The month of May is traditionally the month of Mary in the Catholic Church. To celebrate this month we’ll be bringing you a series of posts about obscure Marian devotions. The first devotion we’ll be examining is Our Lady Untier of Knots. The year is 1612, the place is Augsburg, Germany. A nobleman named Wolfgang ...read more

This week brought another historic moment in church history. As of Thursday, there are two popes living in Vatican City. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI returned to the Vatican after two months living in the papal residence at Castel Gandolfo. His helicopter left the papal estate at 4:30pm local time and arrived at the heliport in ...read more

Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI pray together in the chapel of the Mater Ecclesia monastery where the retired pope will live from now on. The two prayed side by side, “like brothers.” — Photo by L’Osservatore Romano ...read more

Below is the full text of Pope Francis’ catechesis at today’s General Audience. The transcript and translation of the Holy Father’s talk are provided by Vatican Radio. Dear brothers and sisters, Good Day! Today, May 1st, we celebrate Saint Joseph the Worker and begin the month traditionally dedicated to Our Lady. In our encounter this ...read more

The papal General Audiences on Wednesdays follow pretty much the same formula. There are some variables: the special guests on the “sagrario” and the choirs who are introduced and sing for the pope. Recently the St. Michael’s Choir School from Toronto did just that. This brought a wave of questions about just how a choir ...read more

To say that the election of Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio as pope was a surprise is an understatement. Since his name was announced on the balcony of St. Peter’s square March 13, there has been great interest in what he has to say and teach on matters of the faith. There are several sources of information ...read more

  The pope creates and advisory panel Eight Cardinals from around the world have been asked by Pope Francis to advise him on reforms to the Roman Curia. The Vatican announced April 13 that Pope Francis had appointed eight cardinals to be part of an advisory panel to help him make changes to “Pastor Bonus,” ...read more

One month in office and Pope Francis has begun to make episcopal and curial appointments. One of those appointments is the new secretary of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic  Life. Pope Francis named Father Jose Rodriguez Carballo, current Minister General of the Order of Friars Minor. Catholic News Service ...read more

Pope Francis and Cardinal Agostino Vallini look on as a plaque is unveiled, dedicating the plaza in front of the Basilica of St. John Lateran to the last Pope John Paul II. The dedication ceremony took place just before the Mass during which Pope Francis officially took possession of the Basilica of St. John Lateran, ...read more

Vaticanists have been waiting with baited breath to see who will be Pope Francis’ personal secretary and who is named Secretary of State. The first appointment he made as pope, however, was the new Archbishop of Buenos Aires. The move shows two things: first, that the Holy Father still has his head and his heart ...read more