How fitting: We set off on our journey to Rio on the Feast of St. Bonaventure. While on a stop-over in Panama airport, during Evening Prayer in the airport chapel, Fr. Rosica reminded us that this saint’s name literally means “bona aventura” or good adventure. That’s what World Youth Day is: An adventure in faith. ...read more

Courtesy of ZENIT, a 360 interactive image is available of “Campus Fidei” (“Field of Faith”), the site of next weekend’s WYD Rio Prayer Vigil and Closing Mass. Check it out for yourself: Launch interactive image! ...read more

Blessed John Paul II Blessed Pope John Paul II founded World Youth Day in 1984. He is considered the Pope of the Youth because he invited young people to recognize their special mission in the Church. During his enduring pontificate, he helped to guide Christians in their understanding of the Second Vatican Council. Through his ...read more

On the morning of February 11th I awoke to the news that Pope Benedict XVI had resigned. I remember a close friend and I discussing a vital revelation: we would have a new Pope for Rio 2013! Amazing to think that the new Pope would hail from the “end of the earth” and that millions ...read more

  A man watches as pilgrims follow an image of Our Lady of Nazareth as it is carried during the annual festival in Belem, Brazil.  More than 1 million Catholics, many of them from communities along the Amazon River’s tributaries, converged on Our Lady of Nazareth Basilica to participate. To find out more about this ...read more

Today on Perspectives Pope Francis addresses life issues, a special delivery is made to Rio de Janeiro and a look at the Christ the Redeemer statue. ...read more

Blessed Isidore Bakanja Blessed Isidore Bakanja was born around 1887 in the Democratic Republic of Congo (then the Belgian Congo). He was baptized on 15 August 1909 at eighteen years of age through the ministry of Cistercian missionaries. Isidore was a very devout convert and catechist. He had a great love for the Blessed Virgin ...read more

Blessed Frederick Ozanam Blessed Antoine-Frédéric Ozanam was born in Milan, Italy on April 23, 1813. He grew up in a family atmosphere of deep charity, through the example of his parents. In love with existential and spiritual issues, he studied philosophy, where he found arguments supporting the social doctrine of the Catholic faith. He died ...read more

Archbishop Orani Joao Tempesta of Rio de Janeiro sprinkles holy water during a ceremony to mark the beginning of construction at the site where Pope Francis is expected to celebrate Mass during World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro. To find out more about this year’s World Youth Day in Rio de Janiero, Brazil visit ...read more

St. Andrew Kim and companions Fr. Andrew Kim was the first native priest in Korea, the son of converts. In fact, Andrew Kim’s father was martyred during the persecution of 1839 and was beatified in 1925. During the early 18th century Christianity was suppressed and heavily persecuted in Korea, and Catholics had to covertly practice ...read more