Fratelli Tutti Fratelli Tutti is the latest encyclical of Pope Francis. Fratelli Tutti draws its name from the “Admonitions” of St. Francis of Assisi who reminded his friars that all men are brothers in being created by the same Creator. As human beings, men and women...
Join Fr. Elliott for this week’s episode of Ask a Priest. You'll learn more about: Pope Francis' recent comments about Civil UnionsBishops - what they wear, blessings, and more!Cardinals - what do they do and why *typically* bishops are appointed to this position. Do...
“I remember once how my mother was asked which of her five children – we are five brothers – did she love the most. And she said: it is like the fingers on my hand, if I prick one of them, then it is as if the others are pricked also. A mother loves her children as...
Pope Francis recently revised the wording of paragraph 2267 in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. It is important to listen to the Holy Father and understand what he is teaching and to understand what the Church has always taught about capital punishment. Some...
Does God make people gay? Due to some comments allegedly made by Pope Francis, this question is on many people's minds. Is our sexual attraction determined even before birth by our Creator or is it something we choose as a result of life's circumstances? Many...
Pope Francis has been known to go to great lengths to engage with the culture. For the first time in history, our Holy Father will star in a documentary, "Pope Francis: A Man Of His Word", which opens in theaters nationwide on May 18th. Award-winning German filmmaker...
One Young Adult Reports Back from the Vatican Pre-Synod of Young People: I’ve always loved deep meaningful conversations (aka DMCs). Whether spontaneously at house parties with strangers or in a pub with a good friend, I always treasure the conversations that go...
There are really no words to add to this incredibly moving video of the Holy Father responding to the question of a young boy who wanted to know if his father non-believing father is now in heaven. The beauty, the gentleness, the compassion of Pope Francis should be...
On Thursday, six astronauts aboard the International Space Station had the opportunity to speak with Pope Francis in a video conference call. This is the second time that a Pope has had the opportunity to connect with astronauts while in space. Pope Emeritus Benedict...
Though many point out the evil and harm of social media, we all have the choice to use social media for our own personal gratification or to use it as a tool to bring glory to God. We can choose to use social media for good! An easy way to do that is to carefully...
“Lectio Divina” means divine reading in Latin. It’s an ancient practice that teaches us how to read, meditate on and live the Word of God. History tells us that it was the Blessed Guigo the Carthusian, who wrote the “most important stages” of this way of meditating...
On Wednesday, May 24th, United States President Donald Trump proclaimed that Memorial Day (May 29th) will be a Day of Prayer for Permanent Peace. It's no coincidence that he initiated this day of prayer on the same day that he met with Pope Francis at the Vatican....
The Pope Francis TED talk is trending all over the news today. Filmed at the Vatican, the talk debuted during TED's international conference in Vancouver on Tuesday night. It was a surprise for all who attended. Media coverage from CNN to the Huffington Post has been...
It has always been a common practice for the Pope to meet with world leaders such as politicians and religious figures, but Pope Francis seems to have made a commitment to including celebrities and athletes on his busy meeting agenda. Though I can only speculate on...
Pope Francis surprised American Football fans (and - perhaps - commercial junkies?) from across the globe when, in an historic first for a Roman Pontiff, he addressed Super Bowl viewers on Sunday, February 5th. Reiterating his favorite themes of solidarity, the Holy...
2016 was a busy year for Pope Francis and he has hardly slowed down in the first month of the new year! The past year in the Church was graced with love and mercy, much needed in our world today. World Youth Day events and the canonization of new saints (especially...
Pope Francis began a letter to address young people by stating, “I want you to be the center of attention because you are in my heart." This letter serves as an invitation to all young people to place their trust in Jesus who will guide them to fulfillment through...
This recent ad, made by a film student and ignored by the brand it was created to promote, is so profound and moving that it's not hard to see why it's gone viral. It tells the tale of an aged marathon runner waiting out his final years in a care home. We see him...
In the midst of trials and arguments, it is often too quickly forgotten that marriage is a covenant bond between spouses which is sealed by God. When two people grow apart in a marriage, the easy solution might appear to be to get a divorce. However, the...
Mother Teresa was declared a saint on September 4, 2016. In all aspects of her life, Pope Francis said in his homily, she was a "generous dispenser of divine mercy, make herself available for everyone through her welcome and defense of human life, those unborn and...
Landon LaChance is a sweet eleven-year-old boy with a rare genetic disease called neurofibromatosis that causes his skin to change color and may also cause non-cancerous tumors. When Make-A-Wish gave him the opportunity to have a wish granted his request...
Millions of young Catholics are gathering from all corners of the world to celebrate our faith this week. There is no doubt that many will experience conversions, form much needed spiritual friendships, and feel God's love in a whole new way. There will be an...
If you're like me, you might be struggling just a tiny bit with envy as you watch Catholic social media explode over World Youth Day this week. Unfortunately, I couldn't make it to the international event that gathers young Catholics together from all parts of the...
Go big or go home? We all dream to go big. As Christian youth, we dream to someday become saints and stay close to God for the rest of our eternity. It sounds great, but do you think about how many times we get sidetracked and fall because of our sins? Let’s be...
God has gifted us with many ways to express the emotion that wells within our hearts. Our culture will often tell us to suppress those feelings especially when it comes to crying. The world wants us to believe that to cry is to show weakness and defeat. However, the...