The Quotation of the Week (October 13 - 19, 2019)

A quotation of Pope Francis on 'the election of a pope
does not make him less sinful,' compiled by Jerome D'Costa

(To read the quotation on a larger format, please click on the above image)

Pope Francis Asks All To Smile Even When Life is Hard

Pope Francis laughing in St. Peter's Square
at the general audience of April 1, 2015

Photo courtesy: CNA

Smiling is an important attribute of Pope Francis. Where most other predecessor popes of his were serious, important-looking, and glum, he has been smiling and laughing his way throughout his papacy. In his words and deeds, he has been showing the importance of hope and smile in one's life in spite of difficulties and hardships. 

To learn more, please click on the following:

• Pope tells nuns to smile from within (Oct. 4, 2013)
• Smile more with Pope Francis (June 6, 2016)
• Pope Francis: Never forget to smile, even when life is hard (Dec. 7, 2016)
• Do not become 'professionals of the sacred,' Pope tells Peruvian priests, religious (January 20, 2018)
• People need to see a smiling face ... even the pope says so! (Feb. 25, 2018)
• 'Pope Francis: A Man of His Word' beautifully portrays hope and lived faith (May 18, 2018)
• The Pope's Smile [Pope Francis' smiles and laughs in photos]

Intellectual and Emotional Closeness of Pope John Paul II and Mrs. Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka

Mrs. Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka and Pope John Paul II as a cardinal in a skiing trip in Poland

Photo courtesy: bbc.com/

Mrs. Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka and Pope John Paul II in the Vatican

Photo courtesy: www.bbc.com/

According to the BBC Panorama programme, titled The Secret Letters of Pope John Paul, aired in mid-February of 2016, revealed that letters between Pope John Paul II and Poland-born American philosopher Mrs. Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka demonstrate an intellectual and emotional closeness between them. These letters were being held in the archives of the National Library of Poland since 2008 and were inaccessible to people for decades. Ultimately, after much efforts, a BBC journalist was able to see only the letters of Pope John Paul II, while the letters of Mrs. Tymieniecka are still kept in the dark. 

This contact, some call it 'intense friendship,' others 'unrequited love,' started in 1973 when Pope John Paul II, known as Karol Wojtyla, was the archbishop of Krakow in Poland and lasted until his death in 2005. 

The BBC mentioned that their correspondence that started in a formal tone graduated to more intimate tone as the years passed by. 

Marsha Malinowski, a rare manuscript dealer who facilitated the sale of the letters, said: " I do believe she completely fell in love with him during the first phase of their relationship."

But a spokesman of National Library of Poland's archives told BBC:"John Paul II was surrounded by a circle of friends -- including clergymen, nuns, and laypeople -- with whom he stayed in close contact. Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka was within this circle of friends -- John Paul II's friendship with her was neither secret nor extraordinary."

The archives let the BBC journalist look at the letters of Pope John Paul II only, but for some unknown reasons, not those of Mrs. Tymieniecka, although she herself in interviews previously denied her love for the Pope. Then, what is there in the letters of Mrs. Tymieniecka that hinders them to make them public? If the letters are innocent, they should be made public. The Catholic Church asks the laity to be transparent in their words and deeds and why doesn't it apply to the members of the hierarchy? We hope that the National Library of Poland archives will do the right thing to release Mrs. Tymieniecka's letters for public view and help people better understand St. Pope John Paul II (Pope Francis declared him a saint on April 27, 2014) and Mrs. Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka. According to the Bible, the truth shall make us all free. Otherwise, some people will always have a doubt about the pope's saintliness. 

To learn more on the topic, please read the following:

