SPIRITUAL AI

Pope Francis Apologizes for Insulting Comments Against Gay Men Pope Francis apologizes after reports he used language that was highly offensive to gay men(AFP) POPE Francis apologised after reports he used highly offensive language towards gay men.  A statement from the Vatican said the Pope did not mean to offend anyone and apologized to those "hurt by his use of the word".  At the Italian Conference of Bishops, the Pope reportedly said gay men should not be allowed to train for the priesthood, adding that there was already an atmosphere of frociaggine, which translates as a highly offensive insult.  This meeting was private, but has been widely reported.  “Pope Francis is aware of articles that have recently emerged regarding conversations he had with bishops... behind closed doors,” quoted a statement from the director of the Holy See - the governing body of the Catholic Church - Matteo Bruni.  The Pope's reported comments were first made to Italian tabloid

Pope Francis Calls for Gaza Ceasefire in Easter Sunday Address Pope Francis called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, until the release of Israeli hostages during his Easter speech. (Reuters/Vatican Media)  --  Pope Francis called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, until the release of Israeli hostages. He made this call when giving a blessing and the Urbi et Orbi message from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican, Sunday (31/3).  In the blessing, Pope Francis said a ceasefire and humanitarian assistance must be provided immediately to Gaza. He also requested that the hostages arrested on October 7 be immediately released.  "I call once again for ensured access to humanitarian aid to Gaza, as well as calling once again for the immediate release of the hostages captured on October 7 and an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip," said Pope Francis, as reported by Reuters.  He continued his Urbi et Orbi blessing

Pope Francis warned that the world is on the edge of a "delicate precipice" and buffeted by "winds of war" as he held inter-faith talks Friday with one of Sunni Islam's top leaders in Bahrain.  The 85-year-old Argentine decried the "opposing blocs" of East and West, a veiled reference to the standoff over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in a speech to religious leaders in the tiny Gulf state.  "We continue to find ourselves on the brink of a delicate precipice and we do not want to fall," he told an audience including Bahrain's king and Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, the grand imam of Cairo's prestigious Al-Azhar Mosque.  "A few potentates are caught up in a resolute struggle for partisan interests, reviving obsolete rhetoric, redesigning spheres of influence and opposing blocs," he added.  "We appear to be witnessing a dramatic and childlike scenario: in the garden of humanity, instead of cultivating our