sent

by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople

Dear Brothers in Christ,

It is with joy and heartfelt friendship that I greet you and welcome you to Rome on the feast of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, principal patrons of this Church. Your presence at the celebrations of our feast testifies once again to the deep relationship between the sister Churches of Rome and Constantinople, foreshadowed by the bond which unites the respective patron Saints of our Churches, the Apostles Peter and Andrew, brothers in blood and faith, united in apostolic service and martyrdom.

I recall with gratitude the warm welcome given to me at the Phanar of my beloved brother, Bartholomew, by the clergy and faithful of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, on the feast of Saint Andrew last November. The ecumenical prayer on the vigil of the feast, and then the Divine Liturgy in the Patriarchal Church of Saint George, offered us the possibility of together praising the Lord and asking him with one voice for that day to draw nearer when full, visible communion between Orthodox and Catholics may be reestablished. The embrace of peace exchanged with His Holiness was an eloquent sign of that fraternal charity which encourages us along the path of reconciliation, and which will enable us one day to participate together at the altar of the Eucharist.

Attaining that goal, towards which we have set out together in trust, represents one of my main concerns, for which I do not cease to pray to God. I hope, therefore, that opportunities may increase for meeting each other, for exchange and cooperation among Catholic and Orthodox faithful, in such a way that as we deepen our knowledge and esteem for one another, we may be able to overcome any prejudice and misunderstanding that may remain as a result of our long separation. It is my desire that we may be able to face, in truth but also with a fraternal spirit, the difficulties which still exist. In this way, I wish also to renew my support for the important work of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church. The problems which we may encounter in the course of our theological dialogue must not lead us to discouragement or resignation. The careful examination of how in the Church the principle of synodality and the service of the one who presides are articulated, will make a significant contribution to the progress of relations between our Churches.

Dear brothers, as preparations for the Pan-Orthodox Synod are intensifying, I assure you of my prayers and that of many Catholics, that these extensive efforts may come to fruition. I trust also in your prayers for the Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops of the Catholic Church, on the theme of the family, which will take place here in the Vatican this coming October, at which we are looking forward also to the participation of a fraternal delegate from the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

With regard to agreement and cooperation on the most urgent issues, I am pleased to recall that in the recent conference that presented my Encyclical Laudato si’ on care for our common home, the Patriarch Bartholomew sent you, dear Metropolitan John, to address the conference on this occasion.

I renew my gratitude for your presence and for your cordial expressions of closeness. I ask you to convey my fraternal greeting to His Holiness, Patriarch Bartholomew and to the Holy Synod, together with my most heartfelt appreciation for having desired to send eminent representatives to share our joy. Please pray for me and for my ministry.

Peace to all of you that are in Christ! (1 Pt 5:14).

Message of His All Holiness, Batholomew I

Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople

His Holiness and Beatitude Pope Francis of Elder Rome: rejoice in the Lord.

It is with delight and thanksgiving to the God in Trinity that we hasten once again this year to concelebrate with You the sacred commemoration of the Chief among the Apostles, Peter and Paul, founders and protectors of Your most holy Church and unshakeable pillars of the universal One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of Christ. We do so again herewith in adherence to an already long and blessed tradition of the exchange of formal visits of Delegations from our two ancient Churches during one another’s Thronal feast as an expression and manifestation of the bond of love, which by God’s grace holds us together, guiding our steps to greater rapprochement between us until the dawn of that much-desired day of our unity in the common faith of the Gospel and of the Fathers in the same Chalice of life.

Following this sacred custom, this year we again recall with profound sentiments and much gratitude the great gift from God toward our most holy Church of Constantinople that was honoured by Your Holiness’ personal visit and participation in the celebration of our Thronal feast last year. This communion person-to-person left behind an indelible joy in our heart, and so we would like to use this occasion to express once more the thanks of our Church and ourselves personally in the hope and wish that we shall again have in the not too distant future the joy of this personal communion with each other.

