Pope Benedict XVI will step down
The Holy Father cited frail health as the reason behind his abdicating the chair of Peter. He will retire effective February 28, and eventually move to a renovated monastery in Rome. The conclave to choose the next Pope will convene March 1.
Ovation to Benedict XVI Final Mass
8-Thousand people ovation to Benedict XVI in his final public Mass, February 13, 2013
Thanks Pope Benedict XVI!
Celebrating moments with the Pope before his abdication
March 1, 2013
Countdown to the Conclave, Day 3: The Media and the Conclave. Shall We Laugh?
Who needs morning coffee when you can read the latest stupidity about the Conclave scheduled to commence in the Vatican next week? It's enough to evoke peals of laughter or growls of anger. Being seasoned Catholic journalists who have "been there done that" we prefer the former, knowing that the latter shows more respect than is due.
March 1, 2013
Abortion is Devastating the African American Community, Is Anyone Noticing?
African American women have 40 percent of the nation’s abortions, but make up only 13 percent of the population.
February 28, 2013
Countdown to the Conclave, Day 2: Framing the Conclave
Our advice to all of you is to employ Cartesian doubt to 90 percent of what you hear about the Conclave, except from sources such as Father Morris and Ambassador Flynn. You will find that most of what you are hearing is like the ball of wax that the philosopher Descartes in his Meditations held up to the fire and watched it evaporate, change shape, and turn into liquid, until nothing remained.
February 28, 2013
Reading the Catechism, Rebuilding Catholic Culture
But, perhaps even more urgently, we need to learn once more how to make manifest the glory of the Lord in our liturgical rites. We need theology just as sailors need a map of the sea. But God is greater than is our capacity to speak about him. Words are not the only kind of signs we need to grasp hold of God. We need also to encounter him through the music of chant, through the soaring arches of stone, and through the mystical bread of the altar. Only when humble reverence is shown for the rites, when the personality of the priest steps aside, are we free to experience tangibly the presence of the living God.
February 28, 2013
Sacred Liturgy: Past, Present, and Future
Given the centrality of the liturgy, lay men and women should exercise prudence in respect to liturgical problems; prudence, that is, in respect of their own “spiritual health.” If there are irregularities and for some reason these are not corrected it may be necessary to change the church or chapel at which one regularly worships. This need may become a grave duty for parents whose vocation includes the primary formation of children in the faith. The liturgy is too important for us to accept practice that is second best, or worse. Our spiritual health, and that of those in our care, must come first.
February 26, 2013
Countdown to the Conclave, Day 1: Frequently Asked Questions
Our reason for starting this "Countdown to the Conclave" is simple: Let's cut through all the media hype, the spin, the deception, and focus on the basic facts about, and narrative of, the Conclave. Our first offering is FAQ -- frequently asked questions -- about a papal conclave in general and the next one specifically.
February 26, 2013
Vatican Confirms The Archdiocese Of Philadelphia As Host Of The Eighth World Meeting Of Families
His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, announces the official dates for the Eighth World Meeting of Families, which will be celebrated in the United States for the first time in its history. It is expected to draw tens of thousands from around the world to the city of Philadelphia.
February 25, 2013
Pope Benedict XVI: Lord is Calling me to Climb the Mountain, Devote Myself Even More to Prayer and Meditation
Dear brothers and sisters, I feel that this Word of God is particularly directed at me, at this point in my life. The Lord is calling me to "climb the mountain", to devote myself even more to prayer and meditation. But this does not mean abandoning the Church, indeed, if God is asking me to do this it is so that I can continue to serve the Church with the same dedication and the same love with which I have done thus far, but in a way that is better suited to my age and my strength. Let us invoke the intercession of the Virgin Mary: may she always help us all to follow the Lord Jesus in prayer and works of charity.
February 25, 2013
Putting the Pope in His Place
All in all, then, the attempt of the secular liberals, the media, and some dissident Catholics to put Pope Benedict XVI in his place has not proved to be very impressive—especially if truth is considered to be a necessary element in making any such judgment.
February 22, 2013
Mass of Thanksgiving for Pope Benedict XVI This Sunday in Philadelphia
Join Archbishop Charles J. Chaput for a Mass of Thanksgiving for the Holy Father this Sunday!
