POPE WILL NOT PRESIDE CORPUS CHRISTI MASS, PROCESSION
As Pope Francis continues to suffer from knee pain, the Holy See Press Office said in an announcement today that he will not preside over the traditional Corpus Christi Mass at St. John Lateran esplanade and procession from the cathedral of St. John to the basilica of St. Mary Major.
Corpus Christi falls on Thursday, June 16, this year but in 2017 Pope Francis moved the celebration to the following Sunday in the hope that greater numbers of faithful could attend.
In 2020 and 2021, only the Mass was scheduled. It took place in St. Peter’s Basilica with a small number of faithful and was not followed by a procession.
The Vatican statement said: “Due to the limitations imposed on the Pope by his knee pain and because of the specific liturgical needs of the celebration, the Holy Mass and procession with the Eucharistic Blessing will not be celebrated on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi.”
For several years, Pope Francis followed tradition. He broadened that in 2017 and following years by celebrating the Mass and procession in parishes in and around Rome.
UPDATE. The Italian language Vatican news site announced that Corpus Christi celebrations in Vatican City on Thursday have been entrusted to Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, archpriest of the Vatican basilica and vicar general of the Holy Father for Vatican City. The celebration of the Solemnity of Corpus Domini will take place at the Altar of the Chair on June 16 at 9:45am with Lauds, followed by Mass at 10.30. At the end of the Mass there will be a Eucharistic procession with Eucharistic blessing. In the afternoon, Vespers of the Solemnity to be celebrated at 5:00pm.
POPE TO SAY MASS IN ROME FOR CONGOLESE COMMUNITY
Addressing participants at the General Chapter of the Missionaries of Africa, Pope Francis exhorted them to embrace the meaning and strength of their charism, and invited them to be apostles and witnesses through prayer and fraternity.
By Benedict Mayaki, SJ
Pope Francis on Monday received in audience the participants of the General Chapter of the Missionaries of Africa (The White Fathers) in the Vatican. (Vatican photo)
In his address, the Holy Father expressed regret about having postponed his Apostolic Journey to the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan, originally scheduled for the first week of July. He said that it is hard at his age to go on a mission but he draws courage from their prayers and example and is hopeful that he would be able to visit these peoples “whom he carries in his heart.” He announced, however, that he would celebrate a Mass with the Congolese community in Rome on Sunday, 3 July. Pope to Missionaries of Africa: An apostle of Christ is a witness – Vatican News
ASIF PRESIDENT: “NEW STEPS FORWARD, WE MUST NOT LOWER OUR GUARD”
We feature an interview with the President of the Vatican’s Supervisory and Financial Information Authority on the occasion of the publication of its 2021 report: “The development and strengthening of a network of international collaboration are constant objectives and priorities.”
Vatican News
The Supervisory and Financial Information Authority (ASIF) has published its latest report. ASIF is the authority of the Holy See and the Vatican City State for supervision in matters regarding the prevention and countering of money laundering, the financing of terrorism, and financial intelligence. ASIF President Carmelo Barbagallo tells us more about the report in the following interview. ASIF President: “New steps forward, we must not lower our guard” – Vatican News
Joan's Rome 