Readings for the Memorial of Saint Paul Miki, Priest and Martyr, and his Companions, Martyrs Reading 1 Hebrews 12:18-19, 21-24 Brothers and sisters: You have not approached that which could be touched and a blazing fire and gloomy darkness and storm and a trumpet blast and a voice speaking words such that those who heard…
WASHINGTON – “Human trafficking is not only a serious crime—it is a rejection of the God-given dignity of every human being. It is, as Pope Francis has said, an open wound on the Body of Christ and on the body of all humanity, demanding an ongoing, united response,” said Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El…
WASHINGTON – “In today’s world, relationships are often viewed as disposable. The commitment to fidelity and love that marriage entails is a source of hope for all generations,” said Bishop Robert Barron. “It is an antidote to the loneliness and discouragement of many young people today and deserves our prioritization as a Church and society.”…
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Health care professionals who help expectant mothers have a vocation that is an ode to life, Pope Francis said. And for people of faith, prayer is also “a hidden but effective medicine,” he said, “because it heals the soul.” The pope met a group of obstetricians, gynecologists and other health care…
ROME (CNS) — Smiles, laughter, prayer and strategizing abound at the Bishops’ Office for U.S. Visitors to the Vatican. Just a few blocks from Rome’s famous Trevi Fountain, the visitors’ office is where hundreds of Americans — and not only — go on Tuesday afternoons to pick up their tickets for the pope’s weekly general…
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Christians are called to follow Mary’s example by responding to God’s love with action, reaching out to others instead of withdrawing from the world, Pope Francis said. Reflecting on Mary’s visit to her pregnant cousin Elizabeth after learning that she will bring the Messiah into the world, he said that “this…