At an Ecumenical Prayer Vigil on the eve of the General Assembly of the Synod, His Holiness Pope Francis says that the truth “does not need loud cries to reach people’s hearts.”

By Joseph Tulloch

His Holiness Pope Francis has addressed the thousands of pilgrims gathered in St Peter’s Square for an Ecumenical Prayer Vigil.

The faithful – who hail from across the denominational spectrum, and include the heads of many Christian Churches – have gathered to entrust the upcoming General Assembly of the Synod to the Holy Spirit.

In his address, delivered toward the end of the vigil, His Holiness Pope Francis meditated on the topic of silence, stressing in particular three values it holds for Christians today.

His Holiness Pope Francis releases his Prayer intention for the month of October and invites everyone to embrace listening and dialogue through the Synod.

By Vatican News

“Let us pray for the Church, that she may adopt listening and dialogue as a style of life at every level, allowing herself to be guided by the Holy Spirit towards the world’s peripheries.”

His Holiness Pope Francis launched that invitation on Friday 29 October 2023 as he released his Prayer intention for October 2023: “For the Synod”.

DEIR RAFAT – On Sunday, October 29th, 2023, His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Mgr Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, presided over the Solemn Mass for Our Lady Queen of Palestine and the Holy Land, main patroness of the Diocese, at the Shrine of Our Lady. Several Bishops, and Priests also concelebrated; In the presence of the Religious sisters, and the few Faithful, who managed to come to the Monastery amidst these difficult times.

Due to the current situation that is on-going in our beloved Holy Land, great number of faithful who yearly come from different parts of the Holy Land to celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lady, in the Shrine of Deir Rafat, which was built in 1927, unfortunately, were not able to come. Yet they celebrated in their parishes and asked Our Lady to intercede for the people of this Holy Land and its peace.

In his homily, His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Mgr Pierbattista Pizzaballa, said: Thanks to Our Lady, who loves to gather her children around her, we meet here today. As we consecrate again our beloved diocese and land to her care, we also entrust ourselves to God…

On Wednesday, September 27th, 2023, an online meeting was convened by His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church of Cilicia, and the Prelates of the Holy See of Cilicia. The meeting centered around the strategies to support the people of Artsakh following the recent ethic cleansing. 

His Holiness Catholicos Aram I underscored three main actions:

a) Declare Sunday, October 1st, as a Day of Solidarity with Artsakh, hold Requiem Services to honor the fallen martyrs in Artsakh and offer Prayers for the survivors.

b) Engage actively in public campaigns advocating for the security and rights of the people of Artsakh.

c) Provide humanitarian aid to individuals facing social and economic challenges, both within Artsakh and Armenia.

The title of His Holiness Pope Francis' next Apostolic Exhortation will be "Laudate Deum," the Pope himself revealed, while addressing participants in a meeting of Latin American university rectors in the Vatican, and as he vehemently warned against a throwaway culture.

By Father Johan Pacheco 

The name of His Holiness Pope Francis' next Apostolic Exhortation on the environment will be Laudate Deum, His Holiness Pope Francis has revealed.

The Holy Father shared this on Thursday, Sept. 21 when addressing in the Vatican some 200 participants in the meeting of the Rectors of public and private universities of Latin America and the Caribbean, sponsored by the Red de Universidades para el Cuidado de la Casa Común and the Pontifical Commission for Latin America on Sept. 20 and 21 at the Augustinianum on the theme "Organizing Hope," with the participation of some Prefects and Secretaries of Dicasteries of the Holy See.

On Wednesday, September 14/27, 2023, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross was celebrated by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

During this Feast, the Church remembers that Saint Helen, sent to the Holy Land by her son Constantine the Great, saw on the Horrendous Golgotha the Tomb of the Lord and the Cross, on which he was attached for our salvation, and she built the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the decade 326-336 AD.

To the glory of our Crucified and Resurrected Lord Jesus Christ, Saint Helen performed the Inauguration of his surrounding Church on September 13, 336 AD in the presence of the Archbishop of Jerusalem Makarios. Then he raised the Cross of Christ, so that the assembled multitudes could look at it from afar, and they repeatedly called out “Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy”.

