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Pope Francis is not expected to meet with large groups of faithful until at least the end of May.
Making the effort to use his own voice at the end of the audience, the pope earnestly pleaded with Catholics to “do our best” to bring an end to all conflicts.
Reflecting on the Gospel of St. Matthew, the Holy Father said people can learn from the righteous St. Joseph, who was always attentive to the will of God.
“The presence of the Lord always gives us this grace of not fearing,” the Holy Father said at his Jan. 22 general audience at the Vatican.
The Holy Father told groups of pilgrims attending his Jan. 15 general audience that they should be aware that millions of children are trafficked.
“Mary is always the mother that brings us to Jesus,” the Holy Father said. “Mary does not only point to herself. She points to Jesus.”
The Holy Father during his Wednesday general audience said confirmation is a “gift of God” and a “milestone” that should not mark a departure from the Church.
“What can the Holy Spirit have to do with marriage, for example? A great deal, perhaps the essential…” the pope said during his general audience Oct. 23.
The pope said “the climate of dialogue between the two Churches has lost the acrimony of the past and today allows us to hope for full mutual acceptance.”
Continuing his catechesis on the relationship between the Holy Spirit and the Church, the pope emphasized that unity cannot be “achieved on the drawing board.”
Pope Francis spoke about pornography and how to avoid the devil’s temptation to sin via the internet during his 500th general audience.
In his first general audience since returning from the longest international trip of his pontificate, the pope expressed gratitude to God for his experiences.
During his general audience in the Vatican, Pope Francis spoke about the Holy Spirit, focusing on the fruits of being anointed with blessed oil in the sacraments of baptism and confirmation.
Francis’ reflections marked his fifth catechesis on the theme “The Spirit and the Bride: The Holy Spirit Guides the People of God toward Jesus Our Hope.”
Speaking in St. Peter’s Square during his weekly public audience, the pope gave the second lesson in a series of catechesis on the Holy Spirit and the Church.
Titled “The Spirit and the Bride: The Holy Spirit Guides God’s People Toward Jesus Our Hope,” the new cycle will unfold across three main themes.
Pointing to the Sermon on the Mount and repeating twice “love your enemy,” the pope noted that this teaching “embraces what is not lovable; it offers forgiveness.”
“Christians have hope not through their own merit. If they believe in the future, it is because Christ died and rose again and gave us his Spirit,” the pope said.
The Holy Father bolstered his analysis by looking to the legacy of St. John Paul II.
“A Christian without courage, who does not turn his own strength to good, who does not bother anyone, is a useless Christian,” the pope declared.