Category: +Religion

Mysterious World Fan Art #3

Sam writes via Facebook:

I’m a seminarian from Australia and a longtime fan of your work on Catholic Answers and now your mysterious world podcast.

Something happened this past weekend that I thought was amusing enough to share with you. I went home to visit my family, and the subject of your podcast came up in conversation. One thing led to another, and all of a sudden, as is often the case, my brothers, sister, and I, as well as one of their girlfriends, were embroiled in a competition of who could best draw Jimmy Akin in a 10-minute timeframe. None of us are, or claim to be, artists by any stretch of the imagination, but I would argue that that fact made the results 10x more hilarious.

My point is this. When it came time for my (extremely biased) brother to judge whose was superior, no consensus could be found. So, I humbly submit these images to you for their definitive judgement which will be accepted by all as final. 😂

I will continue to pray for you and your great work.

Regards,

Sam.

P.S. you know you’ve made it when brothers and friends battle it out to draw your likeness.

Here are the pieces that Sam sent. First, the original photo they used.

Now, a piece by Andy, the girlfriend of one of Sam’s brothers.

A piece by Gemma.

A piece by Joe.

A piece by John. And a piece by Sam himself.

I think they’re quite impressive! Especially given that they had to be done in 10 minutes!

Here’s the reply I sent Sam:

Howdy, Sam! First of all, please thank your brothers, sister, and family friend for reaching out and sharing all of your artwork! I’m extremely flattered, and I’ll include your message in an upcoming Mysterious Feedback segment! (It will be in June, since the May episodes are already taped.)

Here is my definitive judgment: All of the images are delightful, and it would be impossible to pick one above the others! Thank you for them all! (Also, I believe in heeding the counsel of Scripture, as illustrated here: https://tinyurl.com/y9lr3yw3).

Thanks again to everyone, thanks to you for being willing to serve God in a priestly capacity, and thank you for your prayers! God bless you all! Stay safe and well!

Sam then replied:

Thanks Jimmy! I appreciate your truly diplomatic response. The proverb made me burst out laughing. I’ll remember that one, as it may come in handy in my future ministry 😂.

I look forward in particular to hearing that podcast in June, but will be listening with interest to everything that comes before and after too. My younger brother Joe will be particularly thrilled to hear our drawing escapades mentioned.

With prayers and good wishes,
Sam.

The Weekly Francis – 13 May 2020

This version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 3 April 2020 to 13 May 2020.

Daily Homilies (fervorinos)

General Audiences

Messages

Regina Caeli

Papal Tweets

  • “I would like to ask the Lord to bless artists, who make us understand what beauty is. The Gospel cannot be understood without beauty. Let us #PrayTogether once more for artists.” @Pontifex 7 May 2020
  • “To be Christian is to belong to a people freely chosen by God, and to remember those who have preceded us on the journey to salvation. Let us ask the Lord for the awareness of belonging to the people of God which, in its totality, has the sense of the faith. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 7 May 2020
  • “In the midst of isolation when we are suffering from a lack of tenderness and chances to meet up, and we experience the loss of so many things, let us once again listen to the proclamation that saves us: Christ is risen and is living by our side.” @Pontifex 7 May 2020
  • “Today is World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day. Let us #PrayTogether for those people who work in these noteworthy institutions. May the Lord bless their work which does so much good.” @Pontifex 8 May 2020
  • “How does the Lord console? By drawing near, while speaking little. Through truth: He neither speaks formalities nor deceives. Through hope: ”Do not let your hearts be troubled“. The Lord’s consolation is near, true, and opens to us the doors of hope. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 8 May 2020
  • “Today at the Shrine of Our Lady of Pompei, the faithful lift up an intense prayer of Supplication to #OurLadyOfTheRosary. Let us #PrayTogether so that, through the intercession of the Holy Virgin, the Lord might grant mercy and peace on the Church and the entire world.” @Pontifex 8 May 2020
  • “Today is the commemoration of Saint Luisa de Marillac. Let us #PrayTogether for the Vincentian sisters who have worked here at Santa Marta for nearly 100 years, while running the clinic.” @Pontifex 9 May 2020
  • “The Church strives forward between the consolation of God and the persecution of the world. The Holy Spirit creates harmony within the Church. The evil spirit destroys. Let us place our trust not in temporal power, but in Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 9 May 2020
  • “On the 70th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration, I hope that it will continue to inspire those with responsibilities in the European Union. They are called to face the social and economic consequences of the pandemic in a spirit of harmony and cooperation. #EuropeDay2020” @Pontifex 9 May 2020
  • “It takes courage to pray. To pray is to go with Jesus to the Father who will give us everything. The Church progresses with this courageous prayer, because the Holy Spirit teaches us that we do very little, but it is God who ”does things“ in the Church. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 10 May 2020
  • “In the #GospelOfTheDay (John 14:1–12), Jesus indicates two remedies for being troubled in heart. First: to not depend on ourselves but to have faith in Him. Second: to remember that here we are passing through and that Jesus has reserved us a place in Heaven. #ReginaCaeli” @Pontifex 10 May 2020
  • “Today, many countries are celebrating #MothersDay. I wish to remember all mothers with gratitude and affection, entrusting them to the protection of Mary, our heavenly Mother. Let us also remember those mothers who accompany us from Heaven.” @Pontifex 10 May 2020
  • “Many people have recently lost their jobs. Let us #PrayTogether for our brothers and sisters who are suffering for lack of employment.” @Pontifex 11 May 2020
  • “What does the Holy Spirit do in us? He reminds us of everything Jesus said. He teaches us to understand it better,to grow in our understanding of the faith. He accompanies and supports us in discernment. He enlightens us in life’s decisions,both great and small. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 11 May 2020
  • “I would like to remind you that on 14 May, believers of every religion are invited to unite themselves spiritually in a day of prayer, fasting and works of charity, to implore God to help humanity overcome the coronavirus #pandemic. #HumanFraternity #PrayTogether” @Pontifex 11 May 2020
  • “The peace the world gives isolates us from others. It lulls us to sleep, and is temporary and sterile. The peace the Lord gives is lasting, fruitful, contagious. It makes us go out to create community. It is filled with hope because it looks toward Heaven. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 12 May 2020
  • “Today is International Nurses Day. Nursing is more than a profession – it’s a vocation, a dedication. During this pandemic, they have given an example of heroism. Some have even given their lives. Let us #PrayTogether for nurses. Message” @Pontifex 12 May 2020
  • ““Remain in me and I in you” (Jn 15:4). This “remaining” is not passive but active. It is a mutual remaining. “I am the vine, you are the branches” (Jn 15:5). We branches need the lymph, and the vine needs the fruit of our witness. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 13 May 2020
  • “Mother of the Lord, Virgin Mary, Queen of the Rosary, show us the power of your protective mantle. From your arms come the hope and peace of which we are sorely in need. #OurLadyOfFatima” @Pontifex 13 May 2020
  • “Prayer belongs to everyone: to men and women of every religion, and probably even to those who profess no religion. Prayer is born within the secrecy of our being, in that interior place that spiritual writers often call the “heart”. #GeneralAudience” @Pontifex 13 May 2020

