Have you ever thought about how gardening can help children grow spiritually? Being a practice that’s been around since at least the very early Neolithic, it is only natural that gardening offers a wealth of metaphors for spiritual growth. Just as in the parable of the sower, where seeds fall on different types of soil, Read More… Seeds of faith: Gardening with children for spiritual growth ..read more

This May 2 marks 25 years since Padre Pio of Pietrelcina (1887-1968) was beatified by Pope John Paul II. And in honor of this occasion, here are some interesting facts about the Franciscan friar that show what a remarkable saint he truly is: Padre Pio is renowned for bearing the stigmata, wounds similar to those Read More… 10 Fascinating facts about Padre Pio ..read more

Depending on the local Christian tradition, some Christians prefer to use the title “Our Father,” while others almost exclusively use “Lord’s Prayer.” In fact, sometimes a Christian who only uses “Our Father” may be confused when they hear “Lord’s Prayer” being used as a title. Most Catholic prayer books refer to the prayer as the Read More… Why is the Our Father called the “Lord’s Prayer ..read more

Pope Francis took up the virtue of faith in his weekly catechesis on this feast of St. Joseph the Worker. After considering some of the “greats” of faith — Abraham, Moses, Mary, etc. — he commented on the great enemy of faith. With regard to faith, an episode of the Gospel comes to mind. Jesus’ Read More… Pope reveals the great enemy of faith; it’s not “reason ..read more

In 1960, on Sunday, May 1, the feast of St. Joseph the Worker, Pope John XXIII broadcast a radio message to workers. As it’s available at the Vatican web site only in Spanish and Italian, Aleteia decided to translate this message and adapt it for readability, as a greeting to our audience today. Pope St. Read More… Pope John XXIII’s 1960 message to workers ..read more

“When you attack life in such a radical way, you really have to wonder what kind of future we want to build.” This is how Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Pope’s secretary of state, characterized the political discussions in Europe calling to recognize abortion as a “fundamental right.” In a wide-ranging interview published April 27, 2024, Read More… Cardinal Parolin: “How can we think abortion is a right ..read more

A new report from the World Network Against Food Crises found that acute food insecurity rose for the fourth consecutive year in 2023. The data, presented in Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC), recorded the rates of food insecurity around the world and attempted to identify the causes, which will help guide the efforts of Read More… World food insecurity rises for 4th consecutive year ..read more

The Pope Video illustrating the Holy Father’s prayer intention for the month of May was made in collaboration with the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and with the support of Hallow. Pope Francis’ prayer intention this month is the formation of men and women religious, and seminarians. In the video message, disseminated through the Pope’s Worldwide Read More… LA Archdiocese, Hallow team up for Pope Video of May prayer intention ..read more

On this date two thousand years ago, Jesus would have been in his early to mid 20s. We don’t know much about his life in Nazareth during that period, but we can certainly say that he was raised well in a loving family.  I like to imagine how Jesus learned to be a builder under Read More… How to imitate St. Joseph by becoming a mentor ..read more

Look away from your screen for a minute and look out the closest window. What do you see? I can see a bag of yard waste outside from my perch on the couch, and there is a bundle of sticks poking out, beautifully arranged — like a spindly, whimsical bouquet. If I look inside my Read More… Ways to celebrate what’s good in the people around us ..read more