VATICAN INSIDER: KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS AND “TERESA OF CALCUTTA. NO GREATER LOVE” – POPE FRANCIS GIVES INFLGHT PRESS CONFERENCE

VATICAN INSIDER: KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS AND “TERESA OF CALCUTTA. NO GREATER LOVE”

Returning this week to the interview segment of “Vatican Insider” are Patrick Kelly, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus, and David Naglieri, writer and director of the film produced by the Knights, “Teresa of Calcutta: No Greater Love.”

Last week, we talked about what inspired the Knights of Columbus to do this film, how David was brought in as writer and director, and the stages of filming and some of the highlights.

This week we look at some of the challenges and highlights of filming this documentary, and I ask both Patrick and David if they learned something they never knew about Mother Teresa during the filming.

As I wrote after the Rome premiere: “Teresa of Calcutta’s love was a no-holds-barred love that embraced all of God’s children but absolutely above all, ‘the least of God’s children,’ the heart-wrenchingly poor and destitute, the forgotten and rejected ones such as the disabled, victims of leprosy, the starving, those who were left to die in the hovels they called home or on the streets of their villages or towns, on the peripheries of large, well-to-do urban centers where people truly did not care about the “people they could not see.”

I interviewed Patrick and David at one of the sports centers built in Rome by the Knights of Columbus. They have an office in Rome as well (another story for another day).

The movie premiered in Rome at the end of August and will be shown in 940 theaters in the United States for two days only, Monday, October 3 and Tuesday, October 4. Go to motherteresamovie.com for tickets.

The official website (where you can watch a trailer): Mother Teresa: No Greater Love Film – HOME (motherteresamovie.com)

IN THE UNITED STATES, you can listen to Vatican Insider (VI) on a Catholic radio station near you (stations listed at www.ewtn.com) or on channel 130 Sirius-XM satellite radio, or on http://www.ewtn.com. OUTSIDE THE U.S., you can listen to EWTN radio on our website home page by clicking on the right side where you see “LISTEN TO EWTN.” VI airs at 5am and 9pm ET on Saturdays and 6am ET on Sundays. On the GB-IE feed (which is on SKY in the UK and Ireland), VI airs at 5:30am, 12 noon and 10pm CET on Sundays. Both of these feeds are also available on the EWTN app and on www.ewtnradio.net ALWAYS CHECK YOUR OWN TIME ZONE! For VI archives: go to https://www.ewtn.com/radio/audio-archive and write the name of the guest for whom you are searching in the SEARCH box. Below that, will appear “Vatican Insider” – click on that and the link to that particular episode will appear.

POPE FRANCIS GIVES INFLGHT PRESS CONFERENCE

Yesterday, September 15, on his six-hour flight from Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan to Rome, Pope Francis gave an in-flight press conference to the 80 journalists who had accompanied him on his 38^th international apostolic trip.

Here are two reports you might like to read that summarize the Q and A:

Pope: ‘Difficult to dialogue with those who started a war, but it must be done’ – Vatican News

Pope Francis: ‘The West has taken the wrong paths’ | Catholic News Agency

POPE TO KAZAKHSTAN CLERGY: ‘BEAR WITNESS TO JOY OF THE GOSPEL’ – POPE AT 7TH CONGRESS IN KAZAKHSTAN: ‘WE NEED PEACE, WOMEN, YOUNG PEOPLE’

Pope Francis departed Kazakhstan’s Nur-Sultan airport just before 5:20 pm local time this afternoon, and is due to arrive in Rome about 8 pm, Rome time. The nation’s president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was on hand to bid the Holy Father farewell.

This morning the Pope spoke to the Church’s bishops, clergy and religious men and women, and later made remarks at the concluding session of the 7th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. Links to both of those events follow. There are some great photos and video in the first report.

