On Friday, July 29, 2016, Pope Francis visited the Children’s University Hospital (UCH) in Prokocim, Kraków as part of his visit to Krakow for the World Youth Day 2016. Below, you will find the full text of his prepared greetings: Dear brothers and sisters, A special part of my visit to Kraków is this meeting ...read more

July 29, 2016 Ottawa, ON – Today, His Holiness Pope Francis will visit the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in Poland. The Pope’s visit is an important occasion to recall the terrible consequences of hatred and indifference in the world. This will mark the third papal visit to the infamous site, following in the footsteps of Saint ...read more

On Thursday, July 28, 2016 Pope Francis was officially welcomed to World Youth Day at Jordan Park, Blonia in Krakow. Below, find the full text of his prepared address: Dear Young Friends, good evening! At last we are together! Thank you for your warm welcome! I thank Cardinal Dziwisz, the bishops, priests, men and women religious, ...read more

In a video link with Italian youth on Wednesday evening, Pope Francis responded to questions of three young people. Below is the English translation of the dialogue. P. –Good evening, your Holiness. First of all, thank you for finding the time, even though you have just arrived in Krakow, to link up with us. You ...read more

On Thursday, July 28, 2016, during his visit to Poland for World Youth Day Krakow 2016, Pope Francis celebrated the 1050th anniversary of the Baptism of Poland, in the area near the Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa. Below, you will find the full text of his homily: From the readings of this Liturgy a ...read more

On Wednesday, July 27, 2016, Pope Francis arrived in Poland for the celebration of World Youth Day Krakow 2016. He was greeted at the “St John Paul II” International Airport in Balice-Kraków. Following his arrival, he met with Authorities at Wawel Castle in Krakow. Below, find the full text of his address: Mr President, Honourable Authorities, ...read more

Below is Cardinal Stanislas Dziwisz, (Archbishop of Krakow) Introduction and homily at today’s opening mass for World Youth Day 2016 in Blonia Park in Krakow. My Dear Friends! The moment we have been waiting 3 years for has arrived. We have been waiting since the day Pope Francis announced in Rio de Janeiro that the ...read more

From Krakow, I have learnt with sadness of the killing this morning at the Church of Saint-Etienne du Rouvray. The three victims: the priest, Father Jacques Hamel, 84, and the authors of the assassination. Three other people were injured, one very seriously. I cry out to God with all men of good will. I would ...read more

Written by Ian Meaden Well…this is going to be interesting. (Now I could be mean and just leave it at that and make you wonder ‘what’s going to be interesting’? But then I’d have to confess how mean I was…) So, here what’s interesting, I’ve been asked to be a blogger and submit a few ...read more

This blog post is part of a 6-part series on World Youth Day. Read them all: Deacon-structing WYD: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6 Last week we saw how important Saints are, not just to WYD, but also to living our Faith. In 2005 World Youth Day went back ...read more