Opus Dei

Some extracts from Pope Francis' second encyclical LAUDATO SI’, with link to entire text on Vatican website in several formats.

On June 15, Pope Francis spoke to families from Rome about the mystery and beauty of being parents in God's creative plan, "based on the diversity of being man and woman, the 'first' and most fundamental difference, constitutive of the human being."

In his June 10 general audience, Pope Francis spoke about the "daily heroism" of families that care for a loved one who is ill.

English translation of Saint Francis' "Canticle of the Sun" (written in the Umbrian dialect), from which Pope Francis took the title for his encyclical "Laudato Si."

While hiking a mountain, upon arriving at our destination - 1400 meters altitude - an intense fog settled in, and we could no longer see the trail we needed to follow. We asked another hiker if the fog was supposed to let up.

Cardinal Seán O'Malley of Boston, Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington, D.C., and Bishop John O'Hara, Auxiliary Bishop of New York are some of the bishops celebrating Masses for the feast of St. Josemaria this year in the U.S.

"The life of faith can always grow. Peter will continue fighting against fear, against an excessively human view of his mission, against his ignorance of the value of the Cross and suffering." Final article in the series on faith.

St Josemaria recalls the story behind no. 208 in The Way: "Blessed be suffering..." He explains that suffering is not evil but a caress from God.

In his June 3 general audience, Pope Francis began a cycle of reflections on the problems families face today, starting with poverty and a "culture of Mammon" that places money over family ties.

Maria Estela is Guatemalan. Several years ago she was taught the skills needed to earn an income in Ixoqui, a rural center that seeks to improve the material and spiritual life of the women in the area.