"Stand in silence in front of the crib: this is the invitation for Christmas: go in front of the crib and stand in silence and you'll see the surprises. Unfortunately, however, we get the celebration wrong, and prefer the usual worldly things to the newness of Heaven ". It is not a party, where we are at the center and not Him. "Please do not make Christmas materialistic! Do not leave Christ out!".
Sixty years of China’s “independent” Church celebrated with 48 bishops (photos-videos)
by Peter Zhao | CHINA – VATICANFrancis received the International Commission against the death penalty. "The acceptance of this form of punishment was a consequence of a mentality of the time, more legalistic than Christian, that sacralized the value of laws lacking in humanity and mercy." Legitimate defense is legitimate, but must always be proportionate.
On the 19th the seventh meeting of the Joint Working Group of the Holy See -Vietnam. The meeting aims to deepen and develop bilateral relations. Pending diplomatic relations that provides for a "non-permanent" nuncio. Issues related to ecclesiastical properties and religious freedom are more delicate.
During the Angelus Pope Francis commented on the liturgical readings of Gaudete Sunday. “In a remote village in the Galilee, in the heart of a young woman unknown to the world, God ignited the spark of happiness for the whole world. And today the same proclamation is addressed to the Church,” he said. “No concern, no fear shall ever take away the serenity that comes from knowing that God lovingly guides our lives, always.” The pontiff urged the international community to implement the directives of the Marrakech conference on migration. He also mentioned the blessing of the Little Children (Bambinelli) brought by the children of Rome.
Qaisar and Amoon Ayub have been in Jhelum Jail since 2015. The sentence was read in prison for security reasons. Their lawyer, this could be another Asia Bibi case.
Receiving the artists who will perform at the Christmas concert at the Vatican, Francis said that "networking with education means allowing people to get up on their feet, to get back on their feet with full dignity" and it is also "a valid solution to open the gates of the refugee camps, allowing young migrants to enter new societies".
In a message to a conference promoted by FAO, Francis notes that in many places "water is contaminated, garbage accumulates, deforestation progresses, the air is stale and the soil acidified. All this generates a harmful accumulation of evils and miseries."
Francis will travel to Bulgaria and visit the Macedonian capital of Skopje.
"The lessons" learned from the two great world can "continue to convince the world’s people and their leaders of the futility of armed conflict and the need to resolve conflicts through patient dialogue and negotiation. ". No effective humanitarian solution to the mass migration crisis "can ignore our moral responsibility" to "welcome, protect, promote and integrate".
The handover in the state hotel in Beijing, in the presence of Msgr. Claudio Maria Celli. Pope Francis reportedly asked for this "sacrifice" from Msgr. Guo to save the unity of the Church and to guarantee the signing of the agreement between China and the Holy See. Msgr. Celli also requested the withdrawal of the elderly Bishop of Shantou, Msgr. Zhuang Jianjian.
