reflections, updates and homilies from Deacon Mike Talbot inspired by the following words from my ordination: Receive the Gospel of Christ whose herald you have become. Believe what you read, teach what you believe and practice what you teach...
Showing posts with label Angelus/Regina Caeli. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Angelus/Regina Caeli. Show all posts
Pope Leo: ‘My heart goes out’ to suffering Ukrainian people
Pope Leo XIV once again renews his calls for an end to violence in Ukraine, and laments the “violent attacks that have recently struck various cities and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, causing the deaths of innocent people.
By Christopher Wells
Pope Leo XIV on Sunday said he has been following, “with a heavy heart” the news of intensified attacks on Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure that have caused the deaths of innocent people.
Russia has increased strikes on Ukraine, including on civilian targets, throughout the summer. In recent weeks, more Russian air attacks have been hitting their targets as Ukraine is running critically low on Western supplied air defence systems such as the Patriot surface-to-air missile defence system.
In the past few days, dozens of people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Ukraine by Russian missile and drone attacks. Although Russia claims strikes are aimed at military targets, recent attacks have left apartment buildings, private homes, and public transit routes in major population centres in ruins.
‘My heart goes out to the suffering of the people’
In his remarks following the weekly Angelus, Pope Leo said, “My heart goes out to the suffering of the people, who have been living in distress and fear for years.”
He renewed once again his appeal “to end the violence and halt the destruction, and to open hearts to dialogue, and peace.”
US envoys arrive in Kyiv for talks with Volodymyr Zelensky
Hopes for a diplomatic solution
In particular, the Holy Father expressed his hope that “the efforts being made in recent days to resume negotiations will bear concrete fruit and pave the way for diplomacy.”
US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner travelled to Russia for talks on Saturday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 after years of low-level conflict. The two envoys are set to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Sunday.
Pope Leo concluded his remarks on Sunday by calling for prayers “that harmony may prevail in all the conflicts of the world.”
Pope at Angelus: Mutual love is one debt that ‘does not enslave us'
During his Angelus greeting, Pope Leo XIV reflects on the two ways Jesus calls Christians to practice mutual love: being capable of fraternal correction and loving one another as brothers and sisters
By Kielce Gussie
From a window in the Apostolic Palace, Pope Leo XIV proclaimed his Sunday Angelus greeting, reflecting on “fundamental criteria for thought and action” found in the day’s liturgy.
St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans sums up every commandment into one: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Rom 13:9). The image added to this point is taken from the verse before, stressing that everyone should “owe no one anything, except to love one another.”
Pope Leo pointed out that Jesus taught us how to ask for and offer forgiveness of debts. Yet, the Pope stressed, “there is one debt we owe to one another that does not enslave us: the debt of mutual love.” The care, goodness, and attention each person receives makes us freer and more able to be responsible.
Two ways to love
In Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus offers two ways for Christians to practice mutual love.
The first is being able to give and receive fraternal correction. “This is a delicate art, too often forgotten, that calls for frankness and a gradual approach,” Pope Leo explained.
Being able to speak honestly with each other—one on one, then with a small group, then the entire community—involves facing reality and transforming issues and conflicts into chances for growth.
“Complaining and speaking ill of others are easier, but they accomplish nothing and leave many situations paralyzed,” the Pope continued, “The Gospel, instead, teaches us the freedom that comes through charity.”
The second way calls everyone to love each other as brothers and sisters. For Jesus, this transforms even prayer into an agreement—both when there is a conflict and when asking God for something.
Crowds gathered in the Square to listen to Pope Leo's Angelus address (@Vatican Media)
In the Gospel for the day, Jesus says, “If two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven” (Mt 18:19). Pope Leo highlighted how this promise suggests that desires, sorrows, and hopes can be shared and prayer can help people grow in unity.
“Without faith, each person might feel alone and become suspicious of others, seeing them as strangers and enemies,” he explained. Through grace, we each become brothers and sisters who can live in harmony: “meeting one another, forgiving one another and listening to one another in the Lord.”
The Pope closed asking Mary to teach us all to teach us “the joyful debt of fraternal love.”
Pope Leo urges release of Haiti hostages, aid for Nepal after deadly floods
Following the recitation of the midday Angelus prayer from Castel Gandolfo on Sunday, Pope Leo XIV condemned the recent massacre in Haiti, made an urgent appeal for the release of hostages, and renewed his call for concrete assistance to Nepal following devastating floods and mudslides that have killed hundreds and left thousands missing.
By Deborah Castellano Lubov
“From Haiti come terrible reports of the grave massacre perpetrated in Kenscoff, in which numerous people have lost their lives while others have been kidnapped. I express my prayerful closeness to the victims and their families and ask that all the hostages be released without delay. I make a heartfelt appeal to all those responsible to make a concrete commitment to ensuring the safety of the population and putting an end to every form of violence.”
Pope Leo XIV made the appeal following the recitation of the Angelus prayer on Sunday at noon in Castel Gandolfo, where he stayed overnight after taking part Saturday evening in the Marian procession of Our Lady of the Lake on Lake Albano.