Papal Instagram

The Weekly Francis – 06 May 2020

This version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 31 March 2020 to 6 May 2020.

Daily Homilies (fervorinos)

Papal Tweets

  • ““Work” is the word the Bible uses to describe God’s creative activity: “God completed the work He had been doing” (Gen 2:2). God entrusted this task to mankind: Work is the human vocation. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 1 May 2020
  • “Let us rediscover the beauty of praying the #Rosary at home during May! At the end of each Rosary, we can recite a prayer asking for Mary’s intercession, that the Lord might free us from this pandemic and life might serenely resume its normal course. Letter Image” @Pontifex 1 May 2020
  • “Let us #PrayTogether for government leaders who are responsible for taking care of their people. May the Lord grant them strength and teach them that they need to show great unity in moments of crisis for the good of the people, because unity is superior to conflict.” @Pontifex 2 May 2020
  • “A crisis is the moment to make a choice. This pandemic is a time of social crisis. How should we react? With perseverance, silence, and fidelity to God and decisions made earlier. A moment of crisis is like passing through fire to become stronger. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 2 May 2020
  • “Let us turn this time of #pandemic into a test case to prepare for our collective future. Without an all-embracing vision, there will be no future for anyone.” @Pontifex 2 May 2020
  • “Good Shepherd Sunday is a beautiful Sunday, one of peace, meekness, and tenderness because our Shepherd cares for us. ”The Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall want“ (Ps 23). #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 3 May 2020
  • “Let us #PrayTogether for the many pastors who give their lives for the faithful.I think often of priests,as well as other pastors who care for the good of the people: doctors. May the example of these shepherds,priests and doctors help us care for the holy,faithful people of God.” @Pontifex 3 May 2020
  • “Let us #PrayTogether today for #vocations, asking the Lord for the gift of good workers for His Kingdom, whose hearts and hands are open to His love. [Message(]http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/vocations/documents/papa-francesco_20200308_57-messaggio-giornata-mondiale-vocazioni.html)” @Pontifex 3 May 2020
  • “During the current crisis, we need good, free journalism that serves all people, especially those who do not have a voice: journalism that is dedicated to the search for truth and which opens paths toward communion and peace. #WPFD2020” @Pontifex 3 May 2020
  • “During the quarantine, families try to do a lot of new things. There’s so much creativity to keep going. But sometimes there’s also domestic violence. Let us #PrayTogether for families, that they might persevere in peace, with creativity and patience during the quarantine.” @Pontifex 4 May 2020
  • “Some ideas cause division to the point that the idea is more important than the Holy Spirit who guides us. May the Lord free us from divisions, and help us understand this great mystery of Jesus: He is everyone’s Shepherd, in Him we are all brothers and sisters. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 4 May 2020
  • “I welcome the proposal of the Higher Committee for #HumanFraternity that believers of all religions should unite spiritually on 14 May for a day of prayer and fasting, to implore God to help humanity overcome the #coronavirus. #PrayTogether” @Pontifex 4 May 2020
  • “Today we pray for the deceased who have died because of the pandemic. They have died alone, without the caresses of their loved ones. So many did not even have a funeral. May the Lord receive them into His glory. #PrayTogether” @Pontifex 5 May 2020
  • “There are certain attitudes that do not allow us to progress in knowledge of the Lord: wealth, apathy, rigidity, clericalism, worldliness… Freedom is lacking, and we cannot follow Jesus without that freedom. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 5 May 2020
  • “Video” @Pontifex 5 May 2020
  • “Let us #PrayTogether for men and women who work in the media. They have risked much and worked tirelessly during this pandemic. May the Lord help them always in their task to transmit the truth. Santa Marta Mass” @Pontifex 6 May 2020
  • “It is not easy to live in the light. The light makes us see many ugly things within us: vices, pride, the worldly spirit. But Jesus tells us: ”Take courage; let yourself be enlightened, because I save you“. Let us not be afraid of Jesus’s light! #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 6 May 2020
  • “#Prayer is the breath of faith. It is like a cry that comes forth from the heart of the believer and is entrusted to God. Faith is having two raised hands and a voice that cries out to implore the gift of salvation. #GeneralAudience” @Pontifex 6 May 2020

Papal Instagram

The Weekly Francis – 30 April 2020

This version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 20 April 2020 to 30 April 2020.

