Born Marie Guyart in Tours, France, on October 28, 1599, she was the first superior of the Ursulines of Quebec.  The road to her vocation was not straightforward. Marie’s father was by birth a bourgeois; her mother was connected with the illustrious house of Barbon de la Bourdaisière. Despite this, Marie gave evidence of great ...read more

By Elizabeth Krump In July 2008, the streets of Sydney, Australia were transformed with a swell of nearly one million young pilgrims. Despite an influx of youth, there was no vandalism, fear or fights as a result. This group of young people had gathered in solidarity to celebrate their Catholic faith at the invitation of ...read more

Above is the video of Pope Francis’ homily from Friday’s Penitential Service, with Vatican Radio translation. ...read more

Your Holiness, One year ago today, the Bishops of Canada along with all the faithful of our great land saw you appear for the first time on the balcony of Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome. The simplicity of your manner and your words, the humility with which you invited us to pray for you, and ...read more

Special Mass of Thanksgiving on the Occasion of the First Anniversary of the Election of Pope Francis from the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington. His Eminence, Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, is the principal celebrant and homilist of the Mass. Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, Apostolic Nuncio to the ...read more

With the upcoming Extraordinary Synod on the Pastoral Challenges to the Family there has been much talk by Cardinals, Bishops, and priests about the family. Pope Francis wrote a letter directly to families which was released Tuesday, February 25 by the Holy See about that Synod and the importance of the family. Below is the ...read more

“Merciful Father, by your help, may we be ever attentive to the voice of the Spirit”  (Opening Prayer). This prayer, the opening prayer of today’s Mass, reminds us of something fundamental: we are called to listen to the Holy Spirit who enlivens and guides the Church. By his creative and renewing power, the Spirit always sustains the ...read more

On Saturday, February 22nd, 2014, Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, Pope Francis presided his first ordinary public consistory, creating nineteen new cardinals. Sixteen of them are under the age of 80 and therefore eligible to vote in a conclave to choose the next successor of St Peter. These men reflect the universal nature ...read more

By Francis X. Rocca Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) — When the freshly named patriarch of Venice, Cardinal Angelo Roncalli, chose 37-year-old Father Loris Capovilla as his private secretary in 1953, a skeptical adviser told the cardinal that the priest looked too sickly to bear the strain of his new job. “Then he’ll die ...read more

By Raymond Syms Catholic News Service PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago (CNS) — Even as he prepares to receive a red biretta from the hands of Pope Francis, Cardinal-designate Kelvin Felix hopes he can continue his ministry as a “country parish priest.” But he admitted he may have a few new assignments from Pope ...read more