Pope Francis will venerate Mary at Mexico shrine next year
VATICAN CITY - On the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Pope Francis announced that he would travel to the Marian shrine in Mexico City and pray to Mary so that Christian communities "may become oases and rivers of mercy."
Mercy and indulgences, love and freedom
The daily pilgrimage of every prisoner takes on new meaning this year, thanks to Pope Francis and the Jubilee Year of Mercy that began on the feast of the Immaculate Conception, Dec. 8. From now until the end of November 2016, each time a prisoner walks across the threshold of his jail cell mercy and relief from the pain of sin awaits.
Pope reaffirms new annulment reforms as they come into effect
VATICAN CITY - As reformed rules for marriage annulment cases came into effect, Pope Francis said the new norms are to be adhered to in order to help bring healing to failed marriages.
Catholics shouldn’t try to convert Jews, says new Vatican document
VATICAN CITY - The Vatican has said that Catholics should witness to their faith but not undertake organized efforts to convert Jews, a significant step forward in the once tense relations between the two faiths.
‘One faith, one destiny, one journey together’
TORONTO - The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity will culminate next month with a final liturgy uniting Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant Christians at the Chaldean Cathedral of the Good Shepherd in the northwest corner of Toronto.
Faith, dark nights and maturity
In one of his books on contemplative prayer, Thomas Keating shares with us a line that he occasionally uses in spiritual direction. People come to him, sharing how they used to have a warm and solid sense of God in their lives but now complain that all that warmth and confidence have disappeared and they’re left struggling with belief and struggling to pray as they used to. They feel a deep sense of loss and invariably this is their question: “What’s wrong with me?” Keating’s answer: “God is wrong with you!”
The sacrifice of self is all that Christ seeks of us
Fourth Sunday of Advent (Year C) Dec. 20 (Micah 5:2-5a; Psalm 80; Hebrews 10:5-10; Luke 1:39-45)
In biblical times Bethlehem was probably not a very impressive “city” — it was more like a small town. There was nothing visible that would hint at future greatness. Its glory was that it was the birthplace of its most illustrious son — David, the king of Israel. The city of David, as it came to be known, had great things in store for it.
New Vatican document reflects on relations between Catholics, Jews
VATICAN CITY - Catholics are called to witness to their faith in Jesus before all people, including Jews, but the Catholic Church "neither conducts nor supports" any institutional missionary initiative directed toward Jews, says a new document from a Vatican commission.
Vatican continues steps to fight serious financial crime, agency says
VATICAN CITY - The Holy See and Vatican City State have continued to strengthen their institutional, legal and operational frameworks for combating money laundering and the financing of terrorism, an international monitoring organization said.
Pope Francis: The church needs this Holy Year of Mercy
VATICAN CITY - The Catholic Church needs the extraordinary Holy Year to become an effective witness of God's divine mercy, Pope Francis said.
Pope venerates statue of the Immaculate Conception in Rome square
VATICAN CITY - Concluding the feast of the Immaculate Conception and the opening of the Holy Door, Pope Francis prayed that through Mary, Christians may recognize the victory of divine mercy over sin.