(Vatican Radio) It’s exactly one month since two Syrian Orthodox archbishops were kidnapped near the city of Aleppo. The Greek Orthodox archbishop of Aleppo Yohanna Ibrahim and his Syriac Orthodox counterpart Boulos Yazaji were seized by gunmen while travelling back from the Turkish border. No group has claimed responsibility for their abduction. The Catholic Chaldean bishop of Aleppo, Antoine Audo spoke to Susy Hodges about their growing concern over the fate of the two prelates. Listen to the extended interview with Bishop Antoine Audo: Bishop Audo describes how he and other Catholic churchmen attended an ecumenical prayer service last weekend in Aleppo’s Greek Orthodox Cathedral to pray for the safe release of the two kidnapped prelates. He said it was a “sad” occasion …with “some people crying” or with “tears in their eyes.” Bishop Audo says the Christian community in Syria is highly concerned and baffled as to why the two archbishops were kidnapped but doesn’t believe it was because their captors are seeking a ransom for their release. “It’s not a question of money” , he says, as no demand has been put forward for a ransom. ...

(Vatican Radio) The King Abdullah International Center for Inter-religious and Inter-cultural Dialogue, KAICIID, of which the Holy See is a Founding Observer, is conducting a three-year series of conferences aimed at combatting harmful stereotypes and removing common misconceptions about various world religions. Under the title "The Image of The Other", the signature programme is analysing perceptions of the Other in education, media and the internet. The first workshop in connection with the conference series is being held in Vienna this Wednesday, May 22nd. The Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue, Fr Miguel Ayuso is participating. Below, please find the official statment announcing the conference series. **************************************** KAICIID - The Image of The Other 20.11.2012 "The overall aim of this project series is to help replace subjective interreligious or intercultural misperceptions and stereotyping with more objective, appropriate and respectful ways of thinking about and depicting followers of other religions and cultures." In 2013, KAICIID will launch a series of Conferences that will highlight interreligious projects with themes ranging from Education to the Media to the Internet, under the title “The Image of The Other”. Aim The overall aim of this project series is to help replace subjective interreligious or intercultural misperceptions and stereotyping with more objective, appropriate and respectful ways of thinking about and depicting followers of other religions and cultures i.e. “the Other”. Conference Series The public, visible face of the initiative will comprise three International Conferences over three years, each dedicated to a special theme. The background to each conference will comprise research at grassroots level, coordination among stakeholders, engagement of organisations already working in the field and strategic follow-through to implementation. Selected Conference Themes: 2013: Education – “Towards a more Enriching Interreligious Education” 2014: Media – “Targeting Conscious and Unconscious Stereotyping by the Media” 2015: Internet – “Strengthening Critical Attitudes towards Intolerance and Biases on the Internet” 2013: First Conference, in Vienna “Towards a more Enriching Interreligious Education” will seek input from practitioners, from experts and from other stakeholders to enable KAICIID to develop a framework for global best practice interreligious education for both students and teachers; this forum will also seek to assist others already engaged in this field to implement their projects. Conference Goals Enable children and young adults to recognize bias become aware of the heterogeneity of the followers of religions be able to autonomously access credible information sources about the Other overcome reactions of fear and self-affirmation when meeting different beliefs become self-confident but empathic to learn from interreligious experiences embrace values of dialogue, of mutual respect and understanding in dealing with others Conference Modules Our image of Self and our image of the Other; Empathy Analysing and Improving Textbooks Education for Foreign Communities, Refugees and Immigrants Teaching Critical Attitudes towards Internet and Media sources Individualising and Humanising the Presentation of Religion Implementation Once suitable and locally-adaptable educational tools have been developed, KAICIID will, in its role as a hub, connect with particular governments, educational institutions and interfaith initiatives to agree implementation steps....

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has called Christians worldwide to prayer this Friday for our brothers and sisters in China. Speaking at the end of his general audience in Italian, the Holy Father noted that Friday, May 24th, is the day dedicated to the liturgical memory of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Help of Christians, who is venerated with great devotion at the Shrine of Sheshan in Shanghai. Emer McCarthy reports listen: He said : “I urge all Catholics around the world to join in prayer with our brothers and sisters who are in China, to implore from God the grace to proclaim with humility and joy Christ, who died and rose again; to be faithful to His Church and the Successor of Peter and to live everyday life in service to their country and their fellow citizens in a way that is consistent with the faith they profess. Making our own a few words of prayer to Our Lady of Sheshan, together with you I would like to invoke Mary : " Our Lady of Sheshan, sustain all those in China, who, amid their daily trials, continue to believe, to hope, to love. May they never be afraid to speak of Jesus to the world, and of the world to Jesus". Mary, Virgin most faithful, support Chinese Catholics, render their commitments, which are not easy, more and more precious in the eyes of the Lord, and nurture the affection and the participation of the Church in China in the journey of the Universal Church”. In May 2008 Pope-emeritus, Benedict XVI, composed a special prayer for the Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians (May 24), venerated at the shrine of Sheshan, near Shanghai. He also designated May 24 as the yearly World Day of Prayer for China and asked that we recite this prayer. Below we publish the full text of the prayer to Our Lady of Sheshan V irgin Most Holy, Mother of the Incarnate Word and our Mother, venerated in the Shrine of Sheshan under the title "Help of Christians", the entire Church in China looks to you with devout affection. We come before you today to implore your protection. Look upon the People of God and, with a mother’s care, guide them along the paths of truth and love, so that they may always be a leaven of harmonious coexistence among all citizens. When you obediently said "yes" in the house of Nazareth, you allowed God’s eternal Son to take flesh in your virginal womb and thus to begin in history the work of our redemption. You willingly and generously cooperated in that work, allowing the sword of pain to pierce your soul, until the supreme hour of the Cross, when you kept watch on Calvary, standing beside your Son, who died that we might live. From that moment, you became, in a new way, the Mother of all those who receive your Son Jesus in faith and choose to follow in his footsteps by taking up his Cross. Mother of hope, in the darkness of Holy Saturday you journeyed with unfailing trust towards the dawn of Easter. Grant that your children may discern at all times, even those that are darkest, the signs of God’s loving presence. Our Lady of Sheshan, sustain all those in China, who, amid their daily trials, continue to believe, to hope, to love. May they never be afraid to speak of Jesus to the world, and of the world to Jesus. In the statue overlooking the Shrine you lift your Son on high, offering him to the world with open arms in a gesture of love. Help Catholics always to be credible witnesses to this love, ever clinging to the rock of Peter on which the Church is built. Mother of China and all Asia, pray for us, now and for ever. Amen! ...

(Vatican Radio) The Holy See Press Office on Wednesday hosted the launch of the Annual Report of the Financial Information Authority for 2012. The Director of the AIF,Rene Brülhart, highlighted the cooperation of various Vatican offices in tackling any potential abuse of the financial system. Communique on the Annual Report of the Financial Information Authority, 2012 The Autorità di Informazione Finanziara (AIF) of the Holy See and the Vatican City State has published and presented its first ever Annual Report to the public. The report reviews the activities and statistics of AIF for full year 2012. Over the course of the year, AIF reported the submission of 6 Suspicious Transaction Reports, up from only one in the previous year. AIF itself forwarded two Suspicious Transaction Reports to the Vatican Promoter of Justice for further investigation. "The statistics and trends from 2012 are encouraging and indicates that the system is consistently improving" said Rene Brülhart, Director of AIF. In 2012, AIF has also initiated the systematic screening and analysis of Cash Transaction Reports submitted by the obliged entities. “In our efforts to tackle actively any potential abuse of the financial system, we initiated a close and constructive interaction with the Secretariat of State, the Gendarmeria, the Promoter of Justice and the institutions under our oversight in order to improve awareness and safety and ensure a coordinated internal cooperation in AML/CFT matters”, said Director Brülhart. A further important element of the report is the progress made in international cooperation that builds on the clear commitment of the Holy See to be a credible partner in the international fight against money laundering. 2012 saw the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with relevant authorities in Belgium and Spain. “It will continue to be our policy in 2013 to further strengthening international cooperation by signing several more Memorandum of Understanding with our partners in other relevant countries and jurisdictions” said Rene Brülhart. The outlook for 2013 foresees a further strengthening of the AML/CFT system including the implementation of Moneyval Recommendations through appropriate new or amended legislation and a continuation of the awareness enhancing process across all relevant authorities and institutions. AIF is the competent authority of the Holy See and the Vatican City State for financial intelligence and for supervision and regulation in the prevention and countering of money laundering and financing of terrorism. AIF was established in 2010 and became operational in April of 2011. ...

