Pope Francis has issued his first Apostolic Exhortation on Tuesday, Evangelii Gaudium, translated into English as The Joy of the Gospel. The 224-page document outlines the Pope’s vision for a missionary Church, whose “doors should always be open”. The Pope speaks on numerous themes, including evangelization, peace, homiletics, social justice, the family, respect for creation, ...read more

The Letter to the Hebrews reminds us that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and for ever (13:8). This is why the mission of God, this mission for all humanity, a mission we should all be taking seriously, calls us today to discern how best to fulfill it to our people in our day. ...read more

I quote our guide as we stand on the Mount of Beatitudes admiring the sunset on the Sea of Galilee: “the Sea of Galilee receives and gives, but the Dead See receives and never gives. The Sea of Galilee receives water from the river Jordan, and gives water to the Dead See in the South, ...read more

Over 100 thousand people gathered with Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square for Mass today, Sunday, October 27th, 2013, to mark the 30th Sunday of Ordinary Time and the World Family Day at the close of the 21st Plenary Assembly of the Pontifical Council for the Family, which met in Rome this past week to ...read more

Today, Saturday, October 26, Pope Francis gathered with families for the The Pilgrimage to St. Peter’s Tomb for the Year of Faith, an event planned by the Pontifical Council for the Family. Here is the Holy Father’s address: Dear Families! Good evening and welcome to Rome! You have come as pilgrims from many parts of ...read more

  This post was contributed by Rev. Dr. Karen Hamilton, Secretary General of the Canadian Council of Churches.    As I write this blog on the 2014 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in full awareness of it’s theme “Is Christ Divided?”, it is Thanksgiving Monday, a time when so many of us focus on ...read more

Yesterday, Saturday October 12, the original statue of Our Lady of Fatima arrived in Rome where it was part of various celebrations commemorating Marian Day for the Year of Faith, including a prayer service with a catechesis and a vigil with a video message to Marian Shrines all over the world. The statue has only ...read more

At the end of today’s event on Marian Day – Year of Faith, October 12, 2013, the Pope addressed Marian shrines around the world with a video message: Dear Brothers and Sisters, I greet all the pilgrims present in this Shrine of Divine Love, and all those who join us from the Marian shrines of ...read more

Pope Francis led a Marian prayer vigil on Saturday, Saturday October 12, 2013 in St. Peter’s Square. During the vigil, Pope Francis gave a special catechesis. Here is the text of the Holy Father’s message: Dear Brothers and Sisters, We are all gathered for this event of the Year of Faith devoted to Mary, Mother ...read more

Yesterday, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization, explained in a press conference that at the beginning of the Year of Faith it was decided that it would be fundamental to retrace the history of our faith, and for this reason Benedict XVI placed in the foreground the figure ...read more