In today’s catechesis on discernment, Pope Francis pays his respects to Benedict XVI and speaks on spiritual accompaniment and the Virgin Mary as a “great teacher of discernment.” Read the full text below: Dear brothers and sisters, good morning! Before beginning this catechesis, I would like us to join with those here beside us who ...read more

What is your reaction when you receive a gift from someone? Do you ever wish they had gotten you something else? Does it sometimes make you feel obligated to give them something in return?  How beautiful it is when a gift doesn’t make us feel disappointed or obligated but deeply grateful, wanting to give in ...read more

Last week I was imagining a world without Christmas. That would mean no Christmas music and no Christmas movies. But a world without Jesus would mean much more to our popular culture. One of my favourite Broadway musicals is Les Miz. I never read the novel, Les Miserables by Victor Hugo and wasn’t crazy about ...read more

Read the full text of Pope Francis' homily for the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, and the 55th World Day of Peace on January 1, 2022. ...read more

? Do you ever get the feeling that you’re not in control of your life? So often we can try to take the driver’s seat, to be in charge of where we’re heading. We can be unsettled when something unexpected happens or disappointed when things don’t go our way. It’s a normal part of being ...read more

? Something we don’t often realize is how Advent coincides with the final weeks of Mary’s pregnancy. Perhaps you have personally experienced being pregnant. Maybe some important women in your life have been pregnant. Your mother certainly has been. Of course, pregnancy is a time filled with ups and downs, highs and lows. It can ...read more

Put yourself in the shoes – or sandals – of a Jewish person 2,000 years ago. Maybe you’re one of Mary’s cousins or one of Joseph’s siblings. Since you were little, your parents and relatives have told you about “the Messiah” – the Chosen one, the Anointed, the one who is to come. This Messiah ...read more

In today’s catechesis, Pope Francis reflects on the mystery of Christmas and the thoughts of St. Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor of the Church. Read the full text below: Dear brothers and sisters, good morning and again, Merry Christmas! The liturgical season invites us to pause and reflect on the mystery of Christmas. And ...read more

I remember once, a Cuban friend who grew up in Cuba with no Christmas, telling me that she had never seen or heard of a Christmas tree before she left Cuba. But had Christ never been born, the implications would be much worse than not having Christmas trees. Just think of the music we’d be ...read more

Read the full text of Pope Francis' Christmas message "to the city and to the world" given on December 25, 2021, at the Vatican. ...read more