Vatican: Islamic prayers, Koran readings


This does not have to do with Christian unity, directly, but it does have to do with how Pope Francis looks at things, something that has bearing on efforts toward unity within Christendom.

I have reported on many "Francisisms" and am now thinking of discontinuing my coverage of this pope's predilection for saying startling things that later have to be re-explained or even walked back by the rest of the Catholics. I suppose that by now everyone who is paying attention to Catholicism has developed some idea of how to take Pope Francis.

The Washington Times - Monday, June 9, 2014

For the first time in Vatican history, the pope allowed for the reading of Islamic prayers and Koran readings from the Catholic facility. The readings and prayer came as Pope Francis met with Israeli President Shimon Peres and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Vatican City...
Read more: Vatican makes history: Pope allows Islamic prayers, Koran readings - Washington Times

Update: This is a classic.

Updated: Most marriages today are invalid, Pope Francis suggests
Rome, Italy, Jun 16, 2016 / 02:56 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Updated June 17, 2016 to include a clarification by the Vatican: Pope Francis approved a revision to the official transcript to say that “a portion” of sacramental marriages are null, instead of “the great majority.” 
Pope Francis said Thursday that many sacramental marriages today are not valid, because couples do not enter into them with a proper understanding of permanence and commitment.
While he initially said in unscripted comments that “the great majority of our sacramental marriages are null,” he later approved a revision of these remarks.
When the Vatican released its official transcript of the encounter the following day, they had changed the comment to say that “a portion of our sacramental marriages are null.”
Read more: http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/most-marriages-today-are-invalid-pope-francis-suggests-51752/ 

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