Earlier, on Twitter and Facebook, I posted the wonderful, happy story of the family of 23 who musically entertained the Pope (video and photos): Muslim family of 23 plays for Pope Francis in Kazakhstan – Vatican News

POPE TO KAZAKHSTAN CLERGY: ‘BEAR WITNESS TO JOY OF THE GOSPEL’

In his address to the Church’s ministers in Kazakhstan, Pope Francis encourages bishops, priests, and religious men and women to embrace their spiritual inheritance with joy and “bear generous witness to it,” in order to testify to the promise of Christian hope.

By Sophie Peeters (vaticannews)

The strength in diversity of the Church and the richness in different experiences must be shared with others to witness to the living Church.

Pope Francis offered that encouragement in his address to Bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated persons, seminarians and lay pastoral workers on Thursday morning at the Cathedral of the Mother of God of Perpetual Help in Nur-Sultan, Kazakstan. Pope to Kazakhstan clergy: ‘Bear witness to joy of the Gospel’ – Vatican News

POPE AT 7TH CONGRESS IN KAZAKHSTAN: ‘WE NEED PEACE, WOMEN, YOUNG PEOPLE’

In his concluding remarks at the 7th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, Pope Francis urges all religions and societies to involve women and young people in the quest for world peace.

By Francesca Merlo (vaticannews)

Concluding the 7th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, on his 38th Apostolic Journey abroad, Pope Francis thanked those present for coming from so many different parts of the world.

“We have travelled this road together,” he said. The Holy Father added that the members’ commitment in the service of dialogue over the course of the conference is more valuable than ever “when the problems of the pandemic have been compounded by the utter folly of war.” Pope at 7th Congress in Kazakhstan: ‘We need peace, women, young people’ – Vatican News

 

A CAPITAL NAME CHANGE? – POPES OF PEACE VISIT KAZAKHSTAN

A CAPITAL NAME CHANGE?

There has been one very interesting development during Pope Francis’ visit to Kazakhstan and its capital Nur-Sultan for the inter-religious meeting. The capital was named Astana until three years ago when the current president Tokayev agreed to change the name to Nur Sultan to honor his predecessor Nursultan Nazarbayev who led the country for three decades after declaring independence from what was once the USSR, the Soviet Union.

It seems that the nation’s capital will once again be named Astana.

The first indication was a tweet today from President Tokayev’s press secretary that said, “The president of Kazakhstan supports the initiative of members of parliamentary to rename the capital of the country from Nur Sultan to Astana.”

It seems the president was informed of this initiative by the MPs who had put forth this proposal, having talked among themselves, and also to citizens who supported the name change during a referendum.

The June referendum called for constitutional changes, one of which, according to a bill written by parliament, will be the name change of the nation’s capital.

The Vatican always prepares a fascinating, informative booklet for the journalists covering a papal trip. In that booklet, the name Nur Sultan is used for the capital, as it is in Vatican news reports, thus suggesting that the name change has not officially taken place.

POPES OF PEACE VISIT KAZAKHSTAN

St. John Paul II was the first pontiff to visit this central European nation, visiting shortly after the September 11 attacks in the United States in 2001. At the time, he applauded the peaceful coexistence of religions and ethnicities such as Kazakh, Russian, Ukrainian, and many others, within the country. The capital of Kazakhstan in 2001 was Astana.

At the September 23 Angelus, John Paul said: “To Mary I entrust all of you: Christians and non-Christians, believers and non-believers. She is the Mother of all, because Christ her Son is the Saviour of all. May Mary help all of you, dear Brothers and Sisters, to accomplish in your daily lives Christ’s command: “Love one another”, which is the guiding theme of this pastoral visit of mine. To the perpetual help of the Queen of peace I also entrust the countries bordering Kazakhstan, and I greet especially the pilgrims who have come today from those lands to demonstrate their faith and affection.”

Pope Francis’ trip to Kazakhstan shared one aspect with Pope John Paul’s trip that took place right after the 9-11 attacks in the US, Pope Francis trip took place just after the 21^st anniversary of those attacks. (Vatican photo)

In words spoken at the end of today’s Mass, the Holy Father pointed to areas of the world marked by violence and war, especially Ukraine, and stressed that the world must never grow accustomed to war or resigned to its perceived inevitability. “The one solution is peace and the only way to arrive at peace is through dialogue. …What still needs to happen, and how many deaths will it still take, before conflict yields to dialogue for the good of people, nations and all humanity?”

