VATICAN RADIO: Pope Francis receives Facebook CEO in private audience

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis met with Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Facebook, and his wife, Priscilla Chan, on Monday in a private audience in the Vatican.

A statement released by the Holy See Press Office said: “They spoke about how to use communication technologies to alleviate poverty, encourage a culture of encounter, and help deliver a message of hope, especially to those people who are most disadvantaged.”

(Photo source:  Facebook Page of Vatican Radio)

It's Official: Pope Francis draws the biggest gathering in the history of the Church and that's in Manila!

It's official. Pope Francis' Mass at the Luneta yesterday was the Largest Papal gathering in the history of the Church. I was there too!

Paid Ministers of Manalo's INC™ Church have been lying to their members that the Catholic Church in the Philippines is losing its members to the Iglesia Ni Cristo®-1914. I don't think a strong 6-7 million attendees is a proof of that "losing members" in the Catholic Church.

And YES! One thing is obvious! INC™ Ministers LIED again!

6-7M attend Pope’s Mass at Luneta

Philippine Inquirer: MANILA, Philippines–Pope Francis on Sunday concluded his apostolic visit with a pastoral message in his final Mass attended by an estimated 6 million Filipinos who beat their own record of love for the world’s largest papal gathering: Find your identity as God’s children in the Sto. Niño, and thereby, cherish each child and protect the family. 

The Pontiff hailed the Philippines as the “foremost Catholic country” in Asia whose citizens have a vocation to be “missionaries of faith” in the region. 

Celebrating his concluding Mass at Manila’s Rizal Park before euphoric Filipinos on the rain-drenched Feast of the Holy Infant, the Pope wove his homily around the symbolic message of the Holy Child. 

King of Bahrain Audience with Pope Francis

Rarely, an Arab Muslim King visits the world's 1.2 billion leader at the Eternal City of Rome, but yes, the generous and tolerant Muslim King of Bahrain, who donated a land for the Catholic community in Bahrain paid a visit to His Holiness Pope Francis in May 19, 2014. Here the story from Catholic News Agency:

Pope Francis received King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain in audience on May 19.

An estimated 10% of the people in the Persian Gulf island nation are Christians; most Christians there are Asian guest workers. Conversion from Islam to Christianity is forbidden, but the nation is permitting the construction of a cathedral for the apostolic vicar who ministers to Catholics there.

The Pope and the king, who has ruled Bahrain since 1999, discussed Middle East peace and stability. “Mention was then made of the Christian community’s positive contribution to the country, and appreciation was expressed for His Majesty’s personal interest in the needs of the local Catholic community,” according to the Holy See Press Office.

Following their discussion, the King met with Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin and Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, the Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States.

How World Political and Religious Leaders Respect the See of Rome and the Pope

Where is the INC (Iglesia ni Cristo), the "true" Church of Christ and its leaders been recognized and respected?

Former Anglicans now Catholics went to Rome for Ash Wednesday and audience to the Pope

Ash Wednesday: First Day of Lent!

The POPE explaining the significance of 40 days Lenten observance.

Armless Pilot Gives Pope Her Guinness World Record Medal

French President Sarkozy Visits the Vatican and the Pope

Sarkozy Seeks to Confirm Collaboration With Church

VATICAN CITY, (Zenit.org).- French President Nicolas Sarkozy visited Benedict XVI today to confirm constructive collaboration with the Catholic Church, after differences that have arisen in recent months.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Pope Benedict XVI
Photo Source: LIFE

A communiqué issued by the Holy See affirmed the "joint desire to maintain permanent dialogue at various institutional levels, and to continue constructive collaboration on matters of mutual interest."

Some positions assumed by Sarkozy's government have caused a distancing of French Catholics who supported the president in the 2007 elections.

The spark that served Sarkozy to request the audience -- held in the Holy Father's library for some 30 minutes -- was kindled on Aug. 22, when the Pope exhorted French pilgrims gathered at Castel Gandolfo for the midday Angelus to "accept legitimate human differences." The Pontiff's comment came after the president announced the expulsion from France of gypsies who in the majority are of European origin.

After today's audience with the Pope, the president and his advisers met for about an hour with Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Pope's secretary of state, and Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States.

Common ground

According to the Holy See communiqué, "The cordial discussions focused on the international political situation, including the Middle East peace process, the position of Christians in various countries, and increasing the representation of world regions in multilateral organizations.

"Attention subsequently turned to underlining the importance of the ethical and social dimension of economic problems, in light of the encyclical 'Caritas in Veritate.'"

