{UAH} Vatican and Canterbury to hold cricket competitions!

Pope Francis is a dynamic force that always creates innovative ideas and initiatives.On June 16, 2014 he received in great honour and pomp the Archbishop of Canterburyand Primate of the worldwide Anglican community, His Grace Archbishop Justin WelbyThe welcome was very
brotherly and extremely cordial. The two leaders discussed a numberof things that touched on prayer, peace and poverty in the world. They also encouraged a regularget together between their sister Churches. At the end of their formal meeting the Pope presentedto the Archbishop and his team the newly formed Vatican Cricket Club which he said would give ahard time to the highly reputed Canterbury team. There was laughter, of course, as the British churchmancouldn't see a newly formed cricket club distancing an experienced English cricket team !Pope Francis has used such original approaches
to show friendship to world leaders and celebnrities.And he is always winning good points!His Wednesday general audiences have now taken a recess during this summer period but the Angelusprayer on Sunday is still going on. Yesterday, in spite of the roman summer heat, up to 100,000 pilgrims,Romans and tourists turned up for the mid-day prayer. He used the occasion to defend those who have no voiceto defend themselves in critical circumstances. He also cautioned against indifference on situations, and the passingof ,judgement on other persons. The other Sunday ( 29/06/2014) on the solemnity of St Peter and St Paul he conferred the pallium to the newly appointed Archbishops, including Archbishop Emmanuel Obbo of Tororo and four other Africans and a black Archbishop from USA.The ceremony was attended by thousands of people who filled to the brim St Peter's Basilica. Among the key personalities was a delegation sent by the Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox
Church of Constantinople. The Pope appeared to have exchanged very warmly with a prelate whom many recognized as being Archbp Obbo.At the Angelus in St Peter's Square, the Pope addressed and blessed an estimated 200,000 persons! Crowds extended from the Basilica itself to the end of the Square. He spoke of the great importance of both Peter and Paul, two persons who were transformed into Chirist's love by God's grace. he then saluted the delegations and members of family who had accompanied the new archbishops, and finally he recited a Hail Mary for peace in Irak.
Pope Francis continues to win crowds. His recent Wednesday weekly audiences were attended by record crowds. Wednesday 11/06/2014 saw an estimated 150,000-strong crowd pack the Square to hear him condemn corrupt leaders and systems that distabilize the world.Pilgrims came from practically all corners of the globe.Wednesday 18.06.2014 assembled an estimated 100,000 pilgrims in spite of the bad weather. Among the pilgrims present were those from Kuwait, Zimbabwe, and India. They all enjoyed hearing the Pope defining the Church as an institution founded by Christ to embrace with love the entire humanity. There was laughter when the Pope pointed out that the church wasn't a product from a laboratory!
Then Thursday 19/06/2014 was the solemn Corpus Christi Feast Day and the procession of ,the blessed sacrament through Rome ( from St John the Lateran Basilica to Mary Major Basilica. Hundreds of theousands of people lined along the streets. Unlike last year when the massive crowds prayed and at the same time gave a rousing cheer to the Pope wherever he passed, this time the Pope, in order to let people concentrate more on prayer, was secretly driven away in a small car taking other streets.
The Pope will profit from this summer recess to do very many other things including preparing his trips abroad, and he has just announced his intention to go to Albania in order to comfort the minority Christian community there.
His trips within Italy are great crowd pullers. Hundreds of thousands pour on the appointed venues and streets to cheer him and to show their affection towards a Pope who has brought to the Church and to the world an era of hope for the best.


Dr G.H. Kkolokolo  ( Paris / France )

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