We pronounce, declare, and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma: that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory. —Pope Pius XII, "Munificentissimus Deus", 44 More »

It would be great if husbands and wives were always at the same place along the same spiritual path, but life is often much more complicated. Ecumenical, or “mixed” marriages have become commonplace, and even couples who are both Catholic can find themselves growing apart spiritually. More »

Every year on August 6, the church celebrates one of the most dramatic moments in the gospel, when Jesus’ first followers are given a glimpse of his heavenly glory. More »

On a gray and misty late afternoon in February 1818, a thirty-one-year-old priest reached the outskirts of a backwater village north of Lyons, France. Immediately, he knelt down on the roadside and prayed. More »

In May of 1521, a captain in the Spanish army was wounded in battle—and the church has never been the same since. More »

In the following selections from his homilies and addresses, Pope Francis offers encouragement, practical advice, and wisdom to the modern family. More »

Boanerges, or “sons of thunder,” aptly described Jesus’ impetuous disciples James and John, the sons of Zebedee (Mark 3:17). James and John, who were fishermen when Jesus called them, were prominent among the twelve disciples. More »

One of the most promising—and intriguing—passages in the New Testament is this: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). More »