During his Sunday Angelus, Pope Francis thanked Catholics their prayers for his next trip to Sri Lanka and the Philippines.
POPE FRANCIS
'Thank you for what you wrote on that banner, thank you very much! I ask you to stay with me through prayer. And I ask the people of Sri Lanka and the Philippines living in Rome to pray especially for me and for this trip.â?
Sunday marked the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Pope Francis explained that when Jesus was baptized, the gates of Heaven opened and the Holy Spirit appeared in the shape of a dove. He concluded that sin only separates people from God.
POPE FRANCIS
'Sin separates us from God and breaks the link between earth and heaven. Therefore, its consequence is our misery and the failure of our lives.â?
The Pope also encouraged Christians to pray to the Holy Spirit, as well as to publicly talk about God without fear.
POPE FRANCIS
'We often pray to Jesus. We pray to God the Father, especially when we pray the Our Father. But we don't pray that often to the Holy Spirit, do we? He's forgotten. But we need to ask for His help, strength and inspiration.â?
Before saying goodbye, Pope Francis asked the thousands of pilgrims gathered at St. Peter's Square to find out when they were baptized and to celebrate it every year.
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