• The secret letters of Pope John Paul II (Feb. 15, 2016)
• Pope John Paul letters reveal ‘intense’ friendship with woman (Feb. 15, 2016)
• BBC doc claims John Paul II had ‘intense friendship’ with married woman (Feb. 15, 2016)
• What really happened between Pope John Paul II and his close friend, Anna-Teresa Tynieniecka? (Feb. 15, 2016)
• Did the Pope have a lover? Letters reveal ‘extraordinary’ relationship between John Paul II and a married woman (Feb. 15, 2016)
• John Paul II letters reveal 32-year relationship with woman (Correspondence sheds light on relationship with Anna-Teresa Tynieniecka, a Polish philosopher beginning in 1973) (Feb. 15, 2016)
• Letters from John Paul II Show Deep Friendship With Woman (Feb. 15, 2016)
• Pope John Paul II had intense friendship with married woman Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka, BBC reports (Feb. 15, 2016)
• St. John Paul II’s letters to Polish-American woman reveal intimate friendship (Feb. 15, 2016)
• BBC: Pope John Paul II’s ‘intense’ letters to married woman (Feb. 15, 2016)
• The Pope and the married woman who was the secret love of his life. Treasure trove of letters and photographs shed light on John Paul II’s extraordinarily close relationship with philosopher (Feb. 15, 2016)
• Pope John Paul letters reveal ‘intense’ friendship between Pope and married woman (Feb. 15, 2016)
• Letters reveal Pope John Paul II’s intensely emotional relationship with a married woman (Feb. 17, 2016)
• Letters from Pope John Paul II reveal friendship with married woman [Video with Transcript] (Feb. 21, 2016)
• Papal letters raise issues around clerical friendships with women (March 12, 2016)
• 
  

• In Defense of Pope John Paul II:

• Vatican dismisses BBC documentary on Pope John Paul II relationship (Feb. 13, 2016)
• Vatican dismisses BBC doco on St. John Paul II relationship (Feb. 15, 2016)
• Those letters between John Paul II and a woman? Not so secret, actually (Feb. 15, 2016)
• Pope John Paul II's letters to female philosopher show 'courageous' friendship (Feb. 16, 2016)
• The Secret Letters of Pope John Paul II: a silly programme that revealed no secrets (Feb. 16, 2016)
• Breda O’Brien: Pope John Paul II had many friends, including women, which proves nothing (Feb. 20, 2016)
• Vatican Dismisses BBC Documentary Implying Pope John Paul II Broke Celibacy Vow (Feb. 24, 2016)
• In Defense of Human Life John Paul II and Feminine Genius (May 1, 2011)
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• Life-Sketches of Pope John Paul II and Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka:
• 
  
• Pope John Paul II
• Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka

(Updated on July 12, 2018)

IL MIO PAPA (My Pope) -- A Magazine Solely on the Pope

Il Mio Papa (My Pope) -- an Italian-language weekly magazine on the incumbent Pope

Photo courtesy: www.miopapa.it/

 A new illustrated print-magazine, entirely dedicated to the sitting Pope, publishes stories about people and events that inspire the pope; background information on papal remarks; pope's meetings, pronouncements, engagements and audiences; a collection of international cartoons on the pope; a list of the week's TV programmes on the issues related to faith and Christianity; "saints of the week" column, and more. 

Readers can also send letters, poems and other contributions for publication in the magazine. 

Independent Italian publisher, Mondadori, publishes it in several thousand copies a week from Segrate, near Rome, Italy. 

The online edition of the magazine is available at: Il Mio Papa

Pope Francis Launches His Environment-Friendly Encyclical 'Laudato si'

Laudato si' -- Pope Francis' new encyclical letter to the whole world

Book image courtesy: AP photo via National Catholic Register

Cartoon courtesy: The Toronto Star (June 20, 2015)

Pope Francis, on June 18, launched his first encyclical letter, Laudato si' (Praise be to you) not only for the Catholics but also for the whole world. This 82-page letter, originally written in Italian and translated into Arabic, English, French, German, Polish, Portuguese, and Spanish, has six chapters. 

The titles of the chapters are: What is Happening to Our Common Home, The Gospel of Creation,The Human Roots of the Ecological Crisis, Integral Ecology, Lines of Approach and Action, and Ecological Education and Spirituality.

For reading of the full encyclical and deeper understanding of it, please visit the following:

• Text of the Encyclical, Laudato si', & Tips for Easy Understanding of It:

Encyclical Letter 'Laudato si' of the Holy Father Francis on Care for Our Common Home (Official document in English from the Vatican website)

Laudato si' encyclical letter of Pope Francis in PDF Format (in English)

Laudato si' encyclical letter of Pope Francis (in Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, and Spanish)

Overview of the Encyclical Laudato si' (Vatican Press Office)

Laudato si': A "Map" (An guide for an initial reading of the encyclical) (Archdiocese of Toronto) 

A Guide to Laudato Si: A Section-by-Section Summary of Pope Francis' Encyclical on the Environment (Acton Institute)

A reader's guide to Laudato Si' (by Father Thomas Reese, S.J.) (National Catholic Reporter)

