The Catholic Church is a new and reconciled humanity thanks to the gift of the Holy Spirit, which is the source of communion, harmony, and fraternity, Pope Francis wrote.
Pope Francis
In 2015, Pope Francis shared an urgent message with the world. Writing in “Laudato Si’, on Care for Our Common Home,” he said the Earth “cries out to us because of the harm we have inflicted on her by our irresponsible use and abuse of the goods with which God has endowed her.”
Even when a person seems totally lost and unable to find a way back to God, the Lord is already looking for him or her, said the text for Pope Francis’ weekly general audience.
Christian joy is for everyone, not just for a privileged few, Pope Francis wrote.
Pope Francis has cleared the way for the canonizations of three blesseds: an Armenian Catholic archbishop martyred during the Armenian genocide, a lay catechist from Papua New Guinea killed during World War II, and a Venezuelan religious sister who dedicated her life to education and the poor.
Pope Francis encouraged pilgrim groups visiting Rome for the Holy Year to be witnesses of hope and trust in God’s faithfulness, especially in moments of discouragement.
Priests must recognize that it is a privilege to administer the sacrament of reconciliation and grant absolution, Pope Francis wrote.
Those who work to keep children and vulnerable adults safe are serving and honoring Christ, Pope Francis said in a written message.
In his last written message from Rome’s Gemelli Hospital before returning to the Vatican, Pope Francis greeted bishops and the faithful from the Archdiocese of Naples on their Holy Year pilgrimage.
Immediately before leaving Rome’s Gemelli hospital after more than five weeks of treatment for breathing difficulties, double pneumonia and infections, Pope Francis greeted hundreds of people who gathered outside the hospital March 23.