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

On this worldwide day of fasting and prayer for peace in Syria, Salt and Light is pleased to broadcast the Vigil of Prayer with Pope Francis LIVE from St. Peter’s Square beginning at 1pm ET / 10am PT. You can tune in either by watching our television network or viewing our live stream at saltandlighttv.org/live. For ...read more

Today, people around the world are responding to the call of Pope Francis and uniting in the cause for peace through fasting and prayer. We do so with the hope that these offerings may place us in solidarity with those who suffer the tragedies of violence and aggression, especially in Syria. We do so in ...read more

In light of the 20th anniversary of World Youth Day Denver, which drew more than 750,000 people to the Mile High City, I’m sharing the following photos from Catholic News Service with you. Many priests, religious and lay people attribute their vocations to an experience they had at Denver. In fact, reflecting 20 years later ...read more

Those were the three thoughts Pope Francis left with us during the Closing Mass on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro. This was the climax of the week, when we gather for the source and summit of our Faith. And after a week of surprises and simple, yet powerful messages, these three thoughts summarised it ...read more

The final days of World Youth Day Rio were an exercise is letting God surprise us all. Days of rain made the field at Guaratiba unusable and the final events were moved to Copacabana Beach. Cariocas (residents of Rio) are used to having parties on the beach. They have two giant parties there every year: ...read more

The Papal Welcoming Ceremony kicks off what some call the World Youth Day Triduum. The event is celebrated on the Thursday evening before the Way of the Cross (Friday evening), Vigil (Saturday evening) and Closing Mass (Sunday morning). The Papal Welcome is a highlight for many pilgrims; there’s always lots of excitement and given that ...read more

As far as I can tell in our day and age, only church councils and papal transitions can attract the kind of global attention for the Catholic Church that is both honest and positive.  While working in Rome in February and March of 2013, I was struck by this reality and by how the intrigue ...read more