Extracts - R.T.S. (Courtesy of the Catholic Times)

VATICAN CITY: People who follow Christ do not listen to “prophets of doom”, silly horoscopes or sermons that frighten and divide people, Pope Francis said. Christians persevere in hope and love - no matter what upheavals and difficulties arise, he said in a homily in St. Peter’s Basilica. “This is important to distinguish the word of wisdom that God speaks to us each day from the shouting of those who seek in God’s name to frighten, to nourish division and fear,” he said.

ROME: A pastor out of touch with his parishioners’ lives has little chance of preaching a homily that can make the Gospel come alive for them, Pope Francis said. “Sometimes our words respond to questions nobody is asking,” he said in a new interview with Jesuit Fr. Antonio Spadaro, editor of the Jesuit journal La Civilta Cattolia. “If you don’t listen to people, how can you preach?” The interview introduces a new collection, in Italian, of homilies and speeches he gave as Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina, from 1999 until his election as Pope in 2013. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, told reporters that the book is invaluable to understanding the roots of Pope Francis’ ministry and the development of his pastoral style. “One not only can imagine the bishop who walks the streets or rides the subway of his city and diocese”, as the former Archbishop Jorge Mario Bergoglio did, “but one also will gain perspective for seeing him come to the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica”. This record of his ministry in Argentina also shows how his words and gestures as pope come from a ministry that always focused on discernment and mercy, Cardinal Parolin said.

LOS ANGELES: Catholic - Hollywood star Jon Voight has urged President-elect Donald Trump to stick to his pledge to build a wall on America’s border with Mexico. The Oscar-winning actor, who has been a vocal supporter of Mr Trump, said he felt “very good” about the election result and he was “glad the American people stood by” the tycoon. “The media all across the world were negative about his chances so it surprised a lot of people. He’s going to do a lot of good things and very quickly.”

VATICAN CITY: The Vatican’s Christmas tree and Nativity scene will feature unique designs and decorations highlighting several issues close to Pope Francis, including care for the environment, the sick and migrants. An 82-foot spruce tree will be the centrepiece of the Vatican’s Christmas holidays, the governing office of Vatican City said. The tree comes from the Lagorai forest near Scurelle in the northern province of Trent and will benefit from a unique gesture in keeping with the Pope’s call for the care of creation: Infant school students “will plant nearly 40 new spruce and larch seedlings in a nearby area where some trees affected by parasites fell in autumn”, the governing office said. The Vatican added that the tree will be adorned with handmade ornaments featuring drawings made by children receiving treatment at several Italian hospitals.