Latest news with #GeneralAudience
UPI
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- UPI
Pope escapes Roman heat for 6 week vacation
Pope Leo XIV waves from the popemobile as he arrives for the weekly General Audience in St. Peter's Square, in Vatican City, in May. EPA-EFE/ANGELO CARCONI July 6 (UPI) -- Pope Leo XIV, 69, started a six-week long vacation at the papal retreat of Castel Gandolfo Sunday, getting out of the Roman summer heat and seeking the cooler temperatures outside of the capitol. "I hope everyone can have some vacation time to restore the body and spirit," Leo said before leaving the Vatican during his noontime prayer Saturday. "Once the gate was closed and the crowd began to disperse towards the square and the lake area, a woman's cry caught everyone's attention," a release from the Vatican said. "Pope Leo suddenly appeared on the balcony of the villa." Leo's visit marks a return to the papal vacation spot after his predecessor, Pope Francis, eschewed the retreat during his dozen year papacy. Castel Gandolfo overlooks Lake Alban in the hills south of Rome, and has been a favorite getaway for Roman rulers since the time of first century Emperor Domitian. Leo will have a handful of public events while on vacation, including performing Masses, noon prayers and will also participate in some events at the Vatican, the release said.
Herald Malaysia
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Herald Malaysia
Bishop of Kharkiv: We are a Church under bombs that loves and defies death
It is the fourth year of war, and the intensity of the bombings — which occur not only in Kharkiv but throughout Ukraine — is increasing. Jun 20, 2025 Bishop Pavlo Honcharuk of Kharkiv-Zaporizhzhia By Svitlana DukhovychIt is the fourth year of war, and the intensity of the bombings — which occur not only in Kharkiv but throughout Ukraine — is increasing. In an interview with Vatican Media, Bishop Pavlo Honcharuk of the Latin Diocese of Kharkiv-Zaporizhzhia, recounts, "Ballistic missiles fly, and hundreds of drones carry explosive charges.' The Ukrainian Bishop had participated in the General Audience on Wednesday, June 18, during which Pope Leo XIV mentioned Ukraine's suffering in his appeals. The Pope's blessing Shortly afterward, the Ukrainian Bishop had the opportunity for a brief conversation with the Pope during the customary hand-kissing. 'I felt the sense of peace and serenity that reigns in this place,' he said, reflecting on his encounter with Pope Leo XIV. 'When the Pope arrived, his very presence, his face radiated peace and calm," the Bishop shares, "That was my first impression." "I greeted him and asked for a blessing — for myself, for the priests, the sisters, the diocese, and for all the Ukrainian people, and he replied, 'I bless you.'" he continues, saying, "It was brief, but it left a deeply positive impression on my heart.' The anguish of bombings on civilians The peace and tranquility perceived in St. Peter's Square sharply contrast with the reality the 47-year-old Bishop left behind in Ukraine. 'The Russian army,' he recounts, 'is bombing civilian homes. People often don't expect such massive threats and don't always have time to get to shelters. It's very dangerous near the frontlines due to guided aerial bombs, which penetrate deeply. A crater from such a bomb can reach eight meters deep and 30 meters wide. If it hits a house, nothing remains — not the structure, nor anyone inside.' Life and death side by side The situation in Kharkiv, just 30 kilometers from the Russian border, is dramatic. 'Playgrounds where children gather, factories, farms — everything is being destroyed,' Bishop Honcharuk says. 'Entire villages and towns," he laments, "have been wiped out. Even our Kharkiv is heavily damaged, though local authorities are doing all they can to clean up after the attacks. After every explosion, hundreds of homes are left without windows. If that happens during the cold season, homes become uninhabitable. Many have been displaced. People have lost everything.' A river of suffering This river of human suffering, this flood of terrible stories, does not stop; rather, it grows, the Bishop continues. 'Cemeteries are expanding, with more and more Ukrainian flags marking the graves of fallen soldiers," he says, reiterating, "The pain is immense, and the suffering seems endless. We live in a situation where life and death walk side by side — there may be an explosion on one street, and children walking down the next. This is our reality.' Referring to those who have remained in Kharkiv, Bishop Honcharuk recalls data shared by the city's mayor about a month and a half ago: of the original 2.7 million residents before the full-scale war, around 500,000 remain. To these, roughly the same number of displaced people from nearby towns and villages have been added. Staying with the people Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Kharkiv-Zaporizhzhia has stayed close to his people. The priests of his diocese continue their ministry, even though the number of parishes has decreased. 'Entire towns have been destroyed, and so have the parishes. For example,' he says, 'Pokrovsk — where we had a parish — is still under Ukrainian control, but it has been nearly wiped off the map. The parish is gone, the chapel is destroyed, there are no parishioners, and the priest had to leave because dangerous fiber-optic drones constantly fly overhead. But in general, the priests remain, supporting the people — celebrating Mass, leading prayers, hearing confessions, visiting the sick, and simply being there.' The wounded humanity of soldiers Bishop Honcharuk notes that soldiers often come to talk with priests. Alongside the physical strain and grief for fallen comrades, they carry another heavy burden: a wounded humanity, a wounded soul — because they've been forced to take up arms. 'Ukrainian soldiers defend their homeland," he says, noting, "Out of love for their families and their country, they are forced to do what they would never choose to do — to take another life.' 