Pope Francis at the general audience in Paul VI Hall on March 16, 2022. / Vatican Media.
Vatican City, Mar 18, 2022 / 05:58 am (CNA).
The suffering of Ukrainian women and children in the war should move our consciences, Pope Francis has told Eu… […]
An image of the Immaculate Heart of Mary at St. Peter’s Church, Vienna, Austria. / Diana Ringo via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 3.0 at).
London, England, Mar 18, 2022 / 05:30 am (CNA).
The Catholic bishops of England and Wales will join Pope Francis in consecrating Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
The bishops announced on March 17 that they will participate in the act of consecration, which will take place at St. Peter’s Basilica at 5 p.m. local time on March 25, the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord.
He said: “I have been touched by the Holy Father’s initiative and look forward to uniting with him, my brother bishops, and Catholics in England and Wales in this act of consecration.”
“We know that there is a great need for the gift of peace and reconciliation, and we will be commending all those who are suffering at this time to Our Lady, knowing that she will present all her suffering children to Our Lord.”
Ukraine’s Latin Rite Catholic bishops asked Pope Francis to consecrate their homeland and Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary following the full-scale Russian invasion on Feb. 24.
Archbishop Christophe Pierre, the apostolic nuncio to the United States, said in a March 17 letter to U.S. bishops that Pope Francis intends to invite all Catholic bishops and priests around the world to join the act of consecration.
Catholic bishops in Latin America and the Caribbean have already indicated that they will take part.
The Episcopal Conference of Latin America (CELAM) said on March 15 that it had invited Catholics, church organizations, and 22 bishops’ conferences to “join the intentions of the Holy Father.”
The Catholic bishops of the Philippines have also signaled their intention to join in the act of consecration.
A girl praying at the Basilica del Santo Niño in Cebu, Philippines in 2019. / Shutterstock
Denver Newsroom, Mar 17, 2022 / 16:38 pm (CNA).
Voicing concern that the far-away conflict in Europe will have consequences in Asia, the Catholic bishops… […]
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 17, 2022 / 12:02 pm (CNA).
A special statue of Our Lady of Fatima has arrived in Ukraine, ahead of Pope Francis’ consecration of the country and Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.“… […]
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 17, 2022 / 11:24 am (CNA).
Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly of the Knights of Columbus has called on the organization’s members worldwide to join in a nine-day campaign of prayer, beginning … […]
Our Lady of Fatima. / Ricardo Perna / Shutterstock.
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 17, 2022 / 10:42 am (CNA).
The bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church have asked people around the world to join them in an urgent, nine-day novena begin… […]
Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk records a video message on March 17, 2022. / news.ugcc.ua.
Kyiv, Ukraine, Mar 17, 2022 / 08:02 am (CNA).
The leader of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church said on Thursday that women are becoming the “first … […]