Papal Inauguration Q&A: What Catholics Should Know
What is a papal inauguration, and how is it different from a coronation? The papal inauguration is the formal Mass that marks the beginning of a newly elected pope’s ministry. Unlike medieval times...
“If someone does not hold fast to this unity of Peter, can he imagine that he still holds the faith? If he [should] desert the chair of Peter upon whom the Church was built, can he still be confide...
How The World Will Learn We Have A New Pope: White Smoke And The Words "Habemus Papam!"
The air in St. Peter’s Square was damp with winter chill. Hundreds of Romans gathered silently beneath the shadow of the basilica, their eyes fixed on the modest chimney that crowned the Sistine Ch...
Why the Papacy is More than Politics - It's a Sacramental Reality
When a pope dies—or a new one is soon to be elected—secular headlines swirl with speculation: Who will win? Which “faction” has influence? What region might he come from? To many onlookers, especia...
Meet The Top Cardinals Voting In The Conclave
Meet The Top Cardinals Voting In The Conclave If you’ve been on social media recently, or even tuned into traditional news sites and media, you’ll see plenty of people sharing infographics claiming...
What the Death of a Pope Teaches Us About Humility, Leadership & Faith
When a pope dies, the entire Church pauses. There are no new encyclicals to publish, no audiences to hold, no blessings from the balcony. The seat of Peter is empty. The white cassock is folded. An...
“Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen" With deep ...
7 Practical Life Lessons From Pope Francis
Pope Francis was a wellspring of practical and spiritual instruction in ways perhaps surprising and unlikely. Reading his words in The Name of God Is Mercy and The Church of Mercy is helpful in ill...
What Happens When a Pope Dies? The Process, Traditions, and Future of the Church
The passing of a pope marks a solemn yet highly organized transition in the Catholic Church. While each pontiff may request certain modifications to their funeral and burial, centuries-old traditio...