The economic crisis weighing down on Europe has caused staggeringly high unemployment rates, resulting in some families losing part or all of their income. People who never had trouble making ends meet, now find they need help feeding their families. At the same time many people who used to donate faithfully to aid agencies, have ...read more

The talks between the Vatican and the Society of St. Pius X have reached a new stage, according to the Vatican. Bishop Bernard Fellay, superior general of the SSPX, sent his second response to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith April 17 regarding the doctrinal preamble he was asked to sign by that ...read more

Pope Benedict XVI, who turns 85 today and celebrates seven years as pope this week, has long been considered a guardian of the faith, upholding the traditional teachings of the church leading the clergy in the defense of the faith. Regarded one of the sharpest theologians in the church both before and during his pontificate, ...read more

This week is a big week for Pope Benedict XVI. On Monday he turns 85 years old. Then on Thursday he marks seven years as pope. Join us this Sunday, April 15 for a special look at his papacy: his travels, his teachings, and the bridges he has sought to build. Seven Years with Pope ...read more

Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York gave this meditation about Divine Mercy at a recent conference in the Bronx, New York.  As is the case when Cardinal Dolan is on scene, there was gratuitous applause and laughter…and a thought provoking story. ...read more

Syrian-born Cardinal Ignace Moussa Daoud, died in Rome at the age of 81 this past weekend. Cardinal Daoud was the retired head of the Vatican’s Congregation for Eastern Churches and the former patriarch of the Syriac Catholic Church. In a condolence message to the current Syriac Catholic patriarch, Pope Benedict called the Cardinal a “faithful ...read more

The Lebanese government and the Lebanese Bishop’s conference announced today that Pope Benedict will visit the country September 14 to 16. During the visit the Holy Father will celebrate Mass in Beirut, the nation’s capital, and hand over to the bishops of the Middle East his post-synodal exhortation for the Middle East. In October 2010 ...read more

When John Paul II visited Mexico on his first Apostolic Journey in 1979, he had to apply for a visitor’s visa as a private citizen and paid fines for wearing his clerical attire in public. When Pope Benedict XVI landed in Mexico last week, he was visiting a very different Mexico. First and foremost Pope ...read more

During his visit to Cuba last week Pope Benedict XVI met with Cuban President Raul Castro. During that visit the Holy Father made one request: that Good Friday be considered a public holiday in that country. A communique from Cuba’s state-run news service Granma published on Saturday, said Raul Castro had informed Pope Benedict his request ...read more

The fruits of a papal visit are often not noticeable until after the banners and altars have come down.  In Cuba it didn’t take long to see the gifts of the papal visit. Catholic News Service reported this week on the impact the Pope’s overnight stay in El Cobre. The preparations alone meant that infrastructure ...read more