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“Children are never a mistake “
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis held his weekly General Audience on Wednesday, during which he continued his catechetical series on the family, concluding his reflections on the role of children in family life. Below, please find the English summary of the Holy Father’s prepared remarks. *********************************** Dear Brothers and Sisters: Today we continue our reflection on children, the greatest blessing which God has bestowed on man and woman. I wish to focus our attention on the suffering which many children are experiencing. From the first moments of their lives, some are rejected, abandoned, and robbed of their infancy and future. There are those who say it is a mistake to bring these children into the world, due to their fragility, and ...

Reflexion about Good Friday
In Good Friday’s afternoon the great drama of Christ’s death in the Calvary is presented. The raised cross upon the world keeps itself stood as a sign of salvation and hope. By the Passion of Jesus according to the Gospel of John and also by the heart of the Beloved disciple, of the Mother, and of the soldier who pierced him, we contemplate the mystery of the Crucified One. Saint John, theologian and chronicler of the passion, leads us toward contemplating the mystery of Christ’s cross as a solemn liturgy. Everything is dignified, solemn, and symbolical in his narrative: every word, every gesture. His Gospel’s density makes it more eloquent. And Jesus’ titles constitute a very well done Christology. Jesus ...

Pope Francis’ Letter on the Fifth Centenary of Saint Teresa of Avila’s Birth
[St. Teresa] asks us to be perseverant, faithful even in the midst of aridity, personal difficulties or the pressing needs that call us. Here is the translation of Pope Francis’ letter to Fr. Saverio Cannistra, Superior General of the Order of Discalced Carmelites, on the occasion of the fifth centenary celebration of St. Teresa of Avila’s birth. * * * To the Venerable Brother Father Saverio Cannistra Superior General of the Order of Discalced Carmelites Dear Brother, On the completion of the 500 years of the birth of Saint Teresa of Jesus, I wish to join you, together with the whole Church, in giving thanks by the great Discalced Carmelite Family – women and men Religious and Secular – for ...

Fr. Cantalamessa’s 5th Lenten Homily: East and West Before the Mystery of Salvation
Here is the fifth Lenten homily given this year by the preacher of the Pontifical Household, Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa. * * * With this meditation we conclude our overview of the common faith of East and West, and we conclude it with what concerns us more directly, the problem of salvation: that is, how Orthodoxy and the Latin world have understood the content of Christian salvation. This is probably the area in which it is more necessary for us Latins to turn our gaze to the East to enrich, and in part to correct, our prevailing way of conceiving of the redemption accomplished by Christ. We have the good fortune of doing so in this chapel where the work ...

Pope at Santa Marta: Faith, not cold doctrine, brings joy
It is not “cold doctrine” that brings joy, but faith, and the hope of meeting Jesus.  He who cannot rejoice is an unhappy believer: that’s what Pope Francis said in his homily at Thursday morning’s Mass in Santa Marta in the Vatican: Abraham’s joy upon hearing that as God promised, he may become a father inspired Pope Francis’ reflection Thursday.  Commenting on the day’s readings, Pope Francis remarked that Abraham is old, as well as his wife Sara, but he believes and opens “his heart to hope” and is “full of consolation.” Jesus reminds the doctors of the law that Abraham “rejoiced” to see his day “and was full of joy”: “And that’s what these doctors of the law did ...

Shalom participates in ACN’s Conference
The Shalom Catholic Community has recently participated in a conference hosted by the pontifical foundation Aid the Church in Need (ACN). The event was held from March 12-15th in Wurzburg, Germany, and it occurs every four years. This event has a target public audience of many German benefactors of the ACN institution. The theme of this year was: “You will receive the power of the Holy Spirit which will come on you, and then you will be my witnesses not only in Jerusalem but throughout Judaea and Samaria, and indeed to earth’s remotest end.” (Act 1:8). Fifteen young participants from Shalom’s prayer groups in Europe, along with missionary members of the Community presented the play “Parables of Mercy” which was transmitted live on German national television. The Community introduced its ...

Such a smart Teresa!
“Grant me whatever you wish, life or death!” said St Teresa. Such courage! But Teresa exceeds in bravery when she goes further and says “grant me either hell or paradise!” Can you imagine that? Would you have the courage to say such a thing to God? Well, Saint Teresa did. It seems madness, however, in fact, is love. It is abandonment. Absolute trust, unrestricted. Total self-giving in the hands of God: He knows what is best for me. Attention! Not what I deserve – because I deserve nothing – All is God’s grace – but what is best for me. On the other hand, this is Teresa being smart. She knows well that God is love. She knows that He ...

Poetry and Beauty
21th of March is World Poetry Day. The word “poetry” has a Greek origin which means “I make” or “I create”. Therefore, it is something someone makes or creates. It is an art form where the poet uses human language “to create”, to express himself or express something. “Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words”, wrote Robert Frost, an American Poet. Poetry can be filled with emotions such as: fear, love, hate, desire, admiration, gratitude, joy, sadness, hope, despair, confidence, curiosity, grief or relief. Since it mirrors so many facets of human’s inner life it is easy to understand why, at some level, any one can feel drawn by poetry. It can ...

Where to find us
Shalom Catholic Community was established in July 9th 1982 as a result of a life-changing encounter with Pope John Paul II that Moyses Azevedo, a young man in his 20’s, had a few years before. It also has as its cofounder Emmir Nogueira, a married woman who at that same time was involved in other Church activities.  The Community was founded among the youth in Fortaleza city, northeast of Brazil, but later was joined by married couples, adults, seminarians, deacons and priests. Its missionary outreach started first in other nearby cities but soon, with God’s call and the Church’s confirmation, it spreaded to more distant parts in Brazil and later to other countries. The Church’s missionary appeal continues to send the Community as living witnesses of the ...

Kenneth Branagh’s Very Christian Cinderella
Father Robert Barron is the founder of the global ministry, Word on Fire, and the Rector/President of Mundelein Seminary. He is the creator of the award winning documentary series, “Catholicism” and “Catholicism: The New Evangelization. * * * Kenneth Branagh’s “Cinderella” is the most surprising Hollywood movie of the year so far. I say this because the director manages to tells the familiar fairy tale without irony, hyper-feminist sub-plots, Marxist insinuations, deconstructionist cynicism, or arch condescension. In so doing, he actually allows the spiritual, indeed specifically Christian, character of the tale to emerge. I realize that it probably strikes a contemporary audience as odd that Cinderella might be a Christian allegory, but keep in mind that most of the fairy ...
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