It’s impossible to hold a real conversation when it’s peppered with mean, toxic words. The more our attempted conversation becomes thwarted by invective, the more we lose the ability to hear and speak at all. A silence creeps forth, not the sweet silence of life and growth but the terrible silence of contempt, disdain and denial.

For many people in Rome, Pope Francis' decision to schedule a consistory to create new cardinals in August was more surprising than the men he chose to receive the red hat.

Pentecost Sunday (Year C) June 5 (Acts 2:1-11; Psalm 104; 1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13; John 20:19-23)

If a hundred believers were asked to explain the nature, role and workings of the Holy Spirit, there would probably be 100 or more answers. Backed into a corner, many have little understanding of the Spirit and its actions. The Holy Spirit has been invoked to bolster authority and to challenge it; to support the status quo and to overturn it; to head in new theological and spiritual directions and to retreat behind the fortified walls of tradition.

Ascension of the Lord (Year C) May 29 (Acts 1:1-11; Psalm 47; Ephesians 1:17-23; Luke 24:44-53)

Our worldview and understanding of the cosmos are very closely linked with our theology and image of God. If one changes, the other must also adapt. Although this is usually met with resistance, these changes have occurred many times in the past and will continue to do so.

Questioned for 15 hours over two days in a Vatican courtroom, 73-year-old Cardinal Angelo Becciu insisted the "good of the Holy See" was the only motivation for every transaction or financial decision he was involved in when he worked in the Vatican Secretariat of State.

Sixth Sunday of Easter (Year C) May 22 (Acts 15:1-2, 22-29; Psalm 67; Revelation 21:10-14; 22-23; John 14: 23-29)

What must one do to be saved? This is an age-old question and is fraught with many related issues. What does it mean to be “saved,” and from what? This is not as obvious as it might at first appear, for there have been different answers to those questions depending on when, where and under what conditions they were asked.

For more than 20 years, world religion teachers and interfaith leaders around the world have been using the Golden Rule poster as an entry point for discussions on faith and unity.

Meeting new recruits to the Swiss Guard, Pope Francis thanked the young men for their diligent and important work serving the successor of St. Peter every single day.

Taking the stand for a second time at his Vatican trial, Cardinal Angelo Becciu spent more than two hours reading a statement in which he claimed accusations of financial impropriety were an attempt to stain his reputation.