TURKISH PRESIDENT HAS REPORTEDLY INVITED POPE FRANCIS TO HAGIA SOPHIA – ST. FRANCIS AND A MONASTERY IN VENICE

July 21 is always a day I celebrate with joy as it was the date I was baptized! I could not know at the age of three weeks that a whole new life was starting for me but, as I grew and learned about the faith and received my First Communion and so much more, I realized it was the greatest treasure of my life.

TURKISH PRESIDENT HAS REPORTEDLY INVITED POPE FRANCIS TO HAGIA SOPHIA

A report in the Greek City Times, citing the Anadolou Agency, says that Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has invited Pope Francis to visit Hagia Sophia. The article was entitled “Turkey Invites Pope Francis to Hagia Sophia.”

“Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan invited the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State, Pope Francis to visit Hagia Sophia (Church of the Holy Wisdom),” the report started. “According to Ibrahim Kalin, spokesperson for the Turkish presidency, Turkey has invited everyone to the mosque, including Pope Francis.” https://greekcitytimes.com/2020/07/21/turkey-invites-pope-francis-to-hagia-sophia/

If you recall, on July 12, the second Sunday in July that traditionally marks the International Day of the Sea, at the Angelus Pope Francis mentioned this after the Marian prayer, extending “an affectionate greeting to all those who work at sea, especially those who are far from their loved ones and their country.”

Then, speaking somewhat hesitatingly in obviously pained extemporaneous remarks, he said: “And the sea carries me a little farther away in my thoughts: to Istanbul. I think of Saint Sophia, and I am very saddened.” He did not mention Turkey’s president by name or use the word ‘mosque’ but it was President Erdogan who, on July10 announced the decision to turn the museum commonly known as Hagia Sophia back into a mosque.

Hagia Sophia was built 1500 years ago – in 537 – as a basilica by the Byzantine Christian Emperor Justinian and dedicated to Divine Wisdom – thus the name Hagia Sophia. After the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453, the basilica was converted into a mosque and the city was renamed Istanbul. In 1934, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founding father of the Republic of Turkey, turned Hagia Sophia into a museum, which later became a UNESCO world heritage site.

Reactions around the world to the July 10 decision ranged from disappointment to condemnation, and people immediately looked to the Vatican for a statement. Negative reaction poured in from Orthodox leaders, the European Union and the World Council of Churches, to name a few.

The WCC told Turkey’s president in a letter of “the grief and dismay of the World Council of Churches and of its 350 member churches in more than 110 countries, representing more than half a billion Christians around the world at the step you have just taken. By deciding to convert the Hagia Sophia back to a mosque you have reversed that positive sign of Turkey’s openness and changed it to a sign of exclusion and division.”

And then Sunday, July 12, we heard Pope Francis say with sadness, “And the sea carries me a little farther away in my thoughts: to Istanbul. I think of Saint Sophia, and I am very saddened.”

FRANCIS AND A MONASTERY IN VENICE

I now know what new place I will visit the next time I’m in Venice!   What a great story this is about St. Francis and a beautiful Venetian island! To whet your appetite….

 “When Francis returned to Venice, after a months-long sea journey aboard a cargo ship, he was at the height of his fame as a preacher. Thousands were inspired by his invitation to give up worldly possessions and live a life of penance, brotherly love, and peace.  (photo Aleteia)

Upon his arrival in Venice, hundreds of believers were gathered to meet him. But Francis realized he first needed a moment of quiet, reflection and prayer before returning to his worldly mission. Thanks to a small rowboat, he made his way to a tiny island inside Venice’s Lagoon, located between the islands of Burano and Sant’Eramo, now known as “St. Francis of the Desert.”

To read more and be inspired: https://aleteia.org/2020/04/23/the-island-where-saint-francis-took-refuge-to-reflect/?utm_campaign=NL_en&utm_source=daily_newsletter&utm_medium=mail&utm_content=NL_en

 

 

POPE, MEMBERS OF ROMAN CURIA END ANNUAL RETREAT – PAPAL CONDOLENCES FOR NEW ZEALAND MOSQUE ATTACK – NEW ZEALAND: “ABSOLUTELY DEVASTED” AFTER UNPRECEDENTED ATTACKS ON MOSQUES

POPE, MEMBERS OF ROMAN CURIA END ANNUAL RETREAT

Friday, at the end of the spiritual exercises and just before returning to Rome from Ariccia, Pope Francis thanked retreat master, Italian Benedictine Abbot Bernardo Francesco Maria Gianni, saying, “I was struck by your work to make us enter, as the Word did, into humanity; and understand that God always makes himself present in the human. He did it the first time in the Incarnation of the Word, but He is also present in the traces He leaves in the human. Equal to the incarnation of the Word – undivided and inconfused – He is there. And our job is maybe to go on …

Francis continued, “Thank you so much for this job. I thank you for having spoken to us of memory: this ‘deuteronomic’ dimension that we forget; of having spoken to us of hope, of work, of patience, as if pointing out the way to have that ‘memory of the future’ that always brings us forward. Thank you! And it made me laugh when you said that someone, reading the titles of the meditations, maybe didn’t understand what the Curia did: maybe they rented a tourist guide that would lead them to know Florence and its poets … !

