Just over a week ago, Pope Benedict returned to the Vatican from his three-day trip to Cyprus. This might be news to some of you. The papal visit was the most under-reported of 2010. Cynics might theorize that the media yawned because there was no apparent clergy sex abuse angle. Just as likely, the relative ...read more

Bishop Don Bolen of Saskatoon was in Rome this week, introducing the priests of his diocese to his former home. In truth they were here for the International Meeting for Priests that wrapped up Thursday in St. Peter’s square. Alas, it’s a long flight from Saskatoon to Rome, so Bishop Bolen and his priests, along ...read more

Last time we looked at sin: mortal sin and venial sin and the reason why we continue sinning even after Baptism. We all have a tendency to sin called concupiscence and so that’s why we need Grace to help us bring those disordered appetites into proper order. And I don’t think most people have a ...read more

Fifteen thousand priests, 350 bishops and 80 cardinals joined Pope Benedict today in celebrating the closing Mass of the Year for Priests. It’s the largest concelebration ever held at the Vatican. The Holy Father did not shy away from addressing the clerical sexual abuse scandal in his homily.  He brought it up early explaining that ...read more

Pope Benedict led priests in a consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The consecration occurred at the end of the concluding Mass for the Year for Priests, while the Holy Father knelt before an icon of our Blessed Mother. See the consecration below: CONSECRATION TO THE IMMACULATE HEART OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY Immaculate ...read more

When I was growing up, the only thing that could possibly put a damper on a Sunday Beach day was fulfilling our Sunday obligation… on Saturday night. Like many Catholics in the summertime, our family took advantage of the Saturday night Mass option in order to maximize outdoor time together at the family cottage or ...read more

Only about 3% of the population of Cyprus is Catholic. But the small community received a big boost last weekend when Pope Benedict XVI became the first Pope to visit the Mediterranean island. This week in the Vatican Report, Catholic News Service’s Cindy Wooden and John Thavis highlight the Holy Father’s visit to Cyprus. To ...read more

“Take your shoes off and leave them here. Proceed through this door. Leave your clothes, all your clothes in one of these shelves. Go through the shower. Wash well. On the other side you will find clean socks and coveralls. I’ll meet you on the other side.” With those words Wally, our faithful cameraman and ...read more

How can we fail to be moved when we recall that the gift of our priestly ministry flows directly from this heart?  How can we forget that we priests were consecrated to serve, humbly yet authoritatively, the common priesthood of the faithful?  Ours is an mission which is indispensable for the Church and for the ...read more

Are you aware of the persecutions endured by our Eastern Catholic brothers and sisters, in the past and at present? In his May 28th National Catholic Reporter article, John Allen writes of the Greek Catholic Church’s sufferings in the past: Under the Soviets, the Greek Catholic Church in Ukraine was the largest illegal religious body ...read more