“If you knew the gift of God” is the phrase that Jesus said in the episode in which He met the Samaritan woman at the well of Sicar that is recorded in chapter 4 of St John’s Gospel from verses 1 to 10 (Jn 4:1-10). Let us try to understand Jesus’ words together, entering into […]
8 March International Women’s Day
Today we celebrate the International Women’s Day. Sr Emanuela was interviewed for Vatican News, and she invites us to meditate on the qualities that comprise the so-called, ‘feminine genius’. In the article you can see the contributions of women to the life of the Church through the art contained in the Vatican Collection. To read […]
The Consecrated Life “a light for revelation to the Gentiles.” (Lk 2:32)
“A light for revelation to the Gentiles,” are the words that resound today in the Church which remembers the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple. The entrance procession, with lighted candles and the words of the Gospel, introduce the mystery of that Child who is the true light that illuminates […]
It is good to go back in time
A city like Rome, with its abundance of history and art, can, at times, produce sentiments of inadequacy and disorientation. Here we can find places that open our minds to the possibility of a recuperation of our Christian identity and roots. For a moment, let us abandon the noisy hub-bub of the streets and try […]
Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary In The Temple
21 November – Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary In The Temple A prayer to Our Lady to celebrate the Feast of her Presentation in the Temple, by St Alphonsus Liguori from ‘the Glories of Mary’: Oh holy Lady know that already through thy prayers the Son of God is hastening to come and redeem […]
The Angelus, the prayer that inspired a masterpiece
The Angelus was painted by JF Millet (1814-1875) in 1859. His early life was spent in rural France working on the family farm whilst being instructed in the classics by the priests from the local parish. Millet inherited his father’s artistic talent and as a boy copied prints from the Bible and so his artistic […]
The sculptor of Mary, Virgin of Revelation
Dear Friends, Today we celebrate the anniversary of the location of the statue of the Virgin of Revelation in the grotto of Tre Fontane, Three Fountains, Rome. On the 5th October 1947, the wooden statue of Our Lady, realised by Domenico Ponzi, was transported from St Peter’s Square to Tre Fontane upon a royal carriage […]
The meaning of Mary’s name
St Albert the Great said that Mary’s name has four meanings: lluminator, star of the sea, bitter sea and lady (Comment on St Luke 1,27) Mary illuminates because she gave birth to the true light of the world. She is like the Star of the Sea because she orientates us during the dark nights of […]
Abraham’s Faith
In the Letter to the Hebrews Abraham is praised for his faith: “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; he went out, not knowing where he was to go. By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac, […]
Prayer for the Solemnity of the Assumption
Prayer To The Blessed Virgin Mary on the Solemnity of the Assumption By Pope Pius XII On the Occasion of the Proclamation of the Dogma of the Assumption Pope Pius XII dedicated this beautiful prayer to Our Blessed Mother. O, Immaculate Virgin Mother of God and Mother of Men, we believe with all the […]