The centerpiece of the bishops’ agenda will be four action items dealing with the investigation of abuse claims against bishops themselves or accusations they have been negligent in handling or covering up cases of wayward priests and other church workers.
German Cardinal Walter Kasper, considered a close theological adviser to Pope Francis, said that if during an upcoming meeting of bishops on the Amazon region the prelates asked for the ordination of married men, the Argentine pontiff would grant the request.
On the last leg of his visit to Romania, the pope June 2 celebrated a Divine Liturgy during which seven Eastern-rite Catholic bishops, who died during a fierce anti-religious campaign waged by the communist regime in Romania, were beatified.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has released a new book of Pope Francis’ teachings on the history of the devil, “his empty promises and works” and “how we can actively combat him.”
A large part of the reason news organizations are willing to pay the exorbitant costs of traveling aboard the papal plane with Pope Francis has nothing to do with the trip itself – it’s about the press conference at the end.
“Every time I go to visit him, I take his hand and I let him speak,” the pope told reporters.
While visiting the gypsy community in Romania, Pope Francis asked forgiveness on behalf of the Catholic Church for the discrimination and mistreatment that they have endured.
In a country ravaged by war and bloodshed, the pope delivered a speech promoting a culture of freedom and mercy.
In Iasi, the historical and cultural capital of Romania, the pope emphasized the importance of an intergenerational encounter between the elderly and the young in order to engage the future while being solidly rooted in the past.
Pope Francis landed in the Eastern European country of Romania on Friday, where he warned about the “hurdles” created by progress and called for “a greater collaboration” among its political and religious authorities.
