Vatican News

Next World Day of Peace to address slavery, Vatican announces

Vatican City, Aug 21, 2014 / 02:07 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- “Slaves no more, but brothers and sisters” is the title of the message Pope Francis will deliver for the 2015 World Day of Peace, the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace stated Thursday.

“Slavery is a terrible open wound on the contemporary social body, a fatal running sore on the flesh of Christ,” the pontifical council said in an Aug. 21 statement.

Pope Francis asks prayers for relatives killed in car accident

Vatican City, Aug 19, 2014 / 12:00 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The Holy See announced Tuesday that Pope Francis has asked that the faithful join him in praying for the repose of the souls of three members of his family who have been killed in a car accident.

“The Pope was informed of the tragic accident in Argentina involving some of his family, and is profoundly saddened,” Fr. Federico Lombardi, Holy See press officer, said Aug. 19.

“He calls upon all who share in his grief to be united with him in prayer.”

Pope Francis visits Benedict XVI before trips, archbishop reveals

Vatican City, Aug 19, 2014 / 12:02 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Before any international trip Pope Francis visits Benedict XVI, a key Vatican archbishop revealed, noting the good relations between the two and how Pope Francis is carrying forward Benedict's vision.
 
Archbishop Georg Gaenswein, who serves as prefect of the Pontifical Household, spoke in an all-out interview Aug. 15 with the Austrian Catholic press agency in “Kath.net” while he was in the diocese in Freibourg.

Full transcript of Pope's in-flight interview from Korea

Aboard the papal plane, Aug 18, 2014 / 04:30 pm (CNA).- Speaking to journalists aboard the Aug. 18 flight to Italy from South Korea, Pope Francis said he supports international intervention in Iraq and is willing to go to there personally if it will help end the violence against Christians and other religious minorities.

He also addressed topics ranging from peace efforts between Israel and Palestine, future papal visits, to his personal schedule, relationship with Benedict XVI and life at the Vatican.

Pope Francis backs intervention in Iraq to stop 'aggressor'

Aboard the papal plane, Aug 18, 2014 / 12:07 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis supports international intervention in Iraq and is willing to go to there personally if it will help end the violence against Christians and other religious minorities.

“In these cases where there is an unjust aggression, I can only say that it is licit to stop the unjust aggressor,” Pope Francis told reporters.

“I underscore the verb 'stop.' I don't say 'to bomb' or 'make war,' (but) 'stop it.'”

Korean Church has revitalized my faith, Filipino youth reflects

Seoul, South Korea, Aug 17, 2014 / 02:31 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- At the conclusion of the 6th Asian Youth Day, a young Filipino pilgrim stated that the greatest thing he will walk away with is a higher value of his faith, thanks to the profound devotion of Korean Catholics.

“The biggest thing that I will take with me from this experience is the vitality of faith here in Korea, because in the Philippines, we know that the Philippines is a Catholic country, but the faith becomes routine,” Jessie Perez told CNA Aug. 17.

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