The following article comes from author and Vaticanista John L Allen Jr: Tensions surrounding Catholic identity are very much in the air these days, and when they erupt they’re always a prescription for heartburn. People who regard themselves as authentically Catholic rarely enjoy being be told they’re not, or that they’re only selectively so. Likewise, ...read more

  To go on pilgrimage is not simply to visit a place to admire its treasures of nature, art or history. To go on pilgrimage really means to step out of ourselves in order to encounter God where he has revealed himself, where his grace has shone with particular splendour and produced rich fruits of ...read more

The May 1st beatification of Pope John Paul II is quickly approaching. Catholic News Service’s Rome correspondent Carol Glatz and Rome Bureau Chief John Thavis have the details on the many preparations taking place. To download Flash Player please click here ...read more

A Vatican commission released a message on Thursday to the church in China, urging the faithful to stay strong in their faith and criticizing illicit ordinations. Catholic News Service’s Rome correspondent Carol Glatz has more.   To download Flash Player please click here   ...read more

Just a 30 minute train ride from Madrid, in the region of Castilla – La Mancha, lies Toledo. Today it’ a small town with medieval roots and a whole host of inhabitants who commute to work in Madrid every day on the high speed AVE train. In it’s bricks however, one glimpses the days when ...read more

Roll up your sleeves and get ready to work – there’s a big job ahead that will certainly involve some seat, toil, and heartache. But the end result? Well, the job itself as assigned by Pope John Paul II, is to build a Civilization of Love so I think that speaks for the end product ...read more

After the 40 Days for Life Campaign last spring 2010, a few us decided to keep us the presence at the abortion facility on almost a daily basis because abortions were still happening and we felt that we had to do something. Each week, a small group of us would get together to pray, counsel ...read more

The day October 22nd has a storied history. A parliamentary committee chose the design that would become the Canadian flag. The Supremes became the first all-female music group to have a number one selling album. Toastmasters was established. Some even speculate that Harry Houdini’s physical encounter with a student in Montreal on that day eventually ...read more

It’s time to strap on your work boots and head out to the woods for a bit of spiritual work. Conveniently you can make the trek sitting in the comfort of your home — just tune into this month’s edition of Lectio Divina. Trees and forests pop up in the Scripture passage the Archbishop meditates ...read more

There are so many different answers and variations about Natural Family Planning and what it means to us as Catholics. You may be wondering yourself. What is Natural about Family Planning? More than that, is the church opposed to artificial family planning because it’s planning or because it’s artificial? Or are there other reasons? Those ...read more