Second Sunday of Easter (Year C)April 7 (Acts 5:12-16; Psalm 118;Revelation 1:9-11, 12-13, 17-19;John 20:19-31)

People are seldom brought to faith by mere words — it is what they see and experience that stirs their soul. The people of Jerusalem had probably heard the preaching of many would-be prophets and messiahs but these movementshad sputtered out and disappeared from the scene. The early community of Jesus followers wasdifferent — here divine power was clearly at work, just as in the words and actions of Jesus...

ROME - A friend of mine settled in for an interview with a British national broadcaster after the election of Pope Francis. She had been asked to join an American Jesuit to discuss the implications of the March 13 election.

Before going on air, the inter­viewer received a phone call from his producer in London, who was unhappy with recent interviews. “There’s too much good news,” the producer said...

Easter will mark the 29th anniversary of my conversion, baptism and confirmation into full membership in the Roman Catholic Church.

I’m sometimes tempted to wish I’d converted earlier but it seems to me there’s something ungrate­ful about such musings, a kind of rejection of the family and situation I was born into...

In vibrant orange letters, a fashion store on Vancouver’s trendy Robson Street tried to attract shoppers with the words “Stop blending in.” Apparently, its clothing line lifts buyers from the near uniformity of today’s fashions into another realm that makes a personal statement.

Imagine being the universe and waking up one day to find you’re 80 million years older than you thought. Or, worse, to find the whole world now knows you’re so much older than you’ve been letting on.

That has to be an awkward moment even for a cosmos that’s seen, well, everything in its 13.81 billion years of existence...

VATICAN CITY - As Pope Francis leads the Church through his first Holy Week, there is great interest in what he does, how he does it and what the new Pope has to say. The communications apparatus of the Holy See is essential to addressing that interest.

VATICAN CITY - Perhaps St. Francis — who wrote poetically of Brother Sun praising God — provided the weather for Pope Francis on the day of his inaugural Mass. After two weeks in Rome where the weather was wet, overcast and dreary, the sun shone brightly on St. Peter’s Square as the Holy Father began his Petrine ministry on March 19, the Feast of St. Joseph, patron and protector of the universal Church.

Like most everyone, I’ve been fascinated and delighted with the election of Pope Francis. His simple, gracious acts during his first days on the job bode well for the Church.

The great mission’s name is Jesus

With all eyes fixed on Rome, it’s not surprising that Paula Celani’s moment of victory in a Montreal courtroom has gone almost unheralded.