Homily of Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM, Cap. Preacher of the Papal Household, at Good Friday Serivice for the Passion of the Lord in St. Peter’s Basilica. We have just heard the account of Jesus’ trial before Pilate. There is one point in particular in that account on which we need to pause.  Then Pilate took ...read more

Read below the English translation of the Holy Father’s homily during the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on April 2, 2015, at the Roman prison in Rebibbia, courtesy of the Zenit International News Service: This Thursday, Jesus is at table with the disciples, celebrating the feast of Passover. The passage of the Gospel that we have ...read more

At 9:30 this morning in St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis as Bishop of Rome presided at the Mass of Chrism, a celebration that takes places in all the Cathedrals of the world this week. Cardinals, Bishops and priests (religious and diocesan) present in Rome concelebrated the mass with him.  During the Eucharistic celebration, the priests ...read more

It was 19 March 2013. Pope Francis had been elected just a few days before. He preached on Saint Joseph, the “protector” of Mary and Jesus[1], as a model of discretion, humility, silence, abiding presence and complete fidelity. The present Way of the Cross will make constant reference to the gift of our being “protected” ...read more

Join us in prayer for the intentions entrusted to us by Pope Francis. For April 2015, we join the Holy Father in praying for: Creation: That people may learn to respect creation and care for it as a gift of God.  Persecuted Christians: That persecuted Christians may feel the consoling presence of the Risen Lord and the solidarity ...read more

Pope Francis delivered the homily at Mass in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday – Palm Sunday – the beginning of Holy Week 2015. Please find, below, the official English translation of the Holy Father’s prepared text. At the heart of this celebration, which seems so festive, are the words we heard in the hymn of the ...read more

This week we focus on the details of the upcoming Holy Week liturgies. Catholic News Service has details on how Pope Francis and the Diocese of Rome are helping Christians in two areas where Christians have been hit hard with persecution: Iraq and Nigeria. VATICAN CITY (CNS) — As Holy Week and Easter approached, Pope ...read more

Perhaps we should be used to the “element of surprise” in the pontificate of Pope Francis.  He was at it again last Friday, March 13 on the second anniversary of his election, when he unexpectedly announced a “Jubilee Year of Mercy” to take place in the Church and around the world from December 2015 to ...read more

Two Years with Pope Francis March 13 marks the second anniversary of the day the College of Cardinals surprised the world by electing, as pope, a Jesuit from Argentina. Two years on, what effect has this Argentine pope had on the wider church? The 78-year-old pontiff came to his new job with an acute awareness ...read more

On Friday, March 13, 2015, during the penance service in St. Peter’s Basilica, the Holy Father announced an extraordinary Jubilee dedicated to Divine Mercy. Below, please find Vatican Radio’s English translation of the Pope Francis’s homily, in which he made the announcement. This year as last, as we head into of the Fourth Sunday of Lent, ...read more