Catholic Fire

Nearly 20,000 young people from Abruzzo and Molise welcomed Pope Francis at the sanctuary of Castelpetroso. The Pope expressed his concern with unemployment, an issue close to home for the massive group. POPE FRANCIS "It's sad to find youth in this particular situation. They do not study, because they cannot, they don't have the possibility. Nor do they work. And this is the challenge that as a community, we all need to overcome. We need to move forward to overcome this challenge. We cannot resign ourselves to losing an entire generation of youth without the full dignity of a job.” Pope Francis reminded them that, despite the crisis, youth remain brave before any challenges they face, they have hope, and are capable of expressing solidarity. The Pope asked them not to fall into the "throw-away culture,” and to make definitive choices, and to choose a suitable path, in order to give meaning to their futures. POPE FRANCIS "Suitable path, choose the way...

On Trinity Sunday evening, Pope visited the community of Sant’ Egidio in the Roman neighborhood of Trastevere... He spoke to the community, focusing on solidarity: solidarity in prayer; solidarity in action to aid the weakest and most vulnerable in society; and especially, solidarity across generations. Departing from his prepared remarks, the Holy Father said, “A people that does care for its elder members, one that does not take care of its young people, is a people without a future, a people without hope – for young people - children, young people - and seniors carry [the people] forward in history.” Pope Francis went on to say, “Children and young people [do so] with the vim and vigor natural to youth, to be sure [It. I bambini, i giovani con la loro forza biologica, è giusto]. The elders [do so] by offering memory. When a society loses its memory, though, it is finished.” Pope Francis went on to tie the crisis among the young and the elderly in society to the “throw-away ...

Dozens of families and wailing children welcomed Pope Francis as he addressed Italy's Movement for Life at the Clementine Hall. In his remarks, the Pope once again brought up the "throw-away” culture, and the threat it poses to life, in all its stages. POPE FRANCIS "One of the greatest risks we are exposed to today, is the divorce between economy and morality; between the possibilities offered by a market, stocked with each technological advancement, and the elementary ethical norms of human nature, increasingly neglected. It is then necessary to reiterate our strongest opposition to each direct attack on life, especially the innocent and defenseless.” The Pope concluded that each Christian has the responsibility to protect life. He asked that they do it with attentiveness and proximity to women, so they don't feel neglected or alone.