Caring for the sick means not only healing the wounds of the body but also those that afflict the soul, Pope Francis said.
Caring for the sick means not only healing the wounds of the body but also those that afflict the soul, Pope Francis said.
The Holy Year 2025 should focus on “restoring a climate of hope and trust” after the coronavirus pandemic and helping people repair their relationships with God, with each other and with the Earth, Pope Francis said.
When Archbishop Joseph Kurtz arrived in Louisville more than 14 years ago he began a routine of spending a Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday every month at the archdiocesan Gethsemani monastery to connect with its Trappist community, slow down, and reflect.
Although scientists have made great strides in the field of medicine, genuine care and listening to those who suffer must always be at the forefront of any therapy, Pope Francis said.
Pope Francis was among those showing their support for retired Pope Benedict XVI, sending his predecessor “a beautiful letter,” according to the former pope’s secretary.
Priests must not shut themselves into small-knit cliques but instead open themselves to the world and make God’s love reach everyone, Pope Francis said.
Male-female relationships based on “discrimination and submission” lead to the exploitation and humiliation of thousands of women and girls each year, Pope Francis said.
Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky, and appointed as his successor Bishop Shelton J. Fabre of Houma-Thibodaux in southeastern Louisiana.
Formally installing catechists and lectors into their roles as lay leaders in the church is especially important as a recognition for women and men in places like the Amazon region, where many are de facto religious leaders in remote communities that suffer from a severe shortage of priests, said a Brazilian recently installed as a catechist by Pope Francis.
On the second annual Day of Human Fraternity both religious and secular leaders have joined voices calling for greater brotherhood and solidarity, saying faith implies respect for all people regardless of their traditions or beliefs.