The youth of the world wait with great anticipation for Pope Francis’ second World Youth Day to take place in Krakow, Poland in 2016. The official website for Krakow 2016 released a video promo for the pontiff’s visit to the home of newly canonized Saint John Paul II. In addition to a special invitation to ...read more

Prayer for Justice and Peace in the Holy Lands Lord our God, author of life and giver of peace, the tragic events unfolding in Iraq, Syria, Israel and Palestine pain us. We know that violence is not conquered by violence. We remember all those forced from their homes in Iraq. We entrust to your loving ...read more

Pope Francis’ 2014 pastoral visit to Korea in early August is met with much excitement and anticipation. While the focus of Pope Francis’ visit is to participate in the 6th Asian Youth Day, Korean Catholics welcomed Francis warmly to their country through the release of the official video for his pastoral visit. Korean Catholics recently ...read more

The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue has issued a statement deploring the upsurge in violence in Iraq, calling on religious leaders, those involved in interfaith dialogue and on all men and women of good will, to unequivocally condemn terror in the name of religion. The Council also calls on religious leaders “to exercise their influence ...read more

Pope Francis has sent a video message to the people of Korea, broadcast on Korean television over the weekend and ahead of his Apostolic journey to Korea. In the message, the Holy Father begins by inviting the Korean people to pray with him that his upcoming visit will bear fruit for the Church and for ...read more

Sebastian Gomes, Salt + Light  writer/producer/director of The Francis Effect, gives us a glimpse into filming the documentary: Before and during the 2013 conclave there was much talk about the possibility of an American pope. As unlikely as it may have seemed at the time, we can now say with a degree of certainty that the ...read more

Recently someone asked me why Pope Francis keeps mentioning the devil, as if the devil actually existed (see Fr. Rosica’s recent post, Why in the devil does Pope Francis speak so much about the prince of this world? )This person alleged that, just as ogres and leprechauns, devils do not exist. But the Catholic Church is ...read more

Statement of Fr. Federico Lombardi SJ regarding  the situation of Christians in Iraq August 7, 2014 The Holy Father is following with deep concern the dramatic news reports coming from northern Iraq, which involve defenseless populations. Christian communities are particularly affected: a people fleeing from their villages because of the violence that rages in these ...read more

Statement from Cardinal Thomas Collins, Archbishop of Toronto re: Iraqi Christians August 7, 2014 Far away from the comfort of our television screens, tablets and newspapers, a tragedy continues to unfold in Iraq. Islamist extremists, intent on eliminating any trace of Christianity, have cast out tens of thousands of Christians, a people with an almost ...read more

Homily of Msgr. Slawomir Oder Postulator of the Cause for Canonization of St. John Paul II St. John Paul II Relic Veneration 132nd Supreme Convention We can find it difficult to talk about God. He is so transcendent! Only because Jesus, His Son revealed to us His love, the Father’s love, can we talk about ...read more