Vatican City, May 11, 2015 / 01:31 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- What is peace? This question was part of a special question and answer session with the Bishop of Rome touching on a wide range of themes – from the link between greed and war, to arguments with siblings, and the role of religion in promoting peace in the world. “Religion helps us because it makes us walk in God's presence,” the Pope said: “it helps us because it gives us the Commandments, the Beatitudes.” Above all, religion helps us learn “to love our neighbor” – and this is a commandment that all religions have in common, he said. It is this “love of neighbor” which helps everyone make peace, and “to go forward in peace.” Pope Francis made these remarks on May 11 during during a encounter with 7,000 children in the Vatican's Paul VI hall. The meeting was sponsored by the Fabbrica della Pace – the Peace Factory – an initiative which uses education to promote integration, cross-cultural and multi-ethnic understanding. In prepared remarks, the Pope lauded Peace Factory for its work in building “a society without injustice and violence, in which every child and youth may be welcomed and grow in love.” Saying there is need for more “peace factories,” the Pope lamented the number of “war factories” in existence. “War is the fruit of hate, of selfishness, of the  desire to possess more and more, and to dominate others.” In contrast, members of the Peace Factory are committed to “defending the culture of inclusion, of reconciliation and of encounter.” During the Q&A with the children, the Pope touched on a wide range of subjects, from personal and individual to global. One little girl asked if the Pope argues with his family like she argues with her sister: He replied that we all argue, but said we should never conclude the day without making peace. Another asked: “If a person does not want peace with you, what would you do?” The Pope responded by saying he would respect that person's freedom, never seeking revenge against him. In fostering peace, he said: “respect for persons is always, always first.” Pope Francis also spoke about peace in more serious contexts, touching on themes such as greed in countries torn by war and conflict. “Why do many powerful people not want peace?” the Pope asked, responding to a question posed by an Egyptian child as to why the powerful do not support schools. “Because they live on war!” Such persons benefit from the sale of weapons – which he described as “the industry of death” – and decried the evil brought about by the greed for more and more money. “And it is for this reason that many people do not want peace,” he said: “They benefit more from war!” Pope Francis then touched on the theme of equality, having been asked if everyone is equal today. “We are all equal – everyone!” he said, but there are those who do not recognize this equality, and that we all have the same rights. A society which does not see this, he said, “that society is unjust... and where there is no justice, there is no peace.” Read more

Vatican City, May 11, 2015 / 12:40 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis’ historic trip to Cuba will take place Sept. 19-22, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Cuba has announced. The dates of the trip were released in a May 11 statement from the ... Read more

Vatican City, May 11, 2015 / 11:31 am (Aid to the Church in Need).- Pope Francis centered his homily for Monday's daily Mass on the “scandal of the cross,” saying Christians should turn to the Holy Spirit in preparing for martyrdom – great or small. “A Christian who does not take the dimension of martyrdom seriously in life does not understand the road that Jesus has indicated,” the Pope said May 11, according to Vatican Radio's translation. Addressing the congregation at the Santa Marta residence chapel, Pope Francis said the road indicated by Jesus invites “us to bear witness every day, defending the rights of others; defending our children; mothers and fathers who defend their family; so many sick people who bear witness and suffer for the love of Jesus.” He encouraged Christians to turn to the Holy Spirit to remind them of Jesus' words, and guide them in preparing to be witnesses “with small every day martyrdoms, or with a great martyrdom, according to God’s will.”        All Christians are capable of “bearing witness” of the Easter message “without being scandalized,” the Pope said. According to Vatican Radio, Pope Francis recalled in his homily a phone conversation with Tawadros II, head of the Coptic Orthodox Church on Sunday, during which he spoke of the Egyptian Christians recently martyred on the beach. The pontiff was making reference here to an ISIS video, released last February, which shows the beheading of 21 Coptic Christians.   “Thanks to the strength given them by the Holy Spirit they were not scandalized. They died with the name of Jesus on their lips,” the Pope said. “This is the strength of the Spirit. The testimony. Martyrdom is the supreme testimony.” Monday's homily was centered on the day's Mass readings, specifically the Gospel of John in which Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit descending: “When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me. And you will also testify” (John 15:26-27). The Church is guided along a journey by the Holy Spirit, the Pope said, who serves as our companion, while defending us from “the scandal of the cross.” The cross is a scandal for the Jews who “ask for signs,” the pontiff observed. On the other hand, for the pagan Greeks “who ask for knowledge and new ideas,” the cross is foolishness. The Holy Father also spoke of the “scandal of persecution” in reference to those who preach the Gospel. “They will expel you from the synagogues: in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is offering worship to God.” Pope Francis spoke of those who kill Christians in God's name. “This is Christ’s cross: 'They will do this because they have not known either the Father or me.'” “This happened to me – Jesus says – it will happen to you too – the persecutions, the tribulations – but do not be scandalized: the Holy Spirit will guide us and help us understand.” Read more

