Paul Keenan"Those who live a retreat in an authentic way experience the attraction and fascination of God and return renewed and transfigured in their daily lives, their ministry and their relationships."
Pope Francis, speaking ahead of the annual Lenten retreat undertaken by the Pontiff and members of the curia from March 9-14
“We bishops obviously have a problem. We have clearly not succeeded in putting across Catholic sexual ethics and its positive concept of the human being.”
Bishop Stephan Ackermann of Trier, Germany, responds to the findings there of the Vatican questionnaire on the family.
“I am calling on all the people both faithful and the others that in the name of the solidarity with the heritage of our fathers, who cared for the development of our Autonomous Republic of Crimea, to stay away from extremisms and in this hard time do not let the brotherhood among Crimean people to be broken.”
Auxiliary Bishop Jacek Pyl of Odessa-Simferopol, Crimea, appeals for calm amid rising tensions in Ukraine.
"Some imams present the situation in the Central African Republic with a partial view; they only denounce the violence of Christians against Muslims, without mentioning what Seleka has done…they looted and committed violence. If the Central African Muslims had not opted for complicit silence, all this would not have lasted more than a month. If we want peace, we must be impartial and condemn all forms of violence.”
Imam Oumar Kobine Layama of Bangui, Central African Republic, urges his fellow clerics to foster peace in the country.
“Homosexuals are not criminals.”
Cardinal Peter Turkson, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, offers his take on Uganda’s anti-gay laws during a conference on human rights in Bratislava
"I think everything will go ahead as planned: the visit will go ahead and according to the set schedule."
Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, dismisses rumours that the Pope intended May trip to Israel will be cancelled due to a strike at the country’s foreign ministry.