Pope Francis Roundup!

News

• Round-up of Pope's Early Morning Homilies This Week, by Edward Pentin. National Catholic Register 05/25/13. Among the themes covered in his early morning homilies this week, Pope Francis preached about the importance of praying courageously, of doing good to all, and how to guard against losing the spiritual salt of one’s faith.
• Gauchos and God: Pope draws life lessons from Argentine cowboy culture, by Carol Glatz. Catholic News Service. 05/24/13.
• El Salvador's leader gives pope bloodstained relic of Archbishop Romero Catholic News Service. 05/23/13.
• Francis may write first encyclical on poverty, sign Benedict's on faith, by Joshua J. McElwee. National Catholic Reporter 05/24/13:

  Pope Francis may write his first encyclical, a high and authoritative letter from the leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics, on poverty, several Italian media outlets are reporting.

  Additionally, the new pontiff may give his signature to an encyclical being completed on faith by the retired Pope Benedict XVI.

  While new popes have been known to complete encyclicals begun by their predecessors, Italian Bishop Luigi Martella has said the retired pope is still working on the document, which Francis has then agreed to sign and promulgate.

• Pope Francis to Visit Assisi on October 4th Archbishop Domenico Sorrentino, Bishop of Assisi, confirmed that Pope Francis will visit the city of his namesake, Assisi, on October 4th. Zenit. 05/23/13.
• A Pope Trip to the "School" of Charity, by Rocco Palmo. Whispers in the Loggia 05/22/13.
• “Without Christ we are insipid, museum-piece Christians” Pope Francis’ exhortation at his Thursday morning mass in St. Martha’s House was that “Christians might spread the spiritual salt of faith, hope and charity". La Stampa "The Vatican Insider" 05/23/13.
• Vatican denies pope performed public exorcism Catholic News Service. 05/21/13:

  When Pope Francis solemnly laid both hands on the head of a young man in a wheelchair Sunday and prayed intently over him for several minutes, he was not performing an exorcism, the Vatican spokesman has said.

  The young man, who was among dozens of people in wheelchairs greeted by the pope at the end of Mass May 19, appeared somewhat agitated when the pope approached. A priest with him said something to the pope, who then prayed over the man.

  "The Holy Father had no intention of performing an exorcism, but -- as he often does with the sick and suffering people presented to him -- he simply intended to pray for the suffering person before him," said Jesuit Fr. Federico Lombardi.

  See also: Holy See says Pope’s alleged exorcism was in fact a prayer La Stampa 05/21/13.

• Pope's Q-and-A With Movements Zenit 05/21/13. Here is a translation of the question-and-answer session with Francis held Saturday evening, the vigil of Pentecost, with ecclesial movements and communities.
• Pope's Rio Trip to Include a Stop at One of Poorest Favelas Zenit. 05/22/13. Pope Francis’ program during the 2013 Rio World Youth Day reportedly will include a visit to the parish of Varginha, located in the favela of Manguinhos, one of the poorest of Rio. While there the Holy Father will lead a prayer in the parish of Saint Jerome Emilian, where he will bless the new altar.
• Francis laments not being able to listen to confessions outside the Vatican La Stampa 05/20/13:

  As a bishop and then cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was a relentless confessor and the homilies and speeches he has give over these first few months testify to this. For Francis, engaging in dialogue with faithful during confession is key. But now he is Pope he is no longer able to “leave” the Vatican and listen to confessions in parishes as he used to do back in Buenos Aires. ...

• At Pentecost vigil, pope shares personal stories of his faith, by Cindy Wooden. Catholic News Service. 05/20/13.
• Pope calls for global, ethical finance reform, end to cult of money, by Carol Glatz. Catholic News Service. 05/16/13:

  "Money has to serve, not to rule," he said in his strongest remarks yet as pope concerning the world's economic and financial crises.

  A major reason behind the increase in social and economic woes worldwide "is in our relationship with money and our acceptance of its power over ourselves and our society," he told a group of diplomats May 16.

  "We have created new idols" where the "golden calf of old has found a new and heartless image in the cult of money and the dictatorship of an economy which is faceless and lacking any truly humane goal."

• Archbishop says people returning to confession because of pope Catholic News Service. 05/15/13. The head of the Vatican office promoting new evangelization said that while he does not like the terms "Francis effect" or "Francis bump," it is true that "Pope Francis has touched the hearts and minds of many people."
• Pope Announces Visit to Marian Shrine in September Zenit 05/15/13. Before concluding his weekly General Audience. Pope Francis announced his intention to visit the Marian Shrine of Bonaria, located in Cagliari, Sardegna. The Marian Shrine is the namesake of the Holy Father’s birthplace, the city of Buenos Aires in Argentina.

Commentary

• Beneath the hype, Rio a major test for Francis, by John Allen, Jr. National Catholic Reporter 05/24/13. In exactly two months, Pope Francis will make his first overseas trip to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for World Youth Day. It shapes up as the biggest Catholic blowout of the early 21st century, a massive celebration of history’s first Latin American pope folded into what’s already the Catholic version of Lollapalooza.
• Did Pope Francis Say That Atheists Can Get to Heaven by Good Works?, by Jimmy Akin. National Catholic Reporter 05/24/13.
• The Paradox of Pope Francis, by Hans Kung. National Catholic Reporter 05/21/13.
• The Mind of Francis: International Diplomacy, by Thomas Reese. National Catholic Reporter 05/21/13.
• Pope Francis and the Holy Spirit, by Edward Pentin. National Catholic Register 05/19/23. The Holy Father’s homilies provide a compelling invitation to seek the guidance of the third Person of the Trinity.