The plane carrying the Holy Father left this morning at 9:15 am from Rome-Fiumicino Airport, and is expected to land at 15:00 local time (13:00 Brussels time) at the Tbilisi International Airport, after four hours of flight. Upon arrival Pope Francis was welcomed by the President of Georgia, Mr. Giorgi Margvelashvili and wife, as well ...read more

“Pax vobis – peace to you,” taken from chapter twenty of John’s Gospel, is the motto of Pope Francis’s apostolic visit (Sept. 30-Oct. 2) to Georgia and “You are all brothers” chapter 23 of Matthew’s Gospel is the motto for his visit in Azerbaijan. This trip represents the second phase of Francis’s trip to Caucasus, ...read more

Last week, writing about Mary in the Americas, made me think of how this idea of liberation (or freedom) has a particular meaning for those living in the Americas, probably dating as far back as when Christopher Columbus first arrived in 1492. It definitely took a particular meaning during the late 70s and 80s. That’s ...read more

The summer is coming to a close and the Vatican is getting back into its typical routine.   Pope Francis, unlike his predecessors, never takes much of a break during the summer, despite frequent prompts coming from his inner circles: those concerned his busy schedule will negatively affect his overall health…and theirs.  But, as Austen Ivereigh ...read more

On Sunday, September 4, 2016, Pope Francis officially declared Blessed Mother Teresa a Saint! Read the full text of his Canonization Mass Homily below: “Who can learn the counsel of God?” (Wis 9:13). This question from the Book of Wisdom that we have just heard in the first reading suggests that our life is a ...read more

Cardinal Angelo Amato, SDB, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, accompanied by the Postulator, Fr. Brian Kolodiejchuk, MC, approaches the Holy Father and asks him to procced with the Canonization of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. Most Holy Father, Holy Mother Church beseeches Your Holiness to enroll Blessed Teresa of Calcutta among the Saints, ...read more

Mother Teresa is being canonized on Sunday, Sept. 4! S+L is thrilled to bring you LIVE coverage of Mother Teresa’s canonization Mass from the Vatican on Sunday, September 4 at 4:30amET (repeat times are listed below).  But that’s not all!  We’re happy to bring you a series of great programs on the life and legacy of ...read more

Written by Ines Angeli Murzaku Ph.D. Since March 2013, when Pope Francis was elected at the See of St. Peter, he has captured the minds and hearts of the people worldwide: Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, believers, and non-believers alike. Compassion and forgiveness, mercy in action and prayer, love of God and love of neighbor, are some ...read more

Written by Ines Angeli Murzaku Ph.D. On August 23, 2007, TIME magazine published excerpts of the private journals and letters of Mother Teresa depicting her crisis of faith and her almost 50 years without sensing God’s presence. TIME’s author, David Van Biema, asked: What does her experience teach us about the value of doubt? The late ...read more

This blog post is part of a 6-part series on World Youth Day. Read them all: Deacon-structing WYD: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6 Last week we saw how important Saints are, not just to WYD, but also to living our Faith. In 2005 World Youth Day went back ...read more