Being faithful to God means taking the risk of setting aside one’s own needs and plans in order to serve others, Pope Francis said, celebrating Mass for the World Day of the Poor.
Pope Francis has shown that fighting abuse and protecting the vulnerable require both the sword of Saint Michael the Archangel and the silent and protective heart of St Joseph – two icons that prominently adorned St Peter’s Basilica during the 2018 Synod on young people.
The Vatican Secretariat of State has sent an explanatory note to nuncios around the world insisting that when Pope Francis spoke about civil unions, he was not changing or challenging “the doctrine of the Church, which he has re-affirmed numerous times over the years”.
Pope Francis announced he will create 13 new cardinals on 28 November.
The mission of the Church and all Christians is to proclaim and live the Gospel in daily life, Pope Francis has expressed.
Professing faith in God as the creator of all human beings, or even simply recognising that all people possess an inherent dignity, has concrete consequences for how people should treat one another and make decisions in politics, economics and social life, Pope Francis wrote.
People who think politics is sinking to new lows may find comfort in knowing Pope Francis is also concerned about the debasement of what Church teaching has described as a “lofty vocation”.
In a move apparently related to Vatican financial scandals, Pope Francis accepted Cardinal Angelo Becciu’s resignation as prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes and his renunciation of the rights associated with being a cardinal, the Vatican announced on 24 September.
As countries around the world scramble to find a vaccine for COVID-19, Pope Francis has again called for an ethical distribution of the vaccine to everyone, especially those who are struggling financially.