This act has remained as a tradition since then in the Church, celebrated the day after the Feast of the Inauguration, that is on September 14th.

Mt 21, 28-32

"Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?" (Mt 20:15): this was the conclusion of last Sunday's Gospel passage (Mt 20:1-16), the so-called parable of the workers of the last hour.

God, as we saw in this parable, is like a good master: he is free from all calculation, from all lust for possession, from all power instincts.

And because he is good, he can do with his goods what he wants, because every thing he will do will be a good thing, will be a beautiful thing, that helps life, that serves the good of all.

Because he is good, he is free to treat his workers as he wishes, to treat everyone with justice, that is, giving each one not what he deserves, but what he needs, just like a father who knows his children and gives each one what he needs to live: he gives more to those who need it most.

Offering Condolences for the Families of the Victims of the Fire that Took Place in a Hall in Qaraqosh - Iraq

His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, sent a letter to His Beatitude Patriarch Mor Ignatius Youssef III Younan, Syriac Catholic Patriarch of Antioch, offering condolences for the families of the victims of the fire that took place in a hall in Qaraqosh - Iraq.

You can find below the letter in Arabic. It was originally published on the Facebook Page of His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II.

Uniting Youth from Diverse Middle Eastern Churches in the historical city of Jbeil

On the evening of September 16, 2023, the Cathedral of Saint John-Mark in Historical city of Jbeil (Byblos), Lebanon, witnessed a remarkable gathering of youth from various Middle Eastern churches, coming together to celebrate unity, faith, and the spirit of togetherness. Organized by OPM – Missio Libani in collaboration with the Taizé community, the event, suitably named "Together," brought 500 participants, along with numerous others who joined later in the evening, for a night of prayer, reflection, and communal bonding.

The evening commenced with a warm welcome as youth from different Christian Middle Easten denominations entered, registered, and chanted their holy churches hymns together, setting the tone for the atmosphere of unity and harmony that would prevail throughout the event.

On Thursday, September 21st, 2023, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church of Cilicia, presided over Thanksgiving Prayers for the Republic of Armenia, marking the 32nd anniversary of the Republic of Armenia's re-independence, along with Prayers of solidarity with Artsakh at St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in Antelias. His Holiness Catholicos Aram I blessed the Armenian and Artsakh flags at the end of the ceremony, followed by his Pontifical address.

His Holiness Catholicos Aram I expressed deep sorrow at celebrating Armenia's Independence Day amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Artsakh..

His Holiness Pope Francis invites Leaders of Churches from different denominations to join him in Prayer on September 30 entrusting the work of the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod, together, to the Holy Spirit.

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

His Holiness Pope Francis will preside over the Ecumenical Payer vigil ahead of the upcoming Synod's General Assembly in St Peter’s Square on Saturday, 30 September.

This vigil of Prayer will welcome the participation and presence of His Beatitude the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I; the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, and many other Church Leaders, as well as thousands of Christians from different denominations.

Two different voices and two different experiences, those of His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem - who will be created a Cardinal by Pope Francis in Rome on September 30th - and Staffan de Mistura, a UN Ambassador and UN Envoy to conflict zones, both united by a single commitment: the difficult but fundamental one of mediation, balance, and diplomacy for the benefit of people, living in situations of conflict, and who are the main victims. An integral vision of peace, interreligious dialogue and the future of the United Nations are the center topics discussed at the meeting that took place on Saturday, September 23, 2023 in Bergamo, entitled 'Peace: between prophecy and diplomacy', moderated by the director of the local newspaper 'L'Eco di Bergamo' Alberto Ceresoli. The event was organized by Fondazione Papa Giovanni XXIII of Bergamo, Istituto Paolo VI and Opera per l'Educazione Cristiana of Brescia – the entities in Italy responsible for preserving the documents left by the two pontiffs, as well as study and enhance their teaching.

Wadi Al-Nasara, Syria, September 22, 2023

For a second day, the Christian Youth Forum continued its activities at the Patriarchal Monastery Saint George Al-Humaira in Wadi Al-Nasara, under the auspices and with blessing of His Beatitude the Most Blessed and Most Reverend Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and MECC President for the Orthodox Family.