Inviting prayers from everyone so that the world can learn to create peace, Francis said, “I thank all those who believe in this. I thank all of you, and all those men and women who are heralds of peace and unity!”

Francis had said Sunday at the Angelus that his trip would be a “pilgrimage of peace. … It will be an opportunity to meet a great many religious representatives and to dialogue as brothers and sisters, animated by our common desire for peace, peace for which our world is thirsting.”

POPE FRANCIS BEGINS HIS APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO KAZAKHSTAN – A FUTURISTIC NUR-SULTAN READY TO WELCOME POPE FRANCIS TO KAZAKHSTAN – POPE’S PRESENCE IN KAZAKHSTAN TO HELP ‘MAP WAY OUT OF CONFLICTS’

I am following Pope Francis’ trip to Kazakhstan as many of you are – on television and online for news reports. Television brings the living, colorful, in-the-moment images, as I know you have seen today and will for the next two days. Below are three stories from Vatican news about the papal trip to Kazakhstan, including video, photos and commentary.

A preview of the trip was given last night on EWTN News Nightly by EWTN’s Alexey Gotovsky of our Rome office: EWTN News | News from a true Catholic perspective

POPE FRANCIS BEGINS HIS APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO KAZAKHSTAN

Pope Francis departs from Rome’s Fiumicino airport aboard the papal plane bound for Nur-Sultan, as he begins his Apostolic Journey to Kazakhstan.

By Devin Watkins (vaticannews)

The papal plane took off from Rome’s Fiumicino airport on Tuesday at 7:36 AM with Pope Francis aboard, along with a compliment of around 80 journalists in the papal entourage.

The Pope’s 38th Apostolic Journey abroad takes him to the Nur-Sultan, the capital of Kazakhstan, where he is expected to arrive at around 5:45 PM local time (GMT+6) after a roughly 6.5-hour flight.

His first official visit comes soon afterwards on Tuesday as he makes a courtesy visit to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, before meeting with the country’s authorities, civil servants, and diplomatic corps. FOR MORE: Pope Francis begins his Apostolic Journey to Kazakhstan – Vatican News

A FUTURISTIC NUR-SULTAN READY TO WELCOME POPE FRANCIS TO KAZAKHSTAN

As Pope Francis prepares to depart for Kazakhstan on Tuesday, our correspondent in Nur-Sultan takes a look at his upcoming participation in the 7th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, as well as the small Catholic community’s great joy to receive the Holy Father.

By Deborah Castellano Lubov – Nur-Sultan (vaticannews)

Catholics and non-Catholics alike in the immense Central Asian nation of Kazakhstan are preparing and looking forward to welcoming Pope Francis to their country on Tuesday.

Pope Francis will embark on his 38th Apostolic Visit abroad, marking his 57th country visited and his fourth Apostolic Journey since the beginning of the year.

Working day and night

“They have been working day and night,” Fr. Pawel, a Franciscan priest, told Vatican News during a visit to the pavilion where the Holy Father’s Mass will be held for the nation’s Catholics, though not only Catholics will be present.

According to the rector of the Cathedral where the Pope will meet bishops, clergy, religious, and those pursuing vocations on Thursday, not only the Catholics are greatly anticipating the Mass, but even Kazakhs of other faiths.

To some non-Catholics, Pope Francis is like a father

He says even some Muslims will be there. “When I inquired as to their reasoning or interesting in being present, they said to me ‘Pope is Papa.’ He is also like a father to us.” FOR MORE: A futuristic Nur-Sultan ready to welcome Pope Francis to Kazakhstan – Vatican News

POPE’S PRESENCE IN KAZAKHSTAN TO HELP ‘MAP WAY OUT OF CONFLICTS’

As Pope Francis prepares to take part in an interfaith congress in Kazakhstan, Professor Azza Karam, Secretary General of Religions for Peace, says the Pope can help religious leaders map out ways of resolving and avoiding conflicts.

