Pope Francis has issued his first Apostolic Exhortation on Tuesday, Evangelii Gaudium, translated into English as The Joy of the Gospel. The 224-page document outlines the Pope’s vision for a missionary Church, whose “doors should always be open”. The Pope speaks on numerous themes, including evangelization, peace, homiletics, social justice, the family, respect for creation, ...read more

I quote our guide as we stand on the Mount of Beatitudes admiring the sunset on the Sea of Galilee: “the Sea of Galilee receives and gives, but the Dead See receives and never gives. The Sea of Galilee receives water from the river Jordan, and gives water to the Dead See in the South, ...read more

  This post was contributed by Rev. Dr. Karen Hamilton, Secretary General of the Canadian Council of Churches.    As I write this blog on the 2014 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in full awareness of it’s theme “Is Christ Divided?”, it is Thanksgiving Monday, a time when so many of us focus on ...read more

Yesterday, Saturday October 12, the original statue of Our Lady of Fatima arrived in Rome where it was part of various celebrations commemorating Marian Day for the Year of Faith, including a prayer service with a catechesis and a vigil with a video message to Marian Shrines all over the world. The statue has only ...read more

At the end of today’s event on Marian Day – Year of Faith, October 12, 2013, the Pope addressed Marian shrines around the world with a video message: Dear Brothers and Sisters, I greet all the pilgrims present in this Shrine of Divine Love, and all those who join us from the Marian shrines of ...read more

Pope Francis led a Marian prayer vigil on Saturday, Saturday October 12, 2013 in St. Peter’s Square. During the vigil, Pope Francis gave a special catechesis. Here is the text of the Holy Father’s message: Dear Brothers and Sisters, We are all gathered for this event of the Year of Faith devoted to Mary, Mother ...read more

Yesterday, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization, explained in a press conference that at the beginning of the Year of Faith it was decided that it would be fundamental to retrace the history of our faith, and for this reason Benedict XVI placed in the foreground the figure ...read more

Homily of Pope Francis for the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Castel Gandolfo, August 15, 2013 Dear Brothers and Sisters! At the end of its Constitution on the Church, the Second Vatican Council left us a very beautiful meditation on Mary Most Holy. Let me just recall the words referring ...read more

At the 131st Supreme Convention of the Knights of Columbus, Most. Rev. Gerard Cyprien Lacroix, Archbishop of Quebec and Primate of Canada, inaugurated the Marian Prayer Program in honour of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception of the Basilica Cathedral of Notre-­Dame de Quebec. Below are his remarks presenting the Prayer Program, August 7, 2013 Bonjour ...read more

How can St. Anthony’s story continue to inspire generations of believers? That was one of many questions I looked into, as I prepared for this latest Catholic Focus. So you know, St. Anthony to this day continues to be one of my favourite Saints in the Church. Besides helping me with lost items (like keys), ...read more