Pope Francis at his general audience in St Peter s Square on May 31, 2023. / Adi Zace/EWTNVatican City, May 31, 2023 / 05:30 am (CNA).Pope Francis dedicated his entire general audience on Wednesday to sharing the life of Venerable Matteo Ricci, a 16th-century Jesuit missionary in China.The pope, who has mentioned China at every Wednesday general audience in the past three weeks, praised Ricci s "missionary spirit" in witnessing to the Gospel in the heart of the Imperial city of Beijing."Matteo Ricci died in Beijing in 1610, at the age of 57, a man who gave his entire life for the mission," Francis said in St. Peter s Square on May 31."His love for the Chinese people is a model, but what represents a current path is his consistency of life, the witness of his life as a Christian."Ricci is known for introducing Christianity to China s imperial Ming Dynasty. By studying the language and adopting the local clothes and customs, the Jesuit priest gained access t
Pope Francis at his general audience in St. Peter's Square on May 17, 2023. / Vatican MediaDenver, Colo., May 31, 2023 / 11:45 am (CNA).Pope Francis prayer intention for the month of June is for the abolition of torture. "Torture is not past history. Unfortunately, it s part of our history today," Pope Francis said in a video released May 30."How is it possible that the human capacity for cruelty is so huge?" he questioned. "There are extremely violent forms of torture. Others are more sophisticated, such as degrading someone, dulling the senses, or mass detentions in conditions so inhumane that they take away the dignity of the person."The pope reminded the faithful that this is not something new. He urged everyone to "think of how Jesus himself was tortured and crucified."He added: "Let us put a stop to this horror of torture. It is essential to put the dignity of the person above all else. Otherwise, the victims are not pe
Religious sisters of the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles, sing as the process with the body of their late foundress, Sister Wilhelmina Lancaster, on May 29, 2023, at their abbey near Gower, Missouri. The sisters exhumed the nun's body on May 18 and discovered that it was apparently intact, four years after her death and burial in a simple wooden coffin. / Joe Bukuras/CNAGower, Missouri, May 29, 2023 / 20:02 pm (CNA).The body of Sister Wilhelmina Lancaster, an African American nun whose surprisingly intact remains have created a sensation at a remote Missouri abbey, was placed inside a glass display case Monday after a solemn procession led by members of the community she founded.About 5 p.m., dozens of religious sisters of the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles, carried their foundress on a platform around the property of the Abbey of Our Lady of Ephesus, reciting the rosary and singing hymns. Some of the thousands of pilgrims who visited the abbey over the th.
Father Matthias Opara was freed May 28, 2023, after spending three days in captivity in Nigeria s Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri. / Credit: Catholic Archdiocese of OwerriACI Africa, May 30, 2023 / 12:30 pm (CNA).Father Matthias Opara, a Nigerian Catholic priest who was abducted on May 26 while returning from a funeral, has been released.The parish priest of Holy Ghost Obosima Catholic Parish of Owerri Archdiocese in Nigeria regained his freedom on Pentecost Sunday, May 28, the chancellor of the Nigerian Metropolitan See, Father Patrick Mbarah, announced in a statement. "We thank God almighty for his infinite mercy and for answering our prayers," said Mbarah, who also thanked the people of God for their "fraternal solidarity and prayers.""To God be the glory," Mbarah added.In an earlier statement following the abduction of Opara, Mbarah said the local ordinary of Owerri, Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, had directed him to appeal for prayers for the r
Pope Francis meets with young cancer patients from Poland at the Vatican on May 29, 2023. / Credit: Vatican MediaRome Newsroom, May 30, 2023 / 11:30 am (CNA).Pope Francis welcomed pediatric cancer patients from Poland to the Vatican on Monday, telling them "Jesus is always close to you."Children being treated at the Wroclaw Oncology Clinic and their families prayed a Hail Mary together with the pope, who greeted each child individually and gave them rosaries.Pope Francis meets with young cancer patients from Poland at the Vatican on May 29, 2023. Credit: Vatican Media"Dear children, Jesus is always by our side to give us hope. Always, even in the moments of sickness, even in the most painful moments, even in the most difficult moments. The Lord is there," Pope Francis said."God loves you, dear children. You are loved by him: Do you want to be apostles of God s love in the Church and in the world? Jesus needs you for this witness. He entrusts his plans to you an