Why does the Catholic Church have a vested interest in chaplaincy at airports? Simply put, providing pastoral care for people on the move is a special concern for the Catholic Church. It is summarized in the two greatest commandments, that being “love of God” and “love of neighbour”. More than that, airport ministry is a ...read more

Earlier today in Rome, Pope Benedict XVI baptized 20 babies inside the Sistine Chapel. There was an underlying tone in Benedict’s address this year. He urged couples and godparents to lead their lives as an example of true Christian virtue even though it may seem unfashionable. If you missed this morning’s festivities from Rome, join ...read more

Every year on the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Pope Benedict takes part in a special tradition: he celebrates Mass in the Sistine Chapel with Vatican workers who have had babies in the last year. He also baptizes the new ones. This tradition originally began with Pope John Paul II in the first ...read more

Published below is a translation of the address that Pope Benedict gave yesterday inside the Paul VI Audience Hall. This week, he reflected on the final days of the Church’s celebration of Christmas. Dear Brothers and Sisters, In this Christmas season we focus once again on the great mystery of God who came down from ...read more

For the last two days I’ve been trying to imagine what our world would be like had Jesus never been born. It’s easy to say that The Church would not exist or that we would have no Pope. There would be no priests, deacons, religious sisters or brothers, nor there would be church buildings. But ...read more

Yesterday I was imagining a world without Christmas. That would mean no Christmas music and no Christmas movies.  But a world without Jesus would mean much more to our popular culture. I also just came from watching the screen adaptation of Les Miserables (isn’t Anne Hathaway fabulous as Fantine?). I couldn’t help but thinking that ...read more

While I dislike having to listen to Christmas music as early as November 25th, I do like that once a year radio stations all over don’t seem to have a problem playing music that mentions the name of Jesus or that glorifies God. This year, listening to Christmas music early in December I found myself ...read more

This post was submitted by Rev. Dr. Karen Hamilton, General Secretary of the Canadian Council of Churches.  A question that I often ask preachers and pastors is whether anyone in their congregations ever complains if the worship service goes longer than an hour and a half. At least, I ask Roman Catholic and Protestant preachers ...read more

By Mark Matthews, Salt + Light Radio’s Hollywood Undercover Missionary You’ve heard from me often about what’s good in Hollywood. Today I thought I’d write about what’s bad in Boston! “The Celtics? The St. Paddy’s day parade? C’mon, why you hatin on the Bostonians?” I recently visited Boston and while there I made a pilgrimage ...read more

From December 17-23, I’d like to share with you these antiphons, that you will pray with them and they will help you continue to prepare for the Advent of our Lord. May they become part of your Advent tradition as they are becoming part of mine. For December 23, the antiphon is based on Isaiah ...read more