(Vatican Radio) The King Abdullah International Center for Inter-religious and Inter-cultural Dialogue, KAICIID, of which the Holy See is a Founding Observer, is conducting a three-year series of conferences aimed at combatting harmful stereotypes and removing common misconceptions about various world religions. Under the title "The Image of The Other", the signature programme is analysing perceptions of the Other in education, media and the internet. Below, please find the official statment announcing the conference series. **************************************** KAICIID - The Image of The Other 20.11.2012 "The overall aim of this project series is to help replace subjective interreligious or intercultural misperceptions and stereotyping with more objective, appropriate and respectful ways of thinking about and depicting followers of other religions and cultures." In 2013, KAICIID will launch a series of Conferences that will highlight interreligious projects with themes ranging from Education to the Media to the Internet, under the title “The Image of The Other”. Aim The overall aim of this project series is to help replace subjective interreligious or intercultural misperceptions and stereotyping with more objective, appropriate and respectful ways of thinking about and depicting followers of other religions and cultures i.e. “the Other”. Conference Series The public, visible face of the initiative will comprise three International Conferences over three years, each dedicated to a special theme. The background to each conference will comprise research at grassroots level, coordination among stakeholders, engagement of organisations already working in the field and strategic follow-through to implementation. Selected Conference Themes: 2013: Education – “Towards a more Enriching Interreligious Education” 2014: Media – “Targeting Conscious and Unconscious Stereotyping by the Media” 2015: Internet – “Strengthening Critical Attitudes towards Intolerance and Biases on the Internet” 2013: First Conference, in Vienna “Towards a more Enriching Interreligious Education” will seek input from practitioners, from experts and from other stakeholders to enable KAICIID to develop a framework for global best practice interreligious education for both students and teachers; this forum will also seek to assist others already engaged in this field to implement their projects. Conference Goals Enable children and young adults to recognize bias become aware of the heterogeneity of the followers of religions be able to autonomously access credible information sources about the Other overcome reactions of fear and self-affirmation when meeting different beliefs become self-confident but empathic to learn from interreligious experiences embrace values of dialogue, of mutual respect and understanding in dealing with others Conference Modules Our image of Self and our image of the Other; Empathy Analysing and Improving Textbooks Education for Foreign Communities, Refugees and Immigrants Teaching Critical Attitudes towards Internet and Media sources Individualising and Humanising the Presentation of Religion Implementation Once suitable and locally-adaptable educational tools have been developed, KAICIID will, in its role as a hub, connect with particular governments, educational institutions and interfaith initiatives to agree implementation steps....

(Vatican Radio) “Doing good” is a principle that unites all humanity, beyond the diversity of ideologies and religions, and creates the “culture of encounter” that is the foundation of peace: this is what Pope said at Mass this morning at the Domus Santae Martae, in the presence of employees of the Governorate of Vatican City. Cardinal Bechara Boutros Rai, Patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites, concelebrated at the Mass. Wednesday’s Gospel speaks to us about the disciples who prevented a person from outside their group from doing good. “They complain,” the Pope said in his homily, because they say, “If he is not one of us, he cannot do good. If he is not of our party, he cannot do good.” And Jesus corrects them: “Do not hinder him, he says, let him do good.” The disciples, Pope Francis explains, “were a little intolerant,” closed off by the idea of ​​possessing the truth, convinced that “those who do not have the truth, cannot do good.” “This was wrong . . . Jesus broadens the horizon.” Pope Francis said, “The root of this possibility of doing good – that we all have – is in creation”: "The Lord created us in His image and likeness, and we are the image of the Lord, and He does good and all of us have this commandment at heart: do good and do not do evil. All of us . ‘But, Father, this is not Catholic! He cannot do good.’ Yes, he can. He must . Not can: must! Because he has this commandment within him. Instead, this ‘closing off’ that imagines that those outside, everyone, cannot do good is a wall that leads to war and also to what some people throughout history have conceived of: killing in the name of God. That we can kill in the name of God. And that, simply, is blasphemy. To say that you can kill in the name of God is blasphemy.” “Instead,” the Pope continued, “the Lord has created us in His image and likeness, and has given us this commandment in the depths of our heart: do good and do not do evil”: "The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics . Everyone! ‘Father, the atheists?’ Even the atheists . Everyone! And this Blood makes us children of God of the first class! We are created children in the likeness of God and the Blood of Christ has redeemed us all! And we all have a duty to do good. And this commandment for everyone to do good, I think, is a beautiful path towards peace. If we, each doing our own part, if we do good to others, if we meet there, doing good, and we go slowly, gently, little by little, we will make that culture of encounter: we need that so much. We must meet one another doing good. ‘But I don’t believe, Father, I am an atheist!’ But do good: we will meet one another there.” “Doing good” the Pope explained, is not a matter of faith: “It is a duty, it is an identity card that our Father has given to all of us, because He has made us in His image and likeness. And He does good, always.” This was the final prayer of Pope Francis: "Today is [the feast of] Santa Rita, Patron Saint of impossible things – but this seems impossible: let us ask of her this grace, this grace that all, all, all people would do good and that we would encounter one another in this work, which is a work of creation, like the creation of the Father. A work of the family, because we are all children of God, all of us, all of us! And God loves us, all of us! May Santa Rita grant us this grace, which seems almost impossible. Amen.”...

Vatican City, 22 May 2013 (VIS) – This afternoon in the Press Office of the Holy See, Rene Brulhart, director of the Vatican Financial Information Authority (L’Autorità di Informazione Finanziara, AIF), presented the AIF's first annual report, which examines their activities and statistics from 2012. The AIF is the competent authority of the Holy See and the Vatican City State for financial intelligence and for supervision and regulation in the prevention and countering of money laundering and financing of terrorism. It was established in 2010 and became operational in April of 2011.   “ Over the course of the year,” reads a press release accompanying the conference, “AIF reported the submission of six Suspicious Transaction Reports, up from only one in the previous year. AIF itself forwarded two Suspicious Transaction Reports to the Vatican Promoter of Justice for further investigation.”   "The statistics and trends from 2012 are encouraging and indicates that the system is consistently improving," said Dr. Brulhart. In 2012, AIF also initiated the systematic screening and analysis of Cash Transaction Reports submitted by the obliged entities.   “ In our efforts to actively tackle any potential abuse of the financial system,” continued Director Brulhart, “we initiated a close and constructive interaction with the Secretariat of State, the Gendarmeria, the Promoter of Justice and the institutions under our oversight in order to improve awareness and safety and ensure a coordinated internal cooperation in AML/CFT matters.”   A further important element of the report is the progress made in international cooperation that builds on the clear commitment of the Holy See to be a credible partner in the international fight against money laundering. 2012 saw the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with relevant authorities in Belgium and Spain. Dr. Brulhart stated that “it will continue to be our policy in 2013 to further strengthening international cooperation by signing several more Memorandum of Understanding with our partners in other relevant countries and jurisdictions.”   The outlook for 2013 foresees a further strengthening of the AML/CFT system including the implementation of Moneyval Recommendations through appropriate new or amended legislation and a continuation of the awareness enhancing process across all relevant authorities and institutions.   The full-year report is available at: http://attualita.vatican.va/sala-stampa/bollettino/2013/05/22/news/31044.html....

