Pope called us to ‘urgent tasks still not finished,’ says Archbishop Gomez

Pope called us to ‘urgent tasks still not finished,’ says Archbishop Gomez

(OSV News) — Here are excerpts of statements from several bishops in the U.S. about the April 21 death of Pope Francis, his 12-year pontificate and his legacy of reaching out to those on the “peripheries,” promoting peace and calling the world to respect the sanctity and dignity of all human life. — Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles: In this time of mourning, my prayer is that all of us in the Church will honor Pope Francis’ legacy by reme…

CBEX Ponzi and ‘Miracle Money’, By Olusegun Adeniyi - Thepodiummedia

Long before the late Sergei Mavrodi arrived on the Nigerian financial scene in November 2015 with his MMM pyramid scheme, his reputation as an international fraudster preceded him. As far back as 2007, Mavrodi had been convicted in Russia for defrauding 10,000 investors. But somehow, he survived brushes with the law over sharp practices to go global with a Ponzi scheme that promised 3,000 percent ‘return on investment’ after upending the savings…

First Person | The Pope Who Spoke My Language

By CHUCK BACLAGONBulatlat.com By all accounts, Pope Francis had impeccable timing. He passed from this world on the eve of Earth Day — a date freighted with symbolism, a secular feast day for the sacred theme that defined much of his pontificate: the care for our common home. It was the kind of divine choreography that Francis himself might’ve winked at — a reminder perhaps, that the Spirit has a sense of irony, or at least, a schedule. Pope Fra…

Bridges of Mercy: Reflections on Pope Francis

On March 13, 2013, as I journeyed from Orlando to Houston to speak at a conference, I found myself captivated by the news flashing across the screen in front of me: white smoke had risen above the Sistine Chapel, signaling the election of a new pope. The announcement that Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio had chosen the name Francis stirred something deep within me. At that time, I was immersed in research on St. Francis of Assisi, particularly his…