VATICAN CITY
National Catholic Reporter
Josephine McKenna Religion News Service | Jun. 18, 2014
VATICAN CITY Pope Francis’ abrupt decision to cancel his popular morning Mass and general audiences for the month of July has provoked fresh speculation about the health of the 77-year-old pontiff.
The Vatican has announced the pope will give no midweek general audiences in St Peter’s Square during July, and the intimate Mass he celebrates every day inside the chapel at the St. Martha residence will be suspended from July until September.
“There is no sickness whatsoever,” the Rev. Thomas Rosica, a consultant to the Vatican press office, said, according to CNN. “If there was, we would be open about that and asking people to pray for him.”
Francis will continue to lead the Angelus blessing at the Vatican every Sunday except when he travels to South Korea from August 13-18.
The pope has worked intensely since he was elected in March 2013 and has also made two demanding official visits, to Brazil last year and the Middle East last month. On Saturday (June 21), he is planning to go to Cassano All’Jonio, a mafia stronghold in the southern region of Calabria to pray for 3-year-old Nicola “Coco” Campolongo who was burned to death as he sat in a baby seat when his grandfather was shot dead in front of him.
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