In case you missed it this week, or haven’t had a chance to read the full text, here is Pope Francis’ Catechesis at this week’s General Audience, with English voice over. Once again Pope Francis asks if you know the date of your Baptism. Be prepared! The Holy Father also gives out homework as part ...read more

Asking what you do to strengthen your faith is a bit of a non-question. The answer is obvious: You pray, you go to the Sacraments, you read Scripture, you engage with a Parish community. But when your faith feels fragile, how do you strengthen it? Because most people who are struggling with faith and feeling ...read more

Well, there’s good news! We’ve made recent episodes of The Church Alive show available online so you can re-watch or catch-up on episodes that have already aired. Visit our website for the latest episode, peruse through the schedule to see what you can look forward to or play-back old episodes. In the meantime, watch our ...read more

An Austrian farmer and father of four, Franz Jäggerstätter was faced with the choice to serve in Hitler’s army or to face execution. A devout Catholic and loving husband and father, Franz struggled with his responsibilities to his family and to state authority, but in the end felt he could not betray God and his ...read more

By Mary Rose Bacani Valenti We were riding on the subway with a friend of ours a few years ago.  He started to tell the story of Chiara Luce, an Italian teenager who was then recently beatified.  When he mentioned her name, Richard and I immediately looked at each other.  I knew we were both ...read more

   Whenever people speak of Auschwitz, I wonder how it was possible for a person to ignore atrocities that happened only a few miles away. It’s said that some camps were within walking distance of ordinary homesteads. Upon reflection, I’ve realized that the answer lies in our nurtured ability to empathize with the downtrodden and ...read more

Every WYD has a theme and WYD 2013 was no different. Matthew 28:19 “go and make disciples of all nations” inspired everything that happened in Rio de Janeiro this past summer. But Pope Francis was part of many events and celebrations. Outside of the four main World Youth Day events, he was part of some ...read more

  Pope Francis has been invited to visit and speak at the European Parliament. Martin Schultz, president of the EU Parliament made the invitation when he met with Pope Francis at the Vatican on Friday. If he were to accept, Pope Francis would be the second pope to address the European Parliament. Pope John Paul ...read more

It’s true that in order to be declared a saint you have to be dead; you also have to have two confirmed miracles! But is that what sainthood is about? Do you really have to be dead in order to be a saint? Is there anyone you know whom you’d call a saint? Does being ...read more

Today is the feast of Blessed John XXIII, soon to be Saint John XXIII. In a break from tradition, his feast day is not the day of his death (the day he was born into eternal life) but the day that the Second Vatican Council was officially opened. For those who wish to mark this ...read more