The communiqué revealed that the Pope and Sarkozy recalled the papal trip to Lourdes and Paris in 2008, and President Sarkozy's visit to the Vatican the previous year, as signs of the collaboration that both seek to promote, in respect of their competent spheres.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Pope said to Sarkozy: "I have great memories of my visit to France" and immediately after, he evoked "the Catholic soul" of the country.

Sarkozy responded assuring him that "the visit was a great success."

In the exchange of gifts, Sarkozy gave the Holy Father original editions of the books "Génie du christianisme" and "Mémoires d'Outre-Tombe," by François-René de Chateaubriand (1768-1848).

The Pope gave the president a large engraving of St. Peter's Square as well as a ceramic representation of the first Pope.

At the end of the meeting, Sarkozy paused a few moments to ask Benedict XVI for a rosary for his niece, like those he had given to each member of the entourage. The Pontiff immediately obliged, obtaining one from his private secretary, Monsignor Georg Gaenswein.

A prayer in the Vatican

After the meeting with Cardinal Bertone, Sarkozy and his delegation went at 1 p.m. to St. Peter's Basilica, which had been closed to the public.

The president paused for a few moments of prayer in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, before the altar of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and at the altar of the Confession, and the tomb of St. Peter.

Then he was received in the chapel of St. Petronilla by French Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.

The cardinal prayed "for the people of France and its leaders, of today and tomorrow," asking for "courage and perseverance so that each one may consider what he can do alone or with others at the service of his neighbor, for absolute respect for life, justice, employment, education, health and the environment, security, to receive the persecuted and immigrants, and for the truth of information, for peace in our land and in the world."

For a new secularity

After leaving the Vatican, Sarkozy presided over a lunch in the Villa Bonaparte, headquarters of the French embassy to the Holy See, in the presence of Cardinal Bertone.

The president gave an address, affirming that he seeks to promote relations with the Church and to defend its positions.

"France does not forget that it has a common history of 2,000 years with the Church and that today it shares with her an inestimable treasure of moral values, of culture, of civilization, which have been inscribed in its identity," said the president.

"The Church, with the spiritual means proper to her [and] the French Republic, with its political means, serve many common causes," he added, assuring that both seek "justice," "balance," "peace," "fraternity."

"Then, why don't they speak to one another? Why can't they work together?" he asked.

"I believe in the distinction of the spiritual and the temporal as a principle of liberty," he said. "I believe in secularity as a principle of respect. But the Church cannot be indifferent in face of the problems of the society to which she belongs as an institution, and politics cannot be indifferent in face of the religious event and spiritual and moral values. There is no religion without social responsibility, there is no politics without morality."

Then Sarkozy mentioned some "moral imperatives" that must be achieved without delay, such as the reform of "world governance," the regulation of finances to avoid "speculative madness," stabilization of markets to prevent hunger, regulation of the Internet and, finally the "fight against illegal immigration" that produces tragedies and deprives poor countries of their living forces.

Vatican, pilgrims rally around Pope

Scandals cast pall over Easter

Source: TimesofMalta.com

Pope Benedict XVI delivering the traditional Urbi et Orbi Easter message from the central loggia of St Peter's Basilica yesterday at the Vatican. Photo: Osservatore Romano/AFP

Top Vatican prelates rallied around Pope Benedict XVI yesterday as paedophile priest scandals have plunged the Roman Catholic Church into its worst crisis in decades.

Easter Mass in a rain-drenched St Peter's Square kicked off with an unusual greeting from the dean of the College of Cardinals, who told the pontiff: "The people of God are with you and do not allow themselves to be impressed by the idle chatter of the moment."

Cardinal Angelo Sodano was echoing the Pope's remarks a week ago when he urged Christians not to be "intimidated by the idle chatter of prevailing opinions".

The Pope, in his much-anticipated "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world) message, made no mention of the scandals, although he made a broad call for a "spiritual and moral conversion... to emerge from a profound crisis, one which requires deep change, beginning with consciences."

Vatican expert Bruno Bartoloni said the Church was going through its "hardest period since the publication (in 1968) of the 'Humanae Vitae' (Of Human Life)" - a papal encyclical by Pope Paul VI that attacked use of the birth control pill as a mortal sin.

"At that time the crisis was as deep, with personal attacks against the Pope and the Church in general," Mr Bartoloni said. Easter pilgrims massed in St Peter's Square insisted yesterday their Church was not a haven for paedophiles as some accused the media of exaggerating the scale of abuse by Catholic priests. Many of the pilgrims among the tens of thousands huddled under umbrellas in St Peter's Square defended the Pope.

Edgar Meier of Germany faulted media coverage for blowing up the affair, saying: "It's not a typical thing of the Church. Journalists are making it something bigger than it really is."

