Whenever people speak of Auschwitz, I wonder how it was possible for a person to ignore atrocities that happened only a few miles away. It’s said that some camps were within walking distance of ordinary homesteads. Upon reflection, I’ve realized that the answer lies in our nurtured ability to empathize with the downtrodden and ...read more

When we sat down to write The Church Alive series, Sebastian Gomes and I considered the state of affairs inside and outside the Church. Presumably, if we were going to evangelize we’d have to understand what’s going on. Needless to say, I quickly realized this ‘New Evangelization’ was a topic of gargantuan proportions. But as ...read more

Last year, when Fr. Thomas Rosica first gathered the S+L team around the conference table to share thoughts in anticipation of the upcoming Synod on the New Evangelization, I never expected that Sebastian Gomes and I would be charged with putting together a series about it! At the time, it was a Jeremiah moment for ...read more

Pope Francis poses with youths during a meeting with young people from the northern Italian diocese of Piacenza-Bobbio in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican Aug. 28.  CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano ...read more

The “Floating Bible” is seen on a display inside the Coptic Orthodox Church of the Virgin Mary in the Maadi suburb of Cairo. The Bible was found floating in the Nile River outside the church March 12, 1976. Despite being waterlogged, it was open to the page of Isaiah 19:25, a passage that in part ...read more

In light of the 20th anniversary of World Youth Day Denver, which drew more than 750,000 people to the Mile High City, I’m sharing the following photos from Catholic News Service with you. Many priests, religious and lay people attribute their vocations to an experience they had at Denver. In fact, reflecting 20 years later ...read more

Children gather with parish priests for a photo on the steps of Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in the village of Fufengxian, in China’s Shaanxi province, in late July. The Catholic parish was marking its 17th anniversary in a region known for its apple groves. Photo & description: Catholic News Service ...read more

The Papal Welcoming Ceremony kicks off what some call the World Youth Day Triduum. The event is celebrated on the Thursday evening before the Way of the Cross (Friday evening), Vigil (Saturday evening) and Closing Mass (Sunday morning). The Papal Welcome is a highlight for many pilgrims; there’s always lots of excitement and given that ...read more

Members of the Franciscan community O Caminho (The Way) play religious music in the Campo Grande neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro. The community helps the homeless on the streets of Rio de Janeiro. To find out more about this year’s World Youth Day in Rio de Janiero, visit wydcentral.org CNS photo/Ricardo Moraes, Reuters ...read more

Blessed Chiara Luce Badano Chiara Luce Badano was born in Sassello, Italy. When she was 10 years old, she had an encouter with God that changed her life. From that point forward, she decided to radically live the Gospel, seeking to love all those around her. When she was 18, she was diagnosed with a ...read more