North Asia

In his message for the World Day of Peace 2017, Pope Francis counters armed violence, finance and fundamentalism with education in the family and becoming witnesses and peacemakers. World leaders invited to take on the Beatitudes as a "manual" for their policies. In a world plagued by “a piecemeal war", we must foster collaboration with all religions and people of good will. No more "just wars" and "humanitarian military intervention." An appeal to Islam (and religions): violence is not of God.

In the Message for the 50th World Day of Peace, Pope Francis says that nonviolence is the most reasonable choice; violence is illusory. The Gospel of loving our enemy is "the magna carta of Christian nonviolence." The testimony of Mother Teresa, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Pope John Paul II. "No religion is terrorist." "The policies of nonviolence must begin within the walls of the house and then spread to the whole human family." The eight beatitudes, a nonviolence manual for political and religious leaders, business owners, executives and media. The new dicastery for Integral Human Development open to collaboration with all.

The Catholic Church spokesman, Fr. Rafic Greiche, offers condolences and prayers for the dead and the wounded. An appeal to the security forces. For the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine it is Israel's influence. The condemnation of Al Azhar. Celebrations for the birth of the prophet Mohammed interrupted. Pope Tawadros II calls short his trip to Greece.

At the Angelus in St Peter's Square, Pope Francis asked "choice in favor of civility" to protect civilians caught up in the fierce conflict in Syria. War is "a mass of abuse of power and falsehood”. Prayers for the terrorist attacks in Turkey, Somalia, Egypt. His solidarity with pope Tawadros. "Today we are invited to rejoice in the imminent coming of our Redeemer and to share this joy with others, giving comfort and hope to the poor, the sick, the lonely and unhappy people". In Vientiane (Laos) the beatification of Fr. Mario Borzaga, OMI missionary, catechist Paul Thoj Xyooj and 14 companions, all killed by the Pathet Lao guerrillas in 1960. The blessing of statues of Baby Jesus for the nativity scenes.

Komanda-29 association for legal protection denounces situation. The case of Oksana Sevastadi, sentenced to seven years in prison for a text message sent to a Georgian acquaintance.

The authentic priest "is a mediator very close to his people," an official instead just does his job, but then moves onto another "always as an official", "he does not know what it means to get his hands dirty" be in the midst of reality. And that is why when "the priest changes from official to intermediary he is not happy, he is sad." And looks for a little bit of happiness "in being seen, making his authority felt".

In homage to Mary in Piazza di Spagna, Pope Francis ideally brings the entire city of Rome and the world. He calls for an “immaculate heart” to love without" masks and ruses”. He asserts the certainty of grace that wins over "discouragement". Afterwards, he visited S. Maria Maggiore.

On the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, Pope Francis compares man’s ‘No’ before God to Mary’s ‘great Yes", "the most important in history”. We are "experts in half Yeses" or ‘missed Yeses’. He also mentioned the victims of the earthquake in Aceh (Indonesia), and invited the faithful to attend the homage to Mary in Piazza di Spagna this afternoon. The pope will also visit S. Maria Maggiore.

In an interview with a Belgian weekly, Francis criticises laicism that “closes the doors to transcendence”, which instead is part of the human essence. "[N]o religion as such can foment war. Because in this case it would be proclaiming a god of destruction, a god of hatred." Synodality does not mean “descend[ing] from high to low”; it means instead “listen[ing] to the Churches, harmonis[ing] them, discern[ing]."

"May the Lord give us this grace, to wait for Christmas with our wounds, with our sins, sincerely recognized, to wait for the power of this God who comes to console, who comes with power, but his power is tenderness, caresses born from his heart, which was so good that he have his life for us. "

"God created the world; man fell into sin; Jesus comes to re-create the world. " The Lord "help us to prepare for Christmas with great faith", "because the healing of the soul, for the existential healing, the re-creation that Jesus brings takes great faith."

“It is to leave the convenient but misleading streets, the idols of this world – success at all costs, power at the expense of the weak, thirst for wealth, pleasure at any price –and open instead the way for the Lord who comes. He does not take away our freedom, but gives us true happiness."