It was a day of pure joy on Jan. 8 as the community of Nuestra Señora del Pilar Catholic Parish came together in a spirit of gratitude for a special thanksgiving Mass celebrating 25 years of the parish’s history.
Faith
The increasing number of people who do not see the Gospel as a fundamental resource for their life should inspire — not discourage — Catholics in rediscovering the joy of evangelization, Pope Leo XIV said.
Catholicism has waned in Latin America over the past decade, with more individuals foregoing religious affiliation — although belief in God remains “high across the region,” according to a new report.
If Christians are to speak about God, then they must dedicate time each day and week to listening to God’s word in prayer and the liturgy, Pope Leo XIV said.
Baptizing one’s children is as essential as providing them with food and clothing, Pope Leo XIV told parents.
When I was in seminary abroad, I traveled to Ukraine over winter break to visit friends. I stayed in a 600-year-old house in the eastern part of the country. It was a simple home with few modern comforts. In fact, I was only ever in the main living space, gathered around a large wood-burning hearth that served as the heart of the house.
The Nativity scene and the Christmas tree are signs of faith and hope, Pope Leo XIV said.
If people do not see themselves as “caretakers of the garden of creation, we end up becoming its destroyers,” Pope Leo XIV said.
As Catholics, how should we imagine our relationship with the world? We often talk about “walls” and “doors” and “bridges” to explain how the Church should either connect to the world for the sake of evangelizing it or separate herself from the world for the sake of remaining faithful to God.
When Pope Leo XIV raises three women and four men to the altar Oct. 19, he will canonize a diverse group of religious and lay men and women, all bound by the virtue of holding on to their faith amid personal, spiritual, and external challenges.