The Catholic Church needs the enthusiasm, daring and hope of young people so that it can preach the Gospel energetically and respond to the questions men and women raise today, Pope Francis told some 300 young adults.


The Catholic Church needs the enthusiasm, daring and hope of young people so that it can preach the Gospel energetically and respond to the questions men and women raise today, Pope Francis told some 300 young adults.

Robyn Barberry laments the loss of a venerable toy store chain.

Presenters at a workshop for parish and archdiocesan leaders regarding “The Catholic Church and Gender Identity” emphasized the need to take every case individually in order to provide pastoral care.

The book is certainly the best extant treatment of the state of the Catholic Church in the Francis era. It is readable, broadly accurate and (while Douthat clearly has a point of view) reasonably fair in its treatment of the events.

Many people admire St. Padre Pio, but too few imitate him, especially in his care for the weak, the sick and those who modern culture treats as disposable, Pope Francis said during Mass at Padre Pio’s shrine.

Five days after releasing only a portion of a letter from retired Pope Benedict XVI regarding a collection of books about the theology of Pope Francis, the Vatican Secretariat for Communication released the complete text of the letter.

It all started Saturday morning as Daniel and I were driving to his First Communion Workshop.

Jesus teaches us what such surrender to God’s will means when he describes himself as a grain of wheat that falls into the ground and dies so as to produce an abundant harvest.

It’s not St. Patrick’s Day until I’ve filled the house with the smell of freshly baked Irish soda bread, full of that distinctive caraway seed flavor and the soft raisins.

Catholics throughout the Archdiocese of Baltimore will have a special opportunity to go to confession on a Day of Reconcilation, scheduled for March 19.

“(The future priest) must have the ability to see where mercy is needed and the healthy zeal to make himself readily available to apply the healing balm of God’s mercy with the love of a genuine father and pastor,” Archbishop Pierre said.

A funeral Mass was offered March 10 for Sister of Mercy Mary Madonna Gies at the Villa in Timonium. A Baltimore native who spent most of her ministry teaching in area schools, she died March 7 at age 89 after 72 years as a Sister of Mercy.
