Thirty one thousand decades of the Rosary and one hundred and thirty days of Eucharistic adoration. That’s the amount of prayer that benefactors of the charity Aid to the Church in Need have pledged to Pope Benedict XVI. For those of you keeping count, that prayer total works out to more than six months of ...read more

Castel Gandolfo was busy yesterday as Pope Benedict XVI marked the solemnity of the Assumption. First there was the celebration of Mass at the Church of St. Thomas, located just across from the summer Papal residence.  Later in the day, the Holy Father welcomed the faithful to Castel Gandolfo for his Angelus address. Of course, ...read more

Cardinal Marc Ouellet has asked the faithful to pray that the Lord may give him “wisdom and discernment” as he heads to Rome. That’s where, as of August 24th, he’ll take up his new role as the prefect of the Congregation for Bishops. He asked for the prayers yesterday at the St. Anne de Beaupre ...read more

A little boy once came across a sparrow laying on his back with his feet sticking up to the sky.  The boy looked at him and asked “Sparrow, why are you lying on his back on your back with your feet pointing up to the sky?”  The sparrow replied, because if the sky falls, I ...read more

As we have discussed over the last three days the theme of the Knights of Columbus’ 128th Supreme Convention has been I Am My Brother’s Keeper. On the third and final day of the Convention, the Knights remembered their deceased brothers and family with Mass, on the memorial of the dedication of the Basilica of ...read more

Pope John Paul II described them as the “strong right arm of the Church,” and many a priest would consider them backbone to parish activities. More than just an “arm” or a “backbone” the Knights of Columbus are the largest organized “body,” so to speak, of lay Catholic men.  In fact, they’ve just cracked over ...read more

Archeologists have been unearthing ancient art in the Eternal City. Catholic News Service’s Cindy Wooden and Carol Glatz have more on the important and impressive discoveries in this week’s Vatican Report. To download Flash Player please click here ...read more

In middle of July, the national assembly of the Church of England voted to approve the creation of women bishops by 2014. Catholic News Service’s Carol Glatz and John Thavis explain in this week’s Vatican Report that this may present an obstacle in ecumenical dialogue. To download Flash Player please click here ...read more

A struggling global economy has contributed to a budget shortfall at the Vatican for the third year in a row. Catholic News Service’s Carol Glatz and John Thavis make sense of the dollars, in this week’s Vatican Report. To download Flash Player please click here ...read more

As you’ve probably read in the last 24 hours, the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith has released new norms concerning serious crimes — which covers such topics as clerical abuse, pornography, discipline, and the Sacraments of Penance, the Eucharist and Holy Orders. Holy See Press Office Director Fr. Federico Lombardi, SJ, offered an explanatory ...read more