Daily Homilies (fervorinos)

General Audiences

Letters

Prayers

Regina Caeli

Papal Tweets

  • “We pray today for teachers who have to work so hard to take lessons via the internet and other media channels, and we also pray for students who have to take exams in a way they are not used to. Let us accompany them with prayer. Santa Marta Mass – YouTube” @Pontifex 24 April 2020
  • “Jesus formed the hearts of the Apostles to serve the people.He taught them the pastoral attitude of being near the people of God.Pastoral ministry is not accomplished with structures, but with the heart of a shepherd.Let us #PrayTogether for the Church’s pastors.#HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 24 April 2020
  • “As we look ahead to a slow and arduous recovery from the pandemic, the risk is that an even worse virus may strike us: that of a selfish indifference that forgets those who are left behind.” @Pontifex 24 April 2020
  • “Let us #PrayTogether for those who provide funeral services. What they do is so painful, so sad, and they are touched deeply by the pain of this pandemic. Let us pray for them.” @Pontifex 25 April 2020
  • “Today the Church celebrates the Feast of St Mark, one of the four Evangelists, the first to write a Gospel. It has a very simple style. If you have time today, read it. The simplicity with which he recounts the Lord’s life makes for an enjoyable read.” @Pontifex 25 April 2020
  • “The #GospelOfTheDay contains the Lord’s final greeting: ”Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel“ (Mk 16:15). Faith always carries us out of ourselves. The faith needs to be transmitted and offered above all with witness. Go out so that people might see how you live.” @Pontifex 25 April 2020
  • “Dear brothers and sisters, I offer you the texts of two prayers to Our Lady which you can recite at the end of the #Rosary. I too will recite them during the month of May, uniting myself spiritually to you. #PrayTogether Vatican Holy Rosary Links” @Pontifex 25 April 2020
  • “Contemplating together the face of Christ with the heart of Mary,as we pray the #Rosary, will make us more united as a spiritual family and will help us to overcome this trial. I will pray for you, especially for those who are suffering the most. Please, pray for me.#PrayTogether” @Pontifex 25 April 2020
  • “While we are combating #coronavirus, we must continue the effort to prevent and cure #malaria which threatens millions of persons in many countries. I am near to all who are sick, to those who care for them.” @Pontifex 25 April 2020
  • “Let us #PrayTogether for all those who are suffering from sadness, because they are alone, do not know what future awaits them, or cannot take care of their family because they have no job. Let us pray for them today. Santa Marta Mass – YouTube” @Pontifex 26 April 2020
  • “What patience the Lord has with each of us! He respects our situation, walks at our side as He did with the disciples of Emmaus, and listens to our dissatisfactions. He respects us. He enjoys listening to how we speak so as to understand us well and give us the correct response.” @Pontifex 26 April 2020
  • “The #GospelOfTheDay (Lk 24:13–35) teaches us that two opposite directions are set before us in life: The path of those who let themselves be paralysed by disappointments and trudge along sadly. Then there is the path of those who put Jesus and others before their own problems.” @Pontifex 26 April 2020
  • “Let us #PrayTogether for artists, who have a great capacity for creativity and show us the path forward through beauty. May the Lord grant each of us the grace of creativity in this moment.” @Pontifex 27 April 2020
  • “At times in life we distance ourselves from the Lord and lose the freshness of the first call. Let us ask for the grace to always go back to that first encounter, in which He looked at us, spoke to us, and placed in us the desire to follow Him. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 27 April 2020
  • “At this time, as indications emerge for a way out of quarantine, we pray that the Lord will grant us the grace of prudence and obedience to these indications, so that the pandemic does not return. #PrayTogether” @Pontifex 28 April 2020
  • “Many times we make comments that set off a small daily lynching. May the Lord help us to be righteous in our judgments and not to begin or follow gossip that provokes an undeserved condemnation. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 28 April 2020
  • “Easter brings us this message: the message of rebirth. We can be reborn with the same strength that raised up the Lord: with the strength of God.” @Pontifex 28 April 2020
  • “On the feast of St. Catherine of Siena, Doctor of the Church and Patroness of Europe, let us #PrayTogether for the unity of the European Union, so that we might all move ahead together as brothers and sisters.” @Pontifex 29 April 2020
  • “When confessing our sins we must not be abstract, but simple and concrete like children: ”I am a sinner because of this, this and this.“ This leads me to feel ashamed. Being concrete makes me serious rather than vaguely feel a sense of being a sinner. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 29 April 2020
  • “Being poor in spirit, mourning, meekness, thirsting for holiness, showing mercy, purity of heart, and being a peacemaker can lead to persecution for Christ’s sake. But in the end, this persecution is a cause for joy and great reward in heaven. #Beatitudes” @Pontifex 29 April 2020
  • “Let us #PrayTogether today for those who have died because of the pandemic, and in a special way for the ”anonymous“ dead.” @Pontifex 30 April 2020
  • “Our witness opens the way for others. Our prayer opens the door to the Father’s heart. Let us ask the Lord that we might live our work with witness and prayer, so that the Father might draw people to Jesus. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 30 April 2020
  • “Christianity is not only a doctrine, a way of behaving, a culture. Yes, it is also these things. But the core of Christianity is an encounter: the encounter with Jesus. A Christian is a person who has encountered Jesus Christ, and was open to that encounter.” @Pontifex 30 April 2020

Papal Instagram

The Weekly Francis – 23 April 2020

This version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 21 March 2020 to 23 April 2020.

Daily Homilies (fervorinos)