Alleviate the suffering of Nepal and Tibet
Following the appeal for Haiti, Pope Leo assured those affected by the devastating flooding in Nepal and Tibet of his prayers. He invited the faithful to pray for those who have died, the injured and missing, their families, and the rescuers involved in the ongoing emergency response.
“May everyone’s concern and commitment," he prayed, "help to alleviate suffering and bring the necessary assistance to the affected populations.”
The Vatican announced Saturday that Pope Leo, through the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, had sent financial assistance to Caritas Nepal to help meet the most urgent needs of people affected by the disaster.
Death toll exceeds 700 and thousands displaced
In coordination with the Apostolic Nunciature of Nepal, the Pope’s contribution will support Caritas Nepal, which operates under the direction of the Apostolic Vicariate, in its relief efforts. These began in the first hours following the disaster and include providing food, basic necessities, and shelter to people who have lost everything.
Relief operations are continuing as the death toll in the affected regions rises, with more than 700 people reported dead between Nepal and Tibet and at least 3,000 still missing.
In a telegram sent Thursday and signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, Pope Leo expressed his sorrow over the loss of life and widespread destruction. He commended the souls of those who died “to the clemency of the Almighty” and offered his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved.
He also assured those affected by the disaster of his spiritual closeness and prayed for the emergency personnel engaged in ongoing search-and-rescue operations.
A renewed appeal for peace
Pope Leo then urged the faithful to continue praying for peace, recalling the words of Saint Augustine, whose liturgical memorial was celebrated on August 28.
The Pope recalled Augustine’s image of peace as being like “the bread of the miracle that grew in the hands of the disciples as they broke it and distributed it.”
“May the number increase throughout the world,” he prayed, “of those who courageously break and distribute the bread of peace, overcoming divisions, promoting justice, and practicing forgiveness, for the good of all.”
Prayer for Creation
Finally, the Holy Father recalled in English that on Tuesday, September 1, the Church will celebrate the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation.
“This marks the beginning of the Season of Creation – observed by Christians of various denominations – whose theme this year is ‘Living Water.’”
“As I recalled in the Message for this Day,” Pope Leo reiterated, “caring for our common home calls for a conversion of heart, so that what has been used to bring about destruction may instead be directed toward life.”
“I invite everyone to join in prayer and action, that we may become channels of the living water of God’s peace, refreshing our wounded world.”
Pope at Angelus: Even when confused like Peter, dialogue with the Lord
During his Sunday Angelus address in Castel Gandolfo, Pope Leo XIV reminds the faithful that St. Peter was very human and that, like him, we ought to “humbly tell Jesus what we truly feel, even when our hearts are confused."
By Deborah Castellano Lubov
“In our life of faith and in our prayer, may we have the same sincerity as Peter, humbly telling Jesus what we truly feel, even when our hearts are confused.”
Pope Leo XIV gave this advice during his Angelus address on Sunday in Castel Gandolfo, where he stayed overnight after joining in the Marian procession of Our Lady of the Lake on Lake Albano the previous evening.
In his catechesis, the Holy Father recalled the day’s Gospel reading according to Saint Matthew, in which Jesus reveals to His disciples the mystery of His impending Passion, Death and Resurrection.
Human nature
The Pope acknowledged that what the Lord says is a far cry from our expectations of a triumphant and powerful Messiah, with whose help they would defeat their enemies, and how Peter expressed his disagreement and, surprised and disappointed, rebuked Jesus, saying to Him: “‘God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.’”
The Pope suggested that this makes us think about our human nature.
“For us, too,” he acknowledged, “it is not always easy to understand and accept God’s ways, especially when they are very far from our own.”
He also recognized that “the temptation arises, against all the reasoning of faith, to think that the Lord is the one who is wrong,” or “worse still, that He is not listening to us or is not concerned about us.”
St. Peter teaches us important lessons
Faced with this uncertainty, Pope Leo underscored that Peter, even in his impulsiveness, teaches us two important things.
“The first is, even in such moments,” he said, “never to cease our dialogue with the Lord.”
Instead, he proposed, “we are confidently to tell Him our difficulty in understanding what He is asking of us.”
The second, he continued, “is never to judge God’s work, but rather humbly and prayerfully to listen to what He is revealing to us through His actions, even when they do not meet our expectations.”
Pope Leo noted that the greatness of the first of the Apostles is also evident in this.
Pope Leo recalled that Jesus replies, “Get behind me, Satan!” and explains to him and the other disciples that, to follow in His footsteps, they must deny themselves, take up their crosses, and follow Him, pointing out to the faithful that “Peter will do just that.”
“After listening to Him, Peter," the Pope said, "will accept the challenge and remain faithful to the words of Christ, whom he has recognized as his Redeemer, for the rest of his life, even unto martyrdom.”
Blessed Mother’s obedience to her Son even at foot of Cross
Thus, the Holy Father invited the faithful to join him in asking the Lord “that we, too, in our life of faith and in our prayer, may have the same sincerity as Peter, humbly telling Jesus what we truly feel, even when our hearts are confused.”
