(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis visited the Ground Zero memorial at the World Trade Center in New York on September 25th, 2015. During the course of his visit to the memorial site, the Holy Father offered a prayer of remembrance for the nearly 3 thousand victims of the attacks committed by terrorists belonging to the Islamic Al Qaeda terror network. Click below to hear our retrospective report “God of peace,” the Holy Father prayed, “bring your peace to our violent world: peace in the hearts of all men and women and peace among the nations of the earth.”Pope Francis set a white rose at the edge of one of the two enormous infinity pools, around which the names of those who died in the attacks are etched in stone.He met the family members of some of the victims, including surviving members of the families of some of the hundreds of first responders who perished in their efforts to rescue the innocent and succor the injured."In his address to a gat...
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis visited the Ground Zero memorial at the World Trade Center in New York on September 25th, 2015. During the course of his visit to the memorial site, the Holy Father offered a prayer of remembrance for the nearly 3 thousand victims of the attacks committed by terrorists belonging to the Islamic Al Qaeda terror network.
Click below to hear our retrospective report
“God of peace,” the Holy Father prayed, “bring your peace to our violent world: peace in the hearts of all men and women and peace among the nations of the earth.”
Pope Francis set a white rose at the edge of one of the two enormous infinity pools, around which the names of those who died in the attacks are etched in stone.
He met the family members of some of the victims, including surviving members of the families of some of the hundreds of first responders who perished in their efforts to rescue the innocent and succor the injured."
In his address to a gathering of leaders from different religions and traditions of faith at the memorial site, Pope Francis described Ground Zero as a place where “we shed tears” and mourn those who were the victims of a “mindset that knows only violence, hatred and revenge.”
He said, “We can and must build unity on the basis of our diversity of languages, cultures and religions.” He told those present that we are called to resist every attempt to poison and destroy our relations, and to work together to strengthen our human family in respect for legitimate differences and in a spirit of reconciled diversity.
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...