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A French nun who traveled to say goodbye to Pope Francis in the Vatican this week was allowed to break church protocol. The 81-year-old Sister Genevieve Jeanningros had a close, four-decade-long friendship with the late pope. In video taken of mourners at St. Peter's Basilica, Jeanningros can be seen standing in area traditionally reserved for cardinals, bishops and priests — positions held only by men. In the video she can be seen praying near the pope's coffin for several minutes before saying her final goodbyes.

25 April 2025 Easter FridaySt. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church, San Antonio, Texas Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: White. Year: C(I).First readingActs 4:1-12The name of Jesus Christ is the only one by which we can be savedWhile Peter and John were talking to the people the priests came up to them, accompanied by the captain of the Temple and the Sadducees. They were extremely annoyed at their teaching the people the doctrine of the resurrection from the dead by proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus. They arrested them, but as it was already late, they held them till the next day....

Pope Francis passed away two days ago, on Easter Monday. He had been the leader of the Catholic Church for just over 12 years. He presented himself as a well-intentioned and deeply religious man, none of which I ever doubted. But good intentions are the paving stones of the road to hell. I often tried to find some positive things about Francis so that I could admire him. But unfortunately I think that his overall impact on the world and on the church was overwhelmingly negative. Thinking that he was working to uplift the poor and downtrodden of the world,...

Daily Readings from the USCCBJesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.” And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they realized it was the Lord. Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish. This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead. John 21:12–14The appearances of Jesus after His Resurrection were cloaked in mystery. Not a mystery of confusion, but a mystery of profound depth and awe. On this, the third time Jesus appeared to His...

Daily Readings from the USCCBThen he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. And he said to them, “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.” Luke 24:45–48Jesus once again appears to a group of His disciples, and He once again gets straight to the point. He “opened their minds” so that they would understand all that the Scriptures revealed about Him. He...

24 April 2025 Easter Thursday St. John the Evangelist Church, Sigmaringen, Germany Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: White. Year: C(I).First readingActs 3:11-26You killed the prince of life: God, however, raised him from the deadEveryone came running towards Peter and John in great excitement, to the Portico of Solomon, as it is called, where the man was still clinging to Peter and John. When Peter saw the people he addressed them, ‘Why are you so surprised at this? Why are you staring at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or holiness? You are Israelites, and...

Daily Readings from the USCCBAnd it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?” Luke 24:30–31Two of Jesus’ disciples had been discussing the events of the past week as they walked the seven-mile journey along the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus. They previously...

23 April 2025 Easter Wednesday St.Adalbert Church in Prague, Czech Republic Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: White. Year: C(I).First readingActs 3:1-10I will give you what I have: in the name of Jesus, walk!Once, when Peter and John were going up to the Temple for the prayers at the ninth hour, it happened that there was a man being carried past. He was a cripple from birth; and they used to put him down every day near the Temple entrance called the Beautiful Gate so that he could beg from the people going in. When this man saw Peter and John on...

I am the odd man out in a family of medical folk…Beyond the family circle, I have many friends practicing the medical arts, including America’s most distinguished psychiatrist, Paul McHugh. I’ve also been blessed by the work of great physicians, whose skills and dedication have gotten me beyond the biblical allotment of “three score years and ten” (Ps. 90:10). Decades of life with and around doctors, nurses, and other medical practitioners have thus given me a deep regard for American medicine, which I believe to be the best in the world. And it’s precisely that regard that now leads me...

Daily Readings from the USCCBJesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” John 20:17Mary of Magdala was one of the first persons to whom Jesus appeared. She was deeply devoted to Him, especially because of the great mercy He offered her when He forgave her manifest sins and expelled seven demons from her. After He had done that, Mary became a devout follower and was one of...

22 April 2025 Easter Tuesday Sts. Soter & Caius, Popes & Martyrs, video clip of Mass, location unknown clipReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: White. Year: C(I).First readingActs 2:36-41You must repent and be baptized in the name of JesusOn the day of Pentecost, Peter spoke to the Jews: ‘The whole House of Israel can be certain that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ.’ Hearing this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the apostles, ‘What must we do, brothers?’ ‘You must repent,’ Peter answered ‘and every one of you must be...

Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican's Casa Santa Marta. At 9:45 AM, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, announced the death of Pope Francis from the Casa Santa Marta with these words: "Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church. He taught us...

Daily Readings from the USCCB The chief priests assembled with the elders and took counsel; then they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him while we were asleep.’ And if this gets to the ears of the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” Matthew 28:12–14The Lord of all rose from the grave, conquering sin and death, making it possible for us all to share in His glorious Resurrection! Death had lost. Satan had lost. The corrupt religious leaders had...

21 April 2025 Easter MondayThe Church of Saint Anselm of Canterbury, Long Island, NYReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: White. Year: C(I).First readingActs 2:14,22-33God raised this man Jesus to life, and all of us are witnesses to thisOn the day of Pentecost Peter stood up with the Eleven and addressed the crowd in a loud voice: ‘Men of Israel, listen to what I am going to say: Jesus the Nazarene was a man commended to you by God by the miracles and portents and signs that God worked through him when he was among you, as you all know. This man, who...

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis has died...

VATICAN CITY, — Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church for the past 12 years, has died at age 88. The head of the Catholic Church died Monday morning at 7:35 a.m. He had been the pope for 12 years, ascending to the head of the papacy on March 13, 2013.

Sydney Johnston grew up in a nondenominational Christian household — but now the Upper West Side millennial is a devout Catholic. “There’s just something so beautiful and transcendent about the rituals and the ancient history in the Catholic Mass that’s been preserved,” Johnston, 30, told The Post. “The church really communicates a degree of reverence that I didn’t find in the more liberal, laissez-faire approach of nondenominational churches.” Confirmed in December 2024 at the Church of Notre Dame in Morningside Heights, Johnston is one of a growing number of young people turning to the Catholic Church from other denominations, religions...

Their critics call them MAGA Catholics. Others label them as traditionalists — even fundamentalists. What is certain is that conservative or “faithful” Catholics, as they often prefer to be known, seem to be everywhere right now — from the new candidate for America’s ambassador to the Holy See to holding dinners and prayers services at Mar-A-Lago. This small but fervent wave of new conservative Catholicism is exploding nationwide — more visible than ever as they celebrate their resurrection victory this Easter Sunday.

20 April 2025 Easter Sunday St. Agnes of Montepulciano, Dominican Sisters of St. Secilia, Nashville, TN Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: White. Year: C(I).First readingActs 10:34,37-43'We have eaten and drunk with him after his resurrection'Peter addressed Cornelius and his household: ‘You must have heard about the recent happenings in Judaea; about Jesus of Nazareth and how he began in Galilee, after John had been preaching baptism. God had anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and because God was with him, Jesus went about doing good and curing all who had fallen into the power of the devil....

Daily Readings from the USCCBAfter the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, approached, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. His appearance was like lightning and his clothing was white as snow. The guards were shaken with fear of him and became like dead men.Matthew 28:1–4The angels of God have been present at the most significant moments of human history. There are numerous mentions of angels in the...