Since the morning hours, young men and women have been active in individual Biblical readings and spiritual conversations. These were a continuation of the lectures on the first day, when each young man and woman presented a summary of the studied topics: "The basics of the relationship with God."

On September 22, 2023, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, attended the graduation ceremony of the second class at Antioch Syrian University.

His Excellency Dr. Bassam Ibrahim, Minister of Higher Education, attended the ceremony and congratulated the graduating class on its achievements.

During the ceremony, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II delivered a speech in which he expressed the great accomplishment that Antioch Syrian University has done by offering high quality education to its students at these difficult times. He addressed the graduating class by encouraging them to be successful in their careers, keeping alive the spirit of learning that they acquired at the university.

On Thursday, September 8/21, 2023, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem celebrated the Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos.

On this Feast, the Church commemorates that God released the bonds of the bareness of Joachim and Anna and gave them Mary as the fruit of Anna’s womb, from whom came forth Christ the Saviour of the world through the Holy Spirit.

That is why the Church joyfully chants: “Joachim and Anna were freed from the reproach of childlessness, and Adam and Eve from the corruption of death, O immaculate one, by thy holy nativity, which thy people, redeemed from the guilt of offences, celebrate by crying unto thee: the barren woman giveth birth to the Theotokos, the nourisher of our life” (Kontakion).

At a press conference on Thursday 21 September 2023, confirming details about participation in the Synod and the schedule for the General Assembly, synod organizers revealed plans for a pilgrimage for participants and for a special evening of prayer for migrants and refugees.

By Christopher Wells

Synod organizers on Thursday released the calendar of events for the General Assembly of the Synod, which will be held at the Vatican from 4-29 October.

Among the notable features on the schedule will be a pilgrimage for participants, set for the afternoon of 12 October; details of the pilgrimage have yet to be determined.

On Thursday morning, September 21st, 2023, a press conference was held at the Latin Patriarchate, in Jerusalem, on the elevation of His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, to the College of Cardinals of the Catholic Church, which was attended by several local and national journalists, who took turns in asking His Beatitude various questions.

His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa shared about his current preparations prior to the Public Ordinary Consistory, which is taking place on September 30th in the Vatican. He declared that he would remain in Jerusalem to continue serving the Christians of the diocese. He also talked about the situation of Christians in the Holy Land and the Middle East as a whole. He talked briefly about the role of the church in preserving the Christian presence in the Holy Land, and his perspective of the incidents that occurred recently.

His Holiness Pope Francis appeals for countries to silence their weapons and seek peaceful solutions in Nagorno Karabakh, as tensions flare in the South Caucasus region.

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

His Holiness Pope Francis has appealed for arms to fall silent and for nations to seek peaceful solutions in Nagorno Karabakh.

In his remarks to Italian-speaking pilgrims at his Wednesday General Audience, the Pope expressed his concern for the humanitarian crisis in the Southern Caucasus region.

Mt 20:1-16

The parable in today's Gospel passage (Mt 20:1-16) is one of the strangest of the parables told by Jesus. It is divided in two parts.

In the first (v 1-7) we see the owner of a vineyard going out several times during the day to look for workers to send to work in his vineyard.

This is quite an original master: four times this man is reported to go out of his house looking for workers, so that at the end of the day, none of those he met was left without a call, without a job, without something to do.

He seems to be interested not so much or not only in his vineyard itself, but rather in the workers, so that everyone would have employment and thus also a living wage.

In the second part of the parable we witness the wage scene, which is inaugurated by a very significant verse: the master orders his intendant to give wages to the workers, "starting with the last arrivals and ending with the first." (v. 8).

Seventy years ago, on 21 September 1953, the young Jorge Mario Bergoglio - now His Holiness Pope Francis - went to confession before a party and had an experience of mercy that became a decisive moment in his life and would lead to his vocation as a priest.

By Vatican News

His Holiness Pope Francis' priestly vocation was born seventy years ago, on 21 September 1953. Jorge Mario Bergoglio was almost 17.

On 11 March 1958, he entered the novitiate of the Society of Jesus. On 13 December 1969, just a few days before his thirty-third birthday, Jorge Mario Bergoglio would be ordained to the priesthood.