8 December last, the one hundred fiftieth anniversary of the declaration of Saint Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church, marked the beginning of a special year devoted to him (cf. Decree of the Apostolic Penitentiary, 8 December 2020).
Here is the full text of Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle’s message at the end of Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica for the 500th anniversary of Christianity in the Philippines:
Here is the full text of Pope Francis’ homily during Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica for the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Christianity in the Philippines on March 14, 2021:
Dear brothers and sisters, This blessed place brings us back to our origins, to the sources of God’s work, to the birth of our religions.
Mr President, Members of Government and the Diplomatic Corps, Distinguished Authorities, Representatives of Civil Society, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Jesus revealed to his disciples the deepest meaning of his mission when he told them of his passion, death and resurrection, in fulfilment of the Father’s will. He then called the disciples to share in this mission for the salvation of the world.
The invitation to “come and see”, which was part of those first moving encounters of Jesus with the disciples, is also the method for all authentic human communication.
The celebration of the XXIX World Day of the Sick on 11 February 2021, the liturgical memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lourdes,
Once we experience the power of God’s love, and recognize his fatherly presence in our personal and community life
I would like to bring to everyone the message that the Church proclaims on this feast with the words of the prophet Isaiah: “To us a child is born, to us a son is given” (Is 9:6)
At the dawn of a new year, I extend cordial greetings to Heads of State and Government, leaders of International Organizations, spiritual leaders and followers of the different religions, and to men and women of good will.
I wish to express my gratitude to God for the commitment with which the Church throughout the world carried out the Extraordinary Missionary Month last October.
