Young people need “big-hearted educators” to guide them through the complexities of modernity, Pope Francis told leaders in Catholic education.
Pope Francis
The closest thing the Church has to a learning certificate for new bishops is a weeklong formation program in Rome — sometimes referred to as the “baby bishops course” — where they spend time with one another, Vatican officials, and the pope himself.
The Catholic Church must put more effort into ensuring that the sacrament of confirmation is not the “sacrament of goodbye” for young people, who receive it and then do not come to Church again until they want to get married, Pope Francis said.
A world that has become “heartless” and indifferent to greed and war, and a Catholic Church in need of revitalizing its missionary joy, need to open themselves up to Christ’s infinite love, Pope Francis wrote.
Because the Holy Spirit specializes in love and unity, Catholic couples should pray regularly for the Spirit to be present in their marriage, Pope Francis said.
Pope Francis called on the faithful to yearn to serve, not thirst for power, as he proclaimed 14 new saints, including Canada-born St. Marie-Léonie Paradis, founder of the Little Sisters of the Holy Family, and 11 martyrs.
Pope Francis met a former prime minister of Israel and a former Palestinian foreign minister who believe they have a workable peace plan for the Holy Land.
Cardinal Wilton Gregory of Washington said he hopes U.S. voters who are as concerned as he is about the “anger and vitriol” of the current election cycle will take time away from the media to think and pray about the values important to them as Catholics.
Pope Francis called again for “an immediate cease-fire on all fronts” in the Middle East, urging leaders to “pursue the paths of diplomacy and dialogue to achieve peace.”
Pope Francis will welcome Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy back to the Vatican Oct. 11, four months after their last meeting, the Vatican press office announced.