Bishop Jan Hendriks of Amsterdam has acknowledged that the Dutch bishops gave a “not-so-rosy” picture of the Church in their country, in their ad limina report to the Vatican.
The Diocese of Amsterdam has announced plans to close 60% of its churches over the course of the next five years, in a move prompted by a plummeting number of active Catholics.
Vatican City, Feb 18, 2018 / 09:10 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Lent is a time to face our temptations and be converted by the Gospel, Pope Francis said in his Angelus address on the first Sunday of Lent.
His reflections were based on the passage in the Gospel of Mark, when Jesus is tempted by Satan in the desert for 40 days.
Jesus goes into the desert to prepare for his mission on earth, the Pope said.
While Jesus has no need of conversion himself, he must go to the desert out of obedience to God the Father and “for us, to give us the grace to overcome temptation.”