BLOG: Advent and Christmas,Homilies,Pope Francis
Pope Francis on Monday appealed to all religious authorities to join in “reaffirming unequivocally that one can never kill in God’s name,” saying the world is “dealing with a homicidal madness which misuses God’s name in order to disseminate death, in a play for domination and power.” The full speech by Pope Francis to the ...read more
Yesterday, as our Eastern Catholic brothers and Sisters celebrated Christmas, I was reminded of one of the most meaningful messages of Christmas: Emmanuel – God with us. Since I was a little child, I’ve known this. I always knew the meaning of the name Emmanuel, because that is my middle name: Pedro Emmanuel Guevara-Mann. At ...read more
At 10:00 am this morning, Solemnity of the Epiphany, Pope Francis presided over the Eucharistic celebration in the Vatican Basilica. Below are the texts of Proclamation of Easter, celebrated this year on April 16, and the Pope’s homily after the proclamation of the Holy Gospel: The Proclamation of Easter Know, dear brethren, that as we ...read more
Join us in prayer for the intentions entrusted to us by Pope Francis. For January 2017, we join the Holy Father in praying for: Christian Unity – That all Christians may be faithful to the Lord’s teaching by striving with prayer and fraternal charity to restore ecclesial communion and by collaborating to meet the challenges facing humanity.  ...read more
The letter of Pope Francis sent to the Bishops of the world on December 28, 2016, Feast of the Holy Innocents, Martyrs Dear Brother, Today, on the feast of the Holy Innocents, as the words of the angel to the shepherds still resound in our hearts – “I bring you good news of a great ...read more
At 10 am this morning in the Vatican Basilica, Pope Francis presided at the celebration of the Mass on the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God in the Octave of Christmas and in commemoration of the 50th World Day of Peace on the theme: “Nonviolence: A Style of Politics for Peace.” Below you will find ...read more
On a Friday night in July 2002, during the World Youth Day celebration in Toronto, I was standing just down the street from the Royal Ontario Museum. As a member of the World Youth Secretariat under the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs, I was assigned to stand by a viewing area for local dignitaries ...read more
The Christmas story told through the eyes, words and imagination of children. – Special thanks to Anna Boyagoda, Coordinator of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd – Archdiocese of Toronto; St. Benedict Parish, Toronto, for permission to film at their Mary Help of Christians Children’s Atrium, Fr. Mario Villaraza SDB, Pastor of St Benedict and ...read more
Some years ago, in an episode of Perspectives about the truth about Santa Claus we had a wonderful discussion on Perspectives Weekly about teaching our kids that Christmas is about Christ. We’ve never had so many comments on one program! I remember that one of the comments came from Warren Dungen, who suggested that we ...read more
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Happy Christmas! Today the Church once again experiences the wonder of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph and the shepherds of Bethlehem, as they contemplate the newborn Child laid in a manger: Jesus, the Saviour. On this day full of light, the prophetic proclamation resounds: “For to us a child is ...read more