Deacon Pedro looks at the parts of the ritual that make up a Sacrament and how we understand Jesus' role in instituting them. ...read more

I guess you can’t blame Catholics if they don’t know the meaning of a Sacrament. I was a Catholic for 38 years and had received 5 of the 7 Sacraments before I really came to understand what Sacraments are and why we need them. What is a Sacrament? I don’t remember learning this, but, as ...read more

A reflection for the 4th Sunday, Lent, Year B. The readings are 2 Chronicles 36:14-17a, 19-23; Psalm: 137, Ephesians 2:4-10 and John 3:14-21. Picture it: Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a religious leader; perhaps a member of the Jewish Council, the Sanhedrin. It’s the Feast of Passover and Jesus is in Jerusalem. All eyes are on Him. Nicodemus is ...read more

Francis Bishop of Rome Servant of the Servants of God to all who read this letter Grace, Mercy and Peace, 1. Jesus Christ is the face of the Father’s mercy. These words might well sum up the mystery of the Christian faith. Mercy has become living and visible in Jesus of Nazareth, reaching its culmination ...read more

On Friday, March 13, 2015, during the penance service in St. Peter’s Basilica, the Holy Father announced an extraordinary Jubilee dedicated to Divine Mercy. Below, please find Vatican Radio’s English translation of the Pope Francis’s homily, in which he made the announcement. This year as last, as we head into of the Fourth Sunday of Lent, ...read more

Last week, we began looking at sin and the difference between venial and mortal sin. Even though we`ve all been cleansed from Original Sin at Baptism, we are all still wounded by Original Sin. Because of this, we still suffer the effects of Original Sin, which is why we have a tendency to sin. This tendency ...read more