At the Sakhir Palace in Awali on November 3, Pope Francis addressed the civil authorities and diplomatic corps of Bahrain. He thought of the country’s “Tree of Life,” a national symbol and “emblem of vitality,” which inspired his reflections on “the themes of respect, tolerance and religious freedom,” on the global labour crisis, the environment ...read more

Join us in prayer for the intentions entrusted to us by Pope Francis. For November 2022, we join the Holy Father in praying for: Children who suffer We pray for children who are suffering, especially those who are homeless, orphans, and victims of war; may they be guaranteed access to education and the opportunity to ...read more

  When Churches Apologize by Sr. Donna Geernaert, SC   Pope Francis Apologizes on behalf of the Catholic Church On two occasions this past year, Pope Francis has expressed his deep sorrow for the pain and trauma suffered by former students of residential schools and their descendants. At the end of March, he met with ...read more

In today’s catechesis on discernment, Pope Francis examines desolation and sadness. He emphasizes not making changes when you are desolate and not being led astray by desolation.   Dear brothers and sisters, good morning! Discernment, as we have seen in the previous catecheses, is not primarily a logical procedure; it is based on actions, and actions ...read more

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis is set to make a four-day visit to Bahrain, a journey that will make him the first pope to visit the Arab kingdom just off the coast of Saudi Arabia in the Persian Gulf. The visit Nov. 3-6 has two main goals: to speak at the Bahrain Forum for ...read more

At the Colosseum in Rome on October 25, Pope Francis addressed an interreligious prayer meeting for peace. At a time when “the use of atomic weapons is threatened outright,” even in Europe, the Holy Father’s prayer for peace was “a heartfelt plea” and an appeal to the progress in “fraternal relations between religions.”   Prayer ...read more

In today’s catechesis, Pope Francis continues to teach on the theme of discernment. He invites us, following St. Augustine’s example, to read our own life histories, learn to recognize the presence of “toxic” elements in our lives, and then broaden our narrative and notice the “discreet ways in which God acts in our life.” Read ...read more

Pope Francis’ message for World Mission Day on Oct 23, 2022 was released in January 2022. In the message, the Holy Father mentions how World Mission Day offers us the opportunity to commemorate several important events in the Church’s life and mission. Pope Francis’ Message for World Mission Day 2022 “You shall be my witnesses” ...read more

In today’s catechesis, Pope Francis reflects on discernment and the desire of the paralytic at the pool of Bethesda to be healed. Read the full text below: Dear brothers and sisters, good morning! In these catecheses on discernment we are reviewing the elements of discernment. After prayer, one element, and self-knowledge, another element, that is, ...read more

A little over a week ago, I arrived back from my pilgrimage to Israel and Egypt. I was tanned from the Egyptian sun, sleep-deprived and jet-lagged, but happy to be home.  The first week of the pilgrimage, my fellow pilgrims and I visited many sites and places including Capernaum, the House of Peter, Magdala, Tabgha, ...read more