Catholic Fire

"I considered this message (of Divine Mercy) my special task. Providence has assigned it to me in the present situation of man, the Church, and the world." ~ Pope St. John Paul II; November 22, 1981 "Who can say that he is free from sin and does not need God’s mercy? As people of this restless time of ours, wavering between the emptiness of self-exaltation and the humiliation of despair, we have a greater need than ever for a regenerating experience of mercy." ~ Pope St. John Paul II, Regina Caeli message, April 10, 1994  "It is important then that we accept the whole message that comes to us from the word of God on this Second Sunday of Easter, which from now on throughout the Church, will be called Divine Mercy Sunday." (The readings on that Sunday are always about mercy, trust and the forgiveness of sins.) ~Pope St. John Paul II, during the Mass of canonization of St. Faustina on April 30, 2000, Related: Divine Mercy Sunday Saint J...

November 20, 2013. (Romereports.com) During Wednesday's General Audience, Pope Francis spoke about the forgiveness of sins. He said that he goes to Confession every two weeks . He also asked all priests who aren't kind to people, to change before administering the Sacrament.   The Pope also explained that the Holy Spirit is 'the main character' of the Sacrament of Penance. He added that the service provided by all priests is a 'very delicate one' because through them, every person should see that God never grows tired of forgiving. SUMMARY OF THE POPE'S CATECHESIS IN ENGLISH: Dear Brothers and Sisters: Today I would like to speak again on the forgiveness of sins by reflecting on the power of the keys, which is a biblical symbol of the mission Jesus entrusted to the Apostles. First and foremost, we recall that the source of the forgiveness of sins is the Holy Spirit, whom the Risen Jesus bestowed upon the Apostles. Hence, he made the Church the gu...

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis called on the faithful Wednesday to humbly ask forgiveness every time they sin. As part of his catechesis during this Wednesday's General Audience in St. Peter's Square, Pope Francis said, like Baptism, which washes away original sin and personal sin, the Sacrament of Confession can “open the door to a new life” as the merciful God “enters our lives.” The Pope invited Catholics to renew the grace of Baptism by going to Confession often and with a contrite heart: “The Church teaches us to confess our sins with humility, because only in forgiveness, received and given, do our restless hearts find peace and joy.” “Dear Brothers and Sisters: Today I would like to continue our catechesis on the Creed by turning to the Sacrament of Baptism. Each Sunday when making our Profession of Faith, we pray: I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins. Let us look at each of these words. I confess – This solemn declaration highlights the importance of ...