By Devin Watkins (vaticannews)

“Pope Francis is a faith leader whom many others, even outside the Catholic community, tend to listen to and respect very highly.”

The Secretary General of Religions for Peace, Prof. Azza Karam, offered that insight into the Pope’s footprint in interreligious dialogue.

Prof. Karam spoke to Vatican News ahead of Pope Francis’ Apostolic Journey to Kazakhstan, on 13-15 September, which will see him participate in the 7th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in Nur-Sultan.

Nearly 100 delegations are expected to attend from 60 nations, representing Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Shintoism, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, and other religions.

Pope a ‘spokesperson for peace’

Pope Francis will join religious leaders in seeking to plot a course for humanity’s renewal in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, amidst numerous wars and conflicts across the globe.”Pope Francis has positioned himself by virtue of his speech and what he symbolizes to be, in some respects, the spokesperson of what peace should look like in people’s ordinary lives, but also on the level of government.” FOR MORE: Pope’s presence in Kazakhstan to help ‘map way out of conflicts’ – Vatican News

FRANCIS PRAYS AT ST MARY MAJOR FOR TRIP TO KAZAKHSTAN – CARDINAL PAROLIN: WAR IS NEVER INEVITABLE

FRANCIS PRAYS AT ST MARY MAJOR FOR TRIP TO KAZAKHSTAN

As is his custom both before and after making an apostolic journey, Pope Francis today prayed before the beloved Roman image of Salus populi romani in the basilica of St. Mary Major.

The Holy Father departs tomorrow for Nur-Sultan, the capital of Kazakhstan, to attend and address the 7th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions that will be held here on September 14 and 15. This is his 38^th apostolic trip abroad and the 57^th country he will have visited.

St. John Paul II was the first pontiff to visit this central European nation, arriving shortly after the September 11 attacks in the United States in 2001. At the time, he applauded the peaceful coexistence of religions and ethnicities, such as Kazakh, Russian, Ukrainian, and many others, within the country. (Vatican media photo)

CARDINAL PAROLIN: WAR IS NEVER INEVITABLE

On the eve of Pope Francis’ Apostolic Journey to Kazakhstan, the Vatican Secretary of State looks at the war in Ukraine with hopes that the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, which the Pope will attend, might become an opportunity for encounter and dialogue, and underscores the fruitful diplomatic relations between the Holy See and Kazakhstan.

By Massimiliano Menichetti (vaticannews)

Everything is ready on the eve of Pope Francis’ 38th Apostolic Journey outside Italy. The destination is Kazakhstan and participation in the VII Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. The international background of the event includes the ongoing, tragic war in Ukraine and many other conflicts around the world.

Once again, Pope Francis at Sunday’s Angelus in St. Peter’s Square asked for everyone to continue praying the people suffering from the war in Ukraine. He also thanked those involved in the journey’s preparations who made possible this trip to the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan, where the focus will be on the capital, Nur-Sultan.

The predominantly Muslim country is home to a small Catholic community that awaits the arrival of the Pope with hope. The busy program is condensed into three days with five addresses he will give.

Ahead of the Pope’s departure on Tuesday, Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin sat down with Vatican Media to explore various themes of the Journey.

For full interview: Cardinal Parolin ahead of Pope’s Kazakhstan visit: ‘War is never inevitable’ – Vatican News

 

PAPAL PRAYER INTENTION FOR AUGUST: FOR SMALL BUSINESSES – AGENDA FOR PAPAL TRIP TO KAZAKHSTAN IN SEPTEMBER

PAPAL PRAYER INTENTION FOR AUGUST: FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

Pope Francis releases his prayer intention for the month of August, urging special prayers for small businesses.

By Deborah Castellano Lubov (vaticannews)

As August kicks off, Pope Francis is calling on Catholics to pray for small and medium-sized businesses, so that “in the midst of economic and social crisis, they find ways to continue operating, and serving their communities.”

