Born Marie Guyart in Tours, France, on October 28, 1599, she was the first superior of the Ursulines of Quebec.  The road to her vocation was not straightforward. Marie’s father was by birth a bourgeois; her mother was connected with the illustrious house of Barbon de la Bourdaisière. Despite this, Marie gave evidence of great ...read more

Pope John Paul II is assisted by his personal secretary Msgr. Stanislaw Dziwisz as he slumps in an open Fiat jeep on May 13, 1981 after he was shot and nearly killed by Turkish gunman Mehmet Ali Agca. (CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano) ...read more

Pope John Paul II visits Uganda in February 1993. (CNS photo from L’Osservatore Romano, Arturo Mari) ...read more

Pope John Paul II kisses the hand of the child Jesus on a statue of Mary during a celebration in Cuzco, Peru, Feb. 3, 1985. (CNS photo/Catholic Press Photo) ...read more

Pope John Paul II greets the World Youth Day crowd in Czestochowa, Poland, in 1992. An estimated 1.5 million people from 80 countries attended the third international World Youth Day. (CNS file photo)  ...read more

By Elizabeth Krump In July 2008, the streets of Sydney, Australia were transformed with a swell of nearly one million young pilgrims. Despite an influx of youth, there was no vandalism, fear or fights as a result. This group of young people had gathered in solidarity to celebrate their Catholic faith at the invitation of ...read more

Pope John Paul II greets Mother Teresa of Calcutta at the Vatican in an undated file photo. Mother Teresa, the founder of the Missionaries of Charity was beatified by Pope John Paul in 2003. (CNS photo) ...read more

Here are this week’s stories from across the country: In Montreal, one Jesuit-run school is fighting for the right to teach Quebec’s mandatory “ethics and religious culture” course, Jesuit-style. In Toronto, the family health department at St. Michael’s Hospital takes on the health gap between high and low income patients. Christians in Saskatoon are working ...read more

Father Karol Wojtyla is pictured next to bicycles during an outing in Poland in the early 1950s. His strong interest in outdoor activities continued through his years as Pope John Paul II, until the effects of age kept him away from strenuous pursuits.  Pope John Paul together with Pope John XXIII will be declared saints ...read more

Above is the video of Pope Francis’ homily from Friday’s Penitential Service, with Vatican Radio translation. ...read more