by Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The day Pope Francis announced he would be making Italian Archbishop Luigi De Magistris a cardinal, the archbishop was doing what he usually did in retirement on Sundays: He was administering the sacrament of confession in the cathedral of Cagliari, his hometown. The cardinal-designate, who ...read more

Point of View: Interpreting the Francis Effect is a S+L series that goes deeper into the important questions surrounding the person and pontificate of Pope Francis.  The series consists of a selection of the full interviews from S+L’s original documentary The Francis Effect. This week: Archbishop Charles Chaput, OFM Cap. If you have never heard of ...read more

I was, until I asked a friend of mine what she thought about lent and she said it was her favourite time in the liturgical calendar. I was taken aback when I saw how in love she was and how selfish I was being. Do you know what it takes to know and to experience ...read more

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God (Mt 5: 8) Dear Young Friends, We continue our spiritual pilgrimage toward Krakow, where in July 2016 the next international World Youth Day will be held. As our guide for the journey we have chosen the Beatitudes. Last year we reflected on the beatitude ...read more

Pope Francis presided over Mass in St Peter’s Basilica on Sunday, to offer thanks to God together with the College of Cardinals, one day after bestowing the Red Hat on twenty new prelates from around the world. This is a very important homily which speaks not only to the specific occasion with the Cardinals, but ...read more

So far, in part 1 and part 2  we’ve looked at sin and why we need the Sacrament of Reconciliation. There are two Sacraments that can be received every day: The Eucharist and Reconciliation. The Church doesn’t say we have to go to Confession all the time but the Catechism of the Catholic Church says ...read more

Here’s what’s been making headlines in the Church across Canada: More reaction to the Supreme Court ruling on assisted suicide. Archbishop Michael Miller sent this letter to Vancouver’s Catholics Cardinal Thomas Collins of Toronto and representatives of various groups focused on life issues also issued statements in the days after the ruling. Similarly, Bishop Donald ...read more

Below, please find the full English text of the Holy Father’s prepared remarks. Dear Brother Cardinals, The cardinalate is certainly an honour, but it is not honorific. This we already know from its name – “cardinal” – from the word “cardo”, a hinge. As such it is not a kind of accessory, a decoration, like ...read more

By Thomas Cardinal Collins, February 10, 2015 “For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my misery, and my bones waste away.” Psalm 31 In our days, as in the days of the psalmist, so many years ago, people can suffer grievously during their journey through ...read more

This week was bursting at the seams with things happening inside Vatican walls. Several key meetings were lined up back to back. The Council of Cardinals, known colloquially as “the C9”, met again this week to continue their work towards a reformed curia. This time they had a more immediate task: presenting the fruit of ...read more