It seems that every year we have the same discussion around this time: what is the real meaning of Christmas? and let’s keep Christ in Christmas. There are even campaigns to boycott department stores that refuse to acknowledge the “reason for the season.” It’s so easy to jump onto that band wagon. To add to this, “Christmas” starts ...read more

In light of the Consistory this weekend, I was going to deacon-struct Cardinals, but seeing as Fr. Rosica wrote a wonderful Reflection on the Role of Cardinals in the Church on Tuesday, I figured I could do something a bit different. Yesterday, Pope Francis made 17 new Cardinals. Thirteen of them will be Cardinal-electors, eligible ...read more

Recently I had a conversation which brought up the following question: When we are voting at a political election, as Catholics, is there a guide or principles that we should follow? The person asking the question had been told that there is a list of ‘non-negotiable’ principles that Catholics should follow when voting. I may ...read more

On his return trip from Sweden last Tuesday, Pope Francis spoke with the journalists on the flight answering their questions about a range of topics including welcoming refugees, female priests, secularization and his meetings with Venezuela’s President. Commenting on the new direction of Sweden to close its borders to refugees, the Pope stressed the clear difference between the ...read more

Pope Francis concluded his 26-hour pastoral visit to Sweden on Tuesday morning by celebrating a Mass in the southern city of Malmo for the nation’s small Catholic community. Please see below an English translation of Pope Francis’ homily at the Mass in Malmo: Today, with the entire Church, we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints. ...read more

1. Preamble Caritas Internationalis, created in 1951, is the social and justice arm of the Catholic Church. It is at the same time a confederation of 165 national organisations present in 200 countries and territories and a central entity of the Holy See. Serve, accompany and defend the poor: its mission is to promote a ...read more

I thank God for this joint commemoration of the five-hundredth anniversary of the Reformation. We remember this anniversary with a renewed spirit and in the recognition that Christian unity is a priority, because we realize that much more unites us than separates us. The journey we have undertaken to attain that unity is itself a ...read more

The program in the Malmo Arena consists of several moments. Following the word of welcome, found individuals representing, India, Colombia, Burundi, and the Olympic Refugee Team will offer personal testimonies. These testimonies will be followed by by a “Call to Action” which consists of questions and answers led by Michel Roy, Secretary General of Caritas ...read more

On October 31, 2016, the Joint Ecumenical Prayer Service took place in the Lutheran Cathedral of Lund. Upon His arrival in the Cathedral, Pope Francis was welcomed by the Primate of the Church of Sweden, Archbishop Antje Jackelen, and the Catholic Bishop of Stockholm, S.E. Mons. Anders Arborelius, both of whom accompanied the Holy Father in ...read more

During the Joint Ecumenical Prayer Service in the Lutheran Cathedral of Lund, Sweden, Pope Francis and Bishop Munib Yunan, President of the Lutheran World Federation, signed the Joint Declaration. The text is found below: Lund, 31 October 2016 «Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself ...read more