We’re approaching the First week of Advent and I am thinking about Zechariah. ...read more

What if Mary and Joseph met before their betrothal? How did King Herod and his son feel about the birth of a new king? "Journey to Bethlehem" answers these questions and more. ...read more

  Pope Benedict XVI: A Lifelong Commitment to Ecumenism by Sr. Donna Geernaert, SC   One day after his election to the papacy on April 19, 2005, Pope Benedict XVI addressed the College of Cardinals. He affirmed his commitment to the ecumenical agenda of his predecessor, Pope John Paul II, and identified his primary task ...read more

For the last two weeks (part 1 and part 2) I’ve been trying to imagine what our world would be like had Jesus never been born. It’s easy to say that The Church would not exist or that we would have no Pope. There would be no priests, deacons, religious sisters or brothers, nor there ...read more

Gratitude for a generous gift. That is my overwhelming response to the life, ministry, and towering intellect of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. Gratitude for this foremost public theologian of the 20th and early 21st centuries. Gratitude for his tireless efforts to communicate the faith of the Church in a world that is forgetting its theological ...read more

On January 5, Pope Francis presided over the funeral Mass of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI at St. Peter’s Square. Read below the full text of the homily he gave on this solemn occasion:   Homily of His Holiness Pope Francis St. Peter’s Square Thursday, 5 January 2023   “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” ...read more

In today’s catechesis on discernment, Pope Francis pays his respects to Benedict XVI and speaks on spiritual accompaniment and the Virgin Mary as a “great teacher of discernment.” Read the full text below: Dear brothers and sisters, good morning! Before beginning this catechesis, I would like us to join with those here beside us who ...read more

What is your reaction when you receive a gift from someone? Do you ever wish they had gotten you something else? Does it sometimes make you feel obligated to give them something in return?  How beautiful it is when a gift doesn’t make us feel disappointed or obligated but deeply grateful, wanting to give in ...read more

Last week I was imagining a world without Christmas. That would mean no Christmas music and no Christmas movies. But a world without Jesus would mean much more to our popular culture. One of my favourite Broadway musicals is Les Miz. I never read the novel, Les Miserables by Victor Hugo and wasn’t crazy about ...read more

Read the full text of Pope Francis' homily for the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, and the 55th World Day of Peace on January 1, 2022. ...read more