Pope Benedict XVI - Encyclical Letter Caritas in Veritate
This is the first social encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI, which offers an analysis of the current economic crisis. It is a reflection on the conditions necessary for "integral development," returning to themes found in "Populorum Progressio," written by Pope Paul VI in 1967. It was presented at a press conference in the late morning of 7 July 2009.

Pope Benedict XVI - Ecclesiae Unitatem
This document concerns the structure of the Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei" which deals with questions involving the Society of Saint Pius X and which as of now becomes dependent upon the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Archbishop Raymond Burke - Religious Faith in the Public Forum
Raymond Leo Burke, Archbishop emeritus of Saint Louis, Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, addressed guests at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast in Washington D.C., U.S.A. on Friday, 8 May 2009. Following are excerpts from Archbishop Burke's Keynote Address on the teachings of the Catholic Church.

Pope Benedict XVI - Letter Proclaiming a Year for Priests
On Friday, 19 June 2009, the solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and day of prayer for the sanctification of the clergy, Benedict XVI inaugurated a Jubilee Year for Priests during vespers in the Vatican basilica. This is the letter the Holy Father sent to priests for this Jubilee, which has been called to mark the 150th anniversary of the death of St. John Mary Vianney, the patron of parish priests.

CCL - Eucharistic Adoration for the Sanctification of Priests and Spiritual Maternity
Introduced by a letter from Claudio Card. Hummes, Prefect of the Congregation for Clergy, this document provides a series of addresses and articles, complete with pictures, in support of a movement of prayer, with eucharistic adoration at its center, entrusting all priests to Mary, Mother of the Eternal High Priest.

Pope Benedict XVI - Pilgrimage of His Holiness to the Holy Land, 8-15 May 2009
The week of 8 May 2009 through the 15th, the Holy Father followed in the footsteps of Paul VI and John Paul II in making a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Before the May 3rd midday Regina Caeli, the Pope listed his goals: To strengthen the Christians of the Holy Land, to be a pilgrim of peace, and to enhance ecumenical and interreligious dialogue

Synod of Bishops - 12th Ordinary Synod of Bishops
The Holy Father Benedict XVI convoked the Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in the Vatican from Sunday 5 October 2008 to Sunday 26 October 2008, on the theme of "The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church".

Pope Benedict XVI - Apostolic Journey of Pope Benedict XVI to the United States
This is an index page, providing links to the Holy Father’s addresses during his Apostolic Journey to the United States, and visit to the United Nations Headquarters, 15 – 21 April 2008.

EWTN - Mary: Co-Redemptrix, Mediatrix and Advocate
An index page providing links to various articles relating to the desire expressed by many that a fifth Marian dogma be defined, formally proclaiming her to be Co-Redemptrix, Mediatrix of all graces, Advocate with Jesus Christ, and Mother of All Humanity.

Benedict XVI - Spe Salvi: In Hope We Are Saved
The title of Benedict XVI's Encyclical, published 30 November 2007, refers to Romans 8:24, "For in hope we were saved." As the Holy Father teaches, our hope is based on the love of God, who offers redemption, the goal of our journey. We are freed from bondage to matter, because God governs its laws. In our relationship with Him, established through Christ, we have life that can never be taken away.

Doctrinal Note on Some Aspects of Evangelization
The Vatican Press Office provides a summary of the Document on evangelization, released 14 December 2007, by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The Document is intended to clear up confusion about the Church's responsibility to make the Gospel known to all, while respecting their freedom regarding conversion.

Pope Benedict XVI - Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum
On Saturday 7 July 2007 the Holy See released the long-awaiting Motu Proprio of Pope Benedict XVI on the celebration of the Roman Rite according to the Missal of 1962. The Motu Proprio, a document originating with Pope Benedict "by his own hand," grants the Mass and Sacraments according to their pre-Vatican II rites the status of an "extraordinary form" that can be celebrated by Latin Rite priests in accordance with the norms laid down in this document. The Motu Proprio was accompanied by a letter of Pope Benedict.

ZENIT - Reorienting the Mass
The statement asserting that the priest celebrating the older form of the Mass has "his back to the people" misses the point, says Father Uwe Michael Lang of the London Oratory and recently appointed to work for the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church. In this interview with ZENIT, Father Lang speaks about the "ad orientem" posture and the possibilities for a rediscovery of the ancient liturgical practice.

Cardinal Francis Arinze - Latin and Vernacular: Language in the Roman Liturgy
Cardinal Francis Arinze, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, delivered the this Keynote Address at the Gateway Liturgical Conference which was held in St Louis, Missouri, U.S.A., 11 November 2006. In his address, the Cardinal emphasized the privileged place of Latin in the Roman Rite, and summarized the principles of good translation to the vernacular.

PCJP - Holy See on Tolerance and Nondiscrimination
Here is the text of an address delivered by the Holy See's representative, Monsignor Anthony Frontiero, to the annual meeting of the Organization for Security Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Monsignor Frontiero, an official of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, gave the address 25 Sept. 2007 on the theme of tolerance and nondiscrimination.

ITC - The Hope of Salvation for Infants Who Die Without Being Baptized
The following study by the International Theological Commission was published on 20 April 2007 with the consent of Pope Benedict XVI, on a question put to the Commission by Pope John Paul II in 2004. The International Theological Commission is composed of theologians of various nationalities called together to examine doctrinal questions of major importance. It is not an organ of the Magisterium, although its President is the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith; therefore, this study is not a teaching document of the Church.

Regent Restates Vatican's Anti-Masonry Position
The Church has not changed its ruling on Catholic membership in the Masons, said the regent of the Apostolic Penitentiary. Bishop Gianfranco Girotti made this statement on 1 March 2007 at a conference on the topic of Freemasonry held at the St. Bonaventure Pontifical Theological Faculty.

.Very Rev. Joseph Di Bruno, D.D. - What Catholics Do Not Believe
In this short article, an excerpt from an 1888 book, the author succinctly defeats certain common objections against the Catholic Faith.

LOR - Biographies of New Blesseds
With each beatification, L'Osservatore Romano publishes a short biography of the new Blessed, which we add to our folder, indexed by year and by name. This week bios have been added for beatifications on 6 November and 12 November

 Mother Angelica's Writings
An index page with the titles of all Mother Angelica's books, mini-books, and tracts in our Document Library.