'It's like when you see a pot of boiling water falling on someone, and you grab it to stop it," the Bishop compares, observing, "That person doesn't get burned — but your hands do." "That's how it is for our soldiers," he acknowledges, saying, "Their humanity is burned. They come to us with these spiritual wounds, seeking to talk, to be supported.' Humanitarian aid at risk The Bishop of Kharkiv also highlights the ongoing need for humanitarian aid, which has significantly decreased. 'There's much less now,' he says, 'and it's also dangerous to store supplies in warehouses, because if the Russian army locates them, they target them for destruction. They do everything possible to make life unbearable, to push people into despair. In the midst of all this, the Church is present: there are priests and sisters, supported by volunteer groups." He notes they have larger organizations like Caritas, but also smaller parish-based groups that are very effective. "The Church," he continues, "is alive. It lives because the people are the Church — not just the priests. The Church is all of us, the baptized. And today, in Ukraine, the Church stands with the people. The Church is present in our soldiers, in our volunteers, in doctors and healthcare workers. The Church is in our parishes, in our streets.' Supporting priests with immense weight on their shoulders A Bishop's task, he reaffirms, is to care for his clergy, underscoring how despite the extreme conditions, this remains a priority for him. 'The priests,' he emphasizes, 'are my closest collaborators. A priest knows the people, supports them, weeps with them, shares their suffering. He takes heavy blows and doesn't always have someone to share them with." "My role," the Bishop therefore reflects, "is to support the priests. I try to be close to them, to visit them, to pray with them. We also provide ongoing training to help them understand what happens to a person — body and mind — in wartime. "When a priest understands what is happening inside himself and to others," then he has the tools to endure," the Bishop observes, warning, "Nothing breaks a person more than running away from a problem they don't understand.' The cost of life and freedom Before becoming a Bishop, then-Monsignor Honcharuk served as a military chaplain, so he is used to speaking with soldiers and he gives thanks to God for them. After remembering seeing their exhausted faces and hearing their many hardships, the Bishop explains a certain phenomenon which tends to occur. "But then — and this fascinates me," he marvels, "something suddenly shifts, and they say, 'If not me, then who?' Those words carry everything: even the awareness they may die, as many comrades have. For example, he said, he never asks, "'Where is your fellow soldier?' Because he may be gone. They simply ask me to pray — and I do. I don't even ask if it's for the living or the dead, because it hurts too much. It's a deep wound.' Traces of God's love 'Our soldiers are strong people,' the Bishop says, 'because their sacrifice for others makes them strong. They sacrifice even part of their inner peace. God did not create humans to kill. And when a person takes another's life, that leaves a mark. This is the price of our life and our freedom. That's why we honor our soldiers, we pray for them, for the prisoners, for those who have lost loved ones — so many families, so many children, so many orphans. The Bishop remembers having recently seen some videos circulating of graduation celebrations in Ukraine, in which many girls dance the waltz wearing their fallen fathers' uniforms. "It's very moving. It tells of immense pain. But even in all this," he says, "we see traces of God's love, His presence, and His goodness — and we keep going.'--Vatican News
UPI
11-06-2025
- Politics
- UPI
Pope Leo XIV names new bishop for Archdiocese of Fuzhou, China
Pope Leo XIV Wednesday appointed Bishop Joseph Lin Yuntuan auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Fuzhou, China. The Pope waves from the popemobile as he arrives for the weekly General Audience in St. Peter's Square, in Vatican City, May 21. Photo By Angelo Carconi/ EPA-EFE June 11 (UPI) -- Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday appointed Bishop Joseph Lin Yuntuan auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Fuzhou, China. "We are pleased to learn that today, on the occasion of the taking possession of the Office of Auxiliary Bishop of Fuzhou by His Excellency Monsignor Joseph Lin Yuntuan, his Episcopal Ministry is also recognized for the purposes of civil law," the Holy See said in a statement. "This event constitutes a further fruit of the dialogue between the Holy See and the Chinese Authorities and is an important step in the journey of communion of the Diocese." The Vatican said that both "the recognition of the civil effects" and taking possession the office occurred Wednesday "in the framework of the dialogue regarding the application of the Provisional Agreement between the Holy See and the People's Republic of China." Yuntuan's appointment was made possible by the Sino-Vatican deal signed in September 2024 and renewed for a third time in October 2024. A May 12 Human Rights Watch statement urged the Vatican to review the agreement that allows China to appoint bishops for government-approved houses of worship, subject to Pope Leo's approval. "Pope Leo XIV has an opportunity to make a fresh start with China to protect the religious freedom of China's Catholics," HRW associate China director Maya Wang said in a statement. "The new pope should press for negotiations that could help improve the right to religious practice for everyone in China." Details of the Sino-Vatican deal have never been made public. According to HRW, the agreement with the Vatican was signed during a period of intensified religious repression in China. HRW has urged Leo to press the Chinese government to immediately free several Catholic clergy who have been "imprisoned, forcibly disappeared, or subjected to house arrest and other harassment." Msgr. Joseph Lun Yuntuan is a China-born cleric ordained as a priest April 9, 1984. He was an episcopal delegate for several years and from 2013-2016 he "performed the ministry of Apostolic Administrator ad nutum Sanctae Sedis." Yuntuan received episcopal ordination Dec. 28, 2017. The metropolitan Archdiocese of Fuzhou was established in 1946. Leo has appointed 15 new bishops in Asia, the United States, Africa, Europe and South America.