The Holy Father admitted, “in the first meditation I was a bit disoriented, then I understood the message. Thank you. I thought a lot about a conciliar document – Gaudium et spes – perhaps it is the document that has found more resistance, even today. And at some point I saw you in this way: with the courage of the Council Fathers when they signed that document. I thank you so much. Pray for us that we are all sinners, all of us, but we want to go on like this, serving the Lord. Thank you very much and greet the monks from me and from us. Thank you!”

PAPAL CONDOLENCES FOR NEW ZEALAND MOSQUE ATTACK

Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin sent the following telegram in Pope Francis’ name for the victims of the attack in New Zealand on Friday, March 15.

The recipient of the telegram was not named but telegrams are normally sent to the bishop/archbishop of the local diocese and, when necessary or opportune, are addressed to leaders of other faith or religious communities.

“His Holiness Pope Francis was deeply saddened to learn of the injury and loss of life caused by the senseless acts of violence at two Mosques in Christchurch, and he assures all New Zealanders, and in particular the Muslim community, of his heartfelt solidarity in the wake of these attacks. Mindful of the efforts of the security and emergency personnel in this difficult situation, His Holiness prays for the healing of the injured, the consolation of those who grieve the loss of their loved ones, and for all affected by this tragedy. Commending those who have died to the loving mercy of Almighty God, Pope Francis invokes the divine blessings of comfort and strength upon the nation. Pietro Parolin Secretary of State”

Following the attack, the Catholic Bishops of New Zealand addressed a message to members of the Muslim community in New Zealand:

“We hold you in prayer as we hear the terrible news of violence against Muslims in mosques in Christchurch. We are profoundly aware of the positive relationships we have with Islamic people in this land, and we are particularly horrified that this has happened at a place and time of prayer. We are deeply saddened that people have been killed and injured, and our hearts go out to them, their families and wider community. We wish you to be aware of our solidarity with you in the face of such violence.”

The message concludes, “Peace, Salaam,” and is signed by all five Catholic Bishops of New Zealand.

NEW ZEALAND: “ABSOLUTELY DEVASTED” AFTER UNPRECEDENTED ATTACKS ON MOSQUES

At least 40 people have died in separate attacks on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. In the wake of the attacks, the nation’s Catholic Bishops have expressed their solidarity with the Muslim community.
By Vatican News

Reporting from New Zealand, Nicky Webber says, “Our entire country is absolutely devastated by the 49 confirmed deaths in New Zealand’s first terrorist attack”. She described “the massacre of innocent people, at prayer, in their place of worship” as “shocking and heartbreaking”.

The attacks began in the early afternoon on Friday, when at least one person entered the Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch and began firing on worshippers. Early reports suggested that there may have been multiple attackers. The attack on the second mosque began a short time later. “Many Muslims attending the lunchtime service at the two Mosques in Christchurch were immigrants and refugees, from war torn countries, seeking peace, safety and solace, for their families,” Webber said. “They are Kiwis too, part of our community and we mourn with them too”.

Police also found IEDs (improvised explosive devices, or homemade bombs), attached to cars near the site of the attacks. UPDATE: Authorities later clarified that two bombs had been found in a single car.

“It is clear that this is one of New Zealand’s darkest days”, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said in a statement following the attacks. Although she was unable to confirm the number of casualties, local media reported that at least 40 people were killed, and at least 50 people wounded. “Clearly, what has happened here is an extraordinary and unprecedented act of violence”, the Prime Minister said.

Authorities said that four people – three men and one woman – were in custody in connection with the shooting. One person, a 28-year-old man, has already been charged with murder; while police are continuing to investigate whether the other people arrested were in fact involved. The Australian man, whose name has not been released, had posted a racist, anti-immigrant manifesto on social media prior to the shootings, and afterwards apparently posted video footage of the attack. Police have urged people not to share the violent and disturbing footage, and Facebook and other social media companies have been working to remove the videos, as well as any comments in support of the attacks.

