It is not unheard of for non-Catholics to visit Catholic churches and shrines. It is less common to have non-Catholics visit those sites, pray alongside the faithful and claim to have received graces through the experience. Sri Lanka’s Madhu Shrine is such a site, and it had a profound effect on Pope Francis. The shrine ...read more

Have you ever sat in mass and prayed really hard – “please God, please. Let this be over soon!” Somewhere between the grumpy greeter, the off-key cantor, the lackluster homily and your own unenthusiastic recitation of the Creed, you realize that there’s something terribly wrong with this picture. I don’t want to be here! Is ...read more

Pope Francis delivered his Christmas present to the Church a little late, but still well within the liturgical Christmas season. On January 4, while leading the Angelus, Pope Francis announced the names of the 15 men under 80 he wants to elevate to the rank of cardinal. Among them are Latin Americans, Africans, Asians, and ...read more

This week the Council of Cardinals met again in Rome, a consistory was announced, a papal interview was published, and Pope Francis delivered a powerful homily for the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe . The Guadalupe homily, delivered in Spanish during a mass Pope Francis celebrated at St. Peter’s, packs a powerful punch and ...read more

Pope John Paul II was in many respects a pope of firsts: the first pope to visit the White House, the first pope to visit Cuba, and the most widely traveled Pope in history. As one of the longest reigning popes in the history of the Church, his influence will be felt for generations. Join ...read more

This weekend we’ll celebrate the conclusion of the 2014 Synod on the Family and the beatification of the Pope Paul VI. The Church that we know today is deeply shaped by the Second Vatican Council and is in many ways a reflection of Paul VI’s pontificate. Watch this short video tribute to the ‘Pilgrim Pope’ ...read more

Tonight on Inside the Synod – Cardinal Christoph Schönborn of Vienna and Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila share their experiences and provide context as bishops prepare the final summary document for the Synod on the Family. ...read more

Tonight on Inside the Synod the work of the small language groups is underway as bishops discuss the midterm report and work towards next week’s summary document. Sebastian Gomes brings us the latest from today’s press briefing and Catholic journalists weigh in on their responsibility when it comes to disseminating the message of the synod. ...read more

On Tuesday October 7, during the Synod on the Family, Pope Francis called Cardinals to a special consistory that will address the crisis facing Christians in the Middle East. All the patriarchs of the Middle East and the heads of the Eastern Churches have been invited to attend the consistory, which will take place at ...read more

Pope Paul VI greets the crowd as he visits the Verano cemetery in Rome in 1973. Pope Francis will beatify Pope Paul Oct. 19 during the closing Mass of the extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the Family. (CNS photo/Giancarlo Giuliani, Catholic Press Photo) To learn more about the Church’s role in the modern world, watch ...read more