The Pope usually asks people to pray for him. During Wednesday's Mass, he asked others to pray for bishops and priests, so that they can be good shepherds. The Pope also warned them about the harm that comes when one gets attached to riches or fame.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Following his conviction for the murder of three babies born alive, abortionist Kermit Gosnell was sentenced Tuesday to two life sentences without parole for two of those murder charges.
By agreeing not to appeal his conviction, Gosnell was able to avoid the death penalty for three convictions of first-degree murder.
Read the full story.
“This is a prayer that we need to say every day: 'Holy Spirit, make my heart open to God's Word so that my heart might be open to good, so that my heart might be open to God's beauty every day.' Let me ask you: how many of you pray to the Holy Spirit every day? It will be few of you, but we must satisfy this desire for Jesus and pray every day to the Holy Spirit that He might open our hearts to Jesus.”
~ Pope Francis in his General Audience on May 15, 2013
“The news that researchers have developed a technique for human cloning is deeply troubling on many levels. Creating new human lives in the laboratory solely to destroy them is an abuse denounced even by many who do not share the Catholic Church's convictions on human life.”
~ Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley via CNA.
Written by: Jorge Mario Bergoglio and Abraham Skorka
On Heaven and Earth Pope Francis on Faith, Family, and the Church in the Twenty-First Century is a fascinating book, in which the man who would become Pope Francis -- Jorge Mario Bergoglio, archbishop of Buenos Aires, warmly and casually converses with Argentinian Rabbi Abraham Skorka on a diverse range of topics. Some of these topics include: religion, prayer, euthanasia, women, homosexuality, abortion, divorce, money, poverty, politics, and power. Originally published in 2010, this book documents a series of conversations between Bergoglio and Skorka as they seek to promote inter-religious dialogue and build bridges between Catholicism and Judaism.
Written in a clear, comprehensible style, On Heaven and Earth is presented in a conversational format. It is as if you are present as a spectator, listening to the conversation between the two men, which has the advantage of making you feel as if you are a first-hand observer. There can be no skimming through this material, however, not if you want to grasp the interchange of ideas and the camaraderie between the two men. As a Catholic, I was obviously more interested in what Pope Francis had to say about each topic and had considered just reading the Holy Father’s portions of the conversation and skipping over the rabbi’s words. However, I am glad I did not do this, as I would have missed some profound insights and some new discoveries about the Jewish faith.
Much of what the Holy Father has to say about each topic is not surprising, but the way he expresses himself, the way in which he interacts with the rabbi, and the way in which he explains Catholicism is what made this book special for me. Pope Francis does not mince words, yet his responses reflect his deep humility, his congeniality, his wit, and his wisdom. As I read, I highlighted and underlined many of his brilliantly succinct and beautiful responses on these important issues.
Despite the fact that I enjoyed this book, I was disappointed with it in two ways. First, I was expecting the issues to be covered in a more in-depth manner. Instead, the issues are discussed briefly, for the most part, and the tone is informal, presented in the style of a casual conversation between two friends. The pope’s general audience would probably provide more in-depth information than is presented in this book on a specific topic. Second, there are many specific references in the book to Argentinian politics and culture, which may seem a little alien to those who are not South American historians. Although I am somewhat familiar with the political history of Argentina, it was occasionally difficult to follow the conversation when the names of specific leaders and detailed events of a certain era were discussed.
Overall, I enjoyed On Heaven and Earth: Pope Francis on Faith, Family, and the Church in the Twenty-First Century. It was an interesting look at how the Holy Father interacts with a religious leader of another faith and it also provided some insight as to what he believes on a variety of topics. Most of all, it reveals his personality and character. It is a good introductory book on Pope Francis and I recommend it as such.
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group in exchange for this review.
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May 15, 2013. (Romereports.com) For about 40 minutes, Pope Francis made his way through St. Peter's Square in the popemobile, as he greeted the crowds in St. Peter's Square. In fact a pilgrim actually asked the Pope to bless two white doves before setting them free. But it seemed like one of the doves wanted to stay with the Pope.
Next Sunday, exactly 40 days after Easter, the Catholic Church celebrates Pentecost. So during his catechesis, the Pope talked about the power and importance of the Holy Spirit.
POPE FRANCIS
“The Holy Spirit, then, as Jesus promises, guides us 'into all truth.' He leads us not only to an encounter with Jesus, the fullness of Truth, but guides us "into" the Truth.”
The Pope explained that truth is not an idea that everyone agrees with, nor is it a possession, rather he said, it's an encounter that's made possible by the Holy Spirit.
POPE FRANCIS
“Let's ask ourselves: are we open to the Holy Spirit, do I pray to him to enlighten me, to make me more sensitive to the things of God? And this is a prayer we need to pray every day, every day!”
As thousands of people looked on, the Pope announced that in September, he plans to visit the Italian Island of Sardinia, to pray before the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Bonaria. The Pope then talked about the connection between Our Lady and his native city of Buenos Aires.
POPE FRANCIS
“When the city of Buenos Aires was founded, the founder wanted to name the city the Holy Trinity, but the sailors who had took him there were Sardinian and they wanted the city to be named 'Our Lady of Bonaria.' They had their differences, but in the end they compromised. The name of the city was too long, it was 'The City of the Holy Trinity and the Port of Our Lady of Bon Aira.” So because the name was too long, it was just the last two words that stuck. 'Bon Aira' meaning Buenos Aires. But the root of the name honors our Lady.
At least for now, this will be the Pope's second trip outside of Rome. His first trip will be to Brazil from July 22nd to the 29th, where he will lead World Youth Day.
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