The Pope released his monthly prayer intention on Tuesday in a video prepared by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network. (NB: video ahs English subtitles)

In the message, he recognizes the “courage, effort and sacrifice” of small and medium-sized entrepreneurs, and acknowledges that they are among the most affected by “the grave socio-economic crisis,” brought to new heights by wars and the devastating Covid-19 pandemic.

According to statistics for 2021 from the World Bank, one in four companies lost half of their volume of sales because of the global pandemic. Further exacerbating their reality is that they do not receive adequate public assistance.

Constant sacrifices and hard work to help others

In his video message, the Pope praised those who through their workshops or shops “invest in life,” by “generating well-being, opportunities and work.”

The Holy Father acknowledged their hard work and constant sacrifices made, in order to invest in the common good.

“Stores, workshops, cleaning businesses, transportation businesses, and so many others. The ones that don’t appear on the world’s richest and most powerful lists, and despite the difficulties, they create jobs, fulfilling their social responsibility.”

The Holy Father concluded his video message remembering the value of small businesses.

“Let us pray for small and medium-sized businesses, hard hit by the economic and social crisis, so they may find ways to continue operating, and serving their communities.”

The ‘great importance’ of small businesses

Father Federic Fornos, S.J., the International Director of the Pope’s Worldwide Network, reflected on the intention.

“The crises that we are going through, are—as the Pope says—a ‘Noah moment,’” he said, are “an opportunity to build something different. In this sense, small and medium-sized businesses are of great importance, with their creative force and their capacity to contribute solutions from the bottom up.”

“Without them, it would not have been possible to make it through the COVID crisis, and they continue to be necessary now. This is why it is important to pray for them.”

Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network and Pope Video

The Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network is a Vatican foundation, with the mission of mobilizing Catholics through prayer and action in response to the challenges facing humanity and the mission of the Church. Founded in 1844 as the Apostleship of Prayer, the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network currently is present in 89 countries and is made up of more than 22 million Catholics. The Pope Video is an official global initiative with the purpose of disseminating the Holy Father’s monthly prayer intentions.

AGENDA FOR PAPAL TRIP TO KAZAKHSTAN IN SEPTEMBER

Kazakhstan’s capital of Nur-Sultan is a 6 ½ hour flight from Rome. The return flight is 7 ½ hours. The country is 4 hours ahead of Italy.

FYI: The Palace of Peace and Reconciliation will be the focal point of the Pope’s attendance at the conference. It has been a top tourist and visitors’ site since 2006, offers unique cultural and religious exhibits and spaces for meetings and cultural encounters. One of the more unusual facts is its diagonal moving elevator inside, one of only several in the world. It is also called the Pyramid of Peace and Reconciliation.

TUESDAY, 13 September 2022 Rome – Nur-Sultan

07:15 Departure by airplane from Rome/Fiumicino international airport to Nur-Sultan

17:45 Arrival at Nur-Sultan international airport

17:45 – 18:30   Official welcome ceremony at the presidential palace in Nur Sultan

18:45 Courtesy visit to the president of the republic

19:30 Meeting with the authorities, civil society and the diplomatic corps at the Qazaq concert hall. Address of the Holy Father

WEDNESDAY, 14 September 2022 Nur-Sultan

10:00   Silent prayer of religious leaders. Opening and plenary session of the “VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions” at the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation. Address of the Holy Father

12:00   Private meetings with various religious leaders at the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation

16:45 Holy Mass in the Expo Grounds. Homily of the Holy Father

THURSDAY, 15 September 2022   Nur-Sultan – Rome

09:00 Private meeting with members of the Society of Jesus at the Apostolic Nunciature

10:30 Meeting with bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated persons, seminarians and pastoral workers in Our Lady of Perpetual Help Cathedral. Address of the Holy Father

15:00 Reading of the Final Declaration and Conclusion of the Congress at the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation. Address of the Holy Father.

