More Precious Than Gold — True Faith

by Brian Caulfield Something sensational happened in Madrid. The week after aimless youths were blamed for riots in London and as Time magazine headlined “The Decline and Fall of Europe,” hundreds of thousands of young people converged on Spain’s capital to celebrate their Catholic faith. The youthful enthusiasm, unflagging energy, unwavering commitment, and many acts […]

Pope: University Must Be Than a Trade School

by Cindy Wooden SAN LORENZO DE EL ESCORIAL, Spain (CNS) – Pope Benedict XVI’s meetings with young religious women and young university professors, held in the same complex, had very different tones. The sisters and nuns – all under 35 – gathered in the sunny courtyard of the Basilica of St. Lawrence, while the professors […]

Protestors Prey on the Faith of WYD Pilgrims

MADRID (CNS) – A paradox was alive in the streets of Madrid as hundreds of thousands of World Youth Day pilgrims shared the sidewalks with local protesters frustrated over Spain’s hosting – and, some believed, funding – of the weeklong event in a time of economic turmoil. A group of protesters broke into a run […]

Tanzanian Nun Thanks L.I.U. Newman Club

by Marie Elena Giossi One East African nun traveled over 7,000 miles this summer to express her thanks to college students in Brooklyn for making a huge impact in the lives of dozens of children in her care. That nun is Sister Flora Ndwata, C.S.G., director of St. Gabriel Home and School in the Diocese […]

Ancient Cities Impress Delegates from Diocese (slide show)

by Antonina Zielinska MADRID — The day before World Youth Day officially started, pilgrims from the Diocese of Brooklyn joined their counterparts from around the world to celebrate the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in the ancient city of Avila, Spain. Msgr. Jaime Gigantiello, pastor of Mary, Queen of Heaven, Old […]