"Laudato Si" 101: What to Know About Pope Francis' New Encyclical (Word on Fire Blog)

Infographics on the Laudato si' (A one-page quick glance of  the encyclical) (Archdiocese of Toronto)

Defining Moment: Glossary of terminology used in Laudato si' (Catholic News Service)

Mortus est lingua mortua [A dead language is dead] (Pope Francis' latest encyclical suggests a dead language [Latin] no longer serves a living, decentralized Church)

Pope Francis' Climate Change Encyclical: Latin Left by the Wayside As 'Laudato Si' Seeks Broader Audience, Accessibility (International Business Times)

  

 News and Reviews on the Encyclical:

 

Top Ten Takeaways from 'Laudato Si" (America magazine)

Laudato Si: The Cheers and Challenges (National Catholic Register)

Pope Francis: 'Revolution' needed to combat climate change (CNN)

Pope's climate change enclyclical tells rich nations: pay your debt to the poor (The Guardian)

Full Text and Guidance Map for Pope Francis' Encyclical 'Laudato Si' (National Catholic Register)

With climate encyclical the Pope has knocked one out of St. Peter's (Globe and Mail)

10 key excerpts from Pope Francis' encyclical (The Washington Post)

The 5 Most Important Points of Pope Francis's Climate Change Encyclical (TIME magazine)

US Church grateflul for Pope Francis' 'marvelous' encyclical (National Catholic Reporter)

Exclusive: Patriarch Bartholomew on Pope Francis' Climate Encyclical (TIME magazine)

Francis' encyclical is a step in the right direction, those outside the church say (National Catholic Reporter)

The Pope's Moral Case for Taking on Climate Change (The Atlantic monthly)

Laudato Si': a landmark in church teaching that will shape a new future (Catholic Voices)

Pope Francis, in Sweeping Encyclical, Calls for Swift Action on Climate Change (The New York Times)

Pope Francis blames 'human selfishness' for global warming (BBC News)

Pope Francis Aligns Himself With Mainstream Science and Climate (The New York Times)

Pope Francis and the Environment: Yale Examines Historic Climate Encyclical (Yale University)

Fatal Errors of Capitalism: Laudato Si' & the Economy (Patheos.com)

Previewing Laudato Si': Anthony Annett on Integral Ecology (Patheos.com)

Meet the Muslim Mystic Pope Francis Cited in His Encyclical (TIME)

Expert calls the science behind the papal encyclical 'watertight' (Crux Now)

Pope aligns himself with mainstream science on Climate (The New York Times)

The World weighs in on "Laudato si'' (National Catholic Reporter)

The global echo of Pope Francis' encyclical (The Vatican Insider)

The Internets Just Exploded with Pope Francis' Climate Change Encyclical (GIZMODO)

Pope Francis' Quotes on the Environment (Since his election as the Pope)

 

News and Critical Comments on the Encyclical:

 

Draft of Pope Francis' Laudato Si' Encyclical Leaked Today (Patheos.com)

Draft of Environmental Encyclical Leaked! 12 Things to Know and Share (JimmyAkin.com)

Leak of Pope Francis' encyclical hints at Vatican tensions (Globe and Mail)

Pope Francis's Incoherent Economics (The Federalist) 

Laudato Si': Well Intended, Economically Flawed (The American Spectator)

Pope Blames Markets for Environment's Ills (The Wall Street Journal)

Pope Francis wants to roll back progress. Is the world ready? (The Washington Post)

Encyclical Understands Man, but not Economics and Politics (Acton Institute)

Pope's encyclical on climate change reads like the Unabomber Manifesto (National Post)

The Pope's eco-mmunist manifesto (Financial Post)

Conservative Media vs. The Pope: The Worst Reactions to Pope Francis' Climate Change Encyclical (Media Matters)

The Pope's Encyclical, at Heart, Is About Us, Not Trees and Snail Darters (National Review)

Laudato No: Praise Not Pope Francis's Crude Economics (National Review)

The Encyclical's Challenge Is to Climate-Change Activists, Not Skeptics (National Review)

Pope Francis's Vow of Poverty -- for All (National Review)

Laudato Si' and the NGOification of the Institutional Church (National Review)

The Return of Catholic Anti-Modernism (First Things)

What Pope Francis should do to really help the poor: Bjorn Lomborg (USA Today)

