Poverty through the heart’s eyes
Pope Francis. Photo: Filippo Monteforte / AFPPope Francis told members of the Circolo San Pietro, a charity of the Rome diocese, “it is necessary to have a heart that knows how to ‘see’ the wounds of society, and creative hands in active charity.” He added: “These two elements are important so that a charitable action may always be fruitful”.
The pope referred to material, human and social poverty. He said we need to “see them with the eyes of the heart… to look at human wounds with the heart in order to ‘take to heart’ the life of the other”.
No to legalised marijuana
The Catholic bishops of Arizona, the US, said: “Legalising the recreational use of marijuana sends a message that drug use is socially and morally acceptable.
“We already know that problematic marijuana use is 25 per cent higher among teens in states that legalised recreational marijuana. In Arizona, this is particularly alarming because the percentage of eighth, 10th, and 12th grade students who say they use marijuana has already increased over the past four years as perceptions of risk have fallen.
“It is anticipated that legalising the recreational use of marijuana in Arizona will lead to more abuse. Due to these detrimental effects, we strongly oppose this dangerous proposal.”
Cardinal Marc Ouellet. Photo: Gabriel Bouys / AFPEucharist and pandemic
Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, addressing the annual plenary assembly of the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences, said:
“The long Eucharistic fasting made us lose the habit of Sunday Mass. A new evangelisation is needed to make Christians discover that the Eucharist is not only a spiritual nourishment for our journey, but our joyful witness to the encounter with the Risen One, who gives us the Spirit of life and courage in difficult times.”
(Compiled by Fr Joe Borg)