The Vatican released a statement Tuesday morning, regarding the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, saying the Holy See “wishes to reiterate its support and encouragement for the commendable work that members and volunteers carry out in various parts of the world, in fulfilment of the aims of the Order.” The statement came during a recent ...read more

This week Vatican Connections takes a look at Vatican diplomacy once again after Pope Francis delivered a traditional New Year’s address to ambassadors accredited to the Holy See. The Church gears up for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees. The Papal charities open their doors to the homeless as temperatures dropped in Rome and ...read more

This coming Sunday, the World Day of Migrants and Refugees will be celebrated at the Vatican. In recent days Pope Francis’ message, entitled “Migrants minors, vulnerable and voiceless,” was presented alongside all the other initiatives of the Italian Church. In 2015, 65.3 million people around the world were forced to migrate. Of those, 21.3 million were ...read more

Yesterday, as our Eastern Catholic brothers and Sisters celebrated Christmas, I was reminded of one of the most meaningful messages of Christmas: Emmanuel – God with us. Since I was a little child, I’ve known this. I always knew the meaning of the name Emmanuel, because that is my middle name: Pedro Emmanuel Guevara-Mann. At ...read more

2016 has come and gone and so it’s time for our year-end-review. What are the highlights of this past year? What stands out the most in your mind? What’s your favourite Pope Francis moment? Join Deacon Pedro and our year-in review panel, Sebastian Gomes and Emilie Callan as they look at the Church in the ...read more

Last Monday, the Holy See Press Office published the letter that Pope Francis wrote to the bishops for the Feast of the Holy Innocents, celebrated on December 28. Referring to the massacre of the Innocents, as it is told in the Gospel, the Pope dwelled on the sobbing of mothers bewailing the death of their children ...read more

Two years ago I was home, in Panama for my parents 50th Wedding Anniversary. They were married December 26, 1964. Of course, the priest had to make a comment about how St. Stephen was the first martyr and how Marriage is like martyrdom. We laughed but he had a point. Martyrs are not killed against ...read more

The Christmas story told through the eyes, words and imagination of children. – Special thanks to Anna Boyagoda, Coordinator of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd – Archdiocese of Toronto; St. Benedict Parish, Toronto, for permission to film at their Mary Help of Christians Children’s Atrium, Fr. Mario Villaraza SDB, Pastor of St Benedict and ...read more

Some years ago, in an episode of Perspectives about the truth about Santa Claus we had a wonderful discussion on Perspectives Weekly about teaching our kids that Christmas is about Christ. We’ve never had so many comments on one program! I remember that one of the comments came from Warren Dungen, who suggested that we ...read more

This Advent, Deacon Pedro teams up with Rabbi Aaron Flanzraich to see how Judaism can help us prepare for the coming of the Messiah. Last week, we looked at the significance of light. In this final week, Deacon Pedro and Rabbi Aaron wonder to where do words, signs, symbols and light point and explore the ...read more