Alicia von Stamwitz is an award-winning freelance author and longtime editor with the religious press. Her essays and articles have appeared in The New York Times, Publishers Weekly, The Sun, America, The United Church Observer and St. Anthony Messenger. Her exclusive interviews and profiles of today’s most influential spiritual leaders are published internationally. She lives in ...read more

It is not hard to find images of new life everywhere to highlight the joy and Good News of Easter – especially in this part of the world in at springtime! (Maybe these bunnies are a bit too much, but you get my point – and they are cute.) But recently, I’ve been doing quite ...read more

Pope Francis did not give a homily at the Easter Sunday Eucharistic celebration this morning in St. Peter’s Square due to the long “Urbi et Orbi” address that followed the mass.  The English language version of his address – to the city and the world – is found below. Dear Brothers and Sisters, Jesus Christ ...read more

Here is the official Vatican translation of Pope Francis’ Homily at the Easter Vigil in St. Peter’s Basilica on Holy Saturday evening. Tonight is a night of vigil.  The Lord is not sleeping; the Watchman is watching over his people (cf. Ps 121:4), to bring them out of slavery and to open before them the ...read more

Testo della Meditazione del Santo Padre alla conclusione della Via Crucis al Colosseo – Venerdi Santo Originale in italiano (Trascrizione dall’audio) O Cristo crocifisso e vittorioso. La Tua Via Crucis è la sintesi della Tua vita, l’icona della Tua ubbidienza alla volontà del Padre, è la realizzazione del Tuo infinito amore per noi peccatori. E’ la ...read more

(English working translation from television transmission by Fr. Thomas Rosica, CSB) O Christ crucified and victorious, Your Way of the Cross is the summary of your life, the icon of Your obedience to the will of the Father, and the realization of your infinite love for us sinners. It is the proof of Your mission. It ...read more

Homily of Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM, Cap. Preacher of the Papal Household, at Good Friday Serivice for the Passion of the Lord in St. Peter’s Basilica. We have just heard the account of Jesus’ trial before Pilate. There is one point in particular in that account on which we need to pause.  Then Pilate took ...read more

Read below the English translation of the Holy Father’s homily during the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on April 2, 2015, at the Roman prison in Rebibbia, courtesy of the Zenit International News Service: This Thursday, Jesus is at table with the disciples, celebrating the feast of Passover. The passage of the Gospel that we have ...read more

At 9:30 this morning in St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis as Bishop of Rome presided at the Mass of Chrism, a celebration that takes places in all the Cathedrals of the world this week. Cardinals, Bishops and priests (religious and diocesan) present in Rome concelebrated the mass with him.  During the Eucharistic celebration, the priests ...read more

Pope Paul VI and Cardinal Karol Wojtyla meet at the Vatican. Paul VI, who served in Poland during his early priesthood, held the future Pope John Paul II in high regard. (CNS file photo) No doubt you’ve seen those cheesy beer ads about ‘the most interesting man in the world’. For the record, Pope John ...read more