RAPPLER: Pope Francis on Lamborghini gift: Better to auction off

The Lamborghini Huracan sports car, which boasts a 610 metric horsepower, is blessed by the pontiff, who bent to scrawl his signature on its gleaming bonnet before sending it off to Sotheby's auction house

Agence France-Presse via Rappler

@afp

Published 11:06 PM, November 15, 2017

Updated 11:49 PM, November 15, 2017

SUPERCAR. This handout photo taken on November 15, 2017 at the Vatican and released by the Vatican press office, Osservatore Romano shows Pope Francis signing a Lamborghini Huracan received as a gift as Lamborghini CEO Stefano Domenicali looks on. Handout / OSSERVATORE ROMANO / AFP

VATICAN CITY, Holy See – Lamborghini gave Pope Francis a personalized white supercar on Wednesday, but he put it up for auction to raise money for charity rather than give up his trademark popemobile.

The Huracan sports car, which boasts a 610 metric horsepower, was blessed by the pontiff, who bent to scrawl his signature on its gleaming bonnet before it was sent off to Sotheby's auction house.

The supercar usually goes for around 200,000 euros ($237,000), but this model – featuring gold stripes and gold-rimmed wing mirrors in homage to the pope's gold-tipped stole – is expected to beat that.

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)

HUMBLY WE ARE NOW 1.3 BILLION CATHOLICS WORLDWIDE - TO THE GLORY OF THE TRIUNE GOD!

Photo Source: DailyMail

Remember when that one fake local church's followers founded by fallible man in 1914 claimed that the number of Catholics worldwide was shrinking, proof of that was the "many" church's properties being sold in the United States alone? Remember that arrogant pronouncement of Eduardo V. Manalo during INC's Centennial inauguration suggesting that the INC has been winning over more Roman Catholic Church members?

But of course THEY LIED.  The Catholic Church is growing-- very fast. On the contrary, they themselves cannot even prove their number is steadily growing, instead mounted  vast earthly wealth but sadly and painfully with LESSER "worshipers".

Yes! The One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of Christ is growing FAST. -CD2000

Source: Catholic World News 

World’s Catholic population approaches 1.3 billion as African, Asian numbers soar

March 07, 2016

Between 2005 and 2014, the world’s Catholic population rose from 1.115 billion (17.3% of the world’s population) to 1.272 billion (17.8%), according to statistics made public by the Holy See Press Office on March 5.

During that time period, the Catholic population soared by 41% in Africa and 20% in Asia, approximately double the rate of population growth on each continent (23.8% in Africa, 9.6% in Asia). During the same time period, the Catholic population increased by 11.7% in North and South America, 2% in Europe, and 15.9% in Oceania.

In 2014, nearly half (48%) of the world’s Catholics lived in North and South America. 22.6% lived in Europe, 17% in Africa, 10.9% in Asia, and 0.8% in Oceania.

Between 2005 and 2014, the number of priests increased from 406,411 to 415,792, while the number of permanent deacons rose from 33,000 to 44,566. The number of priests rose significantly in Africa (by 32.6%) and Asia (by 27.1%), which declining in Europe (by 8%). 97.5% of permanent deacons live in North America, South America, or Europe.

Despite substantial gains in Africa and Asia, the number of religious brothers worldwide decreased from 54,708 in 2005 to 54,559 in 2014, while the number of religious sisters fell by 10.8% to 682,729.

The worldwide surge in the number of seminarians that began in the papacy of St. John Paul II has crested, as numbers rose from 63,882 (1978) to 114,439 (2005) to 120,616 (2011), and then fell to 116,939 (2014). Between 2005 and 2014, the number of seminarians soared in Africa (by 30.9%) and in Asia (by 29.4%) but plummeted in Europe (by 21.7%) and declined in North and South America (by 1.9%).

The statistics come from the 2016 edition of the Annuario Pontificio and the 2014 edition of the Annuarium Statisticum Ecclesiae, both of which will soon be released.

References:

• L’Annuario Pontificio 2016 e l’«Annuarium Statisticum Ecclesiae» 2014, 05.03.2016 (Holy See Press Office)

• Pontifical Yearbook 2016 and the Annuarium Statisticum Ecclesiae 2014: dynamics of a Church in transformation, 05.03.2016 (Holy See Press Office)

Queen Elizabeth II visited Pope Francis at the Vatican

Seen by some as a visit by a state leader, but Catholics in the blogsphere is seeing this event as a sign of unity in the Christian world-- Anglicans and Catholics together again.  As one of the commentary by a certain Karen Wilkinson, she says "The Pope has already opened the door for the Anglicans in union with Rome. there are quite a few Churches that have already made the move. Welcome Home."

The Queen's visit is very significant for Christians because she has met met 6 Popes during her reign namely Pius XII, John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul I, John Paul II and Benedict XVI. And the latest is Pope Francis making it seven Popes.

Here is the story from Catholic News Agency:

Pope, Queen enjoy casual tea during first meeting

Vatican City- Although short, the April 3 encounter between Pope Francis and Queen Elizabeth in the Vatican has been described as cordial and informal, during which the two exchanged gifts and casual conversation.

Taking place in the papal office of the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall, the official tea between the Bishop of Rome and the British Monarch came after the Queen’s lunch with Italian President Giorgio Napolitano, and lasted only 17 minutes.

During the visit, Queen Elizabeth was accompanied by her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. The two were in Rome only for the day, following an initial invitation extended to Her Majesty by President Napolitano last year, which she was not able to accept due to poor health.

OFFICIAL: Pope Francis approved the Canonization of John XXIII and John Paul II to become Saints

Pope John XXIII(Time.com) and Pope John Paul II (Time.com)

VATICAN CITY (News.va) - Journalists in the Holy See Press Office busy getting to grips with Pope Francis’ first encyclical the Light of Faith, were somewhat surprised Friday lunchtime when Director Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J. called them back for a second announcement: Pope Francis had approved the cause for canonization of two of his venerable and much loved predecessors Blessed John XXIII and Blessed Pope John Paul II.

Meeting with Cardinal Angelo Amato, Prefect of the Congregation for the Cause of Saints, Friday morning, Pope Francis approved the promulgation of the decree and also convoked a special Consistory of the College of Cardinals to discuss the canonization of the Polish pope in depth.

Furthermore, he approved the favorable votes of the Ordinary Session of the Congregations Cardinals and Bishops regarding the raising to the altars of sainthood of Blessed John XXII.

This slightly unusual gesture was explained by Fr. Lombardi who told journalists that despite the absence of a second miracle it was the Pope’s will that the Sainthood of the great Pope of the Second Vatican Council be recognized.

Fr. Lombardi stated that a canonization without a second miracle is still valid, given that there is already the existing miracle that lead to the Roncalli Pope’s beatification. He also pointed to ongoing discussions among theologians and experts about whether it is necessary to have two distinct miracles for beatification and canonization. Certainly, he added the Pope has the power to dispense, in a Cause, with the second miracle.

However, there was no mention of dates. Neither for the Consistory nor for the Canonizations. Fr. Lombardi did not rule out that both celebrations could coincide, and he did express his belief that they would take place by the end of the year. Either way any date would be established during the Consistory.

Bolt from Heaven: Hours aftert BXVI announced his resignation

Photo Source: Mirror.co

Relax, have faith, God is in control

“...don't worry about anything, even in the face of great adversity. You're not the one in control.

“I can't fix everything and I'm no PR miracle worker but I think the fact they created this position is a step in the right direction.”

-News Rome correspondent and former National Catholic Register journalist Greg Burke