(Vatican Radio) Courageous, humble and strong prayer can accomplish miracles: this was Pope Francis’ message at morning Mass in Casa Santa Marta. Emer McCarthy reports:

The Pope was commenting on Monday’s Gospel passage which recounts the disciples failure to heal a child; Jesus himself must intervene and laments the disbelief of those present. Responding to the child’s father’s pleas for help He says “everything is possible to one who has faith ". Pope Francis noted that often those who love Jesus don't risk much on believing in him nor entrust themselves completely to Him:

(Vatican Radio) Ahead of reciting the Easter Marian hymn, Regina Caeli, for the last time this year on Pentecost Sunday, Pope Francis had a special message for the estimated 200 thousand men, women and children gathered before for him in St. Peter’s Square and stretching back right to the banks of the Tiber. He told them; “You are a gift and a treasure for the Church”. Emer McCarthy reports:

(Vatican Radio) Below the official English language translation of Pope Francis’ homily at Mass for the Feast of Pentecost with New Movements:

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today we contemplate and re-live in the liturgy the outpouring of the Holy Spirit sent by the risen Christ upon his Church; an event of grace which filled the Upper Room in Jerusalem and then spread throughout the world.

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis puts his certainty of faith down to his grandmother, from whom he first heard the Christian proclamation; to a life changing encounter with Christ at age 17, through a unknown priest who heard his Confession; to his daily praying of the Rosary to his ‘Mother’, Our Lady and to allowing himself to be held in God’s gaze even when he nods off after a tiring day, while in prayer before the Tabernacle. Emer McCarthy reports Listen:

(Vatican Radio) “We have had an experience of working with the Holy Father in his role as Archbishop in Argentina and we know that he has a great fondness for the Movements”, says Shane Bennett, moderator of Brisbane’s Emmanuel Community, one of the many Movements gathered around Pope Francis for the Pentecost Vigil in St Peter’s Square Saturday.

(Vatican Radio ) Around 5.30 pm on Saturday18th May Pope Francis arrived in Saint Peter's Square to be with an estimated hundred and twenty thousand people gathered there,
The Pope was there to join in a Pentecost Vigil with various ecclesiatical movements gathered there from across the world.
He arrived standing on his white jeep and the crowds cheered joyfully as he went by, not just in Saint Peter's Square but also beyond along Via della Conciliazione, the great avenue that leads up to the Basilica which was closed to traffic for the occasion.

(Vatican Radio) “The Year of Faith is placing Jesus Christ at the very center of the New Evangelization and we see the mission taking place and given life through so many of these different Movements, through their particular ministries and outreaches, they are proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ” says New Jersey native and Official at the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization, Fr. Gino Sylva.

(Vatican Radio) This morning, Saturday May 18, 2013, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Federal Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel, was received in audience by Holy Father Francis. Afterwards, Merkel met with Mons. Dominique Mamberti, Secretary for Relations with States.

(Vatican Radio) The Christian must overcome the temptation to "interfere in the lives of others," was the exhortation of Pope Francis at Mass this morning at the Casa Santa Marta. The Pope also stressed that talk and envy do so much harm to the Christian community.

Istanbul, 17.

To respect the right of every believer to live their faith freely, and to recognize the role that Christianity has played in the formation of European culture: these are the two requests that Pope Francis, through Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Secretary of State, addressed to the civil institutions on the occasion of the seminar on religious freedom, which commenced this morning, Friday, in Istanbul.