16:15 Farewell ceremony at Nur-Sultan international airport

16:45 Departure by airplane from Nur-Sultan international airport to Rome

20:15 Arrival at Rome/Fiumicino international airport

POPE FRANCIS TO VISIT KAZAKHSTAN IN SEPTEMBER

POPE FRANCIS TO VISIT KAZAKHSTAN IN SEPTEMBER

Pope Francis will make his 38th Apostolic Journey abroad to Kazakhstan in mid-September, visiting the city of Nur-Sultan on the occasion of the VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions.

By Deborah Castellano Lubov (vaticannews)

In a statement on Monday, Matteo Bruni, the Director of the Holy See Press Office announced: “Accepting the invitation of the civil and ecclesial authorities, Pope Francis will make the announced Apostolic Journey to Kazakhstan from 13-15 September this year, visiting the city of Nur-Sultan on the occasion of the VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions.”

The Congress is to be held in the Kazakh capital.

The theme of this year’s event will be “The Role of Leaders of World and Traditional Faiths in the Socio-Spiritual Development of Humanity after the Pandemic”.

Pope Francis with the media on papal flight from Canada:

Every three years, religious leaders from around the world gather at the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, in Nur-Sultan.

In 2003, former Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev called for the first such Congress.

He drew inspiration from Pope St. John Paul II’s 1986 Day of Prayer for Peace convened in the Italian hill town of Assisi, which brought together various religions and leaders to promote interreligious dialogue, peace and harmony.

The ‘Spirit of Assisi’ meetings became an annual tradition held each year in a different city in Europe.

Pope’s continued interest in visiting

In early April, the Pope spoke about this possible journey during a live video conversation he held with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

On the return flight from his Apostolic Visit to Canada, the Pope reiterated his hope to go.

“For the moment, I would like to go to Kazakhstan. That wouldn’t be too rigorous of a journey,” he said.

He reaffirmed his interest in being present at the congress of religions, and observed that it would likely not be overly physically demanding.

Quick facts about Kazakhstan

On 16 December 1991, Kazakhstan gained its independence from the former Soviet Union.

According to the Pew Research Center, the country is at least 70% Muslim, and about 25% Christian, of which less than 1% is Catholic.

St. John Paul the II was the first Pope to visit Kazakhstan, 22-25 September 2001, with the motto of “Love one other.”

POPE FRANCIS WISHES TO VISIT KAZAKHSTAN FOR WORLD RELIGIONS CONGRESS

Apologies for my absence yesterday but a fascinating couple of hours got in the way of writing a column, although I did post a Vatican story on both Twitter and Facebook. It is so rare for me to be absent on a weekday that I often get emails, asking if all is well! Yes, all is well!

Part of my morning was working on and then filming my weekly video for “At Home with Jim and Joy,” a day marked by my return to St. Peter’s Square for filming after Covid imposed many restrictions on all kinds of activities, especially those meaning being near or part of crowds.

Perhaps two weeks ago, while looking for a particular photo in a drawer I had not opened in a while, I found some videos I had not seen for years! I put them on a chair near my desk and then put some papers on top of them, and basically forgot about them (out of sight, out of mind) until yesterday.

Two were videos of a trip I took to Uelzen, Germany in December 2006, right after I had discovered, after years of research, where my maternal grandfather had been born. I also took photos on that trip and gave those to my Mom and Aunt Doris as their Christmas gift that year. I saw the video then but not since!

I also had made a video of my first trip to Hawaii in July 2008, specifically to Kalaupapa to see where Sts. Damien and Marianne Cope lived and worked in the leprosy colony there. I never did see that video – until yesterday!

The other videos were of my first trip to the Holy Land with my Rome parish in February 2008! I had never seen any of them!

So yesterday I began to watch the German and Hawaiian videos and then decided to watch the videos of the Holy Land as this is Holy Week and the videos featured every site with associated with this week!

I would love to report that I re-discovered my great talent as a videographer but that’s not the case, although I’ve greatly improved since then. I had an actual video camera and trying to balance that and a purse and sometimes a backpack was not always easy. Often I was on moving vehicles or simply walking so there were some bumps on the road, if you will. It seems I loved to do close-ups and I often zoomed when not zooming would have been better! Some close-ups however, are real treasures.

