Faith

Don't judge sinners who want to repent, help them come home, Pope says

February 9, 2016

VATICAN CITY - On the eve of sending off "missionaries of mercy" to all corners of the globe, Pope Francis told his specially appointed men that the reassuring strength of God's love -- not the "bludgeon of judgment" -- will bring the "lost sheep" back to the fold.

Forgive like Jesus, don't accuse like the devil, Pope tells Capuchins

February 9, 2016

VATICAN CITY - Confessors have two choices: to be like Jesus who readily forgave sins or like the devil who always condemns, Pope Francis said.

The fruitful spring of Lent emerges from the womb

February 7, 2016

Pope Francis had barely begun this year’s Lenten message when the talk turned to women’s wombs.

God triumphs through humility

February 5, 2016

God’s ‘style’ is not man’s ‘style,’ because God triumphs through humility. That was Pope Francis’ message in his homily during daily Mass at the Casa Santa Marta. God’s style can be seen in the death of the greatest of the prophets, St John the Baptist. This “just and holy man,” the “greatest man,” the man who had prepared the people for the coming of the Messiah, was beheaded in the darkness of his cell, alone, condemned by the vindictive hatred of a queen and the cowardice of a submissive king.

The Faith is the greatest inheritance we can leave

February 4, 2016

The most beautiful inheritance we can leave to others is the Faith: that was Pope Francis’ message during Holy Mass on Thursday morning at the Casa Santa Marta. In his homily, he invited us to not fear death, because the course of life continues.

God wants to save you; will you let him, Pope asks

February 3, 2016

VATICAN CITY - God doesn't want to condemn anyone; he wants to save every person in the entire world, Pope Francis said.

Humility, holiness come with humiliation

February 1, 2016

Pope Francis’ Homily at Daily Mass – February 1, 2016 Humility, holiness come with humiliation Humility is the way of holiness. That’s what Pope Francis said in his Homily at Monday morning’s Mass at the Casa Santa Marta. The Pope focused on the story of King David who, aware of his own sin, accepts humiliation in a spirit of trust in the Lord. While God forgives sin, the Pope observed, “the wounds of corruption are difficult to heal."

Interpreting the Bible through nuance

January 31, 2016

TORONTO - Chances are you’ve never heard a homily preached on Deuteronomy 20:10-18. It’s kind of difficult to apply these God-given rules of war to daily life in the 21st century.

So many get it so wrong

January 31, 2016

When it comes to misreading the lectionary on Sunday morning, there’s lots of ways of going wrong.

Pope Francis: World’s powerful are ‘slaves to sin’ who risk hell by ignoring the poor

January 27, 2016

Pope Francis is taking direct aim at the wealthy and powerful of the world, saying in his message for Lent that they are often “slaves to sin” who, if they ignore the poor, “will end up condemning themselves and plunging into the eternal abyss of solitude which is hell.”