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis visited the "Gift of Mary" soup kitchen and women’s shelter run by the Missionaries of Charity on Tuesday evening, to mark the 25 th anniversary of the facility's opening in the Vatican. In remarks to staff and guests, the Holy Father praised the work of the sisters, noting the many mouths they have fed, and the wounds both spiritual and bodily, that they have helped to heal. “In these years,” said Pope Francis, “like the good Samaritan, you have so many times bent low to [serve] those in need." Listen : The facility is inside the walls of Vatican city, situated in the vicinity of the building that houses the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The house feeds roughly 60 people every day, and offers accommodation to 25 women. Pope Francis said the shelter should be “a strong reminder” to the Christian community, to the whole city and citizenry of Rome, “to be ever more a family, a ‘home’ that is ready to welcome, to attend, to foster brotherhood.” The importance of freely giving of self and substance was another theme of the Holy Father’s remarks to staff and guests. “We all,” he said, “must recover the sense of gift, of free and generous giving [it. gratuità], of solidarity....

(Vatican Radio) Below a Vatican Radio translation of Pope Francis’ General Audience catechesis, Wednesday, May 22, 2013. [Original text Italian]: Dear brothers and sisters, good day! in the Creed, after having professed faith in the Holy Spirit, we say: "We believe in One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church." There is a deep connection between these two realities of faith: the Holy Spirit gives life to the Church, guides Her steps. Without the presence and the incessant action of the Holy Spirit, the Church could not live and could not accomplish the task that the Risen Jesus has entrusted her; to go and make disciples of all nations (cf. Mt 28:18). Evangelization is the mission of the Church, not just of a few, but my, your, our mission. The Apostle Paul exclaimed: "Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel" (1 Cor 9:16). Everyone must be evangelizers, especially through with their life! Paul VI pointed out that "... evangelizing is in fact the grace and vocation proper to the Church, her deepest identity. She exists in order to evangelize,"(Apostolic Exhortation. Evangelii Nuntiandi , 14). Who is the real engine of evangelization in our lives and in the Church? Paul VI wrote with clarity: "It is the Holy Spirit who, today just as at the beginning of the Church, acts in every evangelizer who allows himself to be possessed and led by Him. The Holy Spirit places on his lips the words which he could not find by himself, and at the same time the Holy Spirit predisposes the soul of the hearer to be open and receptive to the Good News and to the kingdom being proclaimed."(ibid., 75). To evangelize, then, we must be open to the action of the Spirit of God, without fear of what He asks us or where He leads us. Let us entrust ourselves to Him! He enables us to live and bear witness to our faith, and enlighten the hearts of those we meet. This was the Pentecost experience of the Apostles gathered with Mary in the Upper Room, " Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim"(Acts 2:3-4). The Holy Spirit descending upon the Apostles, compels them to leave the room in which they had locked themselves in fear, makes them come out of themselves, and turns them into heralds and witnesses of the "mighty works of God" (v. 11). And this transformation wrought by the Holy Spirit is reflected in the crowd that rushed to the scene and which came "from every nation under heaven" (v. 5), so that everyone hears the words of the Apostles as if they were spoken in their own language (v. 6 ). Here is a first important effect of the Holy Spirit that guides and inspires the proclamation of the Gospel: unity, communion. At Babel, according to the Bible, the dispersion of peoples and the confusion of tongues began, the result of man’s act of arrogance and pride in wanting to build on his own strength, and without God, "a city and a tower whose top may reach unto heaven "(Gen 11:4). At Pentecost, these divisions are overcome. There is no longer more pride toward God, nor closure towards one another, but there is openness to God, to going out to announce His Word: a new language, that of love that the Holy Spirit pours into our hearts (cf. Rom 5:5), a language that everyone can understand and which, when welcomed, can be expressed in every life and in every culture. The language of the Spirit, the language of the Gospel is the language of communion, which invites us to overcome closure and indifference, division and conflict. We should all ask ourselves: how do I let myself be guided by the Holy Spirit so that my witness of faith is one of unity and communion? Do I bring the message of reconciliation and love that is the Gospel to the places where I live? Sometimes it seems that what happened at Babel is repeated today; divisions, the inability to understand each other, rivalry, envy, selfishness. What do I do with my life? Do I bring unity? Or do I divide with gossip and envy? Let us ask ourselves this. Bringing the Gospel means we in the first place must live reconciliation, forgiveness, peace, unity, love that the Holy Spirit gives us. Let us remember the words of Jesus: "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:34-35). A second element: on the day of Pentecost, Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, stands up "with the eleven" and "raided his voice" (Acts 2:14); "proclaimed" (v. 29) the good news of Jesus, who gave His life for our salvation and who God raised from the dead. Here is another effect of the Holy Spirit: Courage! the courage to proclaim the newness of the Gospel of Jesus to all, with self-confidence (parrhesia), in a loud voice, in every time and in every place. And this happens even today for the Church and for each of us: from the fire of Pentecost, from the action of the Holy Spirit, ever new missionary energies are released, new ways in which to proclaim the message of salvation, new courage to evangelize. Never be closed to this action! May we live the Gospel with humility and courage! May we witness the novelty, the hope, the joy that the Lord brings to life. Let us feel within us "the delightful and comforting joy of evangelizing" (Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation. Ap. Evangelii nuntiandi , 80) Because evangelizing, announcing Jesus, evangelizing brings us joy! It energizes us. Being closed up within ourselves brings bitterness. Proclaiming the joy and hope that the Lord brings to world lifts us up! I will only mention a third element, but it is particularly important: a new evangelization, a Church that evangelizes must always start from prayer, from asking, like the Apostles in the Upper Room, for the fire of the Holy Spirit. Only a faithful and intense relationship with God allows us to leave our enclosures and announce the Gospel with parrhesia. Without prayer our actions become empty and our proclamation soulless, it is not animated by the Spirit. Dear friends, as said Benedict XVI, the Church today " especially feels the wind of the Holy Spirit that helps us, shows us the right path, and so, with new enthusiasm, we are on our journey and we thank the Lord" (Address to Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, October 27, 2012). Let us renew our trust in the Holy Spirit every day. The trust that He enacts in us, He is in us, He gives us courage, confidence and peace! Let us be guided by Him, men and women of prayer, witnessing the Gospel with courage, becoming instruments in our world of God’s unity and communion. Thank you. English summary: Dear Brothers and Sisters: In our catechesis on the Creed, we now pass from the article on the Holy Spirit to that on the Church, “one, holy, catholic and apostolic”. The Holy Spirit and the Church are in fact inseparable. The Spirit enlivens and guides the Church, and each of us within the Church, to carry out Christ’s mandate to make disciples of all peoples. He opens minds and hearts to the beauty and truth of the Gospel. The Spirit overcomes selfishness and division, creating unity, communion, reconciliation and love. The Spirit also instils the strength needed to bear courageous witness to the Risen Christ; he is the spirit of mission and evangelization. The fire of the Holy Spirit was sent down upon the Apostles at Pentecost in answer to their fervent prayer; ardent prayer in the Spirit must always be the soul of new evangelization and the heart of our lives as Christians. Let us renew each day our trust in the working of the Holy Spirit, open our hearts to his inspiration and gifts, and strive to be signs of unity and communion with God in the midst of our human family. Greetings in English: I invite all of you to pray with me for the victims, especially the children, of the disaster in Oklahoma. May the Lord himself console everyone, in particular parents who have lost a child in such a tragic way. I offer a cordial welcome to all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present at today’s Audience, including those from England, Ireland, India, Canada and the United States. My special greeting goes to the pilgrims from the Archdiocese of Hartford and the Alumni Association of the Catholic University of America. In these days when the Church celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, I invoke upon you and your families his gifts of wisdom and peace. God bless you all! ...

