As you know, in this time of Advent, the weeks leading up to Christmas, we prepare to welcome our Lord into our hearts.  It is a time of reflection, of penance, but also of subdued joy.  For some though, it can be a difficult time, particularly when December 25th arrives.  The joy of Christmas may ...read more

Pope Benedict XVI’s travel schedule for 2011 is quickly getting booked up after two Apostolic Journeys were announced within seven days. The Holy Father’s participation in World Youth Day Madrid, in August, had been expected for sometime.  In fact back in July he became the first pilgrim to register. It was also announced some weeks ...read more

At 9pm ET / 6pm PT this evening, S+L will premiere the full-length version of Within Your Gates: A Pilgrim Guide to the Holy Land. The film originally aired in May to coincide with the first anniversary of Pope Benedict’s trip to Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Territories. Tonight’s broadcast includes scenes from the city ...read more

If you travel here, you will feel it all, the brightest and the darkest. The lyrics of “Traveler’s Song” by Future of Forestry were not written with the Holy Land in mind, but few places in the world are saturated with such extremes of joy and pain. Jerusalem, in particular, is a sacred, resplendent city ...read more

A gathering of the College of Cardinals and a new interview book with Pope Benedict highlight this week in Rome. Catholic News Service’s Carol Glatz and John Thavis have more. To download Flash Player please click here ...read more

Should the Church be poor? Does your church have a crying room for babies and young families? A parish hall? Are your kids going to World Youth Day? Do you have regular coffee socials? If you answered yes to most of these questions, chances are you do not belong to a parish in Whitehorse or ...read more

The tone of S+L’s latest documentary is set by a lone organ. Playing the instrument is Joe Zambon, a folk singer-songwriter originally from the rural town of Iroquois, Ontario, but now residing in Toronto. A guitar joins the organ moments later, and then the hushed lyrics, “In the darkest night of my soul, God Himself ...read more

On Saturday November 27th the Vatican is uniting with Churches and religious communities around the world to pray for lives that are about to begin. Pope Benedict XVI will preside over the first Vespers of Advent at St. Peter’s Basilica. He will then hold a prayer vigil for nascent life. Salt + Light will bring ...read more

Though “Light of the World” was officially released on Tuesday, many Catholics are still waiting to get their hands on this new book-length interview with Pope Benedict. I informally surveyed Catholic bookstores in the Greater Toronto Area and found that only one retailer has received its first (sold out) shipment. Other retailers expect theirs to ...read more

One friar, one cook, one Queen Street West storefront, a dozen or so daily volunteers and 1, 000, 000 meals served: this is the math behind St. Francis’ Table in Toronto. It’s really as simple as that. The rest flows as naturally as stories from the heart of a Newfoundlander. And for our purposes, the ...read more