VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Whether or not they raised a glass of bubbly as the new year made its debut, many people around the world were convinced that 2021 had to be better than 2020 was. Pope Francis, leading the recitation of the Angelus Jan. 3, had a simple-sounding idea for how to make that […]
Beginning on Jan. 10, the gospel readings for Sundays are taken, for the most part, from Mark’s Gospel. The weekday gospels are a continuous reading from Mark, starting on Jan. 11. Mark’s Gospel is the shortest of our four Gospels. Today almost all New Testament scholars believe that Mark was the first written. During the […]
The parishes of the Diocese of Buffalo will hold the annual Retirement Fund for Religious collection this weekend, Dec. 12-13. Please visit Share in the care site to make an online donation anytime. In 1988, Catholic bishops of the United States launched the Retirement Fund for Religious to address the significant lack of retirement funding […]
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Anyone who thinks eternal life will be boring should ask a couple in love whether they want that love to endure forever, said the preacher of the papal household. Human beings are “finite beings capable of the infinite, mortal beings with an innate yearning for immortality,” said Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa, offering […]
This weekend, December 12 – 13, the Diocese of Buffalo is participating in and encouraging support of the national Retirement Fund for the Religious Appeal. Proceeds from this annual appeal are used to assist in the health care and maintenance expenses of retired religious order nuns, brothers and priests. These retired religious women and men […]
Waiting is a natural part of life. But it’s often hard to wait. And in our modern world which pampers us in so many ways with instant gratification, we expect things to happen, well … instantly. And when they don’t, we often quickly become impatient. If when the traffic light turns green and the person […]
An Advent wreath is seen as Pope Francis leads his general audience in the library of the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican Dec. 9, 2020. The pope continued his series of talks on prayer, reflecting on prayers of petition. (CNS photo/Vatican Media) VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Praying to God in times of joy and sorrow […]
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis sought the intercession of the first Indigenous saint of the Americas as COVID-19 continued to devastate many Latin American countries. While greeting Spanish-speaking faithful during his weekly general audience Dec. 9, the pope marked the feast day of St. Juan Diego, “whom Our Lady of Guadalupe chose as her […]
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Marking the 150th anniversary of St. Joseph being declared patron of the universal church, Pope Francis proclaimed a yearlong celebration dedicated to the foster father of Jesus. In a Dec. 8 apostolic letter, “Patris Corde” (“With a father’s heart”), the pope said Christians can discover in St. Joseph, who often goes […]
Pope Francis started feast of the Immaculate Conception early this morning with outing that began with praying at a Marian statue at the Spanish Steps. Followed by Mass in the Chapel of the Nativity Scene at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome and praying in front of the Marian icon “Salus Populi Romani” […]