General Audiences

Homilies

Regina Caeli

Papal Tweets

  • “Let us #PrayTogether for pharmacists. They are working hard, together with doctors and nurses, to help the sick get better. Santa Marta Mass – YouTube” @Pontifex 16 April 2020
  • “The #GospelOfTheDay (Lk 24:35–48) is one of my favorites: ”Their joy kept them from believing“ (v. 41). To be filled with joy: It is not merely being happy, positive, but is something else. It is to be filled with consolation, filled with the Lord’s presence. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 16 April 2020
  • “The joy of the Lord is your strength (Neh 8:10). The joy of the Lord is the great strength we possess which drives us to continue being witnesses of life. Today let us ask for the grace of this joy, which is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 16 April 2020
  • “Let us #PrayTogether for expectant women who will become mothers and who ask themselves: ”What type of world will my child live in?“. May the Lord give them the courage and confidence that it will certainly be a different world, but also one which the Lord will love tremendously.” @Pontifex 17 April 2020
  • “The disciples had progressed in familiarity with the Lord. May the Lord also teach us this familiarity with Him, which is personal, but always communitarian: a familiarity in everyday life, in the sacraments, in the midst of the people of God. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 17 April 2020
  • “We remember the difficult task entrusted to healthcare providers, nurses and doctors, in caring for persons with disabilities who have come down with Covid–19. Let us #PrayTogether for persons with disabilities and those who assist them.” @Pontifex 18 April 2020
  • “Where does the Apostles’ courage come from? It is a gift of the Holy Spirit. Boldness – courage – is a gift that the Lord gives on the day of Pentecost. The Christian mission is born from this gift of the Holy Spirit. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 18 April 2020
  • “Today the simple and disarming love of Jesus revives the heart of Thomas (Jn 20,19–31). Like the apostle Thomas, let us accept mercy, the salvation of the world. And let us show mercy to those who are most vulnerable; for only in this way will we build a new world.” @Pontifex 19 April 2020
  • “The faithful and patient mercy of God never tires of reaching out to lift us up when we fall. He wants us to see him, not as a taskmaster with whom we have to settle accounts, but as our Father who always raises us up. #DivineMercySunday” @Pontifex 19 April 2020
  • “The Lord waits for us to offer him our failings so that he can help us experience his mercy. #DivineMercySunday Homily” @Pontifex 19 April 2020
  • “Let us #PrayTogether for the men and women who have a vocation to political life, which is a high form of charity. We pray for political parties in various nations, so that in this pandemic they might together seek the good of the country and not the good of their own party.” @Pontifex 20 April 2020
  • “To be Christian is not only to fulfill the Commandments, but ”to be born again“ and allow the Spirit to enter in us and carry us wherever He wants. This is the freedom of the Spirit. May the Lord help us always to be docile to the Spirit. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 20 April 2020
  • “The Christian response to the storms of life and history can only be mercy: compassionate love among us and toward everyone, especially toward those who suffer, who have more difficulties, and are abandoned.” @Pontifex 20 April 2020
  • “There’s a lot of silence at this moment. May this silence, which is a bit new to what we are accustomed, teach us how to listen. Let us #PrayTogether that we might grow in our ability to listen. Santa Marta Mass – YouTube” @Pontifex 21 April 2020
  • “Many things can divide communities: money, vanity, gossip. But the Spirit comes to save us from divisions. The Holy Spirit is the Master of harmony. He creates harmony in the community, because He Himself is harmony, the harmony between the Father and the Son. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 21 April 2020
  • “In the time of trial that we are presently undergoing, we experience our frailty. We need the Lord, who sees an irrepressible beauty beyond that frailty. With Him we rediscover how precious we are, even in our vulnerability.” @Pontifex 21 April 2020
  • “At this moment in which unity among us is very necessary, let us pray for Europe, so that it might succeed in creating the fraternal unity which the founding fathers drempt of for the European Community. #PrayTogether Santa Marta Mass – YouTube” @Pontifex 22 April 2020
  • “When we are in a state of sin, we are like ”human bats“ who can move about only at night. We find it easier to live in darkness because the light reveals to us what we do not want to see. But then our eyes grow accustomed to darkness and we no longer recognize the light.” @Pontifex 22 April 2020
  • “Let us allow the love of God – who sent His Son Jesus – to enter into us, and help us see with the light of the Spirit. Let us ask ourselves: Do I walk in the light or in darkness? Am I a child of God? Or have I ended up like a poor ”bat“? #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 22 April 2020
  • “Earth Day is an occasion to renew our commitment to love our common home, which is not a warehouse to exploit. Let us care for it and for the weakest members of our human family. #EarthDay50 Audience” @Pontifex 22 April 2020
  • “There are families in need who cannot work and have nothing to eat. Then along come usurers to take what little they have. Let us #PrayTogether for these families’ dignity. And let us pray also for the usurers, that the Lord might touch their hearts and convert them.” @Pontifex 23 April 2020
  • “Peter’s secret weapon is Jesus’s prayer. Jesus prays for Peter that his faith might not fail. What He did with Peter He does for all of us. Jesus prays for us before the Father, showing His wounds, the price of our salvation. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 23 April 2020
  • “The pandemic reminds us there are no differences or borders between those who suffer. We are all frail, all equal, all precious. May we be profoundly shaken: Now is the time to eliminate inequalities and heal the injustice undermining the health of the entire human family!” @Pontifex 23 April 2020

Papal Instagram

The Weekly Francis – 15 April 2020

This version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 9 March 2020 to 15 April 2020.

Angelus

Daily Homilies (fervorinos)

