(Vatican Radio) In an interview with Vatican Radio on the first day of the Pope’s Apostolic Voyage to Poland, Greg Burke, the deputy director of the Holy See Press Office, said Pope Francis has “a lot of the parish priest in him.”Burke said the Pope’s meeting with Poland’s Bishops was kept private to maintain the atmosphere of “a family gathering,” offering the Holy Father to speak freely, in confidence, with the leaders of the local Church. But, he continued, “most of what the Pope says” in meetings with local Bishops revolves around common themes of Francis’ papacy. “It’s about being a pastor, being a father. One of the main things he talked about is being close to your people,” a theme he returned to more than once. Burke said the Pope is at his best when he speaks “off-the-cuff” – “It was very uplifting.”Burke also noted that “two-pronged” nature of the Pope&...
(Vatican Radio) In an interview with Vatican Radio on the first day of the Pope’s Apostolic Voyage to Poland, Greg Burke, the deputy director of the Holy See Press Office, said Pope Francis has “a lot of the parish priest in him.”
Burke said the Pope’s meeting with Poland’s Bishops was kept private to maintain the atmosphere of “a family gathering,” offering the Holy Father to speak freely, in confidence, with the leaders of the local Church. But, he continued, “most of what the Pope says” in meetings with local Bishops revolves around common themes of Francis’ papacy. “It’s about being a pastor, being a father. One of the main things he talked about is being close to your people,” a theme he returned to more than once. Burke said the Pope is at his best when he speaks “off-the-cuff” – “It was very uplifting.”
Burke also noted that “two-pronged” nature of the Pope’s Apostolic Voyage, focusing on his visit to Poland and on the events of World Youth Day. In particular, Burke spoke about the legacy of St John Paul II, St Faustina, and the devotion to Divine Mercy, on the one hand; and, on the other, Pope Francis with the Jubilee of Mercy and his insistence on performing acts of mercy. With regard to young people, Burke said, “World Youth Day, I think, is just something that gets the Pope excited… He obviously gets very revved up with young people.”
Listen to the full interview of Greg Burke with Vatican Radio’s Lydia O’Kane:
Pope Francis on May 7, 2024, appointed Father James Mark Beckman, 61, a priest of the Diocese of Nashville, as the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Knoxville. / Credit: Diocese of NashvilleRome Newsroom, May 7, 2024 / 11:50 am (CNA).Pope Francis on Tuesday appointed a new bishop to the Diocese of Knoxville, Tennessee, following former Bishop Richard Stika's resignation last year. The Holy See Press Office announced that Father James Mark Beckman, 61, will be installed as the new bishop of the diocese. The installation will occur in July. The bishopric since June 2023 has been under the care of Louisville Archbishop Shelton Fabre, who has served as apostolic administrator following Stika's departure that month.Beckman, a Tennessee native, has been a priest with the Diocese of Nashville since his ordination on July 13, 1990. He received a bachelor's degree in history from St. Ambrose College in 1984 and a master's degree in religious studies from the Catholic University ...
Singer-songwriter Garth Brooks (left), former NFL quarterback Tom Brady (right), and other celebrity guests will meet Pope Francis in an audience at Apostolic Palace on May 11, 2024, as participants in the Vatican's World Meeting on Human Fraternity. / Credit: SUZANNE CORDEIRO/AFP via Getty Images; Daniel Ibañez/CNA; TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty ImagesRome Newsroom, May 7, 2024 / 12:30 pm (CNA).Garth Brooks may have friends in low places, but this Saturday he will perform at a high-level Vatican event with Nobel Peace Prize winners, business leaders, and professional athletes, including former NFL quarterback Tom Brady.Brady, Brooks, and other celebrity guests will meet Pope Francis in an audience at the Apostolic Palace on the morning of May 11 as participants in the Vatican's World Meeting on Human Fraternity.It will be the second time that the longtime quarterback for the New England Patriots has met a pope. Brady met John Paul II in 2004 after winning the Super Bowl.Brady...