On Monday, April 21, in the morning, the Catholic world was shocked after hearing the news that Pope Francis had passed at 7:30. It was Monday in the Octave of Easter. Just a day before, on Easter Sunday, the Holy Father had imparted his last blessing Urbi et Orbi, for Rome and for the world, as a tender act of farewell, without anyone knowing. Summarizing the pontificate of any pope in a word might seem hard. Yet, it is... Read more
Sunday IV of Lent, the Sunday of joy, Laetare Sunday. Laetare means “rejoice”. The Entrance Antiphon, taken from the book of the prophet Isaiah, says, “Rejoice, Jerusalem, and all who love her. Be joyful, all who were in mourning; exult and be satisfied at her consoling breast.” (Cf. Is 66: 10-11). The incipit of this antiphon, in Latin, reads “Laetare Jerusalem”. This Sunday is a Sunday that comes to us like an oasis in the middle of the Lenten desert... Read more
After 12 years of pontificate, Pope Francis could be remembered as the Pope of Mercy, due to his constant emphasis on this value, which has been one of the cornerstones of his message and his pastoral care. Throughout his pontificate, he has emphasized the importance of living mercy not only as a theological concept, but as a concrete and daily practice. This is reflected in various aspects of his teaching, his gestures and his way of guiding the Catholic Church.... Read more
On February 17, 2025, Paquita la del Barrio (Paquita, the One of the Neighborhood), renowned as the queen of the “breakup bolero”, died while she slept through the night in her home located in Xalapa, Veracruz, due to an acute heart attack. She was 77. Francisca Viveros Barrandas was her real name. She was also born in the state of Veracruz, in 1947. Specialized in the genre of ranchera music and other traditional styles of Mexican folk music, Paquita la... Read more
Celebrating this year the Jubilee of Hope, it seems to me that we should look in all the religious events of this year, for signs of hope in the Lord. With this lens, let’s approach the Word of God we hear in Mass this Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Hope for a prophet with unclean lips In the First Reading (Isaiah 6:1-2a, 3-8), we find a prophet who feels unworthy of proclaiming the Word of God, because he knows that... Read more
The 10th National Eucharistic Congress in the United States has been the most important stage so far of the National Eucharistic Revival. This movement is a pastoral initiative of the USCCB aimed at recovering, strengthening, and revitalizing faith in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. The congress was held in Indianapolis. Around 50,000 Catholics of all ages, including lay faithful, nuns, and ordained ministers, traveled from all over the country to gather at Lucas Oil Stadium and the... Read more
The 10th National Eucharistic Congress is paramount moment in the National Eucharistic Revival movement initiated by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops —a major pastoral effort to recover the faith in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, which has been plummeting down through the years in this country. According to a 2019 survey by the Pew Research Center, nearly seven-in-ten Catholics (69%) in the United States say they personally believe that during Catholic Mass, the bread and wine... Read more
After having listened on recent Sundays to different accounts of portentous deeds by Jesus, culminating on the most-impressive revival of Jairus’ daughter, in the Gospel reading on the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time we find Jesus back in Nazareth, unable to perform a single miracle due to the lack of faith of those of his own home [Mk 6:1-6]. As a rabbi, he preaches in the synagogue on sabbath. The crowd who listens to his words, is astonished, even offended.... Read more
In the Gospel reading on the 13th Sunday in ordinary time, we listen to Mark’s pericope of the resurrection of Jairus’ daughter (Mk 5:21-43). Jairus was one of the synagogue officials. He approached Jesus, fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly, “My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live.” Jesus took with him Peter, James and his brother, John. They followed Jairus to his house. Some... Read more
Every 25 years, the Catholic Church celebrates a Jubilee. 2025 will be special for several reasons and Pope Francis wants all Catholics to prepare ourselves for this special Holy Year of grace by living 2024 as a Year of Prayer. The celebration of Holy Years has its roots in the ancient Hebrew tradition of the jubilee (yobel), which was a special time devoted to forgiveness and reconciliation. For Catholics, since year 1300, the Holy Year is a special occasion... Read more
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