BLOG: Fr. Raphael Ma, CR
The Franciscan revolution continues, piece by piece. This week, it was revealed that Pope Francis is changing the process by which metropolitan archbishops are invested with their pallium. The new process highlights the importance of the local church and its connection to the wider church. In a letter to papal nuncios around the world, the ...read more
When in October 2013 the Vatican announced the first ever two-stage Synod of Bishops, many in the Catholic Church were hopeful about the possibilities of an in-depth discussion and consultation. After all, a year in between the two Synods is a lot of time, right? Not necessarily. The Vatican didn’t publish the Lineamenta—a discussion guideline ...read more
By Most Reverend John Corriveau, OFM Cap. Bishop of Nelson, British Columbia Between 1994 and 2012, I was privileged to participate in five Assemblies of the Synod of Bishops. These five Synods touched a variety of challenges in the Church: Consecrated Life and its Role in the Church and the World (1994), Special Assembly for ...read more
Through a special partnership with the Interfaith Broadcasting Commission and ABC Television Network in the USA, Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation is pleased to announce that their 2014 documentary “The Francis Effect” will begin airing on close to 250 ABC affiliates beginning on February 8, 2015.  A special 58-minute version of the original 75-minute production was ...read more
Please find below the full text of Pope Francis’ Lenten Message: Dear Brothers and Sisters, Lent is a time of renewal for the whole Church, for each communities and every believer. Above all it is a “time of grace” (2 Cor 6:2). God does not ask of us anything that he himself has not first ...read more
Welcome to S+L’s Weekly News Round-Up. As the Director of Marketing and Communications here at S+L, many interesting Catholic news stories and articles come across my desk on a daily basis. Some of them we’ll cover on our different television programs and others I’d like to share with you on this blog. This blog column ...read more
Exclusively on Salt and Light TV watch the broadcast of the Mass for Vocations of the Archdiocese of Montreal on Friday, January 30, 2015 at 8:30 pm (ET). The Mass will be celebrated by His Excellency Christian Lépine, Archbishop of Montreal in the city’s Grand Seminary: 2065, Sherbrooke St. West. The liturgy will be coordinated ...read more
Over the weekend, Pope Francis addressed the Pontifical Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies. Speaking on the occasion of its 50th anniversary, the Holy Father focused on the concept of dialogue, lauding the academy for their work in furthering Christian-Islamic relations. He told them “the most effective antidote against all forms of violence is education ...read more
Conclusion of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity January 25, 2015 At 5:30 this evening (Rome time) in the Basilica of St. Paul outside the walls, Pope Francis presided at the celebration of Second Vespers for the Solemnity of the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle. This ceremony formally concludes the Week of Prayer ...read more
Last week I said that everyone gets called. But sometimes we don’t recognize it, because we’re distracted or ‘cause we’re not expecting it. But the call comes and looking at Scripture helps us recognize the Call when it comes. First you have an encounter with Christ; an encounter with the Divine; then comes a calling. And ...read more