Pope Francis praying the Angelus on the feast of the Immaculate Conception, Dec. 8, 2024. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA
CNA Newsroom, Dec 8, 2024 / 08:30 am (CNA).
Pope Francis issued a heartfelt plea for peace during the Sunday Angelus on the So… […]
Pope Francis delivers the homily during Mass on the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception in St. Peter’s Basilica, Dec. 8, 2024. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA
CNA Newsroom, Dec 8, 2024 / 06:56 am (CNA).
Pope Francis celebrated Mass with the College of Cardinals in St. Peter’s Basilica on Sunday, marking the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and concluding a historic week in which 21 new cardinals were inducted into the Catholic Church’s most senior advisory body.
Hundreds of priests and bishops attended the celebration, and the new cardinals concelebrated their first papal Mass after receiving their red hats at Saturday’s consistory.
The Mass honored one of the Church’s most significant Marian feasts, commemorating the dogma formally defined by Pope Pius IX in 1854 that the Blessed Virgin Mary was preserved free from original sin from the moment of her conception.
In his homily during the solemn liturgy, Pope Francis reflected on Mary’s “pure harmony, candor, and simplicity,” focusing on her roles as daughter, bride, and mother.
“‘Hail, full of grace,’” the pope began, quoting Luke 1:28. “With these words in the humble house of Nazareth, the Angel revealed to Mary the mystery of her immaculate heart, preserved free from all stain of original sin from the moment of her conception.”
Drawing parallels between the Virgin Mary and the Church, Pope Francis emphasized that Mary was a “handmaid” not in a servile sense but as one who was “trusted and esteemed” by God.
“There is no salvation without a woman, for the Church herself is also woman,” the pope said, highlighting Mary’s pivotal role in salvation history.
Francis also sharply critiqued contemporary materialism and individualism, warning against “hearts that remain cold, empty, and closed.” He challenged believers, asking: “What is the use of having a full bank account, a comfortable home, and virtual connections if they come at the cost of true love, solidarity, and care for others?”
Addressing the newly created cardinals—representing the universality of the Church across five continents—the pope urged them to be servants to the global Catholic community. “They bring great wisdom from many parts of the world to contribute to the growth and spread of the Kingdom of God,” he said.
Concluding his homily, Pope Francis called for spiritual renewal. “Let us look to Mary Immaculate and ask her to conquer us through her loving heart. May she convert us and lead us to become a community where filial, spousal, and maternal love reign as the rule of life.”
Left to right: Father Timothy Gallagher, Archbishop Borys Gudziak, Archbishop Nelson Perez, Archbishop Alexander Sample. / Credit: SOCA
CNA Staff, Dec 8, 2024 / 06:00 am (CNA).
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Archbishop of Paris, Laurent Ulrich, knocks on the door of Notre-Dame Cathedral during a ceremony to mark the re-opening of the landmark Cathedral, in central Paris, on Dec. 7, 2024. / Credit: Christophe Petit Tesson/POOL/AFP via Getty Images.)
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Pope Francis arrives for a consistory at St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City, Dec. 7, 2024. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA
CNA Newsroom, Dec 7, 2024 / 15:39 pm (CNA).
As the iconic Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris reopened its doors five years after a devastating fire, Pope Francis on Saturday called the church’s restoration a “prophetic sign” of the Church’s renewal in France.
In a message read by Archbishop Celestino Migliore, the apostolic nuncio to France, during Saturday’s reopening ceremony, Pope Francis expressed his joy at joining “in spirit and prayer” with the faithful gathered for the historic occasion.
The pope recalled the “terrible fire” that severely damaged the cathedral in April 2019, saying: “Our hearts were heavy at the risk of seeing a masterpiece of Christian faith and architecture disappear, a millennial witness to your national history.”
“Today, sadness and mourning give way to joy, celebration, and praise,” the Holy Father wrote in his message, addressed to Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris.
The pope particularly praised the firefighters “who worked so courageously to save this historic monument from collapse” and acknowledged the “determined commitment of public authorities” along with the “great wave of international generosity” that made the restoration possible.
This outpouring of support, Francis noted, demonstrates not only an attachment to art and history but also “the symbolic and sacred value of such an edifice is still widely perceived, from the smallest to the greatest.”
Looking to the future, the pope emphasized the cathedral’s role as a beacon of faith: “Dear faithful of Paris and France, this house, which our Heavenly Father inhabits, is yours; you are its living stones.”
The pontiff expressed hope that Notre Dame would continue to welcome visitors from all backgrounds, noting it would soon “be visited and admired again by immense crowds of people of all conditions, origins, religions, languages and cultures, many of them in search of the absolute and meaning in their lives.”
The message concluded with Pope Francis imparting his apostolic blessing and invoking “the protection of Notre Dame de Paris over the Church in France and the entire French nation.”
The reopening marked the culmination of an intensive five-year restoration project following the April 2019 blaze that threatened to destroy the historic Gothic cathedral, which has stood as a symbol of French Catholicism for over 850 years.