“New Zealand is an ethnically diverse country”, Webber said, “which has always practised tolerance for all races, cultures and religions. We are a welcoming, peaceful and compassionate nation who today have been shocked to our very core that such hatred has come to our shores”. She said, “Every Kiwi is offering their compassion, support and love to those suffering from this horrific crime”.

PAPAL CONDOLENCES FOR QUEBEC MOSQUE KILLINGS – VATICAN COUNCIL CONDEMNS ATTACK ON MOSQUE

Recent papal tweets:

January 29: Lord, God of peace, hear our prayer and grant us peace in the Holy Land. Shalom, salaam, peace!

January 30: Nothing is impossible if we turn to God in prayer. We can all be builders of peace.

January 31: Let us imitate the attitude of Jesus toward the sick: he takes care of everyone, He shares their suffering and opens their hearts to hope

I am back in Rome after 13 days in Washington, D.C. and I’ll have to dedicate considerable quiet time to meditating on the historic events I attended, thne many new people I met, the longtime friends with whom I shared meals and the many friends whom I did not see for sheer lack of time. How does one “lack time” over a period of 13 days! Had I only had the time each day to write about it, you’d understand!

When I visited my Facebook page after arriving Rome today, I saw that what I thought I had posted on FB from the plane last night as we awaited departure did not in fact appear on my page – I guess airport wifi was not working as I thought. I had taken a photo and wrote the brief post on my US cell phone but was unable to retrieve that today – no big deal.

It is 8:30 pm. I’ve unpacked, I’ve spent considerable time at my desk checking emails and working on a column for today and another for tomorrow and now I’m ready to make dinner and retire early.

Today was a quiet day, publicly at least, for Pope Francis but yesterday he met with the bishops of Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, who are in Rome for their “ad limina apostolorum” visit, in addition to expresing his condolences for victims of the terror attacks in Quebec. Following are reports on the Quebec attacks:

PAPAL CONDOLENCES FOR QUEBEC MOSQUE KILLINGS

Monday, following morning Mass in the chapel of the Santa Marta residence, Pope Francis met with Cardinal Gérald Cyprien LaCroix, assuring the archbishop of Quebec City of his prayers for the victims of the attack on a mosque there on Sunday night. (photo: news.va)

Pope Francis stressed the importance for all, Christians and Muslims, to be united in prayer. Following his meeting with the Pope, Cardinal Lacroix returned immediately to Canada.

The Holy Father also formally expressed his condolences for the victims of the terrorist attack in a telegram addressed to Cardinal Lacroix, and signed by the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin. The full English translation of the telegram, originally written in French, follows::

Most Eminent Cardinal Gérald Cyprien LaCroix

Having learned of the attack which occurred in Quebec in a prayer room of the Islamic Cultural Centre, which claimed many victims, His Holiness Pope Francis entrusts to the mercy of God the persons who lost their lives and he associates himself through prayer with the pain of their relatives. He expresses his profound sympathy for the wounded and their families, and to all who contributed to their aid, asking the Lord to bring them comfort and consolation in the ordeal. The Holy Father again strongly condemns the violence that engenders such suffering; and, imploring God for the gift of mutual respect and peace, he invokes upon the sorely tried families, and upon all persons touched by this tragedy, as well as upon all Quebecers, the benefits of the divine Blessing.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin Secretary of State of His Holiness

VATICAN COUNCIL CONDEMNS ATTACK ON MOSQUE

The Vatican’s Council for Interreligious Dialogue has strongly condemned the shooting at a mosque in Canada in which six people were killed and another dozen wounded.

More than fifty people were gathered for evening prayers at the Islamic Cultural Centre in Quebec City on Sunday night when the attack took place. Police have arrested two suspects in connection with the shooting, which Canadian authorities have described as a terror attack.

In a statement on Monday, the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue expressed great sadness and indignation at what it called “this senseless gesture.” Such “inconceivable violence,” the statement says, violates both “the sacredness of human life” as well as the respect due to a community at prayer and its place of worship.

The Vatican statement also expresses solidarity with all Canadian Muslims, assuring them of fervent prayers for the victims and their families.

Pope Francis also sent a message of condolences to all those affected by the attack, asking God to bring comfort and consolation to the wounded and bereaved. His words came in a telegramme addressed to Canadian Cardinal Gerald Lacroix, in which the Pope also condemns such violence and suffering.

Pope Francis was able to offer words of sympathy in person to the cardinal, who was in Rome and attended Mass on Monday at the Casa Santa Marta, before cutting short his visit and returning to  Quebec City. (from Vatican Radio)