“At the same time,” he continued, “may we cultivate Peter’s own docility in accepting what Jesus asks of us beyond our expectations.”
Pope Leo concluded by praying that the Blessed Virgin Mary, who “was obedient to God’s plans even at the foot of the cross of her Son Jesus,” help us with her example.
Pope at Angelus: Let us not retreat into our convictions but be open to Christ
In his Angelus message, Pope Leo XIV reflects on the importance of developing a personal relationship with Christ in order to allow him to transform our lives and the world, even by sometimes embarking on unfamiliar paths.
By Isabella H. de Carvalho
In order to transform our lives and the world we must develop a personal relationship with Jesus and renew it every day, Pope Leo XIV said in his Angelus message on Sunday, August 23, in St. Peter’s Square.
“Let us seek not to retreat into our own convictions and religious certainties, but to remain open to an authentic relationship with Christ,” he highlighted, addressing the many people gathered in the sunny square.
“At times, when it comes to the Christian faith, we may be content with what we have merely ‘heard,’ with common assumptions or with what has been handed down to us, perhaps even with the best of intentions,” he said.
“Yet Jesus calls us to give a personal response, to know him more closely and to allow ourselves to be shaped by friendship with him through an ever new encounter.”
Overcoming the temptation to think that we know everything
Pope Leo XIV was reflecting on this Sunday’s Gospel, taken from Matthew, in which Jesus asks his disciples “But who do you say that I am?”
The Pope emphasized that “this is a fundamental question for the disciples of every age, and for each one of us,” as faith is a process in which we need to continually rediscover Christ’s Gospel, in order to “renew the choices we make in our lives, so that they may be consistent with what we profess.”
“In this way, we can overcome the temptation to think that we already know everything and to reduce faith to mere habit,” the Pope underlined.
Pilgrims in St. Peter's Square during the Angelus (@Vatican Media)
Following new and unfamiliar paths personally and in the Church
Renewing our friendship with Christ daily “may also ask us to follow unfamiliar paths and to make choices different from those we had imagined,” the Pope explained, noting that “this is true both for our personal journey and for the journey of the Church” and our “pastoral choices.”
He warned against the temptation to think “that it is enough simply to continue doing things as we have always done them,” and encouraged us to ask ourselves a series of questions:
“Who is the Lord for me? Do I truly know him? What is his Gospel asking of me today? What steps and what choices am I called to make?
Pope Leo XIV during the Angelus (@Vatican Media)
Discovering Christ who brings love in our daily lives
The Pope pointed out how these questions concerning who Jesus is for us and what he represents in our lives, “emerges especially in prayer and when we meditate on the Gospel.”
However, the Pope reflected that they also arise “when we encounter the wounds and needs of our brothers and sisters, and in those relationships and situations that most deeply challenge our conscience.”
“In our daily lives, in short,” the Pope continued, “we can discover whether the Lord Jesus is for us merely a great figure of history, who said and did important things, or the Christ of God, the One sent to bring us into the love of the Father and to transform our lives and the world in which we live.”
Pope renews appeal for end to violence against Palestinians in the West Bank
Pope Leo’s appeals at the conclusion of the Sunday Angelus included a call for an end to violence directed against Palestinians in the West Bank; his hopes that sporting events can be a prophetic sign of peace and fraternity; and special greetings to Polish pilgrims taking part in the annual pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of Piekary Śląskie.
By Christopher Wells
Following the Angelus on Sunday, Pope Leo XIV once again called for an end “to the repeated acts of violence against the Palestinian population of the West Bank.” The Holy Father added an urgent appeal to the international community “to ensure that progress is made toward a two-state solution, for a just and lasting peace.”
The Holy See has consistently affirmed its position that the Two-State Solution, based on secure and internationally recognized borders, is the only viable and equitable path toward a just and lasting peace in the Holy Land, as noted by Archbishop Gabriele Caccia in an address to the UN in July of 2025.
Later that same year, the then-Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, reiterated the Holy See’s view that “Israel and Palestine” must one day be able to “live side by side in peace and security, within internationally recognised borders,” and he pointed out that genuine and lasting progress can only be achieved "through multilateralism, patient dialogue and inclusive cooperation, not through the use of force.”
‘A prophetic sign of peace and fraternity’
In his weekly Angelus address, Pope Leo also recalled the start of the Mediterranean Games, a multi-sport event with athletes from countries in Africa, Asia, and Europe that border the Mediterranean Sea. This year’s Games are being hosted by the city of Taranto in southern Italy.
Athletica Vaticana, the Holy See’s official sports association, will also participate in the event, with four athletes competing in the Games.
The Holy Father expressed his hope that the Games would be “a prophetic sign of peace and fraternity among the peoples of this region and of the whole world.”
Greetings to pilgrims
Finally, welcoming pilgrims from various countries from around the world, Pope Leo offered special greetings to the numerous participants in the traditional women’s pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of Piekary Śląskie in the region of Upper Silesia in Poland.