The celebration of the Thronal feast of our Churches is a reminder, Your Holiness, of the very significant fact that, despite the regrettable interruption of full communion among us, both of our Churches remain united in honouring the memory of our common Saints, who comprise the stable foundation on which we are called to build full union inasmuch as the Church of Christ is essentially a communion of Saints. This holds true especially for the Chief among the Apostles, Peter and Paul, who through their preaching but also with their blood invite us even today to increase our efforts in order that our already existing communion in honouring the Saints may as in the past become a communion also in the body and blood of the Leader of our Faith, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Our efforts toward this sacred goal are rendered for years in the field of erasing theological differences, which have been accrued by an entire millennium of estrangement among our Churches, through our ongoing Dialogue. We are called to support this Dialogue with all our strength by means of active participation in the appropriate Committee of the best theological representatives at the disposal of our Churches, so that this difficult work may continue beyond political or other forms of motivations, particularly in the present critical phase when we are examining the thorny issue of Primacy in the Church.

However, as Your Holiness has emphasized, our unity must be sought and edified not only in our common past, but also in the contemporary reality lived in the world, which invites us jointly to transmit to modern man the message of the Gospel about joy, hope and love. Therefore, we personally greet the recent Apostolic Exhortation of Your Holiness to the world, namely Evangelii gaudium in 2013 and especially the Encyclical published only days ago and entitled Laudato si'. The latter filled us with immense satisfaction, given that our most holy Church of Constantinople was the first in the Christian world to proclaim publicly the urgent need to protect the natural environment, which is deplorably threatened by human greed, which we did through the Encyclical of our late predecessor Ecumenical Patriarch Demetrios in 1989, as well as with a series of conferences and other activities initiated by our Modesty.

Wherefore, by together conveying the message of the Gospel to the contemporary world and the existential problems of concern to it, we also approach one another in our responsibility of continuing the work of the saintly Apostles that we honour, thereby manifesting through our efforts that they did not run their course in vain (Phil 2:16) and that our faith is declared throughout the world (Rom 1:8).

These personal thoughts and sentiments, together with our congratulatory fraternal wishes on the occasion of the Thronal feast of Your sister Church, will be brought to Your Holiness by our Delegation led by His Eminence, Metropolitan John of Pergamon, accompanied by His Eminence, Metropolitan Maximos of Selyvria and the Very Reverend Protopresbyter Heikki Huttunen, who will assure You of the deepest feelings of love and great honour of our most holy Church to Your Holiness and Your most holy Church. May the Protocoryphaeoi Apostles, whom we honour together, always intercede for the stability of the holy churches of God and for the unity of all. Amen.

Your Holiness' beloved brother in the Lord
June 19, 2015

Parents to be saints

This morning at 10:00am, in the Consistory Hall at the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father participated in the Liturgical prayer of Terce (mid-morning Prayer).

During that liturgy, Pope Francis held an Ordinary Public Consistory for the Canonization of certain Blesseds, and decreed that

• Blessed Vincenzo Grossi, a diocesan priest who founded the Institute of the Brothers of the Oratory;
• Maria of the Immaculate Conception, a Religious Sister and General Superior of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Company of the Cross; and
• Louis Martin, a layman and father, along with his wife Maria Azelia Guérin, who were the parents of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus (Thérèse of Lisieux)

will have their names inscribed in the book of Saints during a Canonization ceremony which will take place on Sunday, October 18, 2015.

A video-message to prepare the way

Yesterday afternoon, a video message which had been prepared by the Holy Father, Pope Francis in preparation for his upcoming visit to Latin America (from July 5 to 12) was broadcast simultaneously in Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay.

Text of the video message prepared by the Holy Father, Pope Francis

and broadcast simultaneously in Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay

Dear brothers and sisters in Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay,

There is not much time left before my trip.  With this greeting, I want to express my closeness, my sympathy, my good wishes.  My desire is to be with you, to share your preoccupations, to demonstrate my affection and closeness and to rejoice with you too.

I want to bear witness of the joy of the gospel and to bring you the tenderness and the caress of God, our Father, especially to those who are most in need, to the elderly, to the sick, to those who are imprisoned, to the poor and to those who have become victims of this culture of disposal.  The love of God, who is so merciful beyond measure, allows us to discover the face of His Son Jesus in every brother, in every one of our sisters.  We only need to draw close to one another, to be neighbours.  As Jesus said to the young doctor of the law when he asked: Who is my neighbour? ... He asks us to do the same: Go and do what the good Samaritan did, go and do the same, draw close to your neighbours, do not pass them by.

