To be “a missionary disciple is not a mercenary of the faith,” Pope Francis told the Catholics of Thailand, but rather “a humble mendicant” who longs to bring missing family members to the Sunday table.t

Pope Francis spent his first full day in Thailand meeting with the country’s prime minister and supreme patriarch of Buddhists.

On the eve of Pope Francis’ visit to Japan, an exclusive interview with Yoshio Kajiyama, S.J., the Hiroshima-born former provincial of the country’s Jesuits.

Pope Francis is coming to “the land of interreligious dialogue” when he visits Thailand from Nov. 20 to Nov. 23 as “a pilgrim of peace.

“Wearing the label ‘Christian’ or ‘Catholic’ is not enough to belong to Jesus. We need to speak the same language as Jesus: that of love,” Pope Francis said as he celebrated the third World Day of the Poor.

It will be his fourth trip to Asia since becoming pope.

Juan Antonio Guerrero Alves, S.J., a Spanish Jesuit with a degree in economics as well as considerable administrative and international experience, will take over as the new prefect of the Vatican’s Secretariat for the Economy on Jan. 1, 2020.

“The Holy See acknowledges the decision of Australia’s High Court to accept Card. George Pell’s request of appeal, aware that the cardinal has always maintained his innocence.”

Francis said that “to follow Jesus among the crucified” in today’s world involves many tasks.

They had come together, he said, to “celebrate God’s faithfulness in our 50-year journey and also to celebrate our faithfulness to his call,” as well as to celebrate Father Arrupe and the 57 Jesuits who “sacrificed their lives in the struggle for justice and equality.”