Pope Francis celebrated Mass at the Casa Santa Marta on Friday highlighting the need for believers to be true Christians and shun appearances. Taking his cue from the Book of the prophet Isaiah, Pope Francis condemned all forms of hypocrisy and explained the difference there is between objective and formal reality. Formal reality, the Pope said, [...]
· A journey of hope · Lent should be lived as a “journey of hope” which leads Christians “from slavery to freedom”. This reminder was at the heart of the Holy Father’s reflection for the General Audience on Ash Wednesday, 1 March, in Saint Peter’s Square. The following is a translation of the catechesis, which Pope [...]
“Return to me with all your heart… Return to the Lord.” The Holy Father began his homily for the beginning of lent with the words of the prophet Joel, from the first Reading: “Return to me with all your heart… Return to the Lord.” These words, the Pope said, apply to everyone, and exclude no one; “we [...]
There are no compromises: either we let ourselves be loved “by the mercy of God” or we choose the way “of hypocrisy” and do as we please, allowing our heart to keep growing harder. This is the history of the relationship between God and man, from the time of Abel until now, which was the focus [...]
The Cleansing of the Temple Dear brothers and sisters, Good morning! Today's Gospel today presents the episode of the expulsion of the vendors from the temple (Jn 2: 13-25). Jesus 'made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen' (Jn 2:15), the money, everything. [...]
Pope Francis at the Domus Santa Marta March 5, 2015 Being worldly means losing your name and having the eyes of your soul “tinted dark”, anaesthetized, until you no longer see the people around you. This is the sin that Francis spoke about on Thursday, 5 March, during Mass at Santa Marta. “Today’s Lenten [...]
Feeling shame and blaming oneself, instead of assigning fault to others, judging and condemning them. This is the first step on the path of Christian life which leads us to ask the Lord for the gift of mercy. The Pope suggested this examination of conscience at Mass in the chapel of Casa Santa Marta on Monday [...]
“Using God to cover up injustice is an extremely serious sin”. Pope Francis issued this stern warning against social injustice, most of all the sort caused by those who exploit workers, during Mass on Friday morning, 20 February, in the chapel at Casa Santa Marta. The starting point for the Pontiff’s reflection was the prayer recited [...]
Dear Brothers and Sisters, good morning! In our series of catechesis on the family, after having considered the role of the mother, the father and children, today is the turn of brothers and sisters. “Brother” and “sister” are words that Christianity loves very much. And, thanks to the family experience, they are words that all cultures and [...]
Our special Urbi et Orbi section, in which we highlight the spirituality, prayer, customs and practices of our brothers and sisters in the churches of the East, continues... Fresco of St. John Chrysostom. We begin the penitential season of Lent — the season in which we most profoundly enter into the mysteries of Christ’s [...]