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has sent a telegram to Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City to express his deep concern for the victims, injured and homeless in the wake of a devastating tornado: The Holy Father has followed with deep concern the aftermath of the devastating tornado which has struck Oklahoma and he asks you convey to the entire community the assurance of his solidarity and closeness in prayer. Conscious of the tragic loss of life and the immensity of the work of rebuilding that lies ahead, he asks Almighty God to grant eternal rest to the departed, comfort to the afflicted, and strength and hope to the homeless and the injured. In a particular way he commends to the Father of mercies the many young children among the victims and their grieving families. Upon the local civil and religious leaders, and upon all involved in the relief efforts, His Holiness invokes the Risen Lord’s gifts of consolation, strength and perseverance in every good. Cardinal Tarcisio BertoneSecretary of State Archbishop Coakley spoke with Vatican Radio on Tuesday about how Catholics are helping in relief efforts in the aftermath of the tragedy: ...

(Vatican Radio) From May 19 through May 20, 2013, a series of devastating tornadoes ripped through central Oklahoma, culminating in a storm of EF-4 magnitude that struck Moore, Okla., May 20. These natural disasters wreaked havoc and left heartache and loss in their wake. As of 9:00 a.m. May 21, the death toll from the tornado in Moore stood at 24, revised downward from 51, and included seven children. Two people also died in Shawnee. The exact loss of human life remains unknown. The Most Reverend Paul S. Coakley, Archbishop of Oklahoma City, said the members of the archdiocese are appreciative of the outpouring of prayers and support they have already received from people around the world. The archbishop assures the victims of the tornadoes that he and the faithful in Oklahoma will walk with them not merely through the next few days, but through the weeks, months and years of rebuilding to come. “Our first concern is for the victims who have lost their lives or loved ones and suffered injury or loss of property,” Archbishop Coakley said. “We are moved by the efforts of the first responders who have put their own lives on hold to help in this time of need. We owe them a debt of gratitude and assure them of our prayers. As soon as possible, I will be on site in Moore to help support and offer comfort and consolation to anyone who might need or desire it. We draw hope in such times from Jesus’ invitation to the weary or troubled to come to Him and find rest. “Catholic Charities OKC and we as an archdiocese will work with many others to ensure a smooth and comprehensive response not only to the immediate needs of those affected by the violent storms, but also to their long-term needs as they rebuild their lives. We’re there for the long term and we’re usually the last ones to leave. “The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City has received a flood of inquiries and assurances of prayers from people across the country and around the world, including the Holy Father Pope Francis, the apostolic nuncio Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganó and Cardinal Timothy Dolan, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. We are deeply grateful. “We will continue to provide information as it becomes available to us and will continue to pray for all those whose lives have been touched by this catastrophe.” Catholic Charities of Oklahoma City is currently accepting donations at the following link: https://ccokc.ejoinme.org/?tabid=406485. ...

(Vatican Radio) How can the Church boost its pastoral assistance to the victims of forced migration, especially at a time when more and more people worldwide are being forced to flee their homes largely because of conflict or persecution? This is the main topic being discussed by the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People at its meeting in the Vatican this week. The Council’s Secretary is Bishop Joseph Kalathiparambil who spoke to Susy Hodges. Listen to the extended interview with Bishop Joseph Kalathiparambil: The Pastoral Solicitude of the Church in the context of Forced Migrations is the official theme of the Council’s Plenary Assembly which opens on Wednesday and Bishop Kalathiparambil explains how forced displacement of people is a “huge and growing” problem, especially as a result of the war in Syria, and says we must “try to help these poor victims.” Asked about the problem of growing intolerance towards refugees among the host population when the influx is so large, Bishop Kalathiparambil says unfortunately this is sometimes the case when “increasing numbers of refugees” flee to neighbouring countries: ,”Naturally,” he says, "there will be a kind of fear and anxiety” (in the host countries) as to how to “handle this problem.” The bishop says that in order to help “overcome this xenophobia, we have to conscientize the (local) people.” Bishop Kalathiparambil says although the Church is doing “its utmost” to reach out to the victims of forced migrations, one practical problem they face all the time is “lack of funds” and he told us how many visiting bishops from the local churches often mention this problem. ...

(Vatican Radio) For a Christian, true progress lies in humbling ourselves as Jesus did. This was the focus of Pope Francis’ homily at morning Mass in the Casa Santa Marta. The Pope also reiterated that true power is in service and that there is no room for power struggles within the Church. During the prayers of the faithful Pope Francis also prayed for the victims of the Oklahoma tornado tragedy. Emer McCarthy reports: In the readings of the day, the source of the Holy Father’s reflections, Jesus speaks of his passion. However his disciples, begin arguing about who is the greatest among them. Commenting on this ‘bitter episode’ the Pope noted: "The struggle for power in the Church nothing new", in fact "it began then with Jesus”. The Pope said: "In the Gospel of Jesus, the struggle for power in the Church must not exist" because true power, that which the Lord "by his example has taught us," is "the power of service". "Real power is service. As He did, He who came not to be served but to serve, and His service was the service of the Cross. He humbled Himself unto death, even death on a cross for us, to serve us, to save us. And there is no other way in the Church to move forward. For the Christian, getting ahead, progress, means humbling oneself. If we do not learn this Christian rule, we will never, ever be able to understand Jesus’ true message on power. " The Pope said that progress "means humbling ourselves", it means "always being of service” to others. In the Church, he added, "the greatest is the one who serves most, the one who is at the service of others." "This is the rule." Yet, noted Pope Francis, from the beginning until now there have been "power struggles in the Church," even "in our manner of speech": "When a person is given a job, one that the eyes of the world is a superior role, they say: 'Ah, this woman has been promoted to president of that association, or this man was promoted ...'. This verb, to promote: yes, it is a nice verb and one we must use in the Church. Yes, He was promoted to the Cross, He was promoted to humiliation. That is true promotion [advancement], that which makes us seem more like Jesus! " The Pope then recalled that St. Ignatius of Loyola who, in his Spiritual Exercises, asked the Crucified Lord for "the grace of humiliation." This, he reiterated, is "the true power of the service of the Church." This is the true path of Jesus, true and not worldly advancement: "The path of the Lord is being in His service: as He carried out His service, we must follow Him, on the path of service. That is the real power in the Church. I would like today to pray for all of us, so that the Lord give us the grace to understand that: that real power in the Church is service. And also to understand the golden rule that He taught us by His example: for a Christian, progress, advancement, means being humble. We ask for this grace. " Staff from Vatican Radio and the Office of the Governatorate were present at Mass Tuesday morning. Also present were the director of Civiltà Cattolica, Father Antonio Spadaro S.J., and Maria Voce and Giancarlo Faletti, president and vice-president of the Focolare Movement. ...

(Vatican Radio) In the aftermath of the devastating tornado that struck Oklahoma on Monday, Pope Francis sent out a tweet expressing sympathy for the victims of the disaster. “I am close to the families of all who died in the Oklahoma tornado, especially those who lost young children. Join me in praying for them.” At least 51 people are now known to have died, including 20 children, when the massive tornado swept through the suburbs of Oklahoma City, USA. Officials, though, have said the death toll is expected to rise, as search and rescue operations continue throughout the night and into the morning. One elementary school was destroyed and another was damaged when the half-mile wide tornado touch down. The storm was on the ground for about 45 minutes, sparking fires and flattening homes. Worst hit was Moore, south of Oklahoma City, where whole neighbourhoods were levelled by winds of up to 200mph. It is the second day in a row the Midwestern state of Oklahoma has been slammed by twisters. About 120 people are being treated in hospitals. President Barack Obama has declared a major disaster in Oklahoma....

