Written by Katie VanLeeuwen Entering any new situation comes with a certain amount of anxiety for most people. Picture yourself as a young person walking into a crowded cafeteria. The first thing you do is look around to see if there is anyone you know, right? If there are no familiar faces then you pick ...read more

“If I did not simply live from one moment to another, it would be impossible for me to be patient. But I only look at the present, I forget the past, and I take good care not to forestall the future.” – St. Therese of Lisieux  Written by Celine Diaz In an ideal world, I ...read more

  There were significant resignations and several important nominations behind Vatican walls this week. The long expected retirement of Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi finally came to pass.  As well some high anticipated appointments were finally made and they speak volumes about the new Roman Curia. After ten years at the head of the Holy See ...read more

Several days before his Apostolic Journey to Poland on the occasion of the XXXI World Youth Day, Pope Francis has sent a video in Italian to young people of Poland that was broadcast this evening at 8:00 p.m. across the Polish nation. Below is the English translation of the Holy Father’s Message that was sent ...read more

  written by Risabella Roque World Youth Day… In Europe…?! WITH THE POPE?!?! I’M IN. Upon hearing the news two years ago that the next World Youth Day would be in Europe, my thoughts went immediately to my sister. For how many years had we dreamed of going on an epic tour of Europe! And ...read more

Written by Kiara Smyth and St. Dominic Savio World Youth Day Group Excited.  Nervous.  Hopeful.  Energized.  Overwhelmed. These are some of the words my group and I used to explain how we are feeling as we sit on our first airplane heading to World Youth Day in Krakow.  Two of us have been to WYD ...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 time we saw how WYD is an opportunity to “proclaim it from the rooftops.” Today, we have some models that we can follow when ...read more

Story and Photos by James Ramos I really couldn’t feel my legs anymore. My knees lean against the concrete bench that won’t move in front of my group, almost like a church pew kneeler. The crowd behind me presses against my back and 10 a.m., the supposed time of Pope Francis’ arrival to Philadelphia’s Cathedral ...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 looked at the importance of pilgrimage of Catechesis and Mary during World Youth Days. In 1993 WYD came to North America: Denver, ...read more

The following is the transcript of the video message that Pope Francis has sent on the occasion of the campaign for peace in Syria promoted by Caritas Internationalis on the theme: “Syria, peace is possible”: Dear Brothers and Sisters, Today I want to speak to you about something that saddens my heart a lot: the ...read more