A few years ago, I picked up a book called The Diet Alternative. The author, Diane Hampton, told the story of how she found herself overweight, resorting to unhealthy eating and living habits, and not knowing how she’d gotten there. Her realization reached her during an eating binge and purge, when she realized she didn’t know ...read more

A reflection on Saint Bernard of Clairvaux in honour of his feast day. ...read more

Those were the three thoughts Pope Francis left with us during the Closing Mass on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro. This was the climax of the week, when we gather for the source and summit of our Faith. And after a week of surprises and simple, yet powerful messages, these three thoughts summarised it ...read more

Pope Francis watches as young people dramatize building a church, during the WYD Rio 2013 vigil on Copacabana Beach. The performance was inspired by God’s call to St. Francis “rebuild my church” and symbolized the constructive role of young people in today’s church. — (CNS Photo/ Paul Haring) ...read more

The final days of World Youth Day Rio were an exercise is letting God surprise us all. Days of rain made the field at Guaratiba unusable and the final events were moved to Copacabana Beach. Cariocas (residents of Rio) are used to having parties on the beach. They have two giant parties there every year: ...read more

The memories I have of Rio de Janeiro –aside from the sight of 3 million people on Copacabana Beach -are the moments of the Way of the Cross. That beautiful beach was the stage for one of the most moving moments I had the opportunity to live. The WYD organization intended for each station to ...read more

Homily of Pope Francis for the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Castel Gandolfo, August 15, 2013 Dear Brothers and Sisters! At the end of its Constitution on the Church, the Second Vatican Council left us a very beautiful meditation on Mary Most Holy. Let me just recall the words referring ...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

The following conference was given by the Most Rev. Gerald Cyprien Lacroix, Archbishop of Quebec and Primate of Canada to the Conference of Major Superiors of Men in Nashville, Tennessee on August 9, 2013 “Religion is a fundamental part of culture, not as a dogma nor a belief, but as a cry.”(Maurice Merleau-Ponty, French Philosopher, ...read more

Read Fr. Michael Knox, SJ's reflection on the life of St. Maximilian Kolbe: Franciscan martyr of WWII in honour of his feast day. ...read more