Pope Francis called for the release of two religious brothers, members of the Congregation of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart, who are still being held hostage in Haiti.
"I have learned with relief that in Haiti, a teacher and four of the
Christians should pray for the grace to look at others with the same mercy and care with which Jesus looks at them, Pope Francis said.
"No one is perfect. We are all sinners, we all make mistakes, and if the Lord were to
Just as Jesus drove out merchants from the temple in Jerusalem, Christians should cleanse themselves from a transactional relationship with God by developing an intimacy with him like that of a family in their home, Pope Francis said.
Speaking to some 20,000 people
This Lent, Christians should become "seekers of light" by keeping their sights set on the light of Jesus through prayer and participating in the sacraments, Pope Francis said.
"This is a good Lenten resolution: cultivating a welcoming outlook, becoming 'seekers of light,' seekers
War will never solve problems, Pope Francis said, appealing for prayers that God inspire people to concretely work for peace.
"Ten months have passed now since the outbreak of the armed conflict in Sudan, which has caused a very grave humanitarian situation," the
Vices, such as vanity and greed, are like "wild beasts" of the soul that risk tearing people apart, Pope Francis said.
Vices "must be tamed and fought, otherwise they will devour our freedom," he said Feb. 18 before reciting the Angelus prayer with
Christians must let go of the God they think they know and convert every day to the God Jesus presents in the Gospel -- the God who is the father of love and compassion, Pope Francis said.
When the faithful discover "the true
Addictions, fear, impossible perfectionism, consumerism and the inability to choose and love life are just some of the traps the devil uses to take away people's freedom, Pope Francis said.
The devil "wants to take possession of us in order to 'enchain our
With massive civilian deaths and the destruction of cities and their infrastructure, modern "war is in itself a crime against humanity," Pope Francis said.
After reciting the Angelus prayer with an estimated 10,000 visitors in St. Peter's Square Jan. 14, the pope urged
In the Sistine Chapel, where popes are elected, Pope Francis baptized 16 infants, who, he said, "give us the witness of how to receive the faith: with innocence and with an open heart."
Celebrating the feast of the Baptism of the Lord Jan.