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“Is today a holy day of obligation? If I participate in today’s Mass, will I fulfill the holy day of obligation?” These questions highlight the importance of understanding the significance of holy days of obligation and the true meaning of participating in the Eucharist.
In this second and final text of the series on “Francis the Great,” the author reminds us that Church renewals are engendered by those who give 100 percent of themselves to their dreams and not by those timid souls who remain glued to the sidelines, stifled by traditional bureaucracy, or overwhelmed by the crisis.
Being great refers to Pope Francis, who, always relying on the Holy Spirit and a transformational vision-mission for the Church, went beyond the standard expectations of leadership and inspired others significantly, driving impactful renewal for the world at a remarkable level.
The fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime gave way to the rapid rise of rebel groups with Islamist roots. The Christian minority reacted with a mix of cautious optimism and deep apprehension as promises of inclusivity from rebel leaders clashed with fears of persecution.
Pope Francis published a new encyclical calling for a renewed understanding of devotion to the Sacred Heart in the modern era. Archbishop Bruno Forte said the encyclical expressed “the inspiring motive of the whole magisterium of Pope Francis.”
Papua New Guinea (PNG) is literally at “the edge of the world,” while Indonesia and Singapore are spiritually on the periphery. Indonesia is the largest Muslim nation on the planet. Pope Francis, the shepherd, decided to be with his flock.
Pope Francis, marking the 150th anniversary of Thérèse of Lisieux’s birth (1873-2023), published a medium-length apostolic exhortation on October 15, 2023; it is entitled C’est la Confiance (CC). The document, bearing the subtitle: “On Confidence in the Merciful Love of God,” contains an introduction, four sections, and a concluding prayer.
Returning to school as a priest and studying with young people made me realize I have much to learn. Interacting with classmates has prompted deep reflection on the misconduct within the Church, which must serve as a call for conversion.
A missionary in Haiti since 1999, Sister Paësie Phillipe founded Familia Kizito in 2017, a community that cares for, protects, feeds, and educates vulnerable children living on the streets of the violent and dangerous slums of the country’s capital, Port-au-Prince.
Opposition to the document detailing blessings for people in irregular situations has sometimes been attributed to anti-Francis movements. The reality is more complex and merits reflection about the future and what kind of a Church the Holy Father is calling us to be.
