Category: Religion

* Western mass media is extraordinarily effective in fostering within the general public enormous sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the Gospel – for example abortion, homosexual lifestyle, euthanasia * Catholic pastors who preach against the legalisation of abortion or the redefinition of marriage are portrayed as being ideologically driven, severe and uncaring—new Pope when he was Cardinal By Robert Mackey, The Guardian After years of sympathetic and inclusive comments from late Pope Francis, lesbian,…

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* Michelle and I mourn with everyone around the world — Catholic and non-Catholic alike — who drew strength and inspiration from the Pope’s example * May we continue to heed his call to “never remain on the sidelines of this march of living hope Maravi Express In his eulogy of Pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday, April 12, and laid to rest last Saturday, former US President Barack Obama pleads with the world — Catholic and non-Catholic…

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* The closed-door meeting will start inside the Sistine Chapel and will involve some 135 cardinals from across the world * There is no timescale as to how long it will take to elect the next pope, but the previous two conclaves, held in 2005 and 2013, lasted just two days Thomas Mackintosh, BBC News The Vatican has confirmed that Roman Catholic Church Cardinals will meet from May 7 in a secret conclave to elect the next pope —…

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* Pope Francis sought to lower age profile and broaden spread of college of cardinals and for most it is their first conclave * In 2013, more than half of cardinal electors were European. Now, the proportion has dropped to 39% while 18% come from Asia, 18% from Latin America and the Caribbean, and 12% from sub-Saharan Africa * The bookmakers’ favourites to succeed Francis are Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s chief diplomat, and Luis Antonio Tagle, a Filipino cardinal…

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* His body is currently laid out in the coffin in the chapel of the Santa Marta residence where he lived during his 12-year papacy * Papal funerals have historically been very elaborate, but instructions set out by Francis are much simpler * He will be the first Pope in more than a century not to be buried in the crypt of St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. Instead, he will be laid to rest in Rome’s Basilica of…

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* He will always be remembered for his courage in advocating for reform in governance worldwide, which he himself led by example * Through radical reforms he advanced in the Catholic Church including the ‘Encyclical Laudatory si’ By Duncan Mlanjira In joining the world in paying tribute to late Pope Francis, who peacefully passed on today, Easter Monday, Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera said in his statement that the 266th Pontiff “leaves behind a legacy of faith, compassion, love and…

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