(Vatican Radio) World Youth Day celebrations are underway in Krakow, with pilgrims continuing to gather in the ancient Polish city. They are participating in some of the hundreds of catechetical, spiritual, and formative programmes being offered in different languages all throughout the city in the days ahead of the culminating prayer vigil and World Youth Day Mass on Sunday.One of the lead catechists for the English-speaking pilgrims is Bishop Frank J. Caggiano of the Diocese of Bridgeport, Ct.Vatican Radio’s special envoy in Krakow, Lydia O’Kane, asked Bishop Caggiano about his hopes for the experience over the long term. “In many ways, World Youth Day plants a seed in the hearts of all, who attend,” he said. “That is a precious gift,” continued Bishop Caggiano. “That seed is meant to grow: that seed is meant to strengthen their faith, their hope, and their desire to love.”Click below to hear our extended conversation with Bishop F...
(Vatican Radio) World Youth Day celebrations are underway in Krakow, with pilgrims continuing to gather in the ancient Polish city. They are participating in some of the hundreds of catechetical, spiritual, and formative programmes being offered in different languages all throughout the city in the days ahead of the culminating prayer vigil and World Youth Day Mass on Sunday.
Vatican Radio’s special envoy in Krakow, Lydia O’Kane, asked Bishop Caggiano about his hopes for the experience over the long term. “In many ways, World Youth Day plants a seed in the hearts of all, who attend,” he said. “That is a precious gift,” continued Bishop Caggiano. “That seed is meant to grow: that seed is meant to strengthen their faith, their hope, and their desire to love.”
Click below to hear our extended conversation with Bishop Frank J. Caggiano of Bridgeport, Ct.
Young people, however, are not the only ones receiving the seeds sown at World Youth Day.
Bishop Caggiano went on to say that his own experience of World Youth Day has borne this out. “I feel enormously blessed to have participated in the last three [World Youth Days], and now this one in Krakow: because, quite frankly – I think I could speak for all priests, religious, and bishops – we all have the same experience – we leave far more blessed, and far more encouraged, and far more hopeful for the Church at the end of [WYD], than – perhaps – when we arrived.”
null / Credit: Peter Hermes Furian via ShutterstockACI Prensa Staff, Apr 19, 2024 / 15:00 pm (CNA).The pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) on April 19 condemned the kidnapping and murder of a catechist in Burkina Faso, West Africa.In a news brief, ACN informed ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner, that catechist Edouard Yougbare was kidnapped on Thursday night by "terrorists, and his lifeless body was found near Zigni this morning."According to other local sources, along with Yougbare, who was a member of Saatenga parish in Fada Gourma, Burkina Faso, more people were kidnapped and murdered."We are heartbroken by the loss of Yougbare. He served his community faithfully and his death is a devastating blow for the people of Saatenga," lamented Spaniard María Lozano, press and public relations director of ACN International."Catechists in Burkina Faso are on the front lines, risking their lives for the good of their people. Just two months ago, ano...
Pope Francis addresses the faithful at his Wednesday general audience on March 27, 2024. / Credit: Vatican MediaVatican City, Apr 19, 2024 / 10:07 am (CNA).In the latest move in Pope Francis' reform of the Vatican judiciary, the pope issued a new motu proprio on Friday on the retirement age and benefits for cardinal judges and magistrates in the Vatican's court system.The April 19 motu proprio states that Vatican magistrates will retire at the end of the judicial year in which they turn 75 and cardinal judges at the age of 80, unless Pope Francis asks them to remain in office beyond the age limit.Magistrates and judges who wish to resign from office before the retirement age can only do so with the approval of the pope.The pope also has the prerogative to dismiss magistrates unable to fulfill their duties at any time. Upon the termination of their duties, magistrates will retain the rights to assistance and welfare provided to Vatican citizens and employees.The motu proprio, wh...
Archbishop Marek Jedraszewski of Krakow announced on April 14, 2024, the decision to begin the process of beatification and canonization of Helena Agnieszka Kmiec, a young lay missionary murdered in Bolivia in 2017. / Credit: The Helena Kmiec FoundationACI Prensa Staff, Apr 19, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).Archbishop Marek Jedraszewski of Krakow, Poland, announced the decision to begin the process of beatification and canonization of Helena Agnieszka Kmiec, a young lay missionary murdered in Bolivia in 2017.The prelate said that after the preliminary phase began in December 2022, he made the decision to officially open the process for Kmiec after having consulted the Polish Bishops' Conference and receiving the go-ahead from the Vatican's Dicastery for the Causes of Saints."With this edict I call on all those who have any document, letter, or information about the Servant of God, both positive and negative, to send them to the Metropolitan Curia of Krakow before June 30," the archbish...