Daily Readings

In Babylon there lived a man named Joakim,who married a very beautiful and God-fearing woman, Susanna,the daughter of Hilkiah;her pious parents had trained their daughteraccording to the law of Moses.Joakim was very rich;he had a garden near his house,and the Jews had recourse to him oftenbecause he was the most respected of them all.That year, ... read more

We begin the fifth and final full week of Lent. In previous times the crosses and statues in church were veiled at this time to indicate Passion Time. Now the liturgical readings, day after day, tell of the lowering storm clouds that next week will break open. Today's ancient Lenten readings taught the penitents (and ... read more

Pope Leo XIV on Sunday voiced dismay over ongoing conflicts around the world, saying the suffering of innocent victims “hurts all of humanity” and urging an end to hostilities grounded in dialogue and respect for human dignity.“We cannot remain silent in the face of the suffering of so many defenseless people who are victims of ... read more

LUANDA, Angola — Our Lady of Fátima Parish in the Archdiocese of Luanda is at the center of preparations for a historic moment in Angola as it prepares to host Pope Leo XIV’s meeting with bishops, priests, women and men religious, and catechists during his planned April 18–21 apostolic visit.The encounter, scheduled for April 20, ... read more

On their first day at LifeCampUSA, middle-school-aged campers are taught how to use a map and a compass to learn how to find their way around. Then they’re given a Bible — for many, their first time having one — and shown how to find the different books of the Bible, after which there’s a ... read more

Now a man was ill, Lazarus from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.Mary was the one who had anointed the Lord with perfumed oil and dried his feet with her hair; it was her brother Lazarus who was ill.So the sisters sent word to him saying, “Master, the one you love is ill.”When Jesus heard this ... read more

From the Gospel of the Fifth Sunday of Lent, Year A: Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, He will give you." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise." Martha said to him, "I ... read more

Chaplains are often the first responders in a crisis — when people are struggling with grief or trauma they often reach out to their priests and deacons. The nature of the work means clergy often face emotional stress. So who shepherds the shepherds?The solution, for Deacon Ernie Martinez, starts with brother priests and deacons.Martinez, director ... read more

In a fashion culture saturated with passing trends and corporate logos, a new Catholic menswear brand is making clothes that will stand the test of time and inspire its wearers to something deeper — a daily practice of identity, discipline, and faith.Founded on the idea that what you wear can reflect what you live for, ... read more

Some in the crowd who heard these words of Jesus said,"This is truly the Prophet."Others said, "This is the Christ."But others said, "The Christ will not come from Galilee, will he?Does not Scripture say that the Christ will be of David's familyand come from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?"So a division occurred in the ... read more

Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent in the early ages of Christianity, was called Sitientes, taken from the first word of the original Introit of the Mass meaning "Thirsting." The Church was addressing her catechumens in the words of Isaiah and invites them to thirst after the grace to come and receive it in ... read more

Aid to the Church in Need says Israeli authorities blocking humanitarian aid to Gaza and West BankAmid the regional conflict spreading across the Middle East, Israeli authorities have ceased emergency aid shipments from entering the Gaza Strip, according to Aid to the Church in Need.Citing George Akroush, director of the Development Office of the Latin ... read more

Dozens of Catholics and Protestants gathered at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., on March 18 to have discussions and find common ground on challenges facing Christianity today. The third Ecumenical Forum was intended to embody “the very prayer of Christ: that they may all be one.”The event is led annually by the ... read more

Paul Ehrlich, the biologist whose 1968 bestseller “The Population Bomb” warned of imminent mass starvation and environmental catastrophe from overpopulation and whose predictions proved spectacularly wrong, died March 13 at age 93. His death has prompted retrospection among Catholic scholars, who condemned his legacy as a “false prophet” whose ideas fueled deadly population control policies ... read more

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