Vatican City, May 10, 2015 / 01:51 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Following a private meeting at the Vatican with Pope Francis, who has helped to broker improved relations between Cuba and the United States, the president of the Caribbean nation suggested he could return to the Church in the future. “I will start praying again and return to the Church” if the Pope continues what he has been doing, Raul Castro said on Sunday. Castro is president of Cuba and the younger brother of Fidel, the leader of Cuba's communist revolution.  He spoke to the press a few hours after his meeting with Pope Francis. The Cuban leader also said he was impressed with the Pope’s “wisdom and modesty,” adding that he reads all of his speeches. The May 10 meeting was the first between the two leaders, ahead of Pope Francis’ upcoming visit to the island nation. According to a statement released by the Holy See press office after the meeting, Castro “wished to say ‘Thank you’ to the Holy Father for his active role in the development of the improvement of relations between Cuba and the United States of America.” Castro also “presented the sentiments of the Cuban people to the Pope as they await in preparation for the coming visit to the island in the month of September,” the statement reads. While the Vatican qualified today's visit as a “strictly private”, the Holy See press office released some details of the meeting in a statement shortly afterward. Castro arrived at the Vatican at 9:30am from Russia, where he had participated in a commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe. The two leaders met for about 50 minutes and spoke of the Pope’s work in bettering relations between Cuba and the United States. They also spoke of the Roman Pontiff's upcoming visit of Cuba ahead of his week-long trip to the United States, which will include the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia,  and the canonization of Blessed Junipero Serra in Washington, DC. The Vatican announced Pope Francis' September trip to Cuba on April 22. Castro was accompanied by a 10-person delegation, including the president of Cuba’s Council of Ministers, his exterior minister, and the Cuban ambassador to the Holy See. As is customary, the Pope and the president exchanged gifts. Castro gave Pope Francis a silver medal commemorating the 200 years since the Cathedral of Havana was built. It is one of only 25 of the medals in existence. Castro also gave the Pope a work of contemporary art by the Cuban artist Kcho, who was part of the delegation. The piece is a large cross composed of pieces from shipwrecked boats, with the image of an immigrant praying in front of it. Kcho explained to the Pope that the work “was inspired by his commitment to calling the world’s attention to the problems of migrants and those who are forced to flee their homes, starting with his famous trip to Lampedusa” in July 2013. In return, Pope Francis gave Castro a copy of his apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium and a large medallion which shows St. Martin of Tours sharing his cloak with a poor person. He told Castro the gift “is an intuition of that which we must do: cover the misery of our people and then promote the people.” The Holy Father added that he “wanted to give it to him because it is a sign of goodwill.” After the audience with Pope Francis, Castro met with the Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi, after which he spoke to the press about the meeting. Last December, Castro and U.S. President Barack Obama announced to the world that they would be taking steps to normalize their diplomatic relations, and surprised many in thanking and praising the work of Pope Francis. Castro had also met with Benedict XVI on March 27, 2012 during his trip to the Caribbean nation, and St. John Paul II was the first Pope to receive then-Cuban president Fidel Castro in 1996. Two years later, he made his own historic visit to Cuba.   Read more

Vatican City, May 10, 2015 / 09:28 am (CNA/EWTN News).- On Sunday, Pope Francis extended a special greeting to all those around the world who are celebrating Mother's Day, after offering advice on loving to the point of laying down one's life. “We remember all mothers with gratitude and affection,” the Pope said to the crowds gathered in Saint Peter's Square under the hot sun for the recitation of the Regina Caeli prayer May 10. Speaking to the mothers after granting the apostolic blessing to those present, he noted that the applause from the crowd embraced all mothers: “those who live with us physically, but also those who live with us spiritually.” The Pope also greeted those who were beginning to gather around the Vatican to take part in the March for Life. “It is important to collaborate together in order to defend and promote life,” he said. In his address before the Regina Caeli, Pope Francis recounted Christ's words during the Last Supper: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Christ says he loves us even though we have not merited this love, the Pope said. “In this way, Jesus shows us the path for following him, the path of love.” Pope Francis explained that Christ's command to love and to lay down one's life for friends is new, insofar as it was he who first fulfilled it. “The law of love is written once and for all in the heart of man” he said, “written with the fire of the Holy Spirit.” “And with this same Spirit, which Jesus gives us, we too can walk along this path!” Pope Francis' reflection comes two weeks before Pentecost, on which the Church celebrates the Holy Spirit coming down upon the Apostles 50 days after Christ's resurrection. The path which leads us out of ourselves toward others is concrete, the Pope said. “Jesus showed us that love for God puts into effect the love for others,” he added, explaining that these two loves go together. There are many examples of this love throughout the Gospels: “adults and children, educated and ignorant, rich and poor, righteous and sinners, were welcomed in the heart of Christ.” Pope Francis stressed this call to love one another, even when we don't understand each other, or when we don't get along: “It is here that one sees Christian love.” This love is greater than differences of opinion or disposition, the Roman Pontiff said. A love which has been “freed from selfishness,” it gives joy to our hearts. Pope Francis spoke of the small gestures of closeness shown every day: given to an elderly person, a child, one who is sick, a person alone and in difficulty, without home or job, an immigrant, a refugee. “The love which Christ has taught us is made manifest in these gestures,” he said.   Read more