General Audiences

Homilies

Letters

Messages

Papal Tweets

  • “Dear brother priests, we have been anointed to anoint, to give of ourselves. Let us #PrayTogether today asking for the humility to protect this gift of anointing, and imploring God’s mercy for the people entrusted to us and for the entire world. #HolyThursday” @Pontifex 9 April 2020
  • “Let us #PrayTogether. Follow the Easter Triduum liturgies: YouTube Image” @Pontifex 9 April 2020
  • “Gaze upon the outstretched arms of Christ crucified, let yourself be saved over and over again. #PrayTogether #GoodFriday Image” @Pontifex 10 April 2020
  • “This Face disfigured by wounds communicates great peace. His gaze is directed not to our eyes but to our heart, as if to say: Have faith, do not lose hope. The power of the love of God, the power of the Risen One overcomes all things. #HolyShroud Image” @Pontifex 11 April 2020
  • “Let us direct our gaze to the Man of the Shroud, in whom we recognize the features of the Servant of the Lord, which Jesus accomplished in His Passion. Participate in the prayer before the Holy Shroud through the media at 5 PM: Video” @Pontifex 11 April 2020
  • “Do not be afraid, do not yield to fear: This is the message of hope. It is addressed to us, today. These are the words that God repeats to us this very night.” @Pontifex 11 April 2020
  • “Let us silence the cries of death, no more wars! Since we need bread, not guns. Let the abortion and killing of innocent lives end. May the hearts of those who have enough be open to filling the empty hands of those who do not have the bare necessities.” @Pontifex 11 April 2020
  • “Tonight we acquire a fundamental right: the right to hope. It is a new and living hope that comes from God. It is not mere optimism; it is a gift from heaven, which we could not have earned on our own.” @Pontifex 11 April 2020
  • “In this night, the Church’s voice rings out: “Christ, my hope, is risen!”. This is a different “contagion”, a message transmitted from heart to heart – for every human heart awaits this Good News. It is the contagion of hope: “Christ, my hope, is risen!”.” @Pontifex 12 April 2020
  • “Dear brothers and sisters, Indifference, self-centredness, division and forgetfulness are not words we want to hear at this time. We want to ban these words for ever! Message” @Pontifex 12 April 2020
  • “Let us #PrayTogether for government leaders, scientists and politicians who are beginning to study a way out of the pandemic, though its ”aftermath“ has already begun. May they find the right way, always for the good of their people.” @Pontifex 13 April 2020
  • “We will either bet on life, in favor of the resurrection of our people, or we will bet on the god of money, turning back to the tomb of hunger, slavery, war, the making of weapons, of children without an education. #HomilySantaMarta Santa Maria Mass – YouTube” @Pontifex 13 April 2020
  • “In the #GospelOfTheDay we hear that the women proclaimed Jesus’ Resurrection to the disciples. Today I would like to remember the efforts that so many women make to take care of others, even during this health crisis.” @Pontifex 13 April 2020
  • “Let us #PrayTogether that the Lord might give us the grace of unity among us. In these difficulties times, may He allow us to discover the communion that binds us and the unity which is greater than any division. Santa Maria Mass – YouTube” @Pontifex 14 April 2020
  • “To repent means returning to faithfulness. Today let us ask for the grace to look beyond our own security, and to be faithful even before the tomb and the collapse of so many illusions. Remaining faithful is not easy. May the Lord keep us faithful. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 14 April 2020
  • “Jesus’ resurrection shows us that death does not have the last world; life does. Christ has been raised, so it is possible to have a positive outlook on every event of our existence, even the most difficult ones and those charged with anguish and uncertainty.” @Pontifex 14 April 2020
  • “Let us #PrayTogether for the elderly, especially those who are isolated or in rest homes and are afraid of dying alone. They are our roots. They gave us the faith, tradition, and a sense of belonging. Let us pray that the Lord might be near to them.” @Pontifex 15 April 2020
  • “God’s faithfulness is a patient fidelity to His people. God listens, guides, explains slowly, and kindles the heart as He did with the two disciples who had traveled far from Jerusalem: He made their hearts burn so they would return home. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 15 April 2020
  • “They are called children of God who have learned the art of peace and exercise it, knowing that there is no reconciliation without the gift of one’s own life, and that peace must be sought always and in every situation. #Beatitudes #GeneralAudience” @Pontifex 15 April 2020

Papal Instagram

The Weekly Francis – 08 April 2020

This version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 29 March 2020 to 8 April 2020.

Angelus

General Audiences

Homilies

Messages

Papal Tweets

  • “These days of pain and sadness are bringing many hidden problems in society to the surface. We ask St Teresa of Calcutta to reawaken in us the sense of nearness to so many persons who are hidden in normal life, such as the homeless. #PrayTogether” @Pontifex 2 April 2020
  • “May our Christian existence be like that of our father Abraham: aware of having been chosen, joyful in moving toward a promise, and faithful in fulfilling the covenant. #HomilySantaMarta Santa Marta Mass” @Pontifex 2 April 2020
  • “Let us #PrayTogether for the difficulties that families are encountering in these days with children with #autism, and all persons with disabilities” @Pontifex 2 April 2020
  • “Video” @Pontifex 2 April 2020
  • “There are some who are already thinking about after the epidemic, and all the problems that will arise regarding poverty, work, hunger. Let us #PrayTogether for all the people who are helping today, but who are also thinking about how to help all of us tomorrow.” @Pontifex 3 April 2020
  • “It would be good to stop a moment this Friday to think about the sorrow of Mary,the Sorrowful Mother,and to say ”thank you for accepting to be our Mother“.In the motherhood of Our Lady we see the Church’s maternity which welcomes everyone.#HomilySantaMarta Santa Marta Mass – YouTube” @Pontifex 3 April 2020
  • “Today I would like to thank all new mothers who confront understandable fears. Thank you, as well, to those who affectionately and competently support them. The children born during this time of the #coronavirus are a sign of great hope.” @Pontifex 3 April 2020
  • “Dear friends, good evening! This evening I have the chance to enter your homes in a different way than usual. If you allow me, I would like to have a conversation with you for a few moments Santa Marta Mass – YouTube” @Pontifex 3 April 2020
  • “In these painful times, people think of doing many good things. But others think of how they can take advantage of the situation to profit personally from it. Let us #PrayTogether that the Lord might grant an upright, transparent conscience to all of us.” @Pontifex 4 April 2020
  • “We should adopt the habit of examining the process of temptation in ourselves, which changes our hearts from good to bad: How did the process begin in my soul? How did it grow?… May the Holy Spirit enlighten us to have this interior awareness. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 4 April 2020
  • “By ourselves, we cannot remove the dust that sullies our hearts. Only Jesus, who knows and loves our heart, can heal it. #Lent is a time of healing” @Pontifex 4 April 2020
  • “#PrayTogether Palm Sunday Video Image” @Pontifex 4 April 2020
  • “This astonishes us: God saved us by taking upon himself all the punishment of our sins. Without complaining, but with the humility, patience and obedience of a servant, and purely out of love. #PalmSunday” @Pontifex 5 April 2020
  • “The Father upheld Jesus in his service. He did not take away the evil that crushed him, but rather strengthened him in his suffering so that our evil could be overcome by good, by a love that loves to the very end. #PalmSunday Homily” @Pontifex 5 April 2020
  • “Jesus experienced total abandonment in a situation he had never before experienced in order to be one with us in everything. He did it for me, for you, to say to us: “Do not be afraid, you are not alone. I experienced all your desolation in order to be ever close to you”.” @Pontifex 5 April 2020
  • “God saved us by serving us. We often think we are the ones who serve God. No, he is the one who freely chose to serve us, for he loved us first. It is difficult to love and not be loved in return. And it is even more difficult to serve if we do not let ourselves be served by God.” @Pontifex 5 April 2020
  • “Dear young people, feel called yourselves to put your lives on the line. Do not be afraid to devote your life to God and to others; it pays!For life is a gift we receive only when we give ourselves away, and our deepest joy comes from saying yes to love, without ifs and buts #WYD” @Pontifex 5 April 2020
  • “In those prisons that are overcrowded, there is the danger that this pandemic will end up as a grave tragedy. Let us #PrayTogether for those responsible, for those who must make decisions, so that they might find a correct and creative way to resolve this problem.” @Pontifex 6 April 2020
  • “We will be judged on our relationship with the poor. When Jesus says, ”The poor you will always have with you“, he is saying, ”I will always be with you in the poor; I will be present there“. This is at the center of the Gospel, so much so that we will be judged on it.” @Pontifex 6 April 2020
  • “The tragedy we are experiencing summons us to take seriously the things that are serious, and not to be caught up in those that matter less; to rediscover that life is of no use if not used to serve others. For life is measured by love.” @Pontifex 6 April 2020
  • “In these days of #Lent, we’ve been witnessing the persecution that Jesus underwent and how He was judged ferociously, even though He was innocent. Let us #PrayTogether today for all those persons who suffer due to an unjust sentence because of someone had it in for them.” @Pontifex 7 April 2020
  • “There are always times in life when we fall, each one of us is a sinner. But what matters is our attitude before God. We ask for the grace to persevere in service and, when we fall, the grace to weep as Peter wept. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 7 April 2020
  • “In these holy days let us stand before the Crucified One and let us ask for the grace to live in order to serve. May we reach out to those who are suffering and those most in need. May we not be concerned about what we lack, but what good we can do for others.” @Pontifex 7 April 2020
  • “Let us pray today for the people doing business with those in need during this pandemic, who seek to profit from the needs of others and ”sell“ them. May the Lord touch and convert their hearts. #PrayTogether” @Pontifex 8 April 2020
  • “Let’s think of the little Judas that we all have within ourselves. Every one of us is capable of choosing between loyalty and self-interest. We are each capable of betraying, of selling, of making choices based on our own interests. Where are you, Judas? #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 8 April 2020
  • “From the open heart of the Crucified one, God’s love reaches each one of us. Let us allow His gaze to rest on us. We will understand that we are not alone, but loved, for the Lord does not abandon us and He never, ever forgets us. #GeneralAudience” @Pontifex 8 April 2020

