A Vatican office sent dozens of theologians and pastoral workers to refugee camps, prisons, shelters, street corners and markets in 40 cities and towns on every continent to listen to the faith experiences and, especially, the faith questions of people often tossed aside or ignored by society and even the Catholic Church.
Governments must pour more money into education and drastically reduce military spending for there to be genuine progress and peace in the world, Pope Francis said in his annual message for the World Day of Peace Jan. 1.
The Vatican had no comment on the reports, and as of midday Dec. 18, the pope had not accepted the resignation of the 73-year-old cardinal, the only African currently heading a major Vatican office.
Pope Francis has sent a large donation to assist tens of thousands of Iranians who lost their homes and businesses in waves of severe flooding that began in mid-March.
The group was meeting at the Vatican March 7-9 to discuss the contributions religions can make to achieving the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals in a way that responds to the needs of the poor and respects the environment.
To promote Catholic social teaching and ensure appropriate assistance to vulnerable people — especially victims of war, refugees and the sick — Pope Francis has established a new office combing the responsibilities of four pontifical councils.
