Tag: Pope Francis

• Monday, August 12th 2013 - 18:21 UTC

  Pope calls for respect for human life from conception; sends Ramadan message to Muslims

  

  Respect for human life from conception until natural death is something children must be taught, not mainly with words, but by the example of their parents, Pope Francis said. “Parents are called to pass on to their children the awareness that life must always be defended,” Pope Francis wrote in a message to people joining in the Brazilian Catholic Church's celebration of Family Week, which began August 11.

• Thursday, August 8th 2013 - 14:00 UTC

  Pope tightens money-laundering standards for Vatican financial activities

  

  As part of the Vatican's ongoing efforts to ensure that all its financial activity complies with international standards, particularly those aimed at preventing money laundering and the financing of terrorism, Pope Francis has expanded the role and the reach of the Vatican's Financial Intelligence Authority.

• Thursday, August 1st 2013 - 04:09 UTC

  “Not even the Pope could bring Brazil and Paraguay together”, said O’Globo

  

  Influential Latin American newspapers have been extremely critical of Brazilian diplomacy in its unsuccessful attempts to ‘subdue Paraguay’, while at the same praising the landlocked country’s dignity in demanding from Mercosur respect and compliance with the rule of the law.

• Monday, July 29th 2013 - 21:49 UTC

  Francis speaks openly about the Church’s problems during his trip back to Italy

  

  Pope Francis said the troubled Vatican bank must become “honest and transparent” and that he will listen to the advice of a commission he has set up on whether it can be reformed or needs to be shut down altogether.

• Monday, July 29th 2013 - 05:29 UTC

  Francis congratulates Cristina Fernandez on her first grandson with a pair of shoes and socks

  

  Pope Francis met with President Cristina Fernandez and other South American leaders following the closing ceremony of the XXVIII World Youth Day in Rio do Janeiro and presented the Argentine head of state with a gift of socks and shoes for her recently born first grandson Nestor Ivan Kirchner.

• Monday, July 29th 2013 - 03:29 UTC

  Francis urges bishops to drop ‘princely attitudes’ and go out to the people (and save the Church)

  

  Pope Francis chided the Catholic hierarchy Sunday, telling regional bishops not to behave like authoritarian “princes” and urging them to move closer to the people.

• Monday, July 29th 2013 - 03:10 UTC

  ”Shake the church, go spread the word of God”, Francis tells 3 million at closing mass

  

  Pope Francis on the last day of his week long pilgrimage to Brazil urged Catholics to reject selfishness, hatred and intolerance to help build a new world.

• Saturday, July 27th 2013 - 20:21 UTC

  Cartes declines invitation from Rousseff to attend Pope Francis Sunday mass in Rio

  

  Paraguayan president-elect Horacio Cartes declined a personal invitation from his peer Dilma Rousseff to attend Francis mass on Sunday in Rio do Janeiro, the closing event of the pope’s visit to Brazil, according to one of his top foreign policy advisors.

• Saturday, July 27th 2013 - 05:29 UTC

  Pope admits Church’s sins and calls on youth to change the world

  

  Pope Francis in yet another strong message said on Friday he understands the young people who lose faith in the church because of bad ministers, and confidence in political institutions because of corruption, but also urged them to change the world.

• Friday, July 26th 2013 - 04:14 UTC

  Defying the weather, 1.5 million turn out to greet Francis as Copacabana beach

  

  A huge crowd estimated in 1.5 million people defied rain and chilly weather to greet Pope Francis on Rio do Janeiro’s Copacabana beach on Thursday. With his captivating charisma Francis repeated a theme of his visit to Brazil urging young Catholics to shun the trappings of materialism and put Jesus Christ at the center of their lives.