Vatican City, Nov 24, 2020 / 09:00 am (CNA).- Pope Francis advanced Tuesday the sainthood causes of several men and women, including two Italian priests of the 20th century — one who was ordained at age 23 and another who was ordained at 65.
Venerabl… […]
Vatican City, Nov 24, 2020 / 06:00 am (CNA).- Pope Francis hailed Argentina’s healthcare workers as the “unsung heroes” of the coronavirus pandemic in a video message released Friday.
In the video, posted on the YouTube account of the Argentine bishops’ conference Nov. 20, the pope expressed his appreciation of doctors and nurses in his homeland.
He said: “You are the unsung heroes of this pandemic. How many of you have given your lives to be close to the sick! Thanks for the closeness, thanks for the tenderness, thanks for the professionalism with which you take care of the sick.”
The pope recorded the message ahead of Argentina’s Nursing Day on Nov. 21 and Doctors’ Day on Dec. 3. His words were introduced by Bishop Alberto Bochatey, auxiliary bishop of La Plata and president of the Argentine bishops’ health commission, who described them as “a surprise.”
Argentina, which has a population of 44 million, has recorded more than 1,374,000 cases of COVID-19 and over 37,000 deaths as of Nov. 24, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, despite undergoing the world’s longest lockdown.
The pope prayed frequently for healthcare workers when he celebrated livestreamed daily Masses during this year’s lockdown in Italy.
In May, he said that the coronavirus crisis had shown that governments needed to invest more in healthcare and employ more nurses.
In a message marking International Nurses Day on May 12, he said that the pandemic had exposed the weaknesses of the world’s healthcare systems.
“For this reason, I would ask leaders of nations throughout the world to invest in health care as the primary common good, by strengthening its systems and employing greater numbers of nurses, so as to ensure adequate care to everyone, with respect for the dignity of each person,” he wrote.
In his message to Argentine medical workers, the pope said: “I want to be close to all doctors and nurses, especially at this time when the pandemic calls us to be close to the men and women who suffer.”
“I pray for you, I ask the Lord to bless each of you, your families, with all my heart, and to accompany you in your work and in the problems you may encounter. May the Lord be close to you as you are close to the sick. And don’t forget to pray for me.”
Vatican City, Nov 23, 2020 / 12:00 pm (CNA).- Pope Francis met with five NBA players at the Vatican Monday to discuss their efforts to combat social and economic injustice in the United States.
Milwaukee Bucks shooting guards Kyle Korver and Sterling … […]
Vatican City, Nov 23, 2020 / 06:10 am (CNA).- The Vatican confirmed Monday that two cardinals-designate will not receive their red hats from Pope Francis in Rome this Saturday.
The Holy See press office said Nov. 23 that Cardinal-designate Cornelius S… […]
Vatican City, Nov 23, 2020 / 05:00 am (CNA).- Pope Francis appointed a new director of the Sistine Chapel Choir Sunday.
The pope named the Brazilian Msgr. Marcos Pavan as Maestro Director of the Cappella Musicale Pontificia Sistina Nov. 22,… […]
Vatican City, Nov 22, 2020 / 06:37 am (CNA).- On Christ the King Sunday, Pope Francis encouraged Catholics to make choices with eternity in mind, by thinking not about what they want to do, but what is best to do.
“That is the choice we have to … […]
Vatican City, Nov 22, 2020 / 04:27 am (CNA).- Pope Francis offered Mass for the Feast of Christ the King on Sunday, and afterward oversaw the traditional passing of the World Youth Day cross and Marian icon to a delegation from Portugal.
At the end of… […]
Vatican City, Nov 21, 2020 / 02:25 pm (CNA).- In a video message Saturday, Pope Francis encouraged young economists and entrepreneurs from around the world to bring Jesus to their cities, and to work not only for the poor, but with the poor.
Addressin… […]
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Nov 20, 2020 / 04:00 pm (CNA).- The Vatican said that no one in the Holy See “liked” a racy photograph while logged in to Pope Francis’ Instagram account, and has requested that Instagram open an investigation into how or why such a “like” appears to have happened.
“We can rule out that the ‘like’ comes from the Holy See, which has turned to Instagram for explanations,” the Holy See Press Office told CNA Nov. 18.
On Nov. 13, it was widely reported and observed that Pope Francis’ verified, official Instagram account, “Franciscus,” had “liked” a racy photo of model and streamer Natalia Garibotto.
In the picture, Garibotto is wearing a lingerie outfit that resembles a school uniform, and her mostly-uncovered posterior is visible in the picture.
The photo was no longer liked on November 14, shortly after CNA requested comment from the Holy See’s Press Office. At the time, the office declined to speculated about what could have happened.
Pope Francis does not run his own social media accounts, which are overseen by a team.
It is unclear which devices are used to update the pope’s Instagram and Twitter accounts, and it is also unclear if those who are responsible for updating the pope’s accounts also use personal social media accounts from the same devices. Instagram allows for multiple accounts to be logged in on a single device.
Pope Francis does not follow anyone on his Instagram account, and has 7.3 million followers. Garibotto has 2.3 million followers.
Garibotto’s management and publicity firm, COY Co., used the papal account’s like for publicity purposes, posting on its account Friday that the firm had “received the POPE’S OFFICIAL BLESSING.”
On her personal account, Garibotto posted a photo featuring the same outfit in the picture liked by the pope’s account, and directed people to sign up for a subscription to her website.
“On this very day I was blessed, you could be too,” she wrote, along with the address of her site. Subscribers to her website receive “sexy content, follow back on socials, [the ability to] chat with me directly, monthly cash prize giveaways, signed Polaroids, and more!”
Vatican City, Nov 20, 2020 / 12:00 pm (CNA).- Pope Francis has called on leaders in Latin America to not politicize the coronavirus pandemic, urging them to seek the common good over personal interest.
In a video message sent to participants in a virt… […]
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