Tag: Pope Francis

• Book Review—Pope Leo XIV: Inside the Conclave and the Dawn of a New Papacy by Christopher White

  As an American and a Catholic, did I ever, in my wildest dreams, imagine an American pope? Absolutely not. But, on Thursday, May 8, 2025, that is exactly what happened. My husband and I were both home (freshly retired) and were having lunch at our kitchen counter. After we finished eating, my husband was cleaning…

  michardillo

  September 5, 2025

  books

  book-review, books, Catholic, Catholic Church, Catholic school, Christopher White, Conclave, Confirmation, Councils, Italy, Jesuits, Kindle, Loyola Press, Mass, NetGalley, Pope Benedict XVI, Pope Francis, Pope John Paul II, Pope John XXIII, Pope Leo XIV, social media, Society of Jesus, St. Monica, Synod, Vatican, Vatican II, writer, writing

• Walking with Francis: Rest in Peace, Holy Father

  Easter Monday April 21, 2025 The world woke today to the news that the Holy Father passed away this morning in the Vatican. Having just written religious reflections for the seven days of Holy Week, I was going to return to my book reviews and more secular personal essays today, but given the news, “shocking…

  michardillo

  April 21, 2025

  Essay, faith

  ABC News, Archdiocese of Washington, Basilica, Cardinal Dolan, Catholic Church, Catholic school, Catholic University, David Muir, Easter Monday, faithful, Holy Father, Pope Francis, Popemobile, Sistine Chapel, Vatican, Walk with Francis

• The Papacy and the Pendulum

  Tuesday, April 15, 2025: Day 3 of Holy Week Reflections Pope Francis, who at age 88 is one of the oldest reigning popes of modern times, is the current Bishop of Rome. His papacy began on March 13, 2013, and I remember the day very clearly. I was in my classroom at my first school,…

  michardillo

  April 15, 2025

  Essay, faith

  #Holy Week, Belgium, Brussels, Catholic Church, Charleroi, Easter Sunday, Italy, Papacy, Pope Benedict XVI, Pope Francis, Rome, Saint Pope John Paul II, Triduum, Vatican Square, Waterloo

• Papal Fever: Say Two Prayers and Call Me in the Morning

  A quick search on the internet brings up over four million hits about the latest “epidemic” to hit the United States: Papal Fever. Since the moment the Holy Father, Pope Francis, went wheels up in Cuba, America has been swept up in a frenzy of enthusiastic support of this soft-spoken and humble man in his…

  michardillo

  September 27, 2015

  Essay

  Basilica, Catholic University of America, CUA, Junipero Serra, Papal Mass, Pope Benedict XVI, Pope Francis, Pope John Paul II, Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington DC