Catholic Fire

The importance of leading a balanced life. This is what Pope Francis talked about as he started off a new series of catechesis,  in his weekly general audience. He explained that dedicating time to celebration, work and prayer are all needed to appreciate a healthy family life. POPE FRANCIS "It's a masterpiece of simplicity. It's beautiful because it's not artificial or fake. Rather it has the potential to incorporate all the aspects of true life.” Balancing these three elements will be one of the central themes of the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia, which the Pope will attend at the end of September. The Pope emphasized that despite a societal obsession with economic profit,  celebration and prayer are needed to reflect on one's life and to reflect on God. POPE FRANCIS "We are made in the image and likeness of God, who is not a slave to work, but the Lord of work!  God asks us to break away from the obsession of economic profit, whic...

(Vatican Radio) Mother Church teaches us works mercy are essential for our salvation, said Pope Francis at his general audience on Wednesday , but “it is not enough to do good to those who do good to us. To change the world for the better we must do good to those who are unable to reciprocate, as the Father did with us, in giving us Jesus". And once again he had a special thought for the persecuted Christians of the Middle East. In his greeting to Arabic speaking pilgrims and in particular to those from Syria and Iraq, Francis said that "the Church, following the example of his Master, is a teacher of mercy: She faces hatred with love, defeats violence with forgiveness; responds to weapons with  prayer! May the Lord reward your fidelity, instill courage in your fight against the forces of evil and open the eyes of those who are blinded by evil, so they may soon see the light of truth and repent for their mistakes. May the Lord bless you and protect you always”. Speaki...

For about 25 minutes, Pope Francis made several rounds along St. Peter's Square to greet all the people in his general audience. In fact, the Pope recognized an old friend. He stopped the popemobile, waited for him to jump the fence and had a quick chat with him in Spanish, while his team waited. Afterward, once the friend got off, he continued his rounds on the popemobile, and he even told this to a pilgrim. "Francis, you're one of a kind” POPE FRANCIS "So are you. There's no other person like you.” The Pope began his catechesis on the gifts of the Holy Spirit. He explained the difference between wisdom and knowledge. Between seeing things through the eyes of mankind, and seeing it through the eyes of God. POPE FRANCIS "Sometimes we value things depending on our pleasure or depending on the mood of our hearts, with love or even with hate, or envy. No! This is not seeing things through the eyes of God.” He said the gifts of the Holy ...

The cold and rain weren't an obstacle for the thousands of pilgrims who filled St. Peter's Square in his weekly General Audience. Pope Francis couldn't help but notice all the umbrellas covering the square. POPE FRANCIS "I can see that you're brave...under all this rain that wants to pull you back home. Thank You." As usual, he rode his Popemobile before the audience, blessing and waving at everybody. A music band welcomed him once he made his way across. As part of his catechesis on the Sacraments, Pope Francis talked about Holy Orders. He reminded that all bishops, priests, and deacons are called to serve, and that they should always stay in touch with Jesus through the Sacraments and the Bible. POPE FRANCIS "A bishop who doesn't pray, a bishop who doesn't listen to the Word of God, who doesn't celebrate Mass everyday, who doesn't go to Confession on a regular basis—and the same thing happens to a priest that doesn't do ...

In Wednesday's general audience, Pope Francis continued his catechesis on the Sacraments, focusing specifically on the Eucharist. He outlined three points where the Eucharist plays a central role in Christian life. First, he explained, it affects the way people relate to one another. Secondly, through the Eucharist, both forgiveness and a call to forgive is experienced. Thirdly, the Eucharist nourishes a community through the Word and Life of Christ. Pope Francis then added that the Eucharist is not a mere memory that simply honors Jesus. Rather, he explained, it's an act and gift from God. SUMMARY OF POPE'S CATECHESIS IN ENGLISH Dear Brothers and Sisters,  Continuing our catechesis on the Sacraments of Initiation, I wish to reflect on how we live the Eucharist in our daily lives, as a Church and individual Christians. First, the Eucharist affects the way we see others.  In his life, Christ manifested his love by being with people, and by sharing their desire...

VATICAN CITY – In his Wednesday audience, Pope Francis reflected on the sacrament of Confirmation, explaining to Christians that this sacrament is intrinsically linked to their Baptism, and fortifies their relationship with the Church. “[Confirmation] unites us more firmly to Christ,” the Pope said in his Jan. 29 general audience. “It strengthens our relationship with the Church, and it gives us a special strength from the Holy Spirit to defend the faith, and confess the name of Christ.” Continue reading.

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...

