It rarely happens that the head of the Catholic Church accepts an award. Yet, Pope Francis--as had been the case with St. John Paul II--has accepted the International Charlemagne Prize, one of the most important European awards that are usually given to the figures marked by playing a role for the sake of European values and unity. The prize is intended to shed light on some of the points he had highlighted at the European Parliament (on January 25, 2014) and at the United Nations (on September 25, 2015).

Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Fouad Twal on Sunday, May 15, 2016 presided over the solemn Mass of Pentecost in the presence of the faithful, in the Benedictine Abbey of the Dormition, a few meters from the Cenacle on Mount Zion.

For those gathered at an extraordinary Jubilee General Audience at St Peter’s Square Saturday, 14, May Pope Francis said piety is not necessarily about devotion but more like “pity.” The pope’s catechesis for the occasion developed piety as one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.

“When we hear this word,” he said, “we think of a certain religiosity or devotion, but its meaning is much richer; like our word ‘pity’, it has to do with compassion, with mercy.”

Easter celebrations, this year, have a significance. They coincide with the Jubilee Year of Mercy which was proclaimed by Pope Francis and adopted by various Churches of the world. The concept of mercy has a necessity and a beauty since it is the noblest deed a human being may ever undertake. You have several models that created "treasures" out of mercy, not through transient deeds or with the intention of showing off, but rather by serving humanity through the attainment of the civilization of love and the culture of mercy.

One hundred years ago in Portugal, an angel appeared to three peasant children. He appeared three times in the coming months. Then six months later on May 13, 1917, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared.

She kept her appointment with them on the thirteenth day of the month for the next six months, and in visions gave them prophetic secrets about the future. Then on October 13, 1917 she appeared before them and made the sun spin and dance for tens of thousands of witnesses.

That’s what happened at Fatima…or did it?

The meeting between the Pope and Albanian Sufi spiritual leader Baba Edmond Brahimaj sends out a clear message against the fundamentalist impulses that became the legacy of the war in Bosnia Herzegovina

In a city that is still under shock after the suicide bombing which took place on 27 March in the Gulshan-e-Iqbal park, the number of victims is rising: The list of the deceased is updated on a daily based as people in a critical condition die after being admitted to Punjab’s biggest hospitals. So far, the government has informed that the death toll has now risen to 80 and 29 of these victims are children.

The Pope did so in the speech he gave Friday accepting the prestigious German Charlemagne Prize in the presence of the three European Union presidents.

Pope Francis has forcefully reprimanded European leaders, urging them to reject calls for the re-nationalization of the continent, to remember the devastating history that preceded their unification, and to “build bridges and tear down walls” in the face of the continuing migrant crisis.

An end to all hostilities in the country, the opening of humanitarian corridors for Europe and temporary visas for refugees. These are requests put forward by JRS (Jesuit Refugee Service) to curb the humanitarian crisis. The Syrian ceasefire has been reinstated in light of international negotiations. Meanwhile, the UN has condemned attacks on hospitals, calling them war crimes.

During this morning’s Mass at St. Martha’s House on Monday, May 2, the Pope said that the Holy Spirit gives us the strength to deal with attacks and go on proclaiming Jesus’ message. We sense the Spirit working within us “each time we feel something in our heart that draws us closer to Jesus”