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Browsing News Entries

Browsing News Entries

Papal trip to Dubai cancelled because of illness [updated] (Vatican Press Office)

Backtracking on an announcement made earlier in the day, the Vatican press office said on November 28 that Pope Francis will not be traveling to Dubai to participate in COP28, the UN climate conference.

“Although the Holy Father’s general clinical picture has improved with regard to his flu-like condition and inflammation of the respiratory tract, the doctors have advised the Pope not to make the trip planned for the coming days to Dubai,” said Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office.

“Pope Francis accepted the doctors’ request with great regret and the trip is therefore cancelled,” he continued. “As the Pope and the Holy See remain willing to be part of the discussions taking place over the next few days, the methods by which this can take place will be defined as soon as possible.”

Earlier in the day, Bruni had said that “the Pope is doing well” and that the Pope would be accompanied on the trip by a doctor and a nurse.

Pope planning to strip Cardinal Burke of apartment, salary? (Daily Compass)

Pope Francis plans to take action against Cardinal Raymond Burke, removing him from his Vatican apartment and cutting off his salary, according to multiple reports.

According to a report that originally appeared in the Daily Compass, and has now been corroborated by several Vatican sources, the Pope announced his decision to move against Cardinal Burke during a meeting last week with leaders of the Roman Curia.

According to a November 28 AP report, the Pope explained that he was removing the American prelate’s privileges because Cardinal Burke was damaging the unity within the Church by his criticism of papal policies. The Pontiff previously removed Cardinal Burke from his post as prefect of the Apostolic Signatura in 2014, and then stripped him of his authority as patron of the Knights of Malta in 2017, leaving the cardinal without an ecclesiastical post even before his official retirement in June of this year.

Pope recovering from 'pulmonary inflammation' [Updated] (CWN)

Pope Francis was reported in “good and stable condition,” free of fever, on Monday, November 27, after a weekend hospital visit caused by breathing difficulties that the Vatican attributed to a “mild flu.”

Nov. 27 Monday of the Thirty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time, Weekday

Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal is commemorated in some regions, recalling when Our Lady appeared to St. Catherine Labouré and revealed her the images of the medal she wished to have struck.

Nov. 26 Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, Solemnity

"Though already present in his Church, Christ's reign is nevertheless yet to be fulfilled "with power and great glory" by the King's return to earth. This reign is still under attack by the evil powers, even though they have been defeated definitively by Christ's Passover. Until everything is subject to him, 'until there be realized new heavens and a new earth in which justice dwells, the pilgrim Church, in her sacraments and institutions, which belong to this present age, carries the mark of this world which will pass, and she herself takes her place among the creatures which groan and travail yet and await the revelation of the sons of God.' That is why Christians pray, above all in the Eucharist, to hasten Christ's return by saying to him: Marana tha! 'Our Lord, come!'" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 671)

Nov. 25 Saturday of the Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time; Optional Memorial of St. Catherine of Alexandria, Virgin and Martyr, Opt. Mem.

Today Church celebrates the Optional Memorial of St. Catherine of Alexandria (d. 305). From time immemorial St. Catherine had been venerated at the monastery on Mount Sinai when, in the fifteenth century, the monks discovered her body. Legend has made of her a young Christian of Alexandria who rejected the advances of the Emperor Maximinus and routed a meeting of learned men gathered together to induce her to deny Christ. This feast was restored to the General Roman Calendar in 2002. St. Catherine is included in the list of Fourteen Holy Helpers.

Nov. 24 Memorial of St. Andrew Dung-Lac, Priest, and Companions, Martyrs, Memorial

Today the Church celebrates the Memorial of St. Andrew Dung-Lac (1735-1839), priest and martyr, and companions, martyrs. St. Andrew was one of 117 people who were martyred in Vietnam between 1820 and 1862. The last of the martyrs were 17 laypersons, one of them a 9-year-old, executed in 1862.

Nov. 22 Memorial of St. Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr, Memorial

Today the Church celebrates the Memorial of St. Cecilia, virgin and martyr (d. 3rd century). St. Cecilia is one of the most famous and most venerated of Roman martyrs. Her body was discovered in 822 and transferred to the title church that bears her name in Trastevere in Rome. It is difficult to determine the date at which she lived. The legend which recounts the Saint's martyrdom and that of her husband St. Valerian, as also of St. Tiburtius, her brother-in-law, places her martyrdom in the pontificate of Urban I (222-230); but the authenticity of this account cannot be established, nor can we be sure of the persons who suffered with her nor of the date of her martyrdom.

Nov. 21 Memorial of the Presentation of Mary, Memorial

Today the Church celebrates the Memorial of the Presentation of Mary. The cycle of these three Marian feasts: the Birthday of Our Lady (September 8), the Holy Name of Mary (September 12) and her Presentation in the Temple (November 21), parallel with the first three feasts of our Lord in the liturgical cycle: the birth of Christ or Christmas (December 25), the Holy Name of Jesus (January 3), and His Presentation in the Temple (February 2).