Follow the Pope on Twitter for Lent
Some like to give up a favourite food for Lent. Others choose to follow a bible study course. Or commit to helping those less fortunate than themselves. But in our increasingly secular societies, many young people no longer keep the Lenten season in...[more]

Re-reading the Pope's Message for Lent
With the Lenten season officially beginning this week on Ash Wednesday, we take a look at the Pope’s thoughts for this period in which Catholics are called to prepare for Easter through prayer, fasting and good works. And what better way than...[more]

Pope: Lent a time for mature decisions
The forty days of Lent, reflecting Christ’s forty days in the desert, were the focus of Pope Benedict XVI’s catechesis this Ash Wednesday. Speaking to pilgrims in the Paul VI audience hall, the Holy Father reflected on the condition of...[more]

Pope: Homily at Santa Sabina
Pope Benedict XVI led a procession on Wednesday afternoon, from the church of St. Anselm to the Church of St. Sabina on the Aventine hill in Rome, where he celebrated Mass and distributed ashes to the faithful at the beginning of Lent. Below,...[more]

Pope: the Basilica of Santa Sabina
In the evening of Wednesday 22 nd of February Pope Benedict XVI leads the traditional Ash Wednesday procession on Rome's Aventine Hill. Following in the footsteps of his predecessor to the See of Peter , Blessed John Paul II who revived this...[more]

Pope: Conquering our spiritual desert
Below Pope Benedict XVI’s catechesis to English speaking pilgrims present at the general audience this Wednesday: Dear Brothers and Sisters, today the Church celebrates Ash Wednesday, the beginning of her Lenten journey towards Easter. The...[more]

Follow the Pope on Twitter for Lent
Some like to give up a favourite food for Lent. Others choose to follow a bible study course. Or commit to helping those less fortunate than themselves. But in our increasingly secular societies, many young people no longer keep the Lenten season in...[more]

Spotlight on BBC series about Catholics
What’s it like being a Catholic in today’s British society? Finding the answer to that question is the main aim of a new TV series by the BBC that seeks to portray the complex reality of being Catholic and how this identity shapes peoples’ lives. ...[more]

February 22, 2012
POPE AND ASH WEDNESDAY: Pope Benedict looks at today’s solemn celebration of Ash Wednesday and urges the faithful to use the period of Lent for conquering the desert of our spiritual aridity, selfishness and materialism.... CHALLENGES OF LENTEN...[more]

Baptism and mission
Last weekend’s consistory in Saint Peter’s saw the creation of 22 new Cardinals for the Catholic Church. Among those elevated to the Cardinalate was Fernando Filoni, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples. “If you’re...[more]

Pope: the Basilica of Santa Sabina
In the evening of Wednesday 22nd of February Pope Benedict XVI leads the traditional Ash Wednesday procession on Rome's Aventine Hill. Following in the footsteps of his predecessor to the See of Peter , Blessed John Paul II who revived this...[more]

Canada: Families need to be strong
Provinces in Canada on Monday celebrated “Family Day,” a day for people to take time for their loved ones and emphasise the importance of family values. Speaking in Rome, Canada’s newest Cardinal, Archbishop Thomas Christopher Collins talked to us...[more]

Two Western Journalists killed in Syria
Two Western journalists were reportedly killed in the besieged Syrian city of Homs today when shells hit the house they were staying in. They were Marie Colvin, an American working for Britain's Sunday Times, and French photographer Remi Ochlik. A...[more]

Diplomatic solution to Iran crisis sought
The Obama administration is still optimistic that diplomacy can work to resolve the standoff between the international community and Iran over the goals of its nuclear programme. An Iranian general, however, said yesterday that the nation will...[more]

Lenten hymns: joyful but austere...
During Lent our hymns take on a more solemn tune says music historian Monsignor Philip Whitmore because although it is a joyful season , it is austere, and this austerity is reflected in our liturgy : "In the season of Lent we join Our Lord Jesus...[more]

Challenges of Pope's lenten message
Lent is the 40-day season of prayer, fasting and alms-giving that precedes Easter and in his Lenten message for this year Pope Benedict chose the theme: “Let us be concerned for each other, to stir a response in love and good works” that focuses...[more]