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis’ decision to place his hands on the head of a sick child and pray over him on Pentecost Sunday stirred speculation he might have performed an exorcism. The Director of the Press Office of the Holy See, Fr. Federico Lombardi, SJ, clarified on Tuesday that the Holy Father did not perform an exorcism on the occasion. "The Holy Father did not intend to perform any exorcism," said Fr Lombardi. "Rather," he explained, "as he frequently does with the sick and the suffering who come his way, he intended simply pray for a suffering person who had been brought before him." Exorcism is, in the strict sense, the “casting out” of evil spirits. The power to exorcise was conferred by Jesus on the apostles, and it is understood that this power passes to the bishops who are the successors to the apostles, and priests the co-workers. That said, the Church has had – for many hundreds of years, it ought to be added – a very precise ritual of exorcism: there are no evangelical-style tent revival theatrics, but careful, even methodical attention and faithful following of the prescribed prayers, gestures and use of sacramental such as holy water and the crucifix. Fr. Bernd Hagenkord, SJ, clarifies further: Listen : CRA : Who can perform exorcisms? BHSJ : Though every priest can perform exorcisms – in fact, there is an exorcism that is part of the Rite of Baptism, so priests perform exorcisms on a fairly regular basis – Church law requires that every diocese have at least one specially trained exorcist, who knows how to distinguish the signs of demonic possession from those of mental or physical illness. In fact, even today, when some voices claim that demonic possession is on the rise, exorcism remains very, very rare. The vast majority of cases investigated turn out to be cases of mental illness. CRA : So, there is a prescribed ritual: is exorcism a sacrament? BHSJ : No, exorcism is most definitely not a sacrament. CRA : What about the Pope’s gesture on Sunday? BHSJ : Well, I wasn’t there, but I can tell you that the “laying on of hands” is a practice of very ancient standing. It goes back to the Old Testament, where it could signify election as heir – think of Isaac blessing Jacob, or ordination – as when Moses ordained Joshua. In Christian tradition, it continues to be an act of blessing, and is part of the priestly and episcopal ordination rites. It has the sense of an act of healing, as well – spiritual healing, primarily, but also of healing in body (miracles have precedents). Again, however, it is something usually done by an ordained priest or bishop – and “quietly” if you will – without spectacle. The gesture itself is also one that parents might use, in blessing their children. -- Fr. Bernd Hagenkord, SJ, is head of Vatican Radio’s German section. He was speaking with Vatican Radio’s Chris Altieri....

(Vatican Radio) Ahead of reciting the Easter Marian hymn, Regina Caeli, for the last time this year on Pentecost Sunday, Pope Francis had a special message for the estimated 200 thousand men, women and children gathered before for him in St. Peter’s Square and stretching back right to the banks of the Tiber. He told them; “You are a gift and a treasure for the Church”. Emer McCarthy reports: The vast majority gathered to the Vatican Sunday morning were members of the New Movements and Ecclesial Communities – all formed by lay Catholics - that the Pope had convoked to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost together with him, as part of the Year of Faith. The Feast which falls 50 days after Easter, marks the end of the Easter season. It commemorates Christ’s sending the Holy Spirit down upon his Apostles in the Upper Room and the birth of the Church. Speaking from the raised altar in front of St Peter’s basilica, where he had celebrated Mass for the Feast, before imparting his final blessing Pope Francis said: “Dear brothers and sisters, this celebration of faith, which began yesterday with the Vigil and culminated in the Eucharist this morning is about to end. A new Pentecost has transformed St. Peter's Square into an open-air Upper Room. We have relived the experience of the early Church, who gathered in prayer with Mary, the Mother of Jesus (cf. Acts 1:14). We, too, in the variety of our charisms, have experienced the beauty of the unity, of being One. And this is the work of the Holy Spirit, who always creates unity anew in the Church. I would like to thank all the Movements, Associations, Communities and Ecclesial groups. You are a gift and a treasure for the Church! This is what you are! I particularly thank all of you who have come to Rome from many parts of the world. Always bring with you the power of the Gospel! Do not be afraid! Always have joy and passion for communion in the Church! May the Risen Lord be with you always and Our Lady protect you! Let us remember in prayer the people of Emilia Romagna, who on 20 May last year were affected by an earthquake. I also pray for the Italian Federation of Voluntary Associations in Oncology”. Pope Francis then stepped away from the altar, moving to the left of the basilica façade, where the icon of Our Lady, dearly beloved of the Roman faithful Salus populi romani, was enthroned. There he reached out and placed a hand upon the icon as the Regina Caeli rang out across the ocean of faithful marking the end of Easter time. As of Monday the Church enters Ordinary Time. But not without one last word from Pope Francis. Before once again touring through the throng in his open topped jeep, all the way down to Via della Conciliazione, the Pope bid everyone goodbye in his own way: “Brothers and sisters, thank you so much for your love for the Church! Have a good Sunday, a blessed feast day and a good lunch!...

(Vatican Radio) Courageous, humble and strong prayer can accomplish miracles: this was Pope Francis’ message at morning Mass in Casa Santa Marta. Emer McCarthy reports: The Pope was commenting on Monday’s Gospel passage which recounts the disciples failure to heal a child; Jesus himself must intervene and laments the disbelief of those present. Responding to the child’s father’s pleas for help He says “everything is possible to one who has faith ". Pope Francis noted that often those who love Jesus don't risk much on believing in him nor entrust themselves completely to Him: "But why this disbelief? I believe that it is [when] the heart will not open, when the heart is closed, when the heart wants to have everything under control". It is a heart, then, that "does not open" and does not "give control of things to Jesus" - said the Pope - and when the disciples ask him why they could not drive the spirit out of the boy, the Lord replies that the "this kind can only come out through prayer. " "All of us - he said – carry a little bit of a disbelief, within." Strong prayer is needed, humble and strong prayer that enables Jesus to carry out the miracle. Prayer to ask for a miracle, to ask for an extraordinary action - he continued – must be an involved prayer, a prayer that unites us all”. To further underline his point, the Holy Father told the story of a young child in Argentina who at only 7 years of age fell ill and was given only a few hours to live by doctors. Her father, an electrician, a "man of faith," started “acting like madmen - said the Pope - and in that state of madness “took a bus to the Marian Shrine of Lujan, 70 km away”. "He finally arrived after 9 pm, when everything was closed. And he began to pray to Our Lady, with his hands gripping the iron fence. And he prayed, and prayed, and wept, and prayed ... and that’s the way he remained all night long. But this man was struggling: he was struggling with God, he struggled with God Himself to heal his daughter. Then, at 6 in the morning, he went to the bus station, took the bus and arrived home, in the hospital at 9 am, more or less. And he found his wife weeping. And he thought the worst. “What’s happened? I do not understand, I do not understand! What has happened? '. 'Well, the doctors came and they told me that the fever is gone, she is breathing well, that there is nothing! They will leave her for two days more, but I do not understand what happened! This still happens, eh? Miracles do happen”. But we need to pray with our hearts concluded the Pope: "A courageous prayer, that struggles to achieve a miracle, not prayers of courtesy, 'Ah, I will pray for you,' I say an Our Father, a Hail Mary and then I forget. No: a courageous prayer, like that of Abraham, who struggled with the Lord to save the city, like that of Moses who held his hands high and tired himself out, praying to the Lord, like that of many people, so many people who have faith and pray with faith. Prayer works wonders, but we have to believe! I think we can make a beautiful prayer ... and tell Him today, all day long, 'Lord, I believe, help my unbelief' ... and when people ask ask us to pray for the many people who suffer in wars, all refugees, all of these dramas that exist right now, pray, but with your heart to the Lord: 'Do it!', but tell Him: 'Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief 'that is also in my prayers. Let us do this today. "...

