The Pope’s appeal to the “Great Prayer Meeting for National Reconciliation”. On stage, representatives of victims of violence, military and police officers and former guerrillas.

“Open your heart as the people of God” and let yourself “be reconciled”. Pope Francis addresses the Colombian Nation, “Fear neither the truth nor justice. Dear people of Colombia: do not be afraid of asking for forgiveness and offering it. The Pontiff launched this appeal to the “Great Prayer Meeting for National Reconciliation” on the second day of his visit to Colombia.

In Villavicencio Pope Francis beatifies Bishop Jaramillo, who was killed by the ELN guerrillas, and the martyr priest Ramirez Ramos. Bergoglio’s car nearly trapped by the crowd.

One million people at Pope Francis’ Mass in the Simón Bolívar Park in Bogota: Francis quotes those who have committed to the peace process, who like Peter have “put out into the deep”. Brief meeting, at the end of the celebration, with some cardinals and bishops of Venezuela.

Saint of the Day for September 8

The Story of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Church has celebrated Mary’s birth since at least the sixth century. A September birth was chosen because the Eastern Church begins its Church year with September. The September 8 date helped determine the date for the feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8.

A country striving to get out of half a century of violence and guerrillas, plagued by poverty, drugs trafficking and a political oligarchy in the hands of 300 families. Reconciliation and unity of the nation are the key message.

Since April 9, 1948, day of the murder of presidential candidate Jorge Elicer Gaitán, Colombia has gone through 70 years of internal violence for various reasons.

(August 26, 1910 – September 5, 1997)

Mother Teresa of Calcutta, the tiny woman recognized throughout the world for her work among the poorest of the poor, was beatified October 19, 2003. Among those present were hundreds of Missionaries of Charity, the order she founded in 1950, as a diocesan religious community. Today the congregation also includes contemplative sisters and brothers and an order of priests.

Angelus, Pope Francis, “We are called not to be absorbed by the vision of this world.” A prayer for the flood victims in Texas and Louisiana.

"Let us pray to Mary the Most Holy not to fear the cross, not a cross without Jesus but a cross on which Jesus was nailed to” Francis affirms at the Angelus. There is always the temptation to follow a Christ without a cross, rather, to teach God the right path. With a great and always valid wisdom, Jesus challenges self-centered mentalities and behaviors."

Always there is a connection between the first readings and the gospel accounts that the Church presents to us in the major celebrations of the Church’s liturgical year. Such is the case we find in today’s scripture passages and so I begin our reflections with the Old Testament prophet who was one of the Major Prophets found in the Hebrew Bible and who lived 600 years before Christ.

Ecumenical dialogue, cooperation among religious confessions, international conflicts and humanitarian crises, fundamentalist terrorism, the protection of human rights, environmental emergency: in several interviews with local press at the start his visit to the Russian Federation – 21-24 August – Cardinal Pietro Parolin outlined the main themes at the heart of his meetings with leaders of the Russian Orthodox Church and with the country’s top authorities.