I was 9 years old when I checked out a storybook from my Catholic school’s library about the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima to three shepherd children in Portugal in 1917. The story mesmerized me. I felt a bit of holy jealousy, since Lucia, one of the seers, was my age at the time … Read More
WSJ notes Holy Land’s surprising surge of pilgrimages
(WSJ, By Nicolas Parasie) For the 74-year-old pastor from Hawaii, his trip to Israel was the culmination of a lifelong dream. But the route’s end—at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City of Jerusalem—was so packed with other pilgrims that he and his flock turned back. “On the way of the cross, Jesus … Read More
Watch as Polish President brushes aside protocol and saves Eucharist from profanation
(ChurchMilitant.com) – Nearly three weeks ago on May 24, Andrzej Duda was elected President of Poland. Two days later he would make a pilgramage to Jasna Góra Monastery in Czestochowa to pray and entrust his presidency to the icon of the Black Madonna — Our Lady of Czestochowa. Two weeks later, on the Feast of … Read More
Former Notre Dame President Fr. Theodore Hesburgh dead at 97
(Fox) The Rev. Theodore Hesburgh, who transformed the University of Notre Dame into a school known almost as much for academics as football and who championed human rights around the globe, has died. He was 97. University spokesman Paul Browne told The Associated Press that Hesburgh died on the South Bend, Indiana, campus around 11:30 … Read More
Pope offers Mass for murdered Coptic Christians, hails them as ‘martyrs’
(CNA/EWTN News, by Elise Harris).- Pope Francis offered his Tuesday morning Mass for the repose of the souls of the 21 Egyptian Christians killed by ISIS militants, praying that man learn to reject his evil temptations, and choose what is good. The Pope Feb. 17 prayed for “our brother Copts, whose throats were slit for … Read More
Pope Francis makes unscheduled visit to Manila street children
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis made an unscheduled stop at a center for street children in Manila Friday shortly after celebrating mass in the Filipino capital. Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi confirmed that the Pope visited a home for street children run by the ANAK-Tnk charitable foundation. Fr. Lombardi said the Pope spent almost a half an … Read More
An environment encyclical in March? Pope Francis hopes so
(CNA/EWTN News) During an in-flight press conference on his way to the Philippines, Pope Francis said he plans to have his much-anticipated encyclical on man’s relationship with creation finished in March. “At the end of March, I think it will be completed,” he told journalists aboard the papal plane Jan. 15. “I think that if … Read More
Names of new cardinals released by Pope Francis
(CNA/EWTN News by Elise Harris) In his Sunday Angelus address Pope Francis announced the names of the 15 bishops to be created cardinals in February, many of whom hail from small dioceses which have never before had a cardinal. Speaking to the thousands of pilgrims present in St. Peter’s Square after his recitation of the … Read More
People of the Year 2014: Persecuted Christians in Iraq
(Rome Reports) It’s a tragedy ROME REPORTS witnessed firsthand. Iraqi Christians forced out of their homes under the threat of being killed. Just a few years ago, there were roughly 2 million Christians in Iraq. Now there are less than 250,000. It was never easy to be Christian in the country, but even as a … Read More