Dear Brothers and Sisters, I am happy to be meeting with you. I like the way that Cardinal Ezzati presented you: Here they are… consecrated women, consecrated men, priests, permanent deacons and seminarians. It made me think of the day of our ordination or consecration, when after being presented, each of us said: “Here I ...read more

Dear Sisters and Brothers: Thank you for giving me this opportunity to visit you. For me it is important to share this time with you and draw closer to our many brothers and sisters presently deprived of their freedom. Thank you, Sister Nelly, for your kind words and especially for testifying that life always triumphs ...read more

Last week we saw how the Baptism of Jesus is one of three manifestation or “Theophany” moments: the Nativity, the Baptism and the Wedding at Cana. Today we are focusing on the centre of these three events: The baptism, which this year, in Canada, was celebrated last Monday, on January 8th. I’m sure that thousands of ...read more

We have heard so many stories about the Church in China, about persecution and about an underground church, yet for Bishop Ignatius Wang, the retired Auxiliary Bishop of San Francisco, it’s not so simple and it’s not so hopeless. Deacon Pedro speaks with him about his vocation, the challenges being a Chinese Bishop in the ...read more

S+L’s Matteo Ciofi interviews the Ambassador of Chile to the Holy See, Mr. Francisco Mariano Fernández Amunátegui, about Pope Francis’ upcoming visit. He talks about the expectations, preparations, and important events that will take place during Pope Francis’ stay in Chile. The Pope’s Apostolic Journey to Peru and Chile will begin on January 15, and end ...read more

I’m confused this year. Why is the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord celebrated tomorrow, Monday, January 8, instead of next Sunday? This was the tradition: It was always celebrated on January 13, on the octave of the Feast of the Epiphany (which is normally January 6 – but not always, in some places, ...read more

Pope Francis at Angelus – January 1, 2018 A “horizon of peace” for migrants and refugees During his midday Angelus prayer on New Year’s Day, Pope Francis urged that refugees, migrants and everyone be ensured a future of peace, saying it is everyone’s right. Pope Francis on New Year’s Day raised his voice on behalf ...read more

Pope Francis’ homily: The Mother of God is starting point for New Year: The year opens in the name of the Mother of God. Mother of God is the most important title of Our Lady. But we might ask why we say Mother of God, and not Mother of Jesus. In the past some wanted ...read more

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family. As we reflect on the year that has been and the year that will be, through the lens of the family, let me offer this wonderful reflection from Bl. Pope Paul VI from an address while in Nazareth in January 5, 1964 and taken from the ...read more

God is the God of life. God is the God of love. God is the God of creation. God is the God of breath. God is the God of image. God is the God of presence. God is the God of union. God is the God of being. God is the God of family. God ...read more