Address of Pope Paul VI During the last general meeting of the Second Vatican Council 7 December 1965  Today we are concluding the Second Vatican Council. We bring it to a close at the fullness of its efficiency: the presence of so many of you here clearly demonstrates it; the well-ordered pattern of this assembly ...read more

Last week, I explained how asking a simple question like how we should care for the environment led us to ask many more other questions, from looking through the creation narrative in the Book of Genesis, to discovering that our desire to learn about created things begins with a sense of wonder. Sr. Damien Marie ...read more

A former Superior General of the Congregation of Holy Cross links prayer with healthy families and discusses the significance of the Rosary. How are you going to spend the next five minutes of your time?  You could browse social media or check your email, but how about meeting a fascinating person and learning something relevant ...read more

Join us in prayer for the intentions entrusted to us by Pope Francis. For December 2015, we join the Holy Father in praying for: Experiencing God’s Mercy – That all may experience the mercy of God, who never tires of forgiving. Families –That families, especially those who suffer, may find in the birth of Jesus a sign of certain ...read more

As I begin writing this, one week has passed since the series of terrorist attacks in Paris on November 13. I currently live about 6 km from the scene of the worst of the bloodshed of November 13: the Bataclan concert hall where 89 of the 129 deaths occurred. At about 10:15 that evening, I ...read more

Peter Schineller, S.J., a theologian and former missionary, talks about what we can learn about Jesus from looking at his friends. This video is part of a new series of reflections on Scripture from America and the American Bible Society. ...read more

Father Paul Farren, author of the Freedom of Forgiveness: A Fresh Look at the Sacrament of Reconciliation, talks about the beautiful image of God we encounter in the story of the Prodigal Son. This video is part of a new series of reflections on Scripture from America and the American Bible Society. ...read more

Last week we learned that the Church loves the poor. We have what we call a “preferential option for the poor.” The Church has been very good at caring for the poor and the needy worldwide. So why did Cardinal Hummes of Brazil tell Cardinal Bergoglio, now Pope Francis, to “remember the poor”? Perhaps because ...read more

Nathan Schneider, a columnist for America and member of Occupy Catholics, talks about what he learned about the Bible from reporting on Occupy Wall Street. This video is part of a new series of reflections on Scripture from America and the American Bible Society. ...read more

Bill McGarvey, culture columnist for America and author of “The Freshman Survival Guide,” talks about young people who identify as “spiritual but not religious,” why they resist traditional forms of Christianity and where they may find God. This video is part of a new series of reflections on Scripture from America and the American Bible ...read more