It looks like there will be a touch of Tolkien when Pope Benedict XVI visits Birmingham, England next month. No, we’re confident the Holy Father will not be quoting portions of Lord of the Rings in any homilies or addresses. However, the legendary author’s great nephew, Tim Tolkien, will be sculpting a life-size statue of ...read more

Today he is 165 years old.  If he were still alive, that is. Even before he died in 1937, people all over the world regarded him as a saint.  About two months from now, on October 17th, Brother André Bessette CSC will be the first Canadian-born male to be officially named a saint by the ...read more

Many of us are vaguely familiar with how things went for little St. Maria Goretti, but we often overlook the smaller points that make this story a particularly inspiring one. We know that she was a poor, pious farm girl. We know that only days before her 11th birthday, on July 6th 1902, Maria was ...read more

So far we’ve looked at sin and at the reasons why the Sacrament requires that we confess to a priest. I know some of you still struggle with that. Perhaps going through the ritual will help a bit. Remember that every Sacrament has a ritual – but the Sacrament is not just the ritual. In ...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

On Friday, May 14, two Salt + Light team members arrived in Nashville, Tennessee to attend Springfest 2010, a wonderful initiative from within the Archdiocese of Nashville. From the moment we landed to our point of departure, as well as throughout the day-long festival, people treated us like true brothers and sisters. We met people ...read more

So far we’ve had a brief look at Sacraments (Parts 1, 2, & 3) in general and more specifically at Baptism. Let’s continue with the Sacrament of Reconciliation. This is the Sacrament that we all called “Confession.” It is sometimes referred to as the Sacrament of “Penance,” as well. Remember that all Sacraments make Christ ...read more

These days it’s easy to be discouraged reading the news about never-ending scandals popping up here and there, or about the shortcomings of various role models, or the interviews of well-known people criticizing one another, and so on. I’m sure that we all can think of examples and that we all recognize an overwhelming flow ...read more

For many, the Venerable John Paul II is already a saint.  Officially though, there are a few more stages before we can proclaim him “Saint John Paul II.”  On this week’s Catholic News Service Vatican Report, Carol Glatz and John Thavis examine John Paul II’s road to sainthood. To download Flash Player please click here ...read more

Prime Minister Stephen Harper welcomed news from the Vatican this morning that Brother André Bessette, CSC, will be declared a saint on October 17th 2010. “Brother André’s life shows us the power of faith and the importance of concern for the sick and others in need.” read a statement from the Prime Minister’s office, “In ...read more