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis puts his certainty of faith down to his grandmother, from whom he first heard the Christian proclamation; to a life changing encounter with Christ at age 17, through a unknown priest who heard his Confession; to his daily praying of the Rosary to his ‘Mother’, Our Lady and to allowing himself to be held in God’s gaze even when he nods off after a tiring day, while in prayer before the Tabernacle. Emer McCarthy reports Listen : These are just some of the personal insights that Pope Francis shared with over 200 thousand people who stretched from St Peter’s Basilica down to the banks of the Tiber and millions more who joined him last night via TV and radio to celebrate a Prayer Vigil for the Feast of Pentecost with New Movements. He also told them "today mankind is in crisis, this is why the current crisis is a profound one". Where the death of a homless man or a starving child does not make news headlines but a drop in the stock market is treated like a national tragedy. This - he said - is also why we must not isolate ourselves “in the parish, among friends, in our movement, with those who think like us ...". "The Church must go out to the outskirst of existence itself." Convoked by the Pope as part of the great events for the Year of Faith, the Movements – over 150 in total – filled the square bring half of Rome to a standstill from early afternoon. They heard testimonies from members of the various realities from Renewal in the Spirit to the Foccolari Movement, St Egidio Community, Communion and Liberation and the Neocatecheumenal Way but to name a few. At 17: 30 the Pope entered the square on his jeep and for a full 30 minutes toured through the throng arriving half-way down the Via della Conciliazione to greet as many people as possible. Greeting the Pope, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization, said that the impetus for this oceanic gathering "is to find the most appropriate and consistent way to live and witness to the Gospel in today's world." After two readings taken from St Paul’s Letter to the Romans and the treatise of St. Irenaeus, there were two testimonies. John Waters, an Irish journalist, spoke of his leaving the faith, in search of a freedom that "makes us feel all-powerful and deeply powerless," typical man of today who "seeks to dominate everything and that's why he feels isolated and alone" . He then recalled being brought to “ his knees" by alcoholism, from which he was saved thanks to some friends who helped him rediscover the faith of his childhood. Now, he concluded "I am not only John, but one with the One who created me and I could not be free in any other way." The second testimony was that of Paul Bhatti, former minister for minorities in Pakistan, who thanked Pope Francis for being able to "share the pain and hopes of the Christians of Pakistan." He recalled the mission of his brother Shahbaz, who was killed by Islamic extremists March 2, 2011, his commitment to the poor, the marginalized, the weak who "are the body of the persecuted Christ." At the same time, his brother never stopped dreaming of "a Pakistan free and open to all communities and minorities", in dialogue with Muslims, who "bear witness to the love of Jesus." Four representatives from the Movements then addressed their questions to Pope Francis. Pope, who had previously read the questions, gave an unscripted response, apologizing at the end that he was "too long". The dialogue lasted for at least 40 minutes: Pope Francis began by wishing everyone his signatory “Good evening”. He said “I am very happy to meet you and that we are all coming together in this square, to pray, to be united and to wait for the gift of the Spirit. I knew your questions beforehand so I thought about them - this is not without some thought! First, the truth! I have them written here. But that first one, "how were you able to achieve certainty of faith in your life, and what the path can you indicate to us so that each one of us can overcome our fragility of faith?" Is a historical question, because it is about my history, my life , no? I have had the good fortune to grow up in a family where the faith was lived in a simple and concrete manner, but it was especially my grandmother, my father's mother, who marked my journey of faith. She was a woman who explained everything to us, who spoke to us of Jesus, who taught us the Catechism ... I always remember that on Good Friday in the evening, she would take us to the Candle-light Procession, and at the end of this Procession, we would arrive before the recumbent Christ, and my grandmother made us - us kids - kneel down and she would say: "Look, He is dead, but tomorrow he will Rise up!." I received my first Christian proclamation right from this woman, from my grandmother, right? That is something beautiful! The first proclamation is in the home, within the family, right? And this makes me think of the love of many mothers and so many grandmothers in the transmission of the faith. They are the ones that transmit the faith. Even in the early days, because St. Paul said to Timothy: "I remember the faith of your mother and your grandmother." To all the mothers who are here, to all grandmothers, [I ask you to ] think about this! Transmitting the faith. Because God puts people alongside us who help our journey of faith. We do not find our faith 'in the abstract, no: it is always a person who preaches it to us, who tells us who Jesus is, who gives us the faith, who gives us the first announcement. And so it was in my first experience of faith. But…there is a very important day for me: September 21, 1953. I was almost 17 It was the "Day of the Student," for us the start of Spring – for you the start of Autumn. Before going to the festival, I went to my parish. And there I found a priest I did not know, but I felt the need to confess. And this was for me an experience of encounter: I found that someone was waiting for me. I do not know what happened, I do not remember, I do not know if it was that priest who was there, whom I did not know, why I felt this urge to confess, but the truth is that someone was waiting for me. Someone was waiting for me for a long time. And after the confession I felt that something had changed. I was not the same. I felt a voice call me: I was convinced that I had to become a priest. And this experience of faith is important. We say that we must seek God, go to Him to ask for forgiveness ... but when we go, He is waiting for us, He is the first one there! We, in Spanish, we have a word that explains this well: "The Lord always there primerea" is first, is waiting for you! And it is a really great grace to find Someone who is waiting for you. You go to Him a sinner, but He is already waiting to forgive you. That experience that the Prophets of Israel said that the Lord is like the flower of almond trees, the first flowers of Spring. Before any other flowers appear, there He is: He who waits. The Lord is waiting for us. And when we seek Him out, we find this reality: that He is waiting to welcome us, to give us His love. And this creates wonder in the heart of those who do not believe, and this is how faith grows! With an encounter with a Person, with an encounter with the Lord. Some will say, "No, I prefer to study faith in books!" Ah, yes it is important to study. But look, that alone is not enough! The important thing is our encounter with Jesus, our encounter with Him, and that gives us faith, because it is He who gives us Faith! While you were talking about the fragility of faith: how do we overcome it. Fragility’s biggest enemy curiously enough, is fear. But do not be afraid! We are weak, we know it but He is stronger! If you are with Him, then there is no problem! A child is fragile: I have seen many today. But they are with their father, their mother: so they are safe! We too are safe with the Lord, we are secure. Faith grows with the Lord, out of the very hands of the Lord. And that makes us grow and makes us stronger. But if we think that we can make it on our own, ah, think of Peter, what happened to him, "Lord, I will never disown you," and then the cock crowed three times and he had, no? We think, when we have too much faith in our own abilities, we are more fragile, more fragile. Always with the Lord, speaking with the Lord, with Him in the Eucharist, in the Bible, in prayer ... Even as a family, with our Mother, even with her because she is the one that leads us to the Lord, the mother who knows everything the Lord. So let us pray to Our Lady and ask her as our Mother to make us strong. That is what I think about the fragility: at least, in my experience. The one thing that makes me stronger every day is to pray the Rosary to Our Lady. I feel great strength because I go to her and I feel strong”. Moving on to the second question, the Pope discussed the challenge of Evangelization for the Movements, of how to effectively communicate the faith in today’s world". Pope Francis said “I will say three words only. First: Jesus. What is the most important thing? Jesus . If we push ahead with planning and organization, beautiful things indeed, but without Jesus, then we are on the wrong road. Jesus is the most important thing. I would like to take the opportunity now to make a small, but fraternal, reproach, among ourselves, alright? All of you in the square shouted out: "Francis, Francis, Pope Francis " ... But, where was Jesus? I want to hear you shout out. "Jesus, Jesus is Lord, and He is in our midst." From now on , no more "Francis", only "Jesus". Alright? The second word is prayer. Look at the face of God, but above all - and this is related to what I said before – know that you are being looked at in turn. The Lord looks at us: He looks at us first. And this is my experience , this is what I experience in front of the Tabernacle when I go to pray in the evening, before the Lord. Sometimes I nod off a little bit, No?, It’s true, because the strains of the day’s work makes you fall asleep. But He understands me. I feel so much comfort when I think that He is looking at me. We think that we have to pray, talk, talk, talk ... No! Just let the Lord gaze at you. When He looks at us, He empowers us and helps us to witness to Him. Because the question was on the testimony of faith, right? Prayer ... first, "Jesus", then "prayer" and feeling that God is holding me by the hand. And the importance of this is to allow ourselves be guided by Him. And that's more important than any planning or calculations. We are true evangelizers when we let ourselves be guided by Him. Think of Peter ... maybe he was taking a siesta after lunch and had the vision, the vision of the tablecloth with all the animals and that Jesus was saying something but he did not understand. Then, some non-Jews came to call him to go into a house, and he saw how the Holy Spirit was there. Peter was guided by Jesus in that first evangelization of the Gentiles, who were not Jews, something unimaginable at that time. And so it has been, throughout history, throughout history. Be