Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, has paid a visit to Saudi Arabia. There are now calls for the construction of churches in a nation with a clandestine population of two million Christians.
Will a Catholic church open soon in Riyadh?
Signs of opening up by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed ben Salman have revived the hopes of Christian communities in the Middle East.
In the care of an exorcist for five years, her clinical examinations are clear. But migraines and blisters won’t leave her.
A document signed by Patriarch Béchara Raï tries to curb the controversy and personal attacks unleashed over some aspects of the Church’s doctrine and teachings. A rampant phenomenon that even Pope Francis takes into consideration in his Apostolic Exhortation “Gaudete et exsultate”.
At Regina Coeli, Francis says he is “deeply troubled” and invokes the “instruments available to the international community” asking all politicians to “ensure that justice and peace prevail”.
Catholic women religious around the world are heeding Pope Francis' call to serve those most in need and going "where no one else will dare go," said the executive director of the Rome-based umbrella group that represents approximately 800,000 women religious.
Catholic women religious around the world are heeding Pope Francis' call to serve those most in need and going "where no one else will dare go," said the executive director of the Rome-based umbrella group that represents approximately 800,000 women religious.
In Rome, a seminar organized by UISG and US embassy to the Holy See. The testimony of three religious working in Central Africa, the Philippines and Syria.
In Santa Marta the Pope urged an examination of conscience: “Am I free, or am I a slave to my passions, ambitions, riches, or passing fancies?”
“Am I free, or am I a slave to my passions, ambitions, riches, or passing fancies? (It sounds like a joke, but how many people are fashion victims!)”. Let us reflect on our freedom in the midst of a ‘schizophrenic’ world. It shouts ‘Freedom, Freedom, Freedom!’ yet is really a slave.”
It clearly was neither coordinated nor intentional, but this Easter Sunday saw an unusually low governmental and public interaction with Palestinian Christians. It might have been the fact that Easter falls on two different Sundays depending on which calendar one is looking at. While Catholics and Protestants around the world celebrated Easter on April 1, the same day was Palm Sunday for those celebrating Easter according to the Eastern calendar. Orthodox and Coptic Christians celebrate Easter on April 8.
You have heard, O Virgin, that you will conceive and bear a son; you have heard that it will not be by man but by the Holy Spirit [cf Luke 1:31, 34-35]. The angel awaits an answer; it is time for him to return to God who sent him. We too are waiting, O Lady, for your word of compassion; the sentence of condemnation weighs heavily upon us.
The price of our salvation is offered to you. We shall be set free at once if you consent. In the eternal Word of God we all came to be, and behold, we die. In your brief response we are to be remade in order to be recalled to life.
During the general audience, the Pope challenges those who question the opportunity to baptize "a child who does not understand" and points out that with Baptism "the Holy Spirit enters into that child" and makes "the Christian virtues bloom" in them. Baptism is "another birthday, it's the birthday of rebirth," said Francis, who gave the faithful in St. Peter's Square the "homework" to find out the date of their Baptism to honor it duly.