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The Weekly Francis – 01 April 2020

This version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 25 March 2020 to 1 April 2020.

General Audiences

Messages

Papal Tweets

  • “If you find it hard to pray, don’t give up. Be still; make space for God to come in; let Him look at you, and He will fill you with His peace. #Lent” @Pontifex 26 March 2020
  • “Let us #PrayTogether for the many people who are concerned for others – families that don’t have enough to eat, elderly people who are alone, the sick in hospital – and who pray and seek to help them. We thank the Lord for stirring these sentiments in the hearts of the faithful.” @Pontifex 27 March 2020
  • “Let us ask the Lord for the grace to fight against the evil spirit, to dialogue when we need to dialogue but, in the face of the spirit of fury, to have the courage to remain silent. #HomilySantaMarta Santa Marta Mass Vudei” @Pontifex 27 March 2020
  • “Statio Orbis #PrayTogether Image” @Pontifex 27 March 2020
  • “From this colonnade that embraces Rome and the whole world, may God’s blessing come down upon you as a consoling embrace. Image” @Pontifex 27 March 2020
  • “But you, Lord, will not leave us at the mercy of the storm. Tell us again: “Do not be afraid” (Mt 28:5). And we, together with Peter, “cast all our anxieties onto you, for you care about us” (cf. 1 Pet 5:7). Homily” @Pontifex 27 March 2020
  • “In these days we are beginning to see other consequences of the pandemic. One is hunger. We’re beginning to see the aftermath. Let us #PrayTogether for the families who find themselves in need and are already facing hunger due to the pandemic. Santa Marta Mass – YouTube” @Pontifex 28 March 2020
  • “The people of God have a sense of knowing where the Spirit is, of knowing the paths of salvation. The people of God follow Jesus. They can’t explain why, but they follow Him. And they never tire. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 28 March 2020
  • “It is not the time of your judgement, but of our judgement: a time to choose what matters and what passes away, a time to separate what is necessary from what is not. It is a time to get our lives back on track with regard to you, Lord, and to others. [Video]” @Pontifex 28 March 2020
  • “During #Lent I invite you to halt in contemplation before the crucified Lord and repeat: “Jesus, you love me, transform me…”. Image” @Pontifex 28 March 2020
  • “I am thinking of the many people who are weeping. We, too, accompany them from our hearts. It wouldn’t do us any harm to weep a bit as our Lord wept for all of His people. #PrayTogether Santa Marta Mass – YouTube” @Pontifex 29 March 2020
  • “Profoundly moved and troubled, He weeps (Jn 11:35). We ask the Lord for the grace of weeping today before all the people who are suffering the consequences of this pandemic. May today be for everyone like a Sunday of tears. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 29 March 2020
  • “We are one human family. Let us bring all hostilities to a halt. May our joint fight against the #COVID–19 pandemic bring everyone to recognize the great need to reinforce brotherly and sisterly bonds. #globalceasefire @antonioguterres @UN” @Pontifex 29 March 2020
  • “#PrayTogether for the many people who are not succeeding in coping and remain in fear because of this pandemic. May the Lord help them to have the strength to cope for the good the entire community. Santa Marta Mass – YouTube” @Pontifex 30 March 2020
  • “The Lord does justice for the innocent woman, forgives the sinner, condemns the corrupt ones, helps the hypocrites convert themselves. Each of us has our own story, our own sins. Let us look at the Lord who does justice, but who is also extremely merciful. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 30 March 2020
  • “When we stand before the crucified Jesus, we see the depth of His love, which restores our dignity and sustains us. #Lent” @Pontifex 30 March 2020
  • “Let us #PrayTogether for those who are homeless. In this moment when everyone is supposed to be at home, may society help them and may the Church welcome them. Santa Marta Mass – YouTube” @Pontifex 31 March 2020
  • “Jesus took our sins upon Himself to the point of making Himself sin. It’s not easy to understand this; we will never fully comprehend it. We can only contemplate, pray, and give thanks. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 31 March 2020
  • “The Lord frees and heals the heart, if we call on Him with humility and trust. #Lent” @Pontifex 31 March 2020
  • “Let us #PrayTogether for all who work in the media, who work to communicate, to inform us, so that people are not so isolated, and to educate children. We pray for all those who are helping us bear this time of isolation.” @Pontifex 1 April 2020
  • ““If you remain in my Word, you will indeed be my disciples” (Jn 8:31). The disciple is someone who is free because he or she remains in the Lord. To remain in the Lord means allowing oneself to be guided by the Holy Spirit. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 1 April 2020
  • “What does it mean to have a “pure” heart? A purified heart is the result of a process that implies a liberation and a renunciation. The pure of heart is not born thus, it has lived an interior simplification, learning to renounce evil in itself. #Beatitudes #GeneralAudience” @Pontifex 1 April 2020