guided by Jesus. This is our leader: Jesus is our leader. And third, "witness." We have Jesus, then prayer - prayer, letting oneself be guided by Him - and then witness. But I would like to add something. This allowing ourselves to be guided by Jesus opens us us to being surprised by Jesus. When people think of evangelization, they think of projects, strategies, making plans? But ... they are only tools, small tools. The important thing is that Jesus, and being guided by Him, and then come the strategies. But that is secondary. Witness, the communication of faith ... but the faith can only be communicated through witness and that is through love. Not with our ideas, but by living the Gospel in our own lives, which the Holy Spirit breathes within us. It’s like a synergy between us and the Holy Spirit, and this is witness. The Church is brought forward by the Saints, who are the ones who really give this witness. And like Pope John Paul II and Benedict XVI said, the world today has so much need of witnesses. Not so much of teachers, but of witnesses. Less talk, speak through the way you live: the unity of your life, the consistency of your life! Consistency of life means living Christianity like an encounter with Jesus that leads me towards the other and not as a social fact, but ... is this how we are socially? Are we Christians? Closed in on ourselves? No, not that. Witness”. The third question regarded how we can live as a poor Church, for the poor. How does the suffering of others question our faith? How can we all, as Movements, Lay Associations, offer a concrete and effective contribution to the Church and society to address this crisis that touches the public ethics "- this is important! - The "model of development, politics, in short, a new way of being men and women?. Pope Francis responded “I will pick up again from the subject of witness. First of all, the main contribution we can make is to live the Gospel . The Church is not a political movement, or a well-organized structure: it is not that. We are not an NGO, and when the Church becomes an NGO it loses its salt, it has no taste, it's just an empty organization. And this - be clever! Because the devil deceives us, because there is the danger of hyper - efficiency. One thing is to preach Jesus, effectiveness, being efficient is another thing: no, that's another value. The value of the Church, basically, is to live the Gospel and give witness to our faith. To be the 'salt of the earth, light of the world’, is called to make present in society the yeast of the Kingdom of God and do it first with our witness, our witness of fraternal love, solidarity, sharing. When you hear some say that solidarity is not a value, it is a primary attitude that needs to be done away with... there’s something wrong! Today people are only concerned with worldly efficacy. The moments of crisis, such as the one we are experiencing – as you mentioned before, "we are in a world of lies", no? Lies, it is a crisis - this time of crisis, but ... let's be careful, ok? It is not only an economic crisis, it is a cultural crisis. It is a human crisis: what is in crisis is mankind! And what can be destroyed, is mankind! Mankind, the image of God! For this is a deep crisis. In this time of crisis we cannot worry only about ourselves, close in on ourselves in loneliness, discouragement, in a sense of helplessness before our problems. Please do not close in on yourselves! That is a danger. But ... we lock ourselves up inside our parish, among our friends, in our movement, with people who think the same as we do ... But, what is happening? When the Church becomes closed in on itself, it gets sick. Think of a closed room, a room locked for a year, when you go, there is a smell of damp, all these things here, that's not right. A Church that is closed in on itself is just the same, it is a sick Church. “The Church must go out from herself. Where? Towards the existential outskirts”, even if that means risking accidents along the way, in the outward journey. To those who worry about what can happen to the Pope responds : “I prefer a thousand times a Church damaged by an accident, than a sick Church closed in on itself”. Faith- he added - is an encounter with Jesus, and we must do the same, help others to encounter Jesus. Pope Francis continued “we live in a culture of confrontation, no?, A culture of fragmentation, a culture of what we don’t really need. A culture of the disposable. But,– this is part of the crisis - just think about the elderly, who have the wisdom of a people; think of the children who are ... The culture of waste. But, we have to bring about encounter, we have to make our faith a culture of encounter and of friendship, a culture where we find brothers and sisters, we can talk even with those who do not think like us, even with those with which have a different faith, who do not have the same faith as our own. But everyone has something in common with us: they are made in the image of God! They are children of God!. Being open to an encounter with everyone, without negotiating the faith we belong to. And this is important: with the poor. If we step outside ourselves, we find poverty. Today, and it breaks my heart to say it, finding a homeless person who has died of cold, is not news. Today, the news is scandals, that is news, but the many children who don't have food - that's not news. This is grave. We can't rest easy while things are this way! But ... this is the way things are. We cannot become starched Christians, too polite, who speak of theology calmly over tea. We have to become courageous Christians and seek out those who are the flesh of Christ, those who are the flesh of Christ”. Pope Francis spoke of when he would hear Confessions, he would always ask: “Do you give alms to the beggers on the Street?” “Yes, father”. "Ah, good, good". And I was add: "Tell me, when you give alms, do you look into the eyes of the person you are giving alms to?" - "Ah, I don’t know, I haven’t noticed." My next question: "And when you give alms, do you touch the hand of the one to whom you give alms, or throw the coin and [wipe your hands]?" That's the problem: the flesh of Christ, touching the flesh of Christ, to take upon ourselves this pain for the poor. Poverty, for us Christians, is not a philosophical or cultural or sociological category: no, it is a theological category. I would say, perhaps the first category, because God, the Son of God, humbled himself, became poor to walk along the road with us”. The Holy Father continued: “Being a poor Church for the poor begins by embracing the flesh of Christ. If we embrace to the flesh of Christ, we begin to understand something about what poverty is, the poverty of the Lord. And that's not easy. But there is a problem which is not good for Christians: the spirit of the world, the worldly spirit. Spiritual worldliness. This leads us to a certain sufficiency, to live according to the spirit of the world and not that of Jesus”. Pope Francis said that in order to address the current crisis that touches public ethics, the development model, politics we must first understand that it is a “human crisis, it destroys the man, it has stripped man of ethics. And in public life, in politics, if there is no ethics, an ethics of reference that makes us transcendent, everything, everything is possible and we can do anything we want. And we see this when we read the newspapers, how this lack of ethics in public life greatly wounds all of humanity. I would like to tell you a story. I have told this twice this week, but I'll tell it a third to you. It’s the story about a biblical midrash, a rabbi of the twelfth century. He tells the story of the building of the Tower of Babel, and he says that to build the Tower of Babel bricks had to be made. This meant making the mud, bringing the straw, mixing them ... then, in the oven, and when the brick was made it had to be hoisted up, to build the Tower of Babel. Every brick was a treasure, for all the work it took to make. When a brick fell, it was a national tragedy, and that worker guilty of breaking it was punished. But if a worker fell, nothing happened: it was something else. This still happens today: if investments in banks, drop a little , it’s a tragedy! But if people are starving, if they have nothing to eat, if they are not healthy, it does not matter! This is our crisis today! And the witness of a poor Church for the poor goes against this mentality. Pope Francis then turned to the fourth question about how we can help and support our brothers and sisters who still today are persecuted for their faith. He said: “Two virtues are needed to proclaim the Gospel: courage and patience. They are in the Church of patience. They suffer and there are more martyrs today than in the early centuries of the Church. More martyrs. Our brothers and sisters. They suffer. They carry the faith until martyrdom. But martyrdom is never a defeat: martyrdom is the highest rank of witness that we have to give. We are all on the way to martyrdom. [We are ] small martyrs: we give up this, do that ... they, poor things, give up their life, but they give it up - as we heard in the situation in Pakistan – they give it up for love for Jesus, to witness Jesus. A Christian must always have this attitude of meekness, humility, the attitude that they have, trusting in Jesus, entrusting themselves to Jesus. It should be noted that many times these conflicts do not have a religious origin, often there are other causes of a social and political nature and unfortunately, religious affiliations are used like fuel to the fire. A Christian must always know how to respond to evil with good, although it is often difficult”. We must try to make them feel, these brothers and sisters, that we are deeply united - deeply united! - to their situation, that we know that they are Christians who have entered a state of patience. When Jesus goes to his Passion, he enters [a state of ]patience. We must make it known to them, but also make it known to the Lord. I ask the question again: Do you pray for these brothers and sisters? Do you pray for them? In your every day prayers? I will not ask you to raise your hands. But think well, do we in our everyday prayer say to Jesus: "Lord, look at these brothers, look at these sisters who suffer so much, so much suffering." And they experience the limits, they very limits between life and death. And to us, this experience should lead us to promote religious freedom for all: for everyone! Every man and woman should be free in his religious confession, whatever it is. Why? Because that man, that woman are children of God”. And concluding his unscripted response to the questions put before him, on how to be certain in the faith, on how these Movements could live out their mission, about being a poor Church for the poor and about supporting persecuted Christians worldwide, Pope Francis repeated : Never be a Church closed in on itself. Be a Church that goes outside, which is on the outskirts of existence. May the Lord guide us there. Thank you”....