The scandals have cast a pall over Easter, the most joyous day in the Christian calendar, commemorating the day when Jesus Christ is believed to have been resurrected.

The crisis took a new twist on Friday when the Pope's personal preacher evoked a parallel between attacks on the pontiff and anti-Semitism.

Jewish groups and those representing victims of abuse by Roman Catholic priests condemned Father Raniero Cantalamessa for quoting the comments, which he said were made in a letter from a Jewish friend, in his Good Friday sermon.

Father Cantalamessa issued an apology yesterday, telling the Italian daily Corriere della Sera: "If I inadvertently hurt the feelings of Jews and paedophilia victims, I sincerely regret it and I apologise."

Pope Benedict has spoken out several times since the start of his papacy in 2005 on child sex abuse, calling it a "heinous crime" and a "grave sin." But the scandals have been gaining momentum relentlessly, putting the Vatican on the defensive.

"What matters is for the Church to admit the mistakes it has made. And it is doing so," argued Italian tourist Mario Mogavero.

Alvarez Darelli, a Catholic from Milan, also believed the Church was "doing its best" to stamp out paedophilia.

"The Church is made of men, and some of them make mistakes," argued Marino, a Catholic from Turin in Italy, sheltering from the rain under a tarpaulin with his wife and two children.

"Faith has nothing to do with the way some people behave," he said. "The most important thing is that they should not be protected."

But many others seemed to feel the Church was being unfairly stigmatised over what they said was a wider problem in society.

"There are cases everywhere, involving all kinds of people - so why should it not be the same in the Church?" agreed Sanne, a Belgian tourist.

"It is certainly a problem," acknowledged Natalya Tkashenko from Russia. But child abuse, she argued, "can be found in any closed institution, among men or women."

The scandal has cast a pall over Easter, which is supposedly the most joyous day in the Christian calendar, commemorating the day when Jesus Christ is believed to have been resurrected.

Church leaders including the archbishop of Paris Cardinal Andre Vingt-Trois have denounced what they say is a smear campaign targeting the pope.

"Even though it is a serious problem, it has also been exploited" to harm the Church, complained Marino from Turin.

Edgar Meier, who travelled to Rome from the pope's native Germany, blamed the media for exaggerating the scale of the abuse.

"It's not a typical thing of the Church. Journalists are making this something bigger than it really is."

Pope Benedict has spoken out several times since the start of his papacy in 2005 on sex abuse.

As head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger ordered bishops to report abuse cases to the Vatican and remove abusers from contact with youth.

Pope to Hariri: Lebanon, a model of coexistence and "message" for the entire Middle East



Lebanese Prime Minister Saad-eddine Rafiq Al-Hariri and his family with Pope Benedict XVI(Feb. 20, 2010)
سعد الدين رفيق الحريري‎‎

 Vatican City (AsiaNews) - The situation in Lebanon and the plight of Christians in the Middle East were the themes at the heart of the meeting between Pope Benedict XVI and Prime Minister Saad Hariri of Lebanon this morning in the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican. After the audience, conducted in a "climate of great cordiality" - as stated in the press release issued by the Holy See - the prime minister visited the Secretary of State Card. Tarcisio Bertone accompanied by Msgr. Dominique Mamberti, Secretary for Relations with States.

Benedict XVI and Hariri stressed the importance of Lebanon, which for decades has been a model of peaceful coexistence between Christians and Muslims. The hope - said the statement - is that "through the exemplary coexistence" of different religious communities that comprise the country, it will "remain a 'message' for the Middle East region and the entire world."

Among other things the Lebanese government recently announced its intention to establish an Islamic-Christian holiday in the name of the Annunciation of Mary. It will have a "national" rather than "religious" stamp and will complement that of the Annunciation, not replace it. However, the new holiday aims to strengthen the "symbol of unity" among the Lebanese in the name of the Virgin Mary - who is also revered by followers of Mohammed - and "encourage the image of Lebanon as a 'Country' symbol of pluralism and tolerance", as often repeated by John Paul II.

Pope Benedict and Saad Hariri also stressed the need to find a "just and comprehensive solution to the conflicts that cause bloodshed in the Middle East. To achieve this goal - continues the statement - it is important to promote "intercultural and interreligious dialogue" that is a harbinger of peace and justice.

The Christians of the Middle East are victims of sectarian violence and persecution, which moves the faithful to abandon their places of origin in search of safety. In this perspective, the forthcoming Special Meeting of the Synod of Bishops of the Middle East - scheduled 10 to 24 October 2010 – was mentioned, which will seek solutions to the mass exodus that threatens to empty the region of a Christian presence. Benedict XVI and Hariri recalled "the importance of the work of Christians in the country" that is applied to "the entire society, especially through its educational, health and welfare institutions."