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The Weekly Francis – 25 March 2020

This version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 4 February 2020 to 25 March 2020.

Angelus

Daily Homilies (fervorinos)

General Audiences

Messages

Speeches

Papal Tweets

  • “On this Feast of #StJoseph let us ask the Lord for the grace to live in the concreteness of everyday life and also in the ‘concreteness’ of the mystery. Entering into the mystery is not about dreaming; entering into the mystery means to adore. Holy Mass at Casa Santa Marta 2020.03.19” @Pontifex 19 March 2020
  • “Dear Brothers and Sisters, this evening let us join together spiritually in the prayer of the Holy Rosary. May Mary, Health of the sick, and St Joseph, man of faith, intercede for us! #PrayTogether” @Pontifex 19 March 2020
  • “#PrayTogether, entrusting ourselves to the intercession of St. Joseph, who knew precariousness and bitterness. Though he worried about the future, he knew how to walk through the darkness of certain moments, always letting himself be guided by God’s will without reservation. Image” @Pontifex 19 March 2020
  • “Let us #PrayTogether for doctors, hospital staff, and volunteers who are giving their own lives to save others. And for civil leaders, for those who have to make decisions at this time. All these people are the pillars defending us in this crisis.” @Pontifex 20 March 2020
  • “The God of tenderness will heal us of all life’s wounds and of all the bad things we have done. Returning to God means returning to an embrace, the embrace of the Father. #HomilySantaMarta Holy Mass at Casa Santa Marta 2020.03.20” @Pontifex 20 March 2020
  • “The fire of God’s love consumes the ashes of our sin. The embrace of the Father renews us from inside and purifies our heart. #Lent” @Pontifex 20 March 2020
  • “Today we remember the families who cannot leave their homes: may they know how to find a way of communicating well, and conquer the anguish of this moment together. Let us #PrayTogether for peace in families today during this crisis, and for creativity.” @Pontifex 21 March 2020
  • “The Lord forgives all our sins, but He needs me to show them to Him. The #GospelOfToday teaches us how to pray, how to draw near to the Lord: humbly, with our ”souls exposed“, without make-up, or dressing ourselves up with our own virtue. #HomilySantaMarta Holy Mass at Casa Santa Marta 2020.03.21” @Pontifex 21 March 2020
  • “#Lent invites us to reflect on the meaning of life, sure in the knowledge that only in and with Christ will we find the answer to the mystery of suffering and death. We were not created for death, but for life in abundance: eternal life.” @Pontifex 21 March 2020
  • “Let us pray for the many people who are dying alone, without being able to say goodbye to their loved ones. Let us pray also for the families who cannot accompany their loved ones on that journey. #PrayTogether Holy Mass at Casa Santa Marta 2020.03.22” @Pontifex 22 March 2020
  • “In Jesus’ presence, the true sentiments of the heart come forth. Let us read the #GospelOfTheDay (Jn 9:1–41) to understand what happens when Jesus passes by. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 22 March 2020
  • “The #GospelOfTheDay (Jn 9:1–41) teaches us that sin is like a dark veil covering our face and keeping us from seeing ourselves and the world clearly. The Lord’s forgiveness removes this cloak of darkness and gives us new light.” @Pontifex 22 March 2020
  • “We want to respond to the virus pandemic with the universality of prayer, compassion and tenderness. Let us stay united. I invite all Christians to direct their voices together toward Heaven, reciting the Our Father on Wednesday, 25 March, at noon. #PrayTogether” @Pontifex 22 March 2020
  • “Let us pray today for those persons who are beginning to experience economic problems due to the pandemic, because they cannot work. All of this affects the family. #PrayTogether Holy Mass at Casa Santa Marta 2020.03.23” @Pontifex 23 March 2020
  • “The first requirement for prayer is faith, the second is perseverance, and the third is courage. In these days when we need to pray more, let us ask ourselves if we pray like this. The Lord never deludes! He makes us wait, but He never deludes. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 23 March 2020
  • “Today Jesus speaks those same words to you: “Take heart, I am here with you, allow me to enter and your life will change!” #Lent” @Pontifex 23 March 2020
  • “In these days a number of doctors and priests have died. Many nurses were infected because they were serving the sick. I thank God for the example of heroism they give us in caring for the sick. Let us #PrayTogether for them and their families.” @Pontifex 24 March 2020
  • “The #GospelOfTheDay (Jn 5:1–16) tells of a paralytic ailing from pessimism, sadness, tepidity: a poisonous fog surrounding the soul that doesn’t allow it to live. Then there is the symbol of our new life: the water that Jesus used to regenerate us in Baptism. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 24 March 2020
  • “Let us stay united. I invite all Christians to direct their voices together toward Heaven, reciting the Our Father tomorrow, 25 March, at noon. #PrayTogether #PrayForTheWorld [Video]” @Pontifex 24 March 2020
  • “#PrayTogether Image” @Pontifex 25 March 2020
  • “With her ”yes“ given to the Angel, the Virgin welcomed the Word made flesh and accepted to become the mother of the Son of God. So, in Mary, the encounter between God and man becomes reality. #GeneralAudience” @Pontifex 25 March 2020
  • “In the context of the pandemic that threatens human life and the global economy, today we reiterate the teaching of #EvangeliumVitae to transmit the culture of life to future generations: an attitude of solidarity, care, and welcome. #GeneralAudience” @Pontifex 25 March 2020