November 17, 2013 (Romereports.com) The best way to tell the Pope apart from the crowds during his General Audiences is generally looking for a white habit. But this week, he wasn't the only one wearing an all-white attire at St. Peter's: 50 chefs were waiting behind him, all of them with their uniform and hat.   Those fifty chefs, and the 350 amongst the crowds are part of an international group for Italian cuisine. “The association is called APIC, that stands for Association of Professional Italian Chefs. We are gathered here today to have an audience with the Holy Father, and my hat signifies the signature of many of us, as a token of appreciation I was going to give it to the Holy Father.” All these cooks have great amounts of experience. That's why in addition to their white hats, they donned medals. “The color signifies the years that we have been in the business. You can see many of us have a gold, he is a silver. I have a gold, and my colleague has the pl...

(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 ...

October 30, 2013 (Romereports.com) During Wednesday's General Audience, and ahead of the celebration of All Saints' Day, Pope Francis described the communion of saints as the spiritual fraternity between the saints. But he added this unity extends to Catholics today, which are all united to the Body of Christ. As a result of this communion, the Pope said, Catholics should support each other spiritually. ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF THE POPE'S CATECHESIS Dear Brothers and Sisters: In our catechesis on the Creed, we now reflect on “the communion of saints.” As the Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us, this is a communion “in holy things” and “among holy persons” (No. 948). The communion of saints is the deepest reality of the Church, because in Christ, through Baptism, we are made sharers in the communion of life and love which is the Blessed Trinity. As such, we are united to one another in the Body of Christ. Through this fraternal communion we draw nearer to ...

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis said the Church is like Mary who brings Jesus and is not a shop or a humanitarian agency. Speaking at his Wednesday general audience, the Pope said a Church which does not bring Jesus is a dead Church. At his general audience Pope Francis continued his catechesis on the model of the Church and reflected on how "Mary is a model of faith and charity for the Church." He said "Mary’s life was centered on Christ, the incarnation of God’s infinite Love." She teaches us to live a life of faith by her obedience to God’s will and by her unfailing devotion to Jesus and his work. As a model of Charity, the Pope continued, “Mary wishes to bring all of us to the great gift that is Jesus with his love, his peace and his joy.” "The Church," he said, “is not a shop, or a humanitarian agency, or an NGO, the Church’s mandate is to bring Christ and the gospel” to everyone. The Church brings Jesus and his love and "if the Church wer...

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis held his weekly General Audience on Wednesday in St Peter’s Square. During his catechetical remarks, the Holy Father focused on the Church’s Apostolic character and nature. Addressing thousands of pilgrims and visitors gathered Wednesday morning in St Peter’s Square under a suddenly brilliant October sky, Pope Francis spoke of a threefold sense in which the Church is Apostolic: through the chain of leadership from Peter and the 12 that has remained unbroken down to the present day and that shall remain unbroken until the end of time; through the Church’s care for and transmission of the whole teaching of Christ; through the Church’s accomplishment in history of the mission of teaching and baptizing all nations, with which Christ entrusted the Apostles and their successors. Departing from his prepared text, Pope Francis explained that praying is the first task of the Apostle, who is one sent to continue the mission of Christ in history. “The second,” he...

September 18, 2013. (Romereports.com) During Wednesday's general audience, the Pope compared the Church to a mother. With thousands of people in St. Peter's Square, the Pope explained that through the 10 commandments, the Church tries to instill values in Her children, just like any mother would. He also added that the Church is always at Her children's side, vowing to pray and protect them throughout life. SUMMARY OF POPE'S CATECHESIS IN ENGLISH: "Dear Brothers and Sisters: today I wish to return to the image of the Church as our Mother, by reflecting on all that our earthly mothers do, live and suffer for their children.  First, our mothers show us, through their tenderness and love, the correct path to follow in life, so that we may grow into adulthood.  So too the Church orients us on the path of life, indicating the way that leads to maturity.  Second, our mothers know how and when to accompany us with understanding through life and to help lead us bac...

September 18, 2013. (Romereports.com) Peace is once again Pope Francis' main concern. He asked every Catholic to pray on September 21, the United Nations' International Day for Peace. The World Council of Churches has made the same request.   The Pope encouraged Catholics to take an active role that day. He specially mentioned the Syrian population that suffers from the horrors of war. POPE FRANCIS “My thoughts go especially to the dear people of Syria, whose human tragedy can only be resolved through dialogue and negotiation, with respect for justice and the dignity of every person, specially the weakest and most defenseless.” Hundreds of pilgrims crowded Saint Peter's Square to attend the General Audience. It took the Pope half an hour to cross the Square and greet everyone he could. -He's four months old. -And what's his name? -Emiliano. The Pope reassured that the Church is a caring mother that protects her children. And added that the Ten Comman...

