It’s always interesting to see what’s “going viral.”  Oftentimes it’s a hit pop song or music video, or some other video giving a quick dose of ridiculous comic relief.  But sometimes the world of social media provides a sudden and real opportunity for all people of good will to unite behind a cause for justice ...read more

It was not too long ago that we heard about the Syrian civil war every night on the news.  As the original struggle of the Syrian people for greater liberty morphed into a violent tit-for-tat with Bashar al-Assad’s government, the eyes of the international community were fixed on the country, appalled daily by the skyrocketing ...read more

CNS Photo: Pope Francis meets with Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria, Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church, during a private audience in the pontiff’s library at the Vatican May 10, 2013 By Sebastian Gomes Last week I was at a parish in Vancouver giving a talk on Pope John XXIII in preparation for his canonization ...read more

I think the reason we love the Christmas season is because it evokes so many memories from our childhood, whether it’s playing board games, decorating the Christmas tree, singing carols, or just the excitement of a visit from Santa that sparks feelings of generosity and thankfulness in everyone.  But doesn’t it seem like there was ...read more

“Consult not your fears, but your hopes and dreams!” (Pope John XXIII, 1962)  On Sunday, November 10th, these words once again rang out at Assumption University in Windsor, Ontario as Sr. Mary Lou Wirtz, FCJM opened here talk on the theme “New Directions and New Relationships for Religious Life”.  Sr. Mary Lou is General Superior ...read more

  By Sebastian Gomes It seems that no event or program of the Vatican or the Pope can occur without the question of continuity being raised.  With Tuesday’s release of the Preparatory Document for next October’s Extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the Pastoral Challenges to the Family in the Context of Evangelization, already there has ...read more

Find all information on Go and Teach including broadcast times at saltandlighttv.org/goandteach It’s not often that outsiders are allowed into the engine room of the Vatican. Sure, each day thousands of people march along the prescribed tourist routes that take them around St. Peter’s Square and into the Basilica and museums. But how many get ...read more

As far as I can tell in our day and age, only church councils and papal transitions can attract the kind of global attention for the Catholic Church that is both honest and positive.  While working in Rome in February and March of 2013, I was struck by this reality and by how the intrigue ...read more

What are we to make of this latest encyclical written by the four hands of Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI?  Remember that encyclicals make up a very significant part of the magisterial teaching of the Church.  Not only are they written and promulgated by the pope, but they focus on and are particularly ...read more

Part 2 in a series of blogs about the experience of working at the Holy See during the papal transition. We arrived in Rome on Tuesday, February 19th just one week after Pope Benedict announced his resignation.  A few days later Fr. Rosica was sitting next to Fr. Federico Lombardi at the daily press briefings, ...read more