Under a gray, rainy, roman sky the Bishops participating in the Synod on the Middle East made their way to the Synod Hall. Pope Benedict began the Synod by reminding participants that October 11th is the day the Second Vatican Council was inaugurated 48 years ago. At that time October 11th was the feast of ...read more

Just over a year ago I was handed a DVD by a friend and told, “you need to watch this.” It was a documentary film called “The Price of Sugar.” The protagonist in the film is Fr. Christopher Hartley, a half British, half Spanish priest who ended up serving as the pastor of a parish ...read more

Work and rest are intimately tied to the life of the family: they influence decisions, influence the relationship between spouses, and the relationship between parents and children. That’s what Pope Benedict told the Pontifical Council for the Family today. The Council launched the official website for the 7th International Meeting of Families with a press ...read more

After a moving prayer vigil in London’s Hyde Park Pope Benedict XVI boarded a helicopter to Birmingham this morning to celebrate the beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman. Blessed John Henry Newman is an important figure for both British Catholics and Anglicans. He began his adult life as an Anglican priest and during that time ...read more

As Pope Benedict XVI was meeting with students at St. Mary’s University College in Twickenham, London, the news was revealed that police in London had arrested five men suspected of posing a risk to the Pope’s security. Scotland Yard, the British police force, told reporters the five men were arrested at 5:40am London time. The ...read more

An estimated 80,000 people gathered in Bellahouston Park for Mass with Pope Benedict XVI today. In the lead up to Mass, the faithful were treated to a musical presentation . It was truly a festival of faith; the Sydney World Youth Day theme song was part of the repertoire, and Susan Boyle sang a moving ...read more

It’s a grey overcast day in London, nothing new there. Despite the fact that London is home to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II there is undeniably an air of anticipation in the city. Although the British media has been highlighting all the reasons the Holy Father should not be visiting the UK or why taxpayers ...read more

The anniversary of the September 11th attacks on the U.S. tends to bring discussion about “the other” to the forefront and as a result brings out either the best or worst of people. This year is no different. New Yorkers, and Americans in general, are caught up in a debate over whether a mosque should ...read more

In less than a month Pope Benedict XVI will be landing in Great Britain. Today the Vatican released the official schedule for the trip. It won’t be the first Papal Visit to the UK; Pope John Paul II visited the UK in 1982, but his visit was strictly pastoral. Pope Benedict’s visit will be pastoral, ...read more

In Washington D.C. our Salt + Light team came across a young man from Kansas who comes from a long line of Knights of Columbus in his family. He’s eagerly awaiting his 17th birthday so he too can join the Catholic fraternal organization. I spoke with him about why he wants to be a Knight: ...read more