Cardinal Sandri invokes intercession of St Maron for Lebanon

PUBLISHED COURTESY OF VATICAN NEWS. The Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches asks for the intercession of St Maron for crisis-hit Lebanon. By Lisa Zengarini On the occasion of the Feast of Saint Maron, patron of the Maronite Church, on February 9, Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, […]

Pope Francis’ programme for Apostolic Visit to Iraq announced.

PUBLISHED COURTESY OF VATICAN NEWS .   The Holy See’s Press Office announces Pope Francis’ schedule for his upcoming Apostolic Visit to Iraq from March 5 – 8. The Holy See’s Press Office announces Pope Francis’ schedule for his upcoming Apostolic Visit to Iraq from 5 – 8 March 2021. Pope Francis’ Apostolic Visit to Iraq begins on […]

Pope Francis on Human Fraternity: We are all born of the same Father.

PUBLISHED COURTESY OF VATICAN NEWS . Pope Francis highlights the theme of fraternity in a video message for the first International Day of Human Fraternity celebrated on Thursday. He calls for a world of mutual respect, stressing that we can either choose to be brothers and sisters or we lose everything. LINK TO VIDEO MESSAGE: Human Fraternity […]

This is why His Holiness Pope Francis will go to Iraq

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PUBLISHED COURTESY OF VATICAN NEWS Father Rif’at Bader, Director of The Catholic Center for Studies and Media (CCSM), provides historical and contextual background to Pope Francis’ scheduled Apostolic Journey to Iraq in March 2021. By Fr. Rif’at Bader Iraq is a sacred country. It was inhabited by prophets, the oldest of whom was Abraham, who […]

Bishop Yaldo: Pope’s visit to Iraq an immense joy for Christians

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PUBLISHED COURTESY OF VATICAN NEWS If plans go ahead, Pope Francis will become the first pontiff to visit Iraq, when he visits the Muslim majority nation in March. According to Auxiliary Bishop, Basel Yaldo of Baghdad, the visit will be the “confirmation of the country’s greater stability” and will help heal the wounds of the […]

Syrian refugees hit hard by COVID-19 economic downturn

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PUBLISHED COURTESY OF VATICAN NEWS he United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) notes that the economic downturn has pushed hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees in the Middle East into an ever more desperate situation and has increased their humanitarian needs. By Robin Gomes The number of vulnerable Syrian refugees who lack the basic resources to […]