Ahead of the event, Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris told CNA that the reopening of Notre Dame is “a renaissance, a rediscovery for the priests and faithful of Paris who have been waiting for this moment for five years.” On Saturday night, Ulrich commenced the reopening ceremony by striking the doors with his crozier three times.
The cathedral welcomed over 2,500 faithful and dignitaries on Saturday, including U.S. president-elect Donald Trump, Britain’s Prince William, Tesla founder Elon Musk, and Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin represented the Holy See.
The historic occasion drew international figures One public highlight of the evening shone in the Paris night as the cathedral projected a simple message – “Merci” – onto its restored facade.
Sharing the image on X, President Macron expressed his gratitude to ”our firefighters and all the forces that saved Notre-Dame, to all the craftsmen and companions who have made it even more beautiful, to the patrons and generous donors from around the world, to all those who helped keep the promise.”
À nos sapeurs-pompiers et à l’ensemble des forces qui ont sauvé Notre-Dame.
À tous les artisans et aux compagnons qui l’ont rendue plus belle encore.
Aux mécènes et aux généreux donateurs du monde entier.
À tous ceux qui ont permis de tenir la promesse. pic.twitter.com/Ehu2cDbToZ
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) December 7, 2024
The inaugural Mass at Notre Dame will be celebrated on Dec. 8 at 10:30 a.m. local time. The new high altar designed by Guillaume Badet will be consecrated.
The Mass will be full of symbols: Holy water will be sprinkled on the people, then on the altar and the pulpit as a sign of purification of these elements intended for sacred use.
Nearly 170 bishops from France and around the world will participate in the Mass, as will a priest from each of the 106 parishes of the Diocese of Paris and a priest from each of the seven Eastern-rite Catholic Churches.
Thi story was last updated on Dec. 7, 2024, with further details of the event.
Pope Francis places the red biretta on Cardinal Domenico Battaglia, archbishop of Naples, during the consistory for the creation of 21 new cardinals in St. Peter’s Basilica, Dec. 7, 2024. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA
CNA Newsroom, Dec 7, 2024 / 12:09 pm (CNA).
Pope Francis created 21 new cardinals in St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday, urging them to resist the “seduction of power” and instead follow “the path of Jesus.”
“In spiritual life as in pastoral life, we risk focusing on what is incidental and forgetting what is essential,” the pope cautioned. “Too often, secondary things replace what is necessary, external appearances overshadow what truly counts.”
Pope Francis also reminded the cardinals to stay rooted in Christ.
“We should constantly be returning to the center, to what is basic, and divest ourselves of all that is superfluous, in order to clothe ourselves in Christ.”
The pope highlighted that the term “cardinal” symbolizes a “hinge,” emphasizing their vital role as in holding the Church together.
The new cardinals include Archbishop Frank Leo of Toronto, Archbishop Dominique Joseph Mathieu of Tehran-Isfahan, and Archbishop Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi of Tokyo, reflecting Pope Francis’ emphasis on the Church’s global mission.
Ten of the new cardinals belong to religious orders, including Dominicans, Franciscans, and the Society of the Divine Word—a notable proportion from consecrated life.
As tradition dictates, each new cardinal received a titular church in Rome, symbolizing their connection to the Diocese of Rome and the pope’s pastoral ministry.
Archbishop Rolandas Makrickas was assigned the deaconry of Sant’Eustachio, a historically significant minor basilica near the Pantheon in Rome’s historic center, while Dominican Father Timothy Radcliffe was given the deaconry of SS. Nomi di Gesù e Maria in via Lata, located on the Via del Corso, part of one of Rome’s most fashionable districts.
With these appointments, the College of Cardinals now includes 140 members eligible to vote in a future conclave. Of these, 110 — or 79% — were appointed by Pope Francis.
Cardinal Angelo Acerbi, speaking on behalf of the new cardinals, reflected on the Synod on Synodality and Pope Francis’ new encyclical, Dilexit nos.
“We are united today by profound gratitude toward the Supreme Pontiff and by a sincere desire to serve in ecclesial unity,” he said.
The 99-year-old cardinal described the pope’s recent encyclical — which explores the human and divine love of the Sacred Heart of Christ — as an inspiration for the pastoral missions entrusted to the new cardinals.
On Sunday, the new cardinals will concelebrate Mass with Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Basilica for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, marking their first liturgical act as members of the College of Cardinals.
The liturgy will emphasize Mary’s purity and dedication, reflecting the themes of humility and service woven throughout the consistory.
Readings: • Bar 5:1-9 • Ps 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6 • Phil 1:4-6, 8-11 • Lk 3:1-6 “There are three distinct comings of the Lord of which I know,” wrote St. Bernard of Clairvaux, the […]
Both Chile’s Chamber of Deputies and Senate approved a rule in the national budget to prevent the financing of transgender-focused hormone and surgical treatments for minors in the public health network / Credit: Alessandro from Milan, Italy, CC… […]
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