Every step of our pilgrimage in the Holy Land has left us in awe not only because of the historical and spiritual dimensions of the holy places we visit and which commemorate the life of Jesus but also because of the beauty of the landscape that surrounds us. On March 1, 2016, after having navigated the ...read more

On Saturday, February 27, 2016, we drove to Nazareth from our residence on the Mount of Beatitudes to visit the site of Mary’s home and where Jesus lived as a child. But first we stopped off at Nazareth Village, a complete replica of what the small Nazarene village would have been looked like over two thousand years ago. We ...read more

Inmates hold a “pabasa” inside a jail in the Makati financial district in Manila, Philippines. The pabasa is a rendition of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus through songs and chants and is widely practiced during Lent in the largely Catholic nation. (CNS photo/Romeo Ranoco, Reuters) ...read more

Cana is a Galilean town five miles northeast of Nazareth. Its population of around 8,500 includes both Muslims and Christians. “The wedding at Cana” is a bible reading to tell us about the first miracle of Jesus, the water into wine. There are many symbolic meanings in this reading. Let us focus on some of them ...read more

The Sea of Galilee is located in the east side of the Galilee, in the north of Israel. There are many stories related to Jesus along the Sea of Galilee. For instance, he called his first disciples by the sea, preaching the parable of the sower, the walking on the water, the calming of a ...read more

A woman prays during Ash Wednesday Mass at St. Andrew’s Church in the Manhattan borough of New York. (CNS photo/Carlo Allegri, Reuters) (March 6, 2014) ...read more

I love it when we hear something we’ve heard many time as if it was the first time. Last year, I heard something that I had never heard before: “If anyone sees his brother sinning, if the sin is not deadly, he should pray to God and he will give him life. This is only ...read more

Presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders discusses whether or not fundamental change in the American political system is really possible. How are you going to spend the next five minutes of your time?  You could browse social media or check your email, but how about meeting a fascinating person and learning something relevant that will broaden your ...read more

A nun makes a cross on a woman’s forehead with ashes during Ash Wednesday Mass at the cathedral in Bamako, Mali. (CNS photo/Joe Penney, Reuters) ...read more

Today, fifteen members of the S+L team depart for the Holy Land for a ten-day Lenten pilgrimage where we’ll visit the major Christian holy sites and film a number of programs. We’ll be joined by a larger group of pilgrims from across Canada and the US who are participating through our Blessed Journeys program. Few ...read more