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

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

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

Join us in prayer for the intentions entrusted to us by Pope Francis. For February 2016, we join the Holy Father in praying for: Indigenous Peoples.   That indigenous peoples, whose identity and very existence are threatened, will be shown due respect. Latin America and the Caribbean.  That the Church in Latin America and the Caribbean, by means ...read more

During mass for the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, at 9.30 am in the Vatican Basilica, the Holy Father Pope Francis blesses the Pallia, (plural of pallium) taken from the Confession of the Apostle Peter for new the Metropolitan Archbishops appointed during the past year. The Pallium will then be imposed on each Metropolitan ...read more

At 4:05 pm in the Aposotolic Palace of Etchmiadzin, the Holy Father Pope Francis and the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All the Armenians, His Holiness Karekin II, signed a joint declaration. Below, find the full text of the common declaration: Common Declaration of His Holiness Francis and His Holiness Karekin II at Holy Etchmiadzin, ...read more

On Sunday, June 26, 2016, the third day of his Aposotlic Visit to Armenia, Pope Francis participated in the Divine Liturgy in the Armenian Apostolic Cathedral. Following the Homily by Catholicos, the Holy Father gave the following address: Greeting of His Holiness Pope Francis at the Conclusion of the Divine Liturgy Etchmiadzin, 26 June 2016 Your ...read more

On Saturday, June 25, 2016, following the conclusion of Mass, Pope Francis attended an Ecumenical Prayer Vigil for Peace in Yerevan. Below, find the full text of his address: Venerable and Dear Brother, Supreme Patriarch-Catholicos of All Armenians, Mr President, Dear Brothers and Sisters, God’s blessing and peace be with all of you! I have greatly ...read more

On Saturday, June 25, 2016, Pope Francis continued his first Aposotlic Visit to Armenia with the celebration Holy Mass in Gyumri. Below, find the full text of his homily: “They shall build up the ancient ruins… they shall repair the ruined cities” (Is 61:4). In this place, dear brothers and sisters, we can say that ...read more

Pope Francis participated in a prayer service at the Tzitzernakaberd Memorial to the Metz Yeghern, or ‘Great Evil’, in Armenia on Saturday morning, offering an intercessory prayer and extensive silent prayer for the dead. The ecumenical prayer service, held in memory of those fallen in the massacre of Armenians under the Ottoman Empire in 1915, ...read more