Read & Reflect
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Spirituality
Everyone Talks, But No One Communes: ‘Let Them All Talk’ and the Christian Meaning of Beatitude
Friendship Without Communion If the first part of this reflection considered the ship as a symbol of time and direction, the second part turns to the deeper human question: why do people who talk so much remain so unable to enter into communion? The characters in Let Them All Talk are brilliant, art...
Spirituality
Money Can’t Buy Love—Because It’s a Gift
Elon Musk, the famed billionaire tech mogul, is widely recognized for possessing some of the most innovative companies in the world. For many, Musk has everything one can ever dream of, with enough wealth to sustain anyone for several lifetimes. However, he made an intimate revelation about himself...
Spirituality
The Apostles in the Storm: 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time
This Sunday’s Gospel tells us that Jesus let the apostles struggle for many hours in a violent storm before going to them. Why did He wait so long? Gospel (Read Mt. 14:22-33) After the miraculous feeding of the five thousand (last Sunday’s Gospel), Jesus sent both His disciples and the vast crowd a...
Spirituality
A Transfiguration for Life: “Lord, It Is Good for Us To Be Here!”
Today, August 6th, Christians around the world celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration. In this pivotal moment, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up a high mountain. There, before their eyes, He is transfigured—his face shines like the sun, His clothes become dazzling white, and the prophets Mos...
Spirituality
5 Moments That Prove ‘The Odyssey’ Is Christopher Nolan’s Most Christian Work
“Before filling the glass with good liquid, the bad one must be poured out.” I don’t need to tell you the story of St. Augustine—no, not you, readers. You know already of the great saint, whose conversion story is perhaps the most famed ever written. His life gave birth to the concept of the Augusti...
Spirituality
Under the Care of Unknown Polish Franciscan Martyrs
On August 9th, the Church observes the Liturgical Memorial of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein). Thirty-five years ago, two Polish missionaries of the Conventual Franciscans, Fr. Zbigniew Strzałkowski and Fr. Michał Tomaszek, were martyred in Peru. Until the very last moment, they coul...
Vatican News
Pope Leo XIV to Assisi youth: ‘Europe and the whole world are looking to you to be new saints’
ASSISI, Italy — Pope Leo XIV called on young people gathered in Assisi to become “new saints,” reject the culture of power, and help build a world founded on fraternity rather than domination.The pope celebrated Mass on Thursday at the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels before the Portiuncula, the s...
Vatican News
Pope Leo XIV calls young Franciscans to Gospel radicalism and peace
ASSISI, Italy — Eight centuries after St. Francis gathered thousands of friars near the Portiuncula, Pope Leo XIV met with 2,500 young adults in Assisi, Italy, on Thursday and urged them to embrace Gospel radicalism, work for peace, and remain faithful to the Church despite her wounds and internal c...
Vatican News
New Vatican constitution corrects Francis-era anomaly, experts say
Pope Leo XIV has replaced the Vatican constitution promulgated by Pope Francis, eliminating a reference to the “munus petrinum,” or Petrine office, as the basis of the pope’s authority over Vatican City State.The new Fundamental Law of Vatican City State, promulgated by Pope Leo and already in effec...
Vatican News
Pope Leo XIV’s face featured on new set of Vatican coins
Pope Leo XIV’s image features for the first time in a new set of commemorative euro coins for Vatican City.As announced by the Vatican City State Governorate on July 30, these coins are part of a new Vatican euro collector coin set honoring the new pontificate. This also marks the first time since 2...
Vatican News
Vatican releases schedule for Pope Leo’s September trip to France
The Vatican on Aug. 7 published the official schedule for Pope Leo XIV’s apostolic journey to France, where he will visit Paris, Lourdes, and Metz from Sept. 25–28.The Vatican also announced that, as he did during his recent journey to Spain, he will meet with victims of clerical sexual abuse during...