The death of a sitting or former pope marks the beginning of a mourning period that follows strict rules of protocol. Most of the activities during this period are ceremonial and highly symbolic. Here’s everything you need to know about what happens when the Pope dies. Immediately After Death The pope’s chief of staff, or … Read more
When white smoke rose above the Sistine Chapel in May 2025 and the name ‘Leo XIV’ was announced to the world, history was made. For the first time in two thousand years of Catholic history, an American had been elected to lead the Church. The man who stepped onto the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica … Read more
On 10 January 2026, Pope Leo XIV did something that surprised even the most seasoned Vatican watchers. Just four days after closing the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope, he announced a new extraordinary jubilee — the Year of St. Francis of Assisi — running from 10 January 2026 to 10 January 2027. It marks the … Read more
If it has been years — or even decades — since your last confession, you are not alone. Millions of Catholics drift away from the Sacrament of Reconciliation, often not because they have lost their faith, but because they are not sure what to say, or they feel too ashamed to go back. Here is … Read more
There’s something distinctive about how the Catholic church views Jesus. While protestant theology focuses solely on his divine nature, Catholicism also honors his human nature and relationships. It emphasizes the important roles that other people played in bringing Jesus to the world. People close to Jesus, including his mother Mary, his foster father Joseph, and … Read more
There isn’t an official ranking of saints in the Catechism nor is there a papal decree declaring some saints more important than others. That said, Catholics worldwide venerate one particular saint more than all the others — the Blessed Virgin Mary. Historically and culturally speaking, Mary is ‘the greatest saint’ in the Catholic Church. Not … Read more
Christians started going on pilgrimages not long after the death and resurrection of Jesus. The first recorded Christian pilgrimage was by Bishop Alexander, a Cappadocian bishop who travelled to Jerusalem in the year 212, less than 200 years after Jesus was crucified. But it was Empress Helena who popularized the practice with her 4th century … Read more
We often think of knowledge and wisdom as things we get from experience and learning. But there are plenty of well learned people who are neither wise nor knowledgeable in the things that matter most in life. Like Solomon asked for wisdom, we should also pray to God to fill us with knowledge and discernment … Read more
Padre Pio, also called St. Pio of Pietrelcina, is one of the most notable saints in the Catholic Church. He was born in 1887 and by the age of 5, he dedicated himself to Jesus. At the young age of 23, he was ordained to priesthood. Padre Pio was famous for his deep spirituality and … Read more
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