A martyr from the Dachau concentration camp has been beatified — and Pope Benedict has entrusted to him, and all the martyrs of concentration camps, the cause for peace. Speaking at his Sunday Angelus, the Holy Father gave thanks for the “heroic witness” of Fr. Alois Andritzki. The 28-year old priest was accused by the ...read more

We’ve reached the end of the fourth season of Lectio Divina. In June’s Lectio Divina, Archbishop Thomas Collins concludes his reflection on the Letter of St. James meditating on James 4:11-5:20. At one point the Archbishop highlights patience. Not the kind of patience we think of when being cut off in traffic or waiting in ...read more

Come, Holy Spirit, send forth the heavenly radiance of your light…. How should the Church be involved in nation-building? On July 9th, South Sudan will celebrate its Independence day. Many things hang in the balance for this country. Most of the tension hedging on who gets access to the rich mineral deposits that lie on ...read more

Last year I learned about a talented singer, Sarena Paton, in relation to a Remembrance Day Concert. Recently I heard that Sarena was going to be performing a the Lower Ossington Theatre in Toronto on Friday, June 10. We don’t usually blog about these things, but Sarena was our featured artist on S+L Radio last ...read more

Last week I also spoke to Michael Coren on S+L Radio about his new book Why Catholics Are Right. We spoke about all those things that people who really don’t know anything about Church always challenge us about. And since then I’ve been thinking a lot about how we need to be able to have ...read more

Pope Benedict XVI’s Apostolic Exhortation Verbum Domini has been called the most important document on the Bible in 45 years. The Exhortation is the result of the October 2008 General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in Rome, which was dedicated to “The Word of God in the Life and the Mission of the Church.” ...read more

The Vatican gave a status report on the completed first phase of the visitation of Irish church institutions in the wake of the sex abuse scandal. Rome bureau chief John Thavis reports. ...read more

Below we’ve posted the President of Croatia Ivo Josipovic’s farewell address to Pope Benedict. Unfortunately, the departure ceremony was canceled due to poor weather. The farewell address was originally published on the official Croatian Papal Visit website. Your Holiness, During the past two days you have brought joy to Croatia. In the faithful throughout the ...read more

Due to inclement weather in Zagreb, the closing ceremony was canceled; but, the official Croatian Papal visit website has posted Pope Benedict’s final address and apostolic blessing for Croatia. Pope Benedict XVI praised the piety of Croatian youth and encouraged Croatians to continue to bear a fearless witness of the Risen Lord. My visit to your ...read more

During Vespers Pope Benedict XVI prayed with bishops, priests, religious and seminarians at the Cathedral, Zagreb.  The Pope also prayed at the tomb of Blessed Alojzije Viktor Stepinac, dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and to St. Stephen. During his address, the Holy Father spoke of Blessed Alojzije Stepinac as a  fearless ...read more