During his visit to Cuba last week Pope Benedict XVI met with Cuban President Raul Castro. During that visit the Holy Father made one request: that Good Friday be considered a public holiday in that country. A communique from Cuba’s state-run news service Granma published on Saturday, said Raul Castro had informed Pope Benedict his request ...read more

In his homily during the Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Benedict highlighted the great joy around Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem – “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is coming! Hosanna in the highest!” (MK 11:9-10)  The Holy ...read more

The celebration of Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem and marks the beginning of Holy Week. Please join Salt + Light as we bring you coverage of the Palm Sunday celebrations from Rome with the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI. Palm Sunday Mass St. Peter’s Square, Vatican Sunday, April 1 at 10:00 am ...read more

Join us in prayer for the intentions entrusted to us by Pope Benedict XVI. For April 2012, we join the Holy Father in praying for: Vocations. That many young people may hear the call of Christ and follow him in the priesthood and religious life. Christ, Hope for Africans. That the risen Christ may be ...read more

For many of us, it feels as if we were celebrating World Youth Day in Madrid just yesterday. Another World Youth Day is already upon us, although not on the same scale. Every two to three years, World Youth Day is celebrated with a week-long international gathering in a different host city. That particular city ...read more

On Good Friday, the Pope asks every parish in the world to take up a collection for the Church in the Holy Land. Which raises the question, what exactly does the Church in the Holy Land do with this? Among the most prominent Catholic institutions in the region is the Franciscan Custody of the Holy ...read more

As Catholics we all know we have an obligation to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, but does anyone stop to think what this means? Does it make sense nowadays give up meat? To shed some light on this and other questions about fasting and abstinence, Pedro invited a panel of producers from ...read more

Lent is a period when the Catholic Church reflects on the mystery of Christ. As He went in to the desert before suffering the pain of his death and the glory of his resurrection, we also stop to prepare our souls for the great joy of Easter. As Catholics we all know we have an ...read more

Each year on Good Friday, dioceses and parishes in Canada and around the world hold a Collection for the Holy Land. Cardinal Leonardi Sandro, Prefect of the Congregation for Oriental Churches, has issued a letter to promote this Collection. His letter includes a report (in English only) by the Custody for the Holy Land on ...read more

The fruits of a papal visit are often not noticeable until after the banners and altars have come down.  In Cuba it didn’t take long to see the gifts of the papal visit. Catholic News Service reported this week on the impact the Pope’s overnight stay in El Cobre. The preparations alone meant that infrastructure ...read more