March was a busy month for Pope Francis which saw him take his first trip since the start of the pandemic.
On March 5 the Pope traveled to Iraq, realizing St. Pope John Paul II's dream to visit the land of Abraham, Ur of the Chaldeans. There, he met with religious leaders to condemn fundamentalists.
POPE FRANCIS
“We believers cannot be silent when terrorism abuses religion.”
Pope Francis also met with the world’s most influential Shia Muslim leader, Ali Al-Sistani, who told him that Iraqi Christians have all the same rights as other citizens.
The Pope was noticeably moved during his visit to Mosul, one of the cities destroyed by ISIS.
POPE FRANCIS
“Fraternity is stronger than fratricide. Hope is more powerful than death. Peace is more powerful than war.”
He also visited Qaraqosh, where less than half of the Christian community has returned since originally fleeing the city.
After returning to Rome, he celebrated Mass to mark 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines.
The Pope also received several state visits. He was happy to meet with the President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, to tell him about his trip to Iraq.
-What a wonderful trip, but tiring… And I still haven’t fully recovered.
He also received the Prime Minister of Ukraine, Denys Šmihal'.
In March, the Vatican published a statement explaining why it is not possible to bless same-sex couples, as it would appear to give civil unions the same importance as sacramental marriage.
The teaching does not concern homosexual individuals, but rather couples. The Vatican highlighted that individuals of all backgrounds can be blessed.
CARD. KEVIN FARRELL
Prefect, Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life
'That does not mean that those who are only married in the Church receive the benefits of the pastoral care of the Church. There are many different pastoral situations in the world today, in life, in any parish, no matter where you are in the world. '
Due to the global economic crisis, in March Pope Francis decided to reduce the salaries of cardinals in the Roman Curia by 10%. Salaries of senior officials were cut by 8%, and priests and religious who work in the Vatican saw their salaries shrink by 3%.
The Pope ended the month of March by praying for the victims of a suicide bombing at a cathedral in Indonesia, which left 14 wounded.
POPE FRANCIS
'Let us pray for all of the victims of violence, especially for those of this morning’s attack in Indonesia, outside of the cathedral of Makassar.'
Security camera footage captured the moment of the brutal attack during Palm Sunday Mass.
JMB
TR: JM
