You see, the Catholic Church has extraordinary soap: the gospel, the sacraments, prayer. The gospel read and lived; the sacraments celebrated in the right way; prayer well used, would be a marvellous soap, capable of making us all saints. We are not all saints, because we have not used this soap enough. Let us try ...read more

Christian pilgrims carry palm branches during the traditional Palm Sunday procession in 2012 on the Mount of Olives overlooking the Old City of Jerusalem. Following a directive from the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land, within two years all Eastern Catholics and the Latin diocese in the Holy Land will officially adopt the ...read more

Today we had the great pleasure to receive Cardinal John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan of Abuja, Nigeria. He is pictured here with producers Sebastian Gomes, Charles Le Bourgeois and CEO Father Thomas Rosica, CSB. Photo credit: Joshua Lanzarini ...read more

As I begin writing this,  I can say that my preparation for an early autumn 2013 profession of perpetual vows and ordination to the diaconate has officially begun, with the blessing of my religious Congregation, the Basilian Fathers. My Basilian journey, which began with my Associate year in 2007-2008, and the coming months of preparation ...read more

World youth Day Rio has released a series of videos called “Discipulus.” These videos are reflections on discipleship and the many ways of being disciples. In today’s video the reflection is focused on the word intimacy. ...read more

It is perhaps easier to think of ecclesial communion in the abstract, as a concept to which I give my assent but one which has little concrete impact on my life. For those recently entering the Catholic Church, particularly when the lack of papal primacy and the Magisterium are experienced as an ecclesial deficit motivating ...read more

CNS photo: Arturo Mari ...read more

In the spirit of the Superbowl celebrations today, we thought we’d share this fun photo from the Catholic News Service photo archives. Franciscan Sister Sean Marie Tobin is all smiles as she joins Green Bay Packers’ players on the turf at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis., January 12, 2008 for the coin toss. Sister ...read more

If you’ve visited Jerusalem, you never forget your first glimpse of the Western Wall. (Even if you haven’t, you can virtually travel there via Google street view.) The holy site is bustling with noise and activity, quite unlike the hushed reverence one might expect. Bowing fervently as they chant their prayers, pious Jews are dwarfed ...read more

If a television producer predicts that the viewership of his new series will eclipse “Survivor”, “Celebrity Apprentice”, and “The Voice”, some skepticism is warranted. The statement becomes even bolder when the subject of this series is religious. Yet when the producer’s name is Mark Burnett, grand expectations are warranted. Burnett and his wife Roma Downey ...read more