Before I knew it, several hours had gone by as I was riveted by every place, every person, every memory! If I can edit a few of the videos with Holy Week sites, I will do so and post them.   If not, pazienza!

At 4, I had to leave for St. Patrick’s for confessions and then Mass at 6, and had no time for a Joan’s Rome column.

There was an important Vatican story yesterday as Pope Francis welcomed the new U.S. ambassador to the Holy See: New US Ambassador to Holy See presents credentials to Pope – Vatican News

Earlier today, I posted on both Twitter and Facebook the news about Cardinal Tagle’s reaction to the killing of Caritas workers and their family members in Mariupol, Ukraine. The cardinal is the president of Caritas Internationalis. Here is a link to that story: Cardinal Tagle: sorrow for attack on Caritas Mariupol, time to put end to violence – Vatican News

POPE FRANCIS WISHES TO VISIT KAZAKHSTAN FOR WORLD RELIGIONS CONGRESS

Pope Francis expressed this intention during a video conference with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The Congress is scheduled take place in the Kazakh capital Nur-Sultan in September this year.

By Lisa Zengarini

Pope Francis has expressed the desire to travel to Kazakhstan on the occasion of the 7th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions to be held early in September in the Kazakh capital, Nur-Sultan. The theme of this year’s event will be “The Role of Leaders of World and Traditional Faiths in the Socio-Spiritual Development of Humanity after the Pandemic.”

According to the director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, the Pope spoke about this possible journey during a live video conversation he held on Monday with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

The first Congress in 2003

The Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions is held in Nur-Sultan (former Astana) every three years, gathering world religious leaders from across the world. It was initiated in 2003 by former Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev on the model of the “Day of Prayer for Peace” convened in Assisi, Italy, by Pope St. John Paul II on 24 January 2002 in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 in the United States, to reaffirm the positive contribution of religious traditions to dialogue and harmony between peoples and nations.

The Holy See’s support for the initiative

This first forum was attended by 17 delegations from 23 countries and was focused mainly on countering terrorism and religious extremism issues threatening world peace. On that occasion, Pope St. John Paul II, who had visited the Caucasian country in September 2001, sent a message to participants expressing hope that the initiative might help promote the respect of human dignity and the protection of religious freedom.

To mark the 10th anniversary of that event, a Kazakh official delegation visited the Vatican in 2013. During the visit, it awarded a State decoration to Cardinals Jean-Louis Tauran, and Giovanni Lajolo, former Secretaries for Relations with States, and Monsignor Khaled Akasheh, an official at the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, in recognition of the Holy See’s support to this initiative and of its commitment to religious dialogue an peace.  A photographic exhibition was also presented to illustrate the ten-year activity of the Congress, which up until that year had convened four times.

The 6th Congress in 2018

The last Congress (October 10-11, 2018) was focused on the theme “Religious Leaders for a Safe World” and saw the participation of 82 delegations from 46 countries. The Catholic Church delegation was led by Cardinal Francesco Coccopalmerio, president emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, and included, among others, Msgr. Khaled Akasheh, and Archbishop Francis Assisi Chullikatt, apostolic nuncio to Kazakhstan. Among the topics discussed were the relationship between religion and globalization and, again, the role of religious leaders in overcoming extremism and terrorism.

St. John Paul II’s visit to Kazakhstan in 2001

St. John Paul the II was the first Pope to visit Kazakhstan, where Muslims account for the majority of the population (70%) and Christians, mostly Orthodox, for some 30%, of whom Catholics are 1%. The motto chosen for that visit was significantly “Love one other.” It highlighted the ethnic, cultural and religious diversity of Kazakh society that the Polish Pope described as a “country open to dialogue and encounter.”

Good relations between Holy See and Kazakhstan

Dialogue has been the focus of the good relations the Catholic Church and the Holy See have entertained with the nation since 1992, after Kazakhstan became independent from the former Soviet Union. This dialogue is of particular relevance today in the context of the internal political tensions that have marked the Caucasian nation in the past months and also in light of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.