Papal Instagram

The Weekly Francis – 18 March 2020

This version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 8 March 2020 to 18 March 2020.

Angelus

General Audiences

Messages

Prayers

Papal Tweets

  • “We are called to rediscover what truly matters, what we really need, what helps us to live well and, at the same time, to identify what is secondary and that which we can easily do without. #GeneralAudience #Beatitudes” @Pontifex 11 March 2020
  • “We seek refuge under your protection, O Holy Mother of God. Do not despise our pleas – we who are put to the test – and deliver us from every danger, O glorious and blessed Virgin. Prayer Image” @Pontifex 11 March 2020
  • “We ask the Lord today for the grace of not falling into indifference, the grace that all the information we have about human suffering might penetrate our hearts and move us to do something for others. #HomilySantaMarta Holy Mass at Casa Santa Marta 2020.03.12 – YouTube” @Pontifex 12 March 2020
  • “I would like to pray today for pastors who need to accompany the people of God during this crisis. May the Lord grant them the strength and the ability to choose the best ways to help. Holy Mass at Casa Santa Marta 2020.03.13 – YouTube” @Pontifex 12 March 2020
  • “Today let us ask the Lord for the grace to not forget the gratuitous nature of revelation. God manifests Himself as a gift, He made a gift of Himself for us, and we must give it, helping others see it as a gift, not as our possession. #SantaMarta” @Pontifex 13 March 2020
  • “#Prayer is an expression of our need to respond to God’s love, which always precedes and sustains us. Christians pray in the knowledge that, although unworthy, we are still loved.” @Pontifex 13 March 2020
  • “We pray today for families who need to manage a difficult situation, especially those families with a disabled person among them. Let us pray they do not lose their peace in this moment and that they succeed in moving forward with strength and joy. Holy Mass at Casa Santa Marta 2020.03.14 – YouTube” @Pontifex 14 March 2020
  • “Through the parable of the Prodigal Son (Lk 15:1–32) the Lord helps us understand the problem: living at home but not feeling at home, because there’s no paternal or fraternal relationship. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 14 March 2020
  • “Even before we set out to seek Him, we know that the Lord is seeking us and comes to meet and call us. We set out joyfully, for we know He is waiting for us! #Lent” @Pontifex 14 March 2020
  • “#PrayTogether today for those who are working to guarantee public services: those working in pharmacies, supermarkets, transportation, police officers, and for all those working to allow social and civil life to go ahead.” @Pontifex 15 March 2020
  • “The #GospelOfTheDay (Jn 4:5–42) tells us about Jesus’ encounter with a woman, with a sinner who had the courage to tell Him the truth. May the Lord grant us the grace of praying always in truth. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 15 March 2020
  • “Let us ask for the grace to cultivate a desire for Christ, source of living water, the only one who can satisfy the thirst for life and love which we bear in our hearts. #Angelus” @Pontifex 15 March 2020
  • “May the Lord help families discover new expressions of love in this situation. It’s a beautiful opportunity to creatively rediscover affection in the family. #PrayTogether that relationships within the family might flourish always for the good. Holy Mass at Casa Santa Marta 2020.03.16 – YouTube” @Pontifex 16 March 2020
  • “God always acts through the simple things: the simplicity of everyday work, the simplicity of prayer. But the worldly spirit moves us toward vanity, toward appearances that end in violence. #HomilySantaMarta Pope Francis at Mass: May families find new ways of showing love – Vatican News” @Pontifex 16 March 2020
  • ““Repent”, in other words, “Change your life” (Mt 4:17), for a new way of living has begun. The time when you lived for yourself is over; now is the time for living with and for God, with and for others, with and for love. #Lent” @Pontifex 16 March 2020
  • “#PrayTogether for the elderly who are suffering in a particular way at this moment from great interior solitude, many times with a lot of fear. They gave us wisdom, life, our story… May we be near them with our prayer. Holy Mass at Casa Santa Marta 2020.03.17 – YouTube” @Pontifex 17 March 2020
  • “The parable Jesus tells us (Mt 18:23–35) is very clear: asking forgiveness means forgiving. Both go together and cannot be separated. Forgiving is a condition for going to heaven. #HomilySantaMarta Pope at Mass prays for the elderly – Vatican News” @Pontifex 17 March 2020
  • “Let us allow ourselves to be loved by God, so that we can give love in return. Let us allow ourselves to stand up and walk towards Easter. #Lent” @Pontifex 17 March 2020
  • “Our God is near and asks us to be near to one another. Perhaps right now we cannot draw near physically to others for fear of contagion, but we can reawaken in ourselves a habit of drawing near to others through prayer and mutual help. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 18 March 2020
  • “#PrayTogether for the deceased, those who have died because of the virus. Let us pray especially for healthcare providers who have given their life in service of the sick. Holy Mass at Casa Santa Marta 2020.03.18 – YouTube” @Pontifex 18 March 2020
  • “God’s mercy is our liberation and our happiness. We need to forgive, because we ourselves need to be forgiven. #GeneralAudience #Beatitudes” @Pontifex 18 March 2020

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