We may be powerless to save Egyptian Christians from terrorist bombings, Syrian civilians from poison-gas attacks or to silence the guns in Africa’s many war zones, but Easter reminds us to never despair from walking as disciples of hope and peace.

ROME – Fifteen Franciscan friars continue to live and work in Syria; two of the friars minister in towns controlled by Islamic State forces.

Before South Sudan was a country, Luciano Moro was a refugee from South Sudan building a new life alone in Canada.

VATICAN CITY – On Ash Wednesday Pope Francis said that while Lent is certainly a time of mortification, it’s also a journey of hope that leads to the joy of Christ’s Resurrection – a journey that requires both daily sacrifice and love.

VATICAN CITY – Along the difficult path of rebuilding their lives, survivors of the earthquake that devastated central Italy must also rebuild their hearts with a strong foundation built on hope, Pope Francis said.

VATICAN CITY – Whether the new year will be good or not depends on us choosing to do good each day, Pope Francis said.

Mary, the Holy Mother of God, Jan. 1 (Year A) Numbers 6:22-27; Psalm 67; Galatians 4:4-7; Luke 2:16-21

What does Aaron’s blessing tell us about the nature of God?

The annual World Day of Peace message is an occasion that can’t help but highlight the idealism expected from popes.

VATICAN CITY – In a world that glorifies physical strength and appearances, grandparents must uphold the values that really matter and bring hope and wisdom to younger generations, Pope Francis said.

Pope Francis celebrated Mass in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta on Monday morning. In remarks to the faithful following the Readings of the Day, the Holy Father focused on the threefold theme of the dynamic unity in Christian life, the signs of which are living memory, the prophetic spirit, and the sure horizon of hope.

In recent decades Fort McMurray and the oil industry it symbolizes has divided Canadians. The Alberta oil hub was regarded as either a badge of national prosperity or symbol of ecological disgrace. The arguments were fierce.

Pope Francis said on Friday that a Christian does not anesthetize or numb pain but lives through it in the hope that God will give us a joy that nobody can take away. That was the key message of the Pope’s homily at his morning Mass celebrated in the Santa Marta residence.

Christian hope is a humble and strong virtue that supports us, so that we do not drown under the many difficulties we face in life. That was Pope Francis’ message at the morning Mass at the Casa Santa Marta. The Pope said that hope in the Lord never disappoints us; it’s a font of joy and peace in our hearts.

Read the stories of the people helped by ShareLife donors.

It wasn’t anger. It wasn’t fear. It was truth that made Archbishop Philip Pocock stand up and say no.

The morning of March 20, 1976 Toronto discovered the Catholic Church wasn’t buying the city’s new notion of progress.