September 4, 2013. (Romereports.com) Pope Francis strongly reaffirmed his calls for peace. During the first general audience after his summer vacation, he invited the world to take part in a day of fasting and prayer for peace, including a prayer vigil he will lead at St. Peter's Square on Saturday, September 7.   POPE FRANCIS “This coming Saturday we will live together a special day of fasting and prayer for peace in Syria, the Middle East, and throughout the world. But also for the peace in our hearts, because peace begins in our hearts. I renew the invitation to the whole Church to live this day intensely, and even now I express gratitude to the other Christian brothers and sisters, to the brothers and sisters of other religions and to the men and women of good will who desire to join in this initiative, in places and ways of their own.” The Pope also had a special reminder for youth, and he thanked them for adding to his experience during July's WYD in Brazil. POP...

June 26, 2013. (Romereports.com)  During his weekly general audience, the Pope explained the views of the Church, as expressed by the Second Vatican Council. He said the Church can be considered a 'Temple,' where Christians are like 'living stones'  who reveal the beauty of the Christian message. CATECHESIS IN ENGLISH: Speaker: “Dear Brothers and Sisters: In our continuing catechesis on the Creed, today we consider the Church as God’s temple.  The great temple of Solomon in Jerusalem, a place of prayer and encounter with the Lord, was a prefigurement of the Church.  Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son who dwelt among us, is himself the definitive and living temple where we encounter God’s presence in our midst.   Christ makes us, the members of his mystical body, “living stones” for the construction of a “holy temple in the Lord” (Eph 2:21), in which we exercise our baptismal priesthood by offering spiritual sacrifices.   The Holy Spirit, in the varie...

June 19, 2013. (Romereports.com) With Rome's intense summer heat, Pope Francis made his way to St. Peter's Square, blessing children along the way. He even gave a baseball cap to a child to protect him from the high temperatures. During his catechesis, Pope Francis described the Church as the Body of Christ. POPE FRANCIS “If the head is separated from the body, a person cannot survive. It's the same for the Church. We must always stay intensely connected to Jesus.” The Pope added that the Church is not an NGO, or a cultural or political institution. He explained that the Church is a living Body, Jesus is the head who nurtures and guides it along the way. He also called for Christian unity. POPE FRANCIS “We Catholics should pray together, but we should also pray with other Christians. We must pray so that God may grant us all unity. Unity! Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he said,  that unity is possible. But to start of, one must first look for uni...

June 12, 2013. (Romereports.com) During his weekly general audience, Pope Francis talked about the mission of the Church, describing it as the People of God. In his catechesis on the Creed, he explained that through Baptism, one is called to transmit God's love, hope and joy to others. CATECHESIS IN ENGLISH: Speaker: Dear Brothers and Sisters: In our continuing catechesis on the Creed, today we consider the Church as the People of God, called to new life in Christ.  We become part of this people through God’s gift of faith and spiritual rebirth in the waters of Baptism.  Our law is the twin commandment of love for God and neighbor.  Our mission is to be a leaven of the hope born of God’s love in our world wounded by sin and evil.  Amid the darkness that so frequently surrounds us, we are called to be so many points of light, illumining all reality and showing the way to a better future.  God’s goodness is stronger than any evil!  Our destination i...

May 29, 2013. (Romereports.com) During his weekly catechesis Pope Francis talked about the role of the Church. But before that, the Pope made his way through St. Peter's Square where about 90,000 people were gathered. Despite the rainy weather, the Pope maid a point to greet the crowds. POPE FRANCIS “I congratulate all of you for having the courage to come out in the rain. You're strong! Even if the weather wasn't ideal, there was time for some endearing moments like this one, where a boy gave Pope Francis a puppet that resembled  the Pontiff himself. During his catechesis the Pope addressed the popular notion of those who say they believe in Christ, but not in the Church. POPE FRANCIS “There are those who say, 'I believe in God, but not in priests. I believe in Christ, but not in the Church.' But it's the very Church that leads us to Christ. The Church is God's family. And yes, it's true that the Church also has human characteristics in its ...

May 15, 2013. (Romereports.com) For about 40 minutes, Pope Francis made his way through St. Peter's Square in the popemobile, as he greeted the crowds in St. Peter's Square. In fact a pilgrim actually asked the Pope to bless two white doves before setting them free. But it seemed like one of the doves wanted to stay with the Pope. Next Sunday, exactly 40 days after Easter, the Catholic Church celebrates Pentecost. So during his catechesis, the Pope talked about the power and importance of the Holy Spirit. POPE FRANCIS “The Holy Spirit, then, as Jesus promises, guides us 'into all truth.' He leads us not only to an encounter with Jesus, the fullness of Truth, but guides us "into" the Truth.” The Pope explained that truth is not an idea that everyone agrees with, nor is it a possession, rather he said, it's an encounter that's made possible by the Holy Spirit. POPE FRANCIS “Let's ask ourselves: are we open to the Holy Spirit, do I pray to...