Opus Dei

An extract from the Pope's letter to the International Commission against the Death Penalty.

In his March 25 general audience, Pope Francis spoke about the feast of the Annunciation and recalled that 20 years ago today Pope John Paul II issued his Encyclical "Evangelium vitae." He also asked that everyone pray for the Synod of the Family.

In his 2015 Lenten Message, Pope Francis asks the faithful to take part in the "24 Hours for the Lord" initiative, on 13-14 March, in order to place the Sacrament of Reconciliation at the center of the Church's mission for the new evangelization.

Pope Francis' message for World Youth Day 2015, which will be celebrated by many dioceses on Palm Sunday, March 29, in preparation for the international World Youth Day in Krakow in 2016.

In his February 11 general audience, Pope Francis continued his catechesis on the family, praising parents who have the generosity to raise a large family.

Pope Francis continued his catechesis on the family in his February 4 general audience. "Last time I spoke about the danger of 'absent' fathers; today I would like to look instead at the positive aspect."

In his January 28 general audience, Pope Francis continued his catechesis on the family, speaking about the importance of the father's role in every family.

With Pope Francis' homily before over 6 million people in Manila's Rizal Park, on Santo Niño Sunday. "We are all God's children. That is what the Santo Niño tells us. He reminds us of our deepest identity."

On January 16, in a Meeting with Families in Manila, Pope Francis warned against a "new ideological colonization" seeking to destroy the family and praised Paul VI for strongly defending openness to life.

On January 14 Pope Francis canonized Joseph Vaz, the first Sri Lankan saint. "Constantly united with the crucified Lord in prayer, he could become for all people a living icon of God's mercy and reconciling love."