In a document entitled The Message of Fatima, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith declared that “Fatima is undoubtedly the most prophetic of modern apparitions.” To understand the reason for this, we should look first at the historical context in which these messages were revealed. 

Francis’ recognition and honoring of the feminine, that was such an important part of his life and teaching, took concrete and personal shape in the person of Clare. She has usually been overshadowed by her partner, Francis, in the public imagination; in her writings, she seems to see herself that way very humbly, as we see in this wonderful opening quote. But Chiara Offreduccio (1193–1253) has finally begun to emerge as her own person, with her own unique identity, writings, and message.

On March 27, oil began to flow along the Dakota Access Pipeline’s 1,172-mile journey from North Dakota to Illinois. The last of the protesters cleared out of the area one month before. The protest hashtag #NoDAPL is no longer the viral force it once was on Twitter. Soon, we’ll mostly have forgotten about the protests, the tear gas, the high-profile arrests. Shouldn’t we just move on?

With over 400,000 Latinos in the Boston area—many of whom are Catholic—the Church has its work cut out for it in reaching and enriching the faith lives of this growing population. Enter Brother Mario Gomez-Tejerina, OFM. 

Director of Latino ministry at the St. Anthony Shrine and Ministry Center, Brother Mario brings not only his energetic faith, but also the language and cultural background of those he serves.

One day, after the three children had eaten lunch and quickly prayed their rosary—for they were eager to get started on their games—a strong gust of wind instantly grabbed their attention. The nearby treetops began to shake with great force, and suddenly a radiant white angel appeared. He looked to be a young man.

For our son Eli’s 9th birthday, we got him an honest-to-goodness magic kit: a top hat, wand, red sequined vest, black cape, and a number of props. One of the best parenting memories I have is of Eli—with the help of his 12-year-old twin sisters—performing a laugh-and mistake-filled magic show for my wife and me, in front of a makeshift curtain rigged out of an old blanket.