On the heels of being named Time Magazine’s Person of the Year, Pope Francis has sent a message to the Americas with a bold pro-life message.
The Pope said that America has been called to be a “land prepared to accept life at every stage, from the mother’s womb to old age.”
The remarks were part of the Pope’s weekly general audience Wednesday and was recorded to be broadcasted to America. The address on December 12th was to celebrate the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe because the church believes the mother of Jesus appeared to a Mexican peasant on that day in 1531.
Catholics honor Our Lady of Guadalupe as the patroness of the unborn and her image is frequently used for signs held at pro-life vigils.
“Mary’s embrace showed what America – North and South – is called to be: a land where different peoples come together; a land prepared to accept human life at every stage, from the mother’s womb to old age; a land which welcomes immigrants, and the poor and the marginalized, in every age. A land of generosity,” the Pope said.
Time Magazine has named Pope Francis its 2013 Person of the Year.
Time wrote that the Pope has captured the attention of the world quickly in ways that few people have done. They said the Pope in just nine months has placed himself at the very center of some of the biggest issues facing the world such as extreme poverty, fairness and justice, transparency and the temptations of power.
The profile announcing their decision also pointed out that the Pope was taking bold stands against issues in a way that was not normally seen in the Catholic Church, such as releasing a document the day before American Thanksgiving attacking the idolatry of money when Americans were preparing for a day of massive sales.
The decision to choose Pope Francis also came in recognition of his actions to change the tone of the Catholic Church. Instead of focusing on the symbols and pageantry of the church, he gave up the lush Papal palace but in a hostel with other priests. He retired the papal Mercedes for a Ford Focus. He is also the first Pope to release Vatican finances.
The Pope’s focus on compassion and his general attitude of happiness that was not usually seen from previous Popes was also lauded by the magazine.
Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu is leading a delegation of six government officials to Rome for a meeting with Pope Francis.
The two-day visit will be the first time the two men have met face-to-face.
Officials close to the scheduled meeting say it’s likely the two men will discuss the Iranian nuclear issue and ongoing peace talks with the Palestinians.
Israeli President Shimon Peres invited the Pope for a visit to Christian holy sites in April followed by Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas who met Pope Francis on October 17th. Sources say it’s likely the Pontiff will visit the Holy Land near the end of May 2014.
Israel and the Vatican established diplomatic relations in 1993 but continue to have issues regarding property rights and tax exemptions for the Catholic Church. In June, negotiators pledged to step up their work to solve outstanding issues.
Pope Francis released an 84-page “apostolic exhortation” yesterday which will form the official platform for his papacy.
The document calls for a renewal within the Roman Catholic Church and said that unfettered capitalism is “a new tyranny” that increases poverty and inequality.
The statement marked a stronger criticism of global economic system than in previous comments. Pope Francis said all world leaders should guarantee citizens dignified work, education and healthcare.
“Just as the commandment ‘Thou shalt not kill’ sets a clear limit in order to safeguard the value of human life, today we also have to say ‘thou shalt not’ to an economy of exclusion and inequality. Such an economy kills,” Pope Francis said. “How can it be that it is not a news item when an elderly homeless person dies of exposure, but it is news when the stock market loses 2 points?”
The Pope also called for the church to get outside of its walls and do the work of Jesus.
“I prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security,” he wrote.
Pope Francis made a statement Thursday that the Catholic Church would not accept a Middle East that is devoid of Christians.
The Pope told reporters after a meeting with patriarchs in Syria, Iran and Iraq the church would not resign itself to a Christian-free Middle East. The Pope called for “the universal right to lead a dignified life and freely practice one’s own faith to be respected.”
“Syria, Iraq, Egypt and other areas of the Holy Land sometimes overflow with tears,” The Pope said.
The number of Christians in the Middle East continues to dwindle through oppression and civil war. Christians are just 10% of the Egyptian population, 5% in Syria, 2% in Iraq and 1.2% in Palestinian territories.
