Papal visit to homeless persons receiving Covid vaccine (Vatican News)
The visit took place on Good Friday morning in the Paul VI Audience Hall.
Papal condolences follow death of Cameroon’s Cardinal Tumi at 90 (Vatican News)
The Central African nation of 27.7 million (map) is 32% Protestant, 30% Catholic, 21% Muslim, and 17% ethnic religionist. Cardinal Tumi, known for his advocacy for democracy and human rights, was created a cardinal in 1988, and retired from his position as Archbishop of Douala (the nation’s largest city) in 2009.
Pope Francis celebrates Mass on Easter Sunday (Vatican News)
The Pontiff, in place of a homily, “led the faithful in silent prayer following the proclamation of the Gospel of John (20:1-9), which was chanted in both Latin and Greek.”
Christ, alive today, always helps begin anew, Pope preaches at Easter Vigil (Vatican News)
“Faith is not an album of past memories; Jesus is not outdated,” Pope Francis preached during the Easter Vigil Mass, celebrated in St. Peter’s Basilica. “He walks beside you each day, in every trial you have to endure, in your deepest hopes and dreams. . . . He invites us to overcome barriers, banish prejudices […]
Nazareth, the Cross, and Pentecost: Pope recalls 500th anniversary of evangelization of the Philippines (Vatican Press Office)
Father Pedro de Valderrama, who was part of Ferdinand Magellan’s expedition, celebrated the first Mass in the Philippines on Easter Sunday in 1521.
Cardinal Parolin: Church must be united in witnessing to the Gospel
In an interview with the Spanish radio network COPE, the Vatican Secretary of State addresses numerous topics, from his priestly vocation to his relationship with Pope Francis, and speaks also about divisions within the Church and the reality of the Church in China.
Minds Without Brains?
Minds Without Brains? By John W. Farrell April 5, 2021 In the view of many scientists, Artificial Intelligence (AI) isn’t living up to the hype of its proponents. We don’t yet have safe driverless cars—and we’re not likely to in the near future. Nor are robots about to take on all our domestic drudgery so […]
At Easter Sunday Mass, Patriarch Pizzaballa tells Holy Land Christians ‘nothing is impossible’
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem urged Christians in the Holy Land on Easter Sunday to take courage and believe that “nothing is impossible.” Preaching April 4 at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa noted that the coronavirus crisis had brought suffering to the Christian community in the past year. “That […]
Pope on Easter calls for faster, fairer distribution of Covid vaccines
Pope Francis on Easter offered consolation to all those still struggling as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, and he urged speeding up production of COVID-19 vaccines amid global delays and ensuring they reach the poorest countries. In his Easter Urbi et Orbi address, the pope said the resurrected Christ is a sign of “hope for all […]
Cameroon’s lone cardinal and ‘fearless preacher’ dies on Good Friday
Cameroon’s Cardinal Christian Wiyghan Tumi on April 3 at the age of 91. The archbishop-emeritus of Douala was the only Cameroonian cardinal, and active in the country’s church and political scene to the very end of his life. Tumi had been hospitalized for three weeks and died on the evening of Good Friday. Although not […]