Nov

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All Souls: Praying for Souls in Purgatory

November 2, 2008 | Leave a Comment

At midday today, the Pope appeared at the window of his private study overlooking St. Peter’s Square, to pray the Angelus with the faithful gathered below.
On the day in which the Church commemorates the departed faithful, the Holy Father highlighted the importance of Christians living “our relationship with the dead in [...]

Nov

2

Pius XII Archives Need Time for Cataloguing

November 2, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Though many want the Vatican Secret Archives from the pontificate of Pius XII to reveal that Pope’s efforts to save Jews, a Vatican spokesman says the documents could not be opened for another six of seven years.
Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi affirmed this in a note Thursday explaining that the 16 million documents from the 1939-1958 [...]

Nov

2

A Prayer of Father Pro

November 2, 2008 | Leave a Comment

“Does our life become from day to day more painful, more oppressive, more replete with afflictions? Blessed be He a thousand times who desires it so. If life be harder, love makes it also stronger, and only this love, grounded on suffering, can carry the Cross of my Lord Jesus Christ. Love without egotism, without [...]

Nov

2

Life After Death

November 2, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Gospel Commentary for All Souls
By Father Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap
The feast of All Saints’ Day and the commemoration of All the Faithful Departed have something in common, and for this reason, have been placed one after the other. Both celebrations speak to us of what’s beyond. If we didn’t believe in a life after death, [...]

Nov

2

Finding a Harmonious Note

November 2, 2008 | Leave a Comment

A Look at Models of the Church-State Relationship
By Elizabeth Lev
Last Tuesday, demonstrations, inclement weather and uncontrolled traffic sent Rome into a fever pitch of high anxiety, but at the very epicenter of chaos, Piazza Venezia, harmony reigned as two intellectual powerhouses intoned a duet on religion and liberty.
In the beautiful setting of Palazzo Colonna, the [...]