During this voyage, I will visit three sister nations in the land of the American continent.  The faith that we all share is a source of fraternity and solidarity, through which we can build towns, become families of families, foster agreement and encourage the desire for and the commitment to peace.

In these days leading up to our encounter, I give thanks to God for you, and I ask you to be steadfast in the faith, bearing within you the fire of love and of charity and holding firmly to the hope that will never disappoint.  I ask you all to join your prayers with mine, that the gospel message might reach even the most remote places so that the values of the Kingdom of God might become the leaven for the earth in our time.

May the Blessed Virgin watch over you, may the Mother of the Americas care for you and may God bless you.  Thank you very much.  I'll see you very soon and, please don't forget to pray for me.

With the Guides

At 12:15pm today, in the Sala Clementina at the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience a delegation from the International Catholic Conference of Guiding.  The Conference is marking the 50th anniversary of its foundation.

Speech of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

for the meeting with representatives of the

Conférence Internationale Catholique du Guidisme

Dear sisters and brothers,

I am happy to welcome you to Rome for the fiftieth anniversary of the International Catholic Conference of Guiding.  Guides occupy a specific post among other educative movements, rooted in a long tradition of widely tested pedagogy.  I give thanks along with you for all the good that the Lord has allowed us to experience in our hearts.  At the same time, I hope that the Holy Spirit will guide the various Associations that you represent along the road that leads ahead, so that they will be able to face the challenges of the future.  Education is in fact the essential means by which girls learn to become active and responsible women, proud and happy to live their faith in Jesus every day.  In this way, they participate in the building of a world which is imbued with the gospel.

I appreciate the theme you have chosen for your meeting: To live the joy of the gospel as a guide.  It is a wonderful plan: to announce to others, through the witness of our lives, that meeting Jesus makes you happy: that meeting Jesus frees us and heals us; that meeting Jesus opens us to the needs of others and motivates us to proclaim this joy especially to those who are poor, to those who have been distanced, who are alone and abandoned.  Within the Catholic Associations of Guides, this tradition of encountering Jesus and of joyful openness and generosity toward the needs of others has always been present, and I invite you to continue it and to develop this precious heritage even more.

As Catholic leaders, you also have the opportunity to share the explicit proclamation of Christ, who gives joy and light to the world, in the heart of the World Association of Girl Guides and Scouts.  Here in this place, you meet with head guides from every culture and religion.  I hope that this will be an occasion for sincere and true dialogue between you, of respect for each other's convictions, and of serene affirmation of your faith and of your Catholic identity.

In the recently-published Encyclical Laudato Si', I wrote that education about ecology is essential in order to transform mentalities and habits, in order to overcome the disturbing challenges facing mankind with regard to the environment.  I think that the Guiding movement, which in its pedagogy provides an important place for contact with nature, is especially predisposed for this task.  I hope that the Guides will continue to be ready to welcome the presence and the goodness of the Creator in the beauty of the world which surrounds them.  This contemplative attitude will help them to live in harmony with themselves, with others and with God.  It is a new style of living, more in union with the gospel, which they in turn will be able to pass on to others in the places where they live.

Finally, it is very important in our time that women be adequately valued, and that they may assume fully the place that is theirs in the Church and in society.  Even here, the role of educative Associations like yours - involving young women - are absolutely essential for the future, and your teaching should be clear on such matters.  We live in a world where others defend ideologies which are the most in contrast to nature and to the plan of god for the family and for marriage.  It is therefore a matter of teaching the girls not only about the beauty and the greatness of their vocation as women, in right but differentiated relationships between men and women, but also to assume important responsibilities within the Church and in society.  In some countries, where women are still in positions of inferiority, where they are still exploited and abused, you are certainly called to play a major role in their promotion and education.  I ask you also not to forget the necessary and explicit openness of your teaching toward the possibility of a life consecrated to the Lord: one of the ways that the Guiding movement has been very fruitful throughout its history.

The Virgin Mary is the model of women who follow the gospel and the heart of God.  The Church and our society needs such women very much.  May Mary be fore you a fountain of encouragement and inspiration.  I entrust you all to her intercession and with all my heart, I willingly impart my blessing.