By anyone’s standards, Pope Francis’ visit last week to Colombia was a great success. Except for maybe his doctor’s, since the Holy Father did return home with a shiner over and under his left eye.
Pope Francis
UN Ambassadors Encouraged to Follow Example of Archbishop Romero
At the annual prayer service for the opening of the United Nations General Assembly, participants were encouraged to follow the example of Archbishop Óscar Romero who was martyred for standing up to government abuse and promoting human dignity.
Be the First to Take a Step for Peace, Pope Says at Mass with Victims
If just one victim of Colombia’s civil war forgives his or her aggressor, it can set off a chain reaction of hope for reconciliation and peace, Pope Francis said.
Pope Francis’ Homily at Holy Mass in Catama
“Your birth, O Virgin Mother of God, is the new dawn that proclaims joy to the whole world, for from you has been born the sun of justice, Christ our God” (cf. Antiphon for the Benedictus). The feast of the birth of Mary shines its light over us, just as the gentle light of dawn radiates above the vast Colombian plain, this beautiful landscape whose gateway is Villavicencio, and shines its light too upon the rich diversity of its indigenous peoples.
Pope Calls out Colombians, Latin Americans on Bias Against Women
In a country and a continent often infamous for chauvinistic attitudes towards women, Pope Francis called Colombians on it Friday, insisting that the Gospel story itself is a commentary on a world in which “psychological, verbal and physical violence towards women is so evident.”
After Meeting Pope, Venezuelan Cardinal Says Anti-Maduro Protests Must Continue
After celebrating a Mass for a crowd estimated by the local mayor at 1.3 million, Pope Francis met with five bishops from Venezuela on Thursday. The encounter lasted just 10 minutes, but participants said it was enough to update the pontiff about the country’s worsening situation.
Pope in Colombia: No Life Can Be Discarded, Every Life Is a Treasure
Pope Francis had a packed first full day in Colombia, with a roller-coaster of emotions for locals, more than a million of whom waited the entire day, under the rain, to participate in the first Mass he celebrated here.
Pope to Colombia: ‘You’re Not Alone’ in Search for Peace
During his first official address on his visit to Colombia, Pope Francis told civil authorities to work to resolve structural causes of poverty that lead to exclusion and violence.
Pope Asks Colombian Youth to ‘Teach Us Forgiveness’
For the young, the pope said while addressing some 22,000 youth in Colombia, it’s easy to encounter each other, needing only a coffee or a drink as an excuse, knowing that the culture of encounter is not about agreeing on every thought. “Rather, [it is] in knowing that beyond our differences we are all part of something greater that unites and transcends us; we are part of this wonderful country.”
Pope Francis Meeting with Latin American Bishops
Pope Francis greets Colombian bishops in Bogota, Colombia, Sept. 7, telling them that he has “come to proclaim Christ, and to undertake a journey of peace and reconciliation in his name.”