Homily of His Holiness Pope Francis Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Daejeon, Korea  World Cup Stadium 15 August 2014 Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, In union with the whole Church, we celebrate the Assumption of Our Lady, body and soul, into the glory of heaven. Mary’s Assumption shows us our own destiny as ...read more

Dear Brother Bishops, I greet all of you with deep affection and I thank Bishop Peter U-il Kang for his words of fraternal welcome on your behalf.  It is a blessing for me to be here and to witness at first hand the vibrant life of the Church in Korea.  As pastors, you are responsible ...read more

Madam President, Honorable Government and Civil Authorities, Distinguished Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Dear Friends, It is a great joy for me to come to Korea, the land of the morning calm, and to experience not only the natural beauty of this country, but above all the beauty of its people and its rich history ...read more

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

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

Prayer in Preparation for the Visit of Pope Francis to Korea and for the Beatification of Korean Martyrs Loving Heavenly Father,We thank you for the blessings you are bestowing upon the Catholic Church in Korea, a church begun without the help of missionaries.We thank you for the visit of Pope Francis, the apostle of peace, to Korea ...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

The focus of Pope Francis’ visit to Korea during the 6th Asian Youth Day, is to meet with the Asian youth, to celebrate the Beatification Mass for the 124 Korean martyrs and to celebrate a special Mass for Peace and Reconciliation.  During this historic visit, he will lead the Asian Catholic Community in celebrating the past, ...read more