Tag Archives: Pope Francis

Pope Francis Confirms World Cup Neutrality

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Հռոմի պապHe recently renewed his Argentine passport and remains an official card-carrying member of his favorite Buenos Aires football club. But Pope Francis has pledged absolute neutrality for the World Cup.

Francis recalled during an interview published Friday with the Barcelona newspaper “La Vanguardia,” that Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff had asked him during a February visit to the Vatican to at least be neutral during the competition.

Laughing, Francis said: “The Brazilians asked for neutrality. I’ll keep my word because Brazil and Argentina are always opponents.”

On Thursday, Francis issued a video message pep talk to players and fans alike, urging them to make the World Cup a showcase for teamwork and solidarity and not an exhibition of racism, individualism and greed.

Argentina plays its first match Sunday, against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

 

Pope calls on the world’s governments to bring in an ‘ethical mobilisation’ to help the poor and redistribute wealth

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Pope Francis has told the head of the United Nations that it must do more to help the poor and redistribute wealth.

 

In a meeting with the U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon today, he called on the world’s governments to promote an ‘ethical mobilisation’ of solidarity with those less well-off and adopt a new spirit of generosity to address the causes of poverty and hunger.

 

The pontiff made his comments in an address to Mr Ban and the leaders of several U.N. agencies who were all meeting in Rome.

 

Pope Francis has consistently used his meetings with world leaders, including U.S. President Barack Obama, to champion the cause of the world’s poorest.

 
In the past 14 months since his election, Francis has issued several strong attacks on the global economic system, saying in one speech last September that it could no longer be based on ‘a god called money’.

 

 

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Pope has a message for global elite

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For the first time, an address from the leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics will be read out to the political and business elite at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Tuesday.

The event sees global leaders congregate to discuss pressing world issues.

Since taking up his post in March 2013, Pope Francis has been outspoken about the problem of income equality, a central topic of this year’s conference.

The papal address comes on the heels of an Oxfam report that found 85 of the world’s richest people now own nearly half of the world’s wealth.

Pope Francis has wasted no time in reaching out to global decision-makers. He issued a public letter to G20 leaders in September, urging them to develop “a global financial framework with its own just and clear rules … to achieve a more equitable and fraternal world.”

 

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Pope Francis beats out Edward Snowden and twerking Miley Cyrus to be named Time’s 2013 Person of the Year

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Pope Francis has been named 2013 Person of the Year by Time magazine – edging out NSA whistleblower and fugitive Edward Snowden into second place.

Pope Francis, 76, who was elected in March to lead the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics, was announced as the winner this morning by Time magazine editor Nancy Gibbs on the Today show.

The other five final contenders in the running for the prestigious honor were President of Syria, Bashar Assad, Texas Tea Party champion Senator Ted Cruz and gay rights activist Edith Windsor whose Supreme Court victory led to the fall of the Defense of Marriage Act.

The title last year went to President Barack Obama, who also won in 2008 and in 2011, the respected news magazine awarded the title to the Protester, in recognition of their revolutionary role in the Arab Spring that year.

Describing Francis’ transformative role in his short time as pontiff, Time magazine said that ‘Rarely has a new player on the world stage captured so much attention so quickly.’

Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi told Today in a statement that ‘the Holy Father is not looking to become famous or to receive honors.

‘But if the choice of Person of Year helps spread the message of the gospel — a message of God’s love for everyone — he will certainly be happy about that.’

 

Pope demands brand new life-size statue of him at Buenos Aires cathedral is taken down as he ‘does not wish to become a celebrity’

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A figure depicting Pope Francis, made by sculptor Fernando Pugliese, is seen in Buenos AiresAt the age of 76 he became a household name and a magazine cover star.

But Pope Francis is apparently desperate to avoid becoming a celebrity – he has ordered the removal of a new life-size statue of him in Buenos Aires cathedral.

Since its installation two weeks ago believers visited the statue in the cathedral’s garden to pay homage to the pontiff, while tourists posed for photos alongside it.

But Francis, formerly Archbishop of the Argentine capital, was reportedly horrified at the news.

He got straight on the phone and had strong words with the priest responsible telling him: ‘Get that thing down, immediately’, the Argentinian newspaper Clarin reported.

Church sources told the newspaper that Francis is determined to avoid creating ‘a cult of personality’ like that enjoyed by John Paul II.

Since his election in March, Francis has gone to lengths to be seen as humble, showing little patience for the pomp and fuss that come with his position as head of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics.