Pope Francis will focus on trying to improve the troubles of about a million ethnic Muslim Rohingyas when he visits Myanmar, in the first ever papal visit to the country, in the last week of November after being personally invited by President Htin Kyaw, ucanews.com reported on 7 August. News of his visit, which has leaked out of the Vatican but is not expected to be officially announced until next month, has already drawn the ire of hard-line Buddhist groups according to the report. Bishop Raymond Sumlut Gam of Banmaw in Kachin…
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Scotland to be consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Scotland is to be consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary for the first time. The act of consecration will be carried out by the country’s bishops at the national Marian shrine at Carfin on September 3. Bishop John Keenan of Paisley has asked Catholics to take part in Forty Days of spiritual preparation for the event. On his Facebook page he wrote: “I shall be doing it daily and warmly invite everyone of you to join me. “The consecration depends on fervent national preparation. Please share (I rarely ask this but this is…
Read MorePope to attend prayer meeting, visit children’s home in Colombia
Here is the detailed schedule of events planned for Pope Francis’ visit to Colombia Sept. 6-10. The schedule was released by the Vatican June 23. All times are local, with Eastern Daylight Time in parentheses: Wednesday, Sept. 6 (Rome, Bogota) — 11 a.m. (5 a.m.) Departure from Rome’s Fiumicino airport. — 4:30 p.m. (5:30 p.m.) Arrival at CATAM military section of the Bogota airport. Welcoming ceremony. Thursday, Sept. 7 (Bogota) — 9 a.m. (10 a.m.) Meeting with government authorities in the courtyard of Casa de Narino presidential palace in Bogota.…
Read MorePope Francis to visit Chile, Peru in January 2018
Pope Francis will make an Apostolic Journey to Chile and Peru in January 2018, according to a statement released by the Holy See Press Office. The Pope will visit Chile from 15 to 18 January, visiting the cities of Santiago, Temuco and Iquique. He will be in Peru from 18 to 21 January, visiting Lima, Puerto Maldonado, and Trujillo. The communique from Greg Burke, Director of the Holy See Press Office, said the Pope’s trip came at the invitation of the respective Heads of State and Bishops. It said the programme…
Read MorePossible papal visit to Holy Land
Vatican and Israeli officials have begun discussions about a possible visit by Pope Francis to the Holy Land, according to the Times of Israel. According to the report, the primary purpose of a papal visit would be to push for resumption of active peace talks between Israeli and Palestinian officials. The Pope could visit other countries in the region during the same trip, the report notes. The Vatican has not commented on the report.
Read MoreBishop Curlin celebrates 60th jubilee
Bishop William G. Curlin (center) celebrated Mass in honor of his 60th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood on May 20 at St. Vincent de Paul Church. Father Mark Lawlor, pastor (left), Father Paul Gary, pastor of St. Luke Church in Mint Hill (right), and Father Casey Coleman, parochial vicar of St. Vincent de Paul Church (background), concelebrated the Mass attended by the Knights and Dames of Malta. They held a luncheon reception for Bishop Curlin after the Mass and presented him with letters from the Vatican, bishops from around…
Read MoreTrump arrives in Rome for meeting with Pope Francis
President Trump has arrived in Rome for his first audience with Pope Francis, at the Vatican on Wednesday. The visit to the Vatican is the third stop of Trump’s tour of sites representing three major religions. Over the weekend he stopped in Saudi Arabia, where he delivered an address to Muslim leaders, and Monday through Tuesday he visited Israel and the West Bank and met with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. Trump and Francis will certainly have differences to iron out during their meeting. In February 2016 the pontiff remarked on then-candidate…
Read MorePope Francis Calls Consistory to Create 5 New Cardinals
In a surprise announcement on Sunday May 21, Pope Francis said he will hold a consistory to make five new cardinals on June 28. Two are Europeans—from Spain and Sweden—while the other three come from Africa (Mali), Asia (Laos) and Latin America (El Salvador). The names of the new cardinals-elect are: Jean Zerbo (age 74), archbishop of Bamako, Mali; Juan José Omella (71), archbishop of Barcelona, Spain; Anders Arborelius (68), bishop of Stockholm, Sweden; Louis-Marie Ling Mangkhanekhoun (73), vicar apostolic of Paksé, Laos; and Gregorio Rosa Chávez (75), auxiliary bishop…
Read MorePope Francis arrives in Portugal for Fatima trip
Pope Francis has arrived in Portugal where he is to visit the shrine at Fatima, one of the world’s most popular Catholic pilgrimage sites. Two Portuguese Air Force F-16 fighter jets escorted the pope’s plane as it came in to land at the Monte Real Portuguese Air Force base, which lies amid pine forests a short distance from the rural town of Fatima. A guard of honor has lined up on the runway next to the plane. The pontiff’s first official event Friday is a brief private meeting with Portuguese…
Read MoreCoptic Pope Tawadros embarks on UK pastoral visit
Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II begins his first pastoral visit to the UK on Friday. He is scheduled to visit Coptic parishes across the country, officiating at liturgical services and performing several consecrations, while also meeting with parishioners. Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom, will receive Pope Tawadros on Friday and accompany him throughout his stay. The bishop said: “This is a historic visit, not only of the 118th Pope of Alexandria to the United Kingdom, but more personally for His Holiness Pope Tawadros,…
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