Franco Pisano

A call is issued to respond to the “provocation” offered by Pope Francis in his Encyclical Fratelli Tutti by “creating an atmosphere of ‘intellectual fraternity’ that reinvigorates the noble sense of ‘intellectual service’ that culture professionals – theological and not – owe to the community.”

Francis met the priests from the Convitto San Luigi dei Francesi. He told them that “a priesthood isolated from the people of God is not a Catholic priesthood; no, and not even Christian.” Instead, “always have great horizons, to dream of a Church fully in the service of others, of a more fraternal and supportive world.”

The Church cannot be content with just "the usual little group [that] meets to celebrate the Eucharist". “The procession with the Blessed Sacrament – a hallmark of the feast of Corpus Domini, yet one that for the moment we cannot celebrate – reminds us that we are called to go out and bring Jesus to others." " We need to enlarge our hearts. We need to break out of our tiny self-enclosed space and enter the large room, the vast expanse of wonder and adoration" .

In the Eucharist, fragility is strength: the strength of love that becomes small in order to be accepted and not feared; power of love that breaks and divides to nourish and give life; strength of love that is fragmented to bring us together in unity. Pray for peace in the Holy Land and in Myanmar.

Francis releases message to mark World Environment Day. Today's celebration, however, “will have a special significance, as it will take place in the year in which the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration begins". Integral ecology to establish "harmony within us, with others, with nature and other living creatures, and with God".

The Vatican, which openly backs a two states solution in the Holy Land, is still waiting to see the implementation of the Fundamental Agreement signed with the State of Israel in 1993.

Even “if our prayers were only stuttering, if they were compromised by a wavering faith”, even when “our timid prayers rest on eagle wings and soar up to Heaven [. . .] It is necessary to pray more intensely, every time the road takes an uphill turn”.

Francis upgrades the Vatican’s penal code with the Apostolic Constitution “Pascite gregem Dei” (Tend to God’s flock). Offences include accepting gifts in exchange of an illegal action or an omission by anyone holding office in or acting on behalf of the Church. Anyone breaking “the sixth commandment of the Decalogue with a minor” will also be punished, as will anyone ordaining a woman.

This afternoon Francis led the recitation of the final Rosary of a month-long prayer marathon. He hopes that “everyone, without exception, may soon be given the opportunity to be protected by the vaccine.”

Various Lebanese Christian groups will meet in the Vatican on 1 July to reflect on the situation in their country and pray for peace. “Love, in fact, is essentially a gift of oneself, and in its original and infinite reality, it is the Father who gives himself by generating the Son, who in turn gives himself to the Father, and their mutual love is the Holy Spirit, the bond of their unity. It is not easy to understand, but one can experience this mystery.”

The Rosary will be celebrated on 31 May in front of the Grotta di Lourdes, Vatican Gardens. The Rosary prayer will be broadcast live on all Holy See channels and world Catholic media. Some shrines will be live.

Francis will address the prayer to an image of Our Lady to whom he is very devoted, that of the Virgin Mary Undoer of Knots, to whom he will entrust five “knots” to be untied.