Pope Francis prays at the “Garden of Angels” section of the Laurentino Cemetery in Rome on All Souls’ Day, Nov. 2, 2024. Credit: Vatican Media The Vatican on Tuesday released a previously unpublished text by Pope Francis following his passing on Monday containing the late pontiff’s reflections on aging and death. “We must not be afraid of old age; we must not fear embracing becoming old, because life is life, and sugarcoating reality means betraying the truth of things,” wrote Francis in the preface to a book in Italian by Cardina...

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Hello there. I offer an early Easter message to you. “Christ Is Alive! He is our hope, and in a wonderful way he brings youth to our world. His very first words, then, that I would like to say to every young Christian are these: Christ is alive and he wants you to be alive!” With these words, Pope Francis began an address to young people with the very first message found in the earliest preaching of the Church — in the words of St. Peter, “God raised this Jesus; of this we are all witnesses.” (Acts 2:32) Peter and all of the ancient saint...

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In the stillness of the early morning, Mary Magdalene stood at the entrance of the empty tomb, her heart heavy with grief. “Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ She turned and said to him in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means Teacher)” (Jn 20:15-16). The One she had followed, the Teacher who had changed her li...

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