Below is the prayer written by Pope John Paul II to St. Augustine on the occasion of 1,650th anniversary of the saint’s birth. O great Augustine, our father and teacher, who knows the shining paths of God and also the crooked paths of men, we admire the marvels that divine Grace has worked in you, ...read more

In light of the 20th anniversary of World Youth Day Denver, which drew more than 750,000 people to the Mile High City, I’m sharing the following photos from Catholic News Service with you. Many priests, religious and lay people attribute their vocations to an experience they had at Denver. In fact, reflecting 20 years later ...read more

Children gather with parish priests for a photo on the steps of Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in the village of Fufengxian, in China’s Shaanxi province, in late July. The Catholic parish was marking its 17th anniversary in a region known for its apple groves. Photo & description: Catholic News Service ...read more

After the recitation of the Angelus, Pope Francis renewed his call for peace in Syria. “It is not confrontation that offers hope to resolve problems, but rather the ability to meet and dialogue.” The Holy Father called on the International Community to do everything in its power to help the “beloved Syrian nation” find a ...read more

Published in 1954 during a Marian Year, Ad Caeli Reginam is Pope Pius XII’s encyclical on the Queenship of Mary. In it he details the great Church history and tradition of addressing the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Queen. Why Queen? Among the many examples Pius quotes St. Alphonus Ligouri: “Because the virgin ...read more

Tonight on perspectives:  The pope receives a group of Japanese students, and Members of the European parliament  nominate Pope Francis for a Prize. ...read more

Many people remember the stunning views of the hillside town to which Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI retreated on February 28, 2013. Castel Gandolfo has been an official papal residence for five centuries. This summer is the second summer in the history of the town that the reigning pope has not spent the summer there. Cindy ...read more

Pope Francis watches as young people dramatize building a church, during the WYD Rio 2013 vigil on Copacabana Beach. The performance was inspired by God’s call to St. Francis “rebuild my church” and symbolized the constructive role of young people in today’s church. — (CNS Photo/ Paul Haring) ...read more

The memories I have of Rio de Janeiro –aside from the sight of 3 million people on Copacabana Beach -are the moments of the Way of the Cross. That beautiful beach was the stage for one of the most moving moments I had the opportunity to live. The WYD organization intended for each station to ...read more

Remarks of Most Rev. Richard Smith, Archbishop of Edmonton and President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops at the States Dinner of the 131st Supreme Convention of the Knights of Columbus in San Antonio, Texas, August 6, 2013 Your Eminences and Excellencies, Supreme Knight Carl Anderson, Dorian, Brother Knights, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am ...read more