The Vatican said the population of Christians in the region has shrunk more than half since the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
The Catholic Church is reporting a huge upswing in attendance in the 8 months since Pope Francis was chosen to lead.
Churches in Britain have seen a 20% rise in attendance with a mix of new and returning members. More than half of priests in Italy have reported seeing a significant upturn in attendance and Spain’s church leaders report a decade-long slump in attendance has suddenly reversed.
In addition, leaders in the U.S., France and Latin America report growth.
All of those surveyed credited Pope Francis and his appeal to those who have felt like they were being cast aside from the church. Surveys say that people are very impressed with his simple lifestyle, devotion to service to the poor and needy and his commitment to rid the papacy of pedophile priests.
One columnist even said that Pope Francis has become the world’s biggest voice for change in the current system getting people to focus on the needs of others.
An Italian prosecutor says the Christ-like ways of Pope Francis and his desire to reform the church is causing him to be viewed as a threat by at least one mafia organization.
State prosecutor Nicola Gratteri said that the ‘Ndrangheta crime organization is “very nervous” about the Pope’s attempts to reform the church.
“Those who have up until now profited from the influence and wealth drawn from the church are getting very nervous,” Gratteri told the Washington Post. “For many years, the mafia has laundered money and made investments with the complicity of the church. But now the pope is dismantling the poles of economic power in the Vatican, and that is dangerous.”
Pope Francis has spoken out against organized crime and even mentioned the ‘Ndrangheta in a speech given in May. The Pope spoke on Monday against corruption quoting the Gospel of Luke: “It would be better for (the corrupt man) if a millstone were put around his neck and he be thrown into the sea.”
Security officials for the Vatican are concerned about mafia action because of Pope Francis’ continual unwillingness to stick with establish protocol and go out into the masses that visit St. Peter’s Square.
Pope Francis called a meeting of experts to the Vatican to discuss the problem of forced labor and prostitution around the world and called for the church to step up in the fight against modern day slavery.
The Pope also said that organ trafficking and people smuggling were issues that needed to be eradicated.
Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, told reporters that the pope was heavily invested in the subject of fighting slavery due to his years in Latin America. The pope had invited two experts on human trafficking that he worked with in Buenos Aires to come to the Vatican.
The group that met with the Pope released a statement saying that one of the biggest worries in Latin America is children being used by drug dealers to move product.
The group also said that the church needs to have “zero tolerance” when it comes to prostitution because it is linked to other problems like drugs and violence.
In an age where people are sharing photos of sinful activity all over the world, it’s unusual to see a video of simple adoration of a Christian leader making worldwide impact.
However, the recent photo of a six-year-old boy in awe of Pope Francis has gone viral and has been shared by tens of millions worldwide.
The boy, known only as “Carlos”, is an orphan from Colombia who was adopted by an Italian family. During the pope’s address during “Family Day at the Vatican,” the boy walked up on stage, hugged Pope Francis and then sat in the pontiff’s chair while he spoke to the crowd.
The boy also tried to help other children up to meet the Pope and at one point laid hands on a man that the Pope prayed over.
The Pope took the attention in stride, at one point tussling the boy’s hair and hugging him to his side as he continued to address the crowd.
The Pope’s address encouraged those in attendance to shower love on fellow family members. He said that if families can say “sorry,” “excuse me” and “thank you” that families would be fine.
Pope Francis expelled a German bishop from his diocese because of serious questions regarding his handling of church finances.
Bishop Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst had been overseeing a $43 million new residence complex that caused concern among church officials. In some parts of the country, Elst had been called the “Luxury Bishop.”
Germany has a nationwide “church tax” that brings billions a year into the church. Many Germans complain about the lack of transparency on the part of the Catholic Church and have cited the building complex as an example of extravagance.
While the Vatican said the bishop was leaving until the investigation was over, local officials and church leaders said it was unlikely Bishop Elst would return to his position. The Pope has issued clear instructions to church leaders that they are to live simply in the manner he has been demonstrating since his ascension to the papacy.
