Pope: Gossip kills and those who gossip are terrorists

A bishop should not be arrogant or conceited, not angry and not addicted to wine, one of the most common vices in the time of Paul, not a businessman or attached to money. "The Church has never been born perfectly in order, with everything all right, without problems, without confusion, never. It has always arisen this way ".

At the Angelus, Pope Francis remembers the end of the Great War, and asks everyone to "reject the culture of war". The gesture of St. Martin, of sharing with the poor, "shows everyone the way to build peace". The "poor and generous widow as a model of Christian life to be imitated". "To give to the Lord and our brothers and sisters not something of ours, but ourselves". Thirteen consecrated men and three lay faithful, martyrs of the Spanish civil war, beatified in Barcelona. Next Sunday, November 18, the second World Day of the Poor is celebrated.

In the audience to the members of the Pontifical Council for International Eucharistic Congresses, Pope Francis urges  the next Eucharistic Congress in Budapest (in 2020) to be a witness in modern and secularized society, where faith has become marginal. "Spreading a "Eucharistic culture", of "communion", "service", "mercy" in a Europe sick with indifference".

Five years after he went missing, an event still shrouded in mystery, a seminar was held in Beirut dedicated to the Jesuit missionary in Syria who challenged the country’s regime and tried to deal with jihadis. His parents “call for every effort to be made to know his fate”.

In a joint statement, Francis and the Catholic Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East note the progress on the path of unity and reiterate that "it is not possible to imagine the Middle East without Christians. This conviction is founded not simply on religious grounds, but also on social and cultural realities, since Christians, with other believers, greatly contribute to the specific identity of the region”.

He will be subjected to isolation and indoctrination for 10-15 days. The faithful ask the Church worldwide for prayers. Bishop Shao is recognized by the Holy See, but not by the government. In the diocese, official and underground communities are united. Official priests banned from visiting the tombs of underground priests and bishops. Prohibition of participation in mass and catechism for young people under 18 years. The Church must remain "independent" despite the Sino-Vatican agreement.

"It is true that the celebrations must be beautiful - beautiful - but not worldly, because worldliness depends on the god of money. It is an idolatry like others. This makes us think about our attitude to the house of God, our respect for churches when we enter ".

"How often is there murmuring in parishes?” he asked, pointing out that whenever “I don’t like the testimony, or there is a person that I don’t like, murmuring immediately breaks out.”". "And in the diocese? The 'intra-diocesan' struggles ... The internal struggles of the dioceses; you know this. And also in politics. And this is bad. When a government is not honest, it tries to dirty the opponents with the murmurings ".

At the end of the monthly assembly the Maronite Church expresses concern for the internal political situation. Words and verbal confrontations can hurt "more than bullets". A cabinet is needed before Independence Day, one that is "free from both local and foreign constraints".