Pope Receives Palestinian President Abbas

Vatican to Pakistan: End discrimination of Christians

Article Source: Rome Reports

October 1, 2009. The pope welcomed Pakistani president Asif Ali Zardari to Castel Gandolfo.

In the exchange of official gifts, President Zardari gave the pope a rug from his country, and in return the pope gave him a portrait of St. Peter’s Square and medals from his pontificate.

During the meeting, the president and the pope touched on issues like the fight against terrorism and the role of the Church in Pakistan in providing health and education services.

They also talked about the wave of recent violence against Christians in the country which has grown increasingly worse in the last months.

In August, Benedict sent a telegram to the Bishop of Faisalabad expressing solidarity after seven Christians were burnt alive in Pakistan.

The Vatican has asked Pakistan to make an effort in putting an end to discrimination against Christians and in respecting the human rights of all citizens.

About 2.8 million people, just over 1% of the total population of Pakistan, is Christian making it a vulnerable demographic to extremist groups in the country.

RS

Other news, "Islamic extremists in Somalia hunting Christians" thanks to Mission Network News:

Somalia (MNN) ― Somalia's Muslim militants are hunting down converts to Christianity. According to Voice of the Martyrs Canada, Al-Shabaab members have murdered 14 believers since July 15.

Compass Direct News reports the September 15 shooting death of 69-year-old Omar Khalafe, an underground Christian who had Bibles in his possession.

On the day of his death, Khalafe was carrying 25 Somali Bibles he hoped to deliver to an underground fellowship in Somalia. At a checkpoint controlled by al Shabaab--a rebel group linked with al Qaeda which has taken over large parts of the war-torn country--bus passengers were ordered to disembark for inspection.

Voice of the Martyrs Canada and Compass Direct reports agree on the events following the discovery of the Bibles.

The assailants used photos they found to determine if they could match the faces to any passengers. When they noticed a resemblance to Khalafe, they asked if the Bibles were his. The radicals shot and killed him when he did not respond.

Militants then displayed his body in Merca along with the Bibles as a warning to others. Later that day, a militant reported Khalafe's death on a radio program.

Khalafe, who had been a Christian for 45 years, was active in sharing the Good News and baptizing converts from Islam.

Khalafe's family is in mourning, but due to the risk of exposure, his wife and seven children were unable to participate in his burial because of the risk of being killed by militants, reports Compass Direct.

Despite the shock and brutality of Khalafe's death, the hope of the Gospel is still going forward through the underground church. Keep praying for wisdom for the workers who continue to follow Christ.

Another news of persecuted Catholics in a Muslim-dominated country. Thanks to AsiaNews for this article.

Catholic university student attacked by Muslim extremists in a public park in Dhaka

Dhaka (Asia News) – Members of an Islamist group, Hizbut Tawhid, attacked a Christian student in Dhaka, after they accused him of criticising Muhammad. Last Sunday Anup Rodrigues, a 25-year-old Catholic university student, had just left the Holy Rosary Church after evening Mass.

Anup was sitting at a bench in Farmgate Park, waiting for friends when four unidentified men, dressed in traditional Muslim garb, attacked him from behind. In the course of the assault, one of the attackers began accusing him of insulting the prophet, describing Christians as a “curse on the nation”, who want to convert Muslims.

“They started beating me with iron rods and bamboo sticks, without letting say a word,” the student said. “As they were pounding away at me, I prayed to Our Lady to save me. When they relented for a moment I was able to get away.”
“After the attack I stopped to think about what had happened and why they attacked me,” the young man told AsiaNews.

“I remembered then that a week before I was in the park with friends where we talked about prophets in the various religions. One of the men who attacked me was sitting across from us. He told us that he belonged to Hizbut Tawhid and that they had a duty to carry out jihad to punish people like us.”
Now Anup is afraid for his life, that of his friends and his two brothers who, like him, attend university. A month ago, someone killed a Baptist Christian named Swopon in the same area.

For this reason, Anup and his mother, Monica, have not filed a complaint with police. They place little trust in law enforcement since the young man’s father, Peter, and uncle, Paul, disappeared at work on 17 August 2006.

Monica Rodrigues turned to police after she received a ransom note, but the investigations have led nowhere.

Now, after the attack against Anup, she fears she might lose her sons, and remains at a loss as to who might help her

.

You are always in our prayers brothers and sisters. We also pray for our persecutors and love our enemies for this is how the world recognizes our being Christians.

God bless you.