BLOG: Fr. Raphael Ma, CR
Musicians take part in a parade during the Festa do Divino, or Festival of the Divine, in Sao Luiz do Paraitinga, Brazil. The Festa do Divino is one of Brazil’s most important Catholic celebrations, marking Pentecost 50 days after Easter. To find out more about the upcoming World Youth Day in Rio de Janiero, Brazil ...read more
Most people know Brazil to be the home of the Amazon river and the home of the Amazon rainforest. Brazil is also known for its samba music, their soccer teams, Copacaba beach, the Christ the Redeemer Statue, the favela slums and the annual Carnival celebrations. Brazil is also the fifth largest country in the world ...read more
Yesterday in Rome Salt + Light was awarded the “Capax Dei” Prize at the Mirabile Dictu International Catholic Film Festival, organized annually by the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Culture. The award was presented for Salt + Light’s documentary “In Her Footsteps: the Story of Kateri Tekakwitha,” which premiered in Rome last October. The following story ...read more
Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati Handsome, athletic, courageous Pier Giorgio Frassati was born in Turin, Italy on April 6, 1901. He was born into a well-respected, devoutly Catholic family. His mother, Adelaide Ametis, was a painter. His father Alfredo was the founder of the newspaper, “La Stampa”. At birth he presented respiratory failure, so he was ...read more
In today’s photo of the day, pilgrims display a banner with an image of Christ as they travel in a boat while accompanying the statue of Our Lady of Conception (not seen) along the Caraparu River in Santa Izabel do Para, Brazil, Dec. 8. The procession in the Amazon jungle is held each year on ...read more
I’m excited to introduce you to today’s WYD Rio patron. He is a remarkable figure, known as a bringer of Christ’s peace and love. Meet:  Saint Anthony from Santana Galvão Fr. Anthony from Santana Galvão, is the first Brazilian-born saint. Anthony was born in Guaratinguetá, São Paulo in 1739 to a deeply religious family of ...read more
We’re proud to announce that our latest documentary “Go and Teach: Inside the Synod on the New Evangelization” will premiere this coming Wednesday, June 26, 2013 in the Vatican Filmoteca. Below please find the official press release: Canada’s Salt and Light Television will premiere its latest documentary “Go and Teach: Inside the Synod on the ...read more
With World Youth Day around the corner, I thought I’d share (over the course of the next few weeks) some of my favourite images from Brazil. Hopefully, this will give you a sense of how Brazilians practice their faith (and that you’ll find these images as intriguing as I did). Today’s image depicts pilgrims following ...read more
Next in our series of blogs reviewing the patron saints and intercessors for this year’s World Youth Day, we take a look at: St. Sebastian Although nothing can be certain about the history of St. Sebastian, it is said that he was an officer in the imperial guard, known for the good works that he ...read more
Above, Pope Paul VI greets the faithful during the closure of the Second Vatican Council in St. Peter’s Square on Dec. 8, 1965. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council and today marks the 50th anniversary of the election of Paul VI. Pilgrims from his home diocese of ...read more