GMA Network
26-05-2025
- General
- GMA Network
CFC marks 25 years of Vatican recognition; present at Pope Leo's 1st public General Audience
The Couples for Christ (CFC) celebrated the 25th anniversary of being recognized by the Vatican, with members witnessing Pope Leo XIV's first public General Audience. On May 21, Pope Leo XIV appeared in the Popemobile at St. Peter's Square. In a statement, CFC said thousands of pilgrims welcomed the pope with smiles, cheers, and flag-waving. 'The General Audience marked a significant milestone in the early days of Pope Leo's papacy. With a message centered on hope, faith, and spiritual renewal, the Holy Father signaled a commitment to build upon the pastoral foundation laid by Pope Francis, offering both continuity and new energy to the universal Church,' CFC said. CFC described the event as an 'historic occasion,' as it was also the group's first-ever global conference outside the Philippines. As it also celebrates its 40th anniversary as a Catholic renewal community, the CFC held a conference from May 16 to 18 and May 23 to 25 at the Centro Mariapoli in Castel Gandolfo. 'The location is steeped in Church history and nestled in the tranquil hills outside Rome, offering the perfect backdrop for prayer and reflection,' CFC said. It added that the conference invited CFC members from around the world to 'rekindle their missionary zeal.' CFC also noted that this year marks its 25th anniversary of Vatican's recognition as a private international association of the lay faithful with pontifical rights and the 30th anniversary of its mission presence in Europe. During the conference, CFC said it engaged in dialogues and reflections led by cardinals and bishops from various Vatican dicasteries and archdioceses. 'Indeed, for CFC and the thousands gathered in Rome, the message is clear: hope is alive, and the mission continues,' the group said. According to the Catholic Bishop's Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), the CFC began in 1981 with 16 Filipino couples who joined a seminar organized by the Ligaya ng Panginoon, a Catholic charismatic community. CFC is now present in at least 122 countries and territories.
The Star
21-04-2025
- General
- The Star
Kuching Archbishop mourns the passing of Pope Francis
Poh (left) meeting Pope Francis in Rome in October 2016 after being appointed a bishop by him in 2015. KUCHING: The Catholic Church in Malaysia is deeply saddened by the passing of Pope Francis, says Kuching Archbishop Datuk Simon Poh. He described Pope Francis as a spiritual leader who strengthened human fraternity, inter-religious dialogue, and collaboration, while highlighting the need to care for the earth and address climate issues, as well as the plight of migrants, war refugees, and those on the margins of society. "Pope Francis inspired a church that is welcoming and with a human heart that shows the merciful face of God," Poh said in a statement on Monday (April 21). Poh noted that pilgrims from the Kuching Archdiocese were preparing to visit Rome, hoping to see the pope at the Wednesday General Audience in Vatican City. He also mentioned that the cardinals, archbishops, and bishops of Singapore and Malaysia were grateful to have met Pope Francis during his pastoral visit to Singapore last September. On a personal note, Poh shared that Pope Francis appointed him as a bishop in 2015 and later as the Archbishop of Kuching. "On both occasions, I was blessed to have met him personally in Rome. Pope Francis inspired me with the choice of my motto 'Pastor Cordis Christi', which means 'shepherd after the heart of Jesus'. "From Pope Francis, I learned to be a bishop who is near to the people and reaches out to engage with spiritual leaders from respective faiths," Poh said. He added that the Kuching Archdiocese will prepare a book of condolences and a place for Catholics and friends to pray and offer their last respects, with more information to be provided later. Pope Francis, the first pontiff from Latin America, died on Monday (April 21) aged 88.
