Pope Francis sees threat of church in Germany moving away from Rome

Pope Francis expressed his concern about concrete initiatives individual dioceses and the Catholic Church in Germany as a whole are taking, including the establishment of a synodal council, which, he said, threaten to steer it away from the universal church.

Embracing the silence in hospital ministry

When visitors think of hospitals, they think of all the noise, the machines and movement: patients going for tests and those coming back from tests. The visitors also think of the conversations in the hallways and in the patients’ rooms. In fact, I usually provide spiritual care to the sick and their family members through my conversation with them to explore how to serve them. Yet, in the midst of these activities, there are also moments of silence.

God's Word on Sunday: Our time on Earth builds toward eternity

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) Nov.19 (Proverbs 31:10-13, 16-18, 29, 26. 28-31; Psalm 128; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6; Matthew 25:14-30) 

The selection from Proverbs concerning the qualities of a perfect wife sounds more like a job description than a love letter. The qualities outlined became the benchmark against which wives were measured. She is a hyper-competent and multi-tasking manager of the household and seems to bear the entire burden without the slightest complaint. One wonders what a hypothetical description of the perfect husband would have contained.

Pope Francis returns Mater Ecclesiae Monastery to use by contemplative nuns

Pope Francis has invited a community of Benedictine nuns from Argentina to move into the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican Gardens, renewing the building's purpose as home to a cloistered community of women dedicated to supporting the pope's ministry with their prayer.

No war is worth the loss of even one life, Pope Francis tells peace forum

While nations have a right to defend themselves and a responsibility to protect their citizens, "no war is worth the loss of the life of even one human person, a sacred being created in the image and likeness of the Creator," said a papal message to the Paris Peace Forum.

God's Word on Sunday: Fear not, the Lord leaves no one behind

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) Nov. 12 (Wisdom 6:12-16; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Matthew 25:1-13)

Wisdom and knowledge are not identical. A person can have a tremendous amount of knowledge and yet be evil or amoral in their use of it. We see examples of this all around us as scientific knowledge is used to kill and destroy. Humanity is awash in information and facts but they are of little help in facing the challenges of life and the needs of the world.

Cardinal denies work on changing conclave

Cardinal Gianfranco Ghirlanda, a top advisor to Pope Francis on matters involving canon law, denied reports the Pope had asked him to draft revisions to the rules governing the preparations for electing a new pope.

Vatican confirms papal trip to Dubai for climate conference

Pope Francis will travel to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates Dec. 1-3 to participate in the U.N. Climate Change Conference, the Vatican press office confirmed.

God's Word on Sunday: The faithful carry the weight to glorify God

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time  (Year A) Nov. 5 (Malachi 1:14-2:2. 8-10; Psalm 131; 1Thessalonians 2: 7-9, 13; Matthew 23:1-12) 

Why would God be concerned with people giving glory to His name? Does God need any additional glory?

Into the deep: suicide and the truth of death

Touch anyone and you touch grief, the grief of losing someone beloved. There’s grief, and there’s the grief born of a tragic death such as from suicide. Socially, and even as a Church, we often don’t know how to respond.

Synod synthesis shows agreement, divergences, including on 'synodality'

A report summarizing discussions at the assembly of the Synod of Bishops said the church may need more welcoming pastoral approaches, especially to people who feel excluded, but also acknowledged fears of betraying traditional church teachings and practices.