February 5, 2016, Friday -- More on the Pope Francis-Patriarch Kirill Meeting in Havana, Cuba, on February 12 "Thus, in full awareness and at the beginning of his ministry in the Church of Rome that Peter bathed with his blood, the current successor assumes as his primary commitment that of working tirelessly towards the reconstruction of [...]
February 5, 2016, Friday -- Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill Will Meet in Cuba on February 12, 2016. IMPORTANT PRESS COMMUNIQUE FROM THE VATICAN Joint Press Release of the Holy See and of the Patriarchate of Moscow The Holy See and the Patriarchate of Moscow are pleased to announce that, by the grace of God, His [...]
January 21, 2016, Thursday -- The Stepinac Case "We are afraid that there are too many open questions and wounds which Cardinal Stepinac symbolizes. His canonization, to our great regret, would return the relations between Serbs and Croats, as well as between Catholics and Orthodox faithful, back to their tragic history... We ask you to remove [...]
January 21, 2016, Thursday -- "A regression without precedent" “To create new and lasting unity (in Europe), political, economic and juridical instruments are important, but it is also necessary to awaken an ethical and spiritual renewal which draws on the Christian roots of the Continent, otherwise a new Europe cannot be built."—Pope Benedict XVI, April 9, [...]
January 3, 2016, Sunday -- Pope's First Sunday Noon Angelus of the New Year "Then the Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its [...]
January 1, 2016, Friday -- Pope Begins 2016 with Visit to St. Mary Major "The Son of God, made incarnate for our salvation, has given us his Mother, who joins us on our pilgrimage through this life, so that we may never be left alone, especially at times of trouble and uncertainty."—Pope Francis, at a 5 [...]
December 25, 2015, Friday -- Pope's Christmas Message: Peace "Let us allow tears of repentance to fill our eyes and cleanse our hearts."—Pope Francis, today in Rome, as part of his Christmas Day message, delivered "Urbi et Orbi," that is, literally, "To the City (Rome) and to the world," from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica [...]
December 24, 2015, Thursday -- Tonight We Celebrate the Holy Exchange “The Son of God became man so that we might become God.” —St. Athanasius, De Incarnatione, 54, 3: PG 25, 192 "Recognize, O Christian, your dignity and, enabled to share in the divine nature, do not wish to relapse into your former base condition with [...]
December 18, 2015, Friday -- Mother Teresa of Calcutta to Be Canonized in 2016 Blessed Teresa of Calcutta will be proclaimed a saint in 2016, the Vatican announced today. The likely date of the canonization will be September 4, 2016, the day before Mother Teresa's feast day as a blessed. Yesterday afternoon, Pope Francis authorized the [...]
December 17, 2015, Tuesday -- Final Synod Report Now Available in English The Final Report of the Synod of Bishops on the Family, which ended on October 24, is now available from the Holy See at the link below. It has taken nearly two months for the translation to be completed. https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/synod/documents/rc_synod_doc_20151026_relazione-finale-xiv-assemblea_en.html What is the glory [...]