(Vatican Radio) Below the official English language translation of Pope Francis’ homily at Mass for the Feast of Pentecost with New Movements: Dear Brothers and Sisters, Today we contemplate and re-live in the liturgy the outpouring of the Holy Spirit sent by the risen Christ upon his Church; an event of grace which filled the Upper Room in Jerusalem and then spread throughout the world. But what happened on that day, so distant from us and yet so close as to touch the very depths of our hearts? Luke gives us the answer in the passage of the Acts of the Apostles which we have heard (2:1-11). The evangelist brings us back to Jerusalem, to the Upper Room where the apostles were gathered. The first element which draws our attention is the sound which suddenly came from heaven “like the rush of a violent wind”, and filled the house; then the “tongues as of fire” which divided and came to rest on each of the apostles. Sound and tongues of fire: these are clear, concrete signs which touch the apostles not only from without but also within: deep in their minds and hearts. As a result, “all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit”, who unleashed his irresistible power with amazing consequences: they all “began to speak in different languages, as the Spirit gave them ability”. A completely unexpected scene opens up before our eyes: a great crowd gathers, astonished because each one heard the apostles speaking in his own language. They all experience something new, something which had never happened before: “We hear them, each of us, speaking our own language”. And what is it that they are they speaking about? “God’s deeds of power”. In the light of this passage from Acts , I would like to reflect on three words linked to the working of the Holy Spirit: newness, harmony and mission. 1. Newness always makes us a bit fearful, because we feel more secure if we have everything under control, if we are the ones who build, programme and plan our lives in accordance with our own ideas, our own comfort, our own preferences. This is also the case when it comes to God. Often we follow him, we accept him, but only up to a certain point. It is hard to abandon ourselves to him with complete trust, allowing the Holy Spirit to be the soul and guide of our lives in our every decision. We fear that God may force us to strike out on new paths and leave behind our all too narrow, closed and selfish horizons in order to become open to his own. Yet throughout the history of salvation, whenever God reveals himself, he brings newness and change, and demands our complete trust: Noah, mocked by all, builds an ark and is saved; Abram leaves his land with only a promise in hand; Moses stands up to the might of Pharaoh and leads his people to freedom; the apostles, huddled fearfully in the Upper Room, go forth with courage to proclaim the Gospel. This is not a question of novelty for novelty’s sake, the search for something new to relieve our boredom, as is so often the case in our own day. The newness which God brings into our life is something that actually brings fulfilment, that gives true joy, true serenity, because God loves us and desires only our good. Let us ask ourselves: Are we open to “God’s surprises”? Or are we closed and fearful before the newness of the Holy Spirit? Do we have the courage to strike out along the new paths which God’s newness sets before us, or do we resist, barricaded in transient structures which have lost their capacity for openness to what is new? 2. A second thought: the Holy Spirit would appear to create disorder in the Church, since he brings the diversity of charisms and gifts; yet all this, by his working, is a great source of wealth, for the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of unity, which does not mean uniformity, but which leads everything back to harmony . In the Church, it is the Holy Spirit who creates harmony. One of Fathers of the Church has an expression which I love: the Holy Spirit himself is harmony – “Ipse harmonia est” . Only the Spirit can awaken diversity, plurality and multiplicity, while at the same time building unity. Here too, when we are the ones who try to create diversity and close ourselves up in what makes us different and other, we bring division. When we are the ones who want to build unity in accordance with our human plans, we end up creating uniformity, standardization. But if instead we let ourselve be guided by the Spirit, richness, variety and diversity never become a source of conflict, because he impels us to experience variety within the communion of the Church. Journeying together in the Church, under the guidance of her pastors who possess a special charism and ministry, is a sign of the working of the Holy Spirit. Having a sense of the Church is something fundamental for every Christian, every community and every movement. It is the Church which brings Christ to me, and me to Christ; parallel journeys are dangerous! When we venture beyond ( proagon ) the Church’s teaching and community, and do not remain in them, we are not one with the God of Jesus Christ (cf. 2 Jn 9). So let us ask ourselves: Am I open to the harmony of the Holy Spirit, overcoming every form of exclusivity? Do I let myself be guided by him, living in the Church and with the Church? 3. A final point. The older theologians used to say that the soul is a kind of sailboat, the Holy Spirit is the wind which fills its sails and drives it forward, and the gusts of wind are the gifts of the Spirit. Lacking his impulse and his grace, we do not go forward. The Holy Spirit draws us into the mystery of the living God and saves us from the threat of a Church which is gnostic and self-referential, closed in on herself; he impels us to open the doors and go forth to proclaim and bear witness to the good news of the Gospel, to communicate the joy of faith, the encounter with Christ. The Holy Spirit is the soul of mission . The events that took place in Jerusalem almost two thousand years ago are not something far removed from us; they are events which affect us and become a lived experience in each of us. The Pentecost of the Upper Room in Jerusalem is the beginning, a beginning which endures. The Holy Spirit is the supreme gift of the risen Christ to his apostles, yet he wants that gift to reach everyone. As we heard in the Gospel, Jesus says: “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to remain with you forever” ( Jn 14:16). It is the Paraclete Spirit, the “Comforter”, who grants us the courage to take to the streets of the world, bringing the Gospel! The Holy Spirit makes us look to the horizon and drive us to the very outskirts of existence in order to proclaim life in Jesus Christ. Let us ask ourselves: do we tend to stay closed in on ourselves, on our group, or do we let the Holy Spirit open us to mission? Today’s liturgy is a great prayer which the Church, in union with Jesus, raises up to the Father, asking him to renew the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. May each of us, and every group and movement, in the harmony of the Church, cry out to the Father and implore this gift. Today too, as at her origins, the Church, in union with Mary, cries out: “Veni, Sancte Spiritus! Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and kindle in them the fire of your love!” Amen....

(Vatican Radio ) Around 5.30 pm on Saturday18th May Pope Francis arrived in Saint Peter's Square to be with an estimated hundred and twenty thousand people gathered there, The Pope was there to join in a Pentecost Vigil with various ecclesiatical movements gathered there from across the world. He arrived standing on his white jeep and the crowds cheered joyfully as he went by, not just in Saint Peter's Square but also beyond along Via della Conciliazione, the great avenue that leads up to the Basilica which was closed to traffic for the occasion. This event which takes place in 2013 during 'The Year of Faith', places Jesus Christ at the very centre of the New Evangelisation. A mission picked up in a special way by the various Movements through their particular ministries and outreaches, One which echoes other similar celebrations that took place during previous pontificates. Like Blessed John Paul II and Benedict XVI, now Pope Emeritus, Pope Francis in fact called the New Movements and Ecclesial Communities to Rome to invoke the Holy Spirit upon them and their continued mission in the life of the Church. ...