Greetings of Cardinal Raymundo Damasceno Assis, Archbishop of Aparecida, to Pope Francis upon his visit to the Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida, July 24, 2013 Holy Father, With great pleasure, I welcome Your Holiness this National Shrine of Our Lady of the Conception Aparecida. This Your pastoral visit to the shrine of the patron ...read more

Homily of Pope Francis at the Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida, July 24, 2013 My Brother Bishops and Priests, Dear Brothers and Sisters, What joy I feel as I come to the house of the Mother of every Brazilian, the Shrine of our Lady of Aparecida! The day after my election as Bishop of ...read more

Message of Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, President of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, at the close of the Opening Mass of the 28th World Youth Day on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, July 23, 2013 Dearest young people! The long-awaited day has arrived: the inauguration of the 28th World Youth Day. Welcome to Rio ...read more

Homily of Archbishop Orani Joao Tempesta at the Opening Mass of the 28th World Youth Day on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, July 23, 2013 Dear young people! Distinguished authorities, ecclesiastical, civil, and military! Beloved People of God! We are starting World Youth Day Rio 2013! You are all welcome! This wonderful city has ...read more

Blessed Chiara Luce Badano Chiara Luce Badano was born in Sassello, Italy. When she was 10 years old, she had an encouter with God that changed her life. From that point forward, she decided to radically live the Gospel, seeking to love all those around her. When she was 18, she was diagnosed with a ...read more

Pope Francis arrived in Rio de Janeiro for the 28th World Youth Day on Monday, July 22nd. He addressed government officials, dignitaries and the President of Brazil, Dilma Rousseff with these words: Madam President, Distinguished Authorities, Brethren and Friends! In his loving providence, God wished that the first international trip of my pontificate should take ...read more

Saint Rose of Lima Isabel Flores was born in Lima, Peru in 1576. Rosa was her nickname because of her beauty. She was the first saint of the Americas and is noted for her intense life of prayer and penance. Although she experienced many difficulties in her life, she maintained an extraordinary serenity, imitating the ...read more

Today the Salt + Light team attended mass at a local chapel, just off Copacabana beach. As Fr. James Phalan, CSC, Director of Family Rosary International, joyfully remarked at the beginning of this English-speaking mass, usually about seventy people attend, but today was well beyond capacity with standing room only! And it was good. It ...read more

As a Technical Producer for Salt and Light in his second WYD, my experience of Rio started months ago with the search for solutions to all the details of a live broadcast. Since our arrival my mind has been busy with possible outcomes to our work, it has been easy to fill my senses with ...read more

St Therese of Lisieux St Therese was born in France in 1873. When she was 15 she entered a Carmelite monastery, where she lived with humility and simplicity her total trust in God. In 1927, she was proclaimed Patroness of the Missions because of her deep desire to be a missionary, and for her extraordinary ...read more