The Pope and Climate Change: Francis is slapping his conservative critics in the face (The Spectator)

Pope Francis and Economics (Acton Institute)

Pope Francis and the Environment (Acton Institute responses to 'Laudato si'') 

Pope Francis Goes Horribly Wrong with His Economics (The Forbes)

Why I'm Disregarding Laudat Si and You Should Too (The Remnant)

 

(Updated on July 5, 2015)

Pope Francis Canonizes Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II

L-R: Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII were declared saints today

Photo courtesy: www.presentationbrothers.org/

Pope Francis in a solemn ceremony in St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican canonized Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II today the Divine Mercy Sunday, dear to both the newly proclaimed saints. Pope John XXIII had died fifty years ago and Pope John Paul II nine.

Present for the ceremony today were almost a million spectators and devotees as well as about a hundred foreign delegates ranging from heads of state, government and royal dignitaries and ecclesiastical officials, including Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, reports news.va.

In his homily, Pope Francis “highlighted the importance of the Second Vatican Council. How these two Popes had cooperated with the Holy Spirit in renewing and updating the Church while keeping the features which the saints have given Her down the centuries.”

Pope John XXIII hails from Sotto il Monte in the Diocese of Bergamo in northern Italy and Pope John Paul II comes from Wadowice in the Archdiocese of Kracow in Poland. 

For details of the canonization ceremony and lives of these popes, you may visit the following:

• Pope Francis makes history with dual canonization of Pope John XXIII, Pope John Paul II
•  John XXIII, John Paul II declared saints in historic canonization
• The day of four popes: John XXIII and John Paul II raised to the altars in historic first
• Sainthood for John Paul II and John XXIII, as crowds pack St. Peter's Square
• Pope John XXIII
• Pope John XXIII (1958 - 1963)
• The life of Pope John XXIII
• Pope John Paul II
• John Paul II 
• John Paul II: His Life and Papacy
• Flirting With the Past: Pope John Paul II Visits Bangladesh on November 19, 1986

Pope Francis is Installed Today As the 266th Pope

Recently-elected Pope Francis got installed today through the inaugural Mass he offered at St. Peter’s Square, where about 150,000 people were present, report different news sources. 

In his Mass, the Pope received a pallium (a two-inch wide sheep-wool scarf worn over the neck, chest and shoulders, signifying a bishop – in this case, the Bishop of Rome – being the good shepherd of his sheep all over the world), a fisherman’s ring (representing the Apostle Peter -- the first Pope – with the keys, symbolizing papal authority over the Universal Church) and a book of Gospels (symbolizing the Pope being the preacher of the Good News of Jesus Christ). 

Among the present in the Mass were a number of royal dignitaries, heads of state, and diplomats from over 132 countries besides some representatives of different religions, including various Christian denominations,  Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism and several hundred cardinals, bishops, priests and men and women from Religious Orders. 

Unlike his predecessors who gave homilies in Latin, Pope Francis gave his homily in Italian language. He said that the Church’s mission “means respecting each of God’s creatures and respecting the environment in which we live. It means protecting people, showing loving concern for each and every person, especially children, the elderly, those in need, who are often the last we think about.” 

“I would like to ask all those who have positions of responsibility, let us be protectors of creation, protectors of God’s plan inscribed in nature, protectors of one another and the environment,” he further mentioned.

After the Mass, visiting diplomats and visiting representatives of foreign governments greeted the Pope inside St. Peter’s Basilica.

It is noteworthy that breaking the protocol, Pope Francis, while passing by spectators on an open-top Mercedes-Benz SUV, stopped to kiss a baby and he also came out of his vehicle to greet and kiss a totally disabled man. 

The Pope’s humility, austerity and love of common people, have been drawing attention of people of all faiths throughout the world.

Pope Francis offered his inaugural Mass under a canopy erected at the foot of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican

Pope Francis is offering Mass

Pope Francis is blessing the participants

The pope is praying in front a statue of the Madonna

Participants facing St. Peter's Basilica

Participants and pilgrims from different countries

Participants in Pope Francis' inaugural Mass at St. Peter's Square

The Pope is riding an open-top vehicle

The bell at St. Peter's Basilica announces the end of the papal Mass

The Pope kisses a baby

Pope Francis greets and blesses a disabled man in the audience

Photo courtesy: (From top: First six and Nos. 10 and 11 photos - BBC; Nos. 7, 8 and 9 photos - CBC News)