If not for the Society of Jesus, we would not be enjoying some basics taken for granted in the modern world. Nerdy academic Jesuits and their swashbuckling, globe-trotting missionary brothers have made significant contributions not only in astronomy, seismology, mathematics and technology, but also in theatre, botany, medicine and international cuisine.

1. The Calender   Christopher Clavius, S.J. (1538–1612), was a renowned German mathematician and astronomer who modified Aloysius Lilius’ initial proposal for the Gregorian Calendar, the internationally-accepted civil calendar we use today, which was promulgated in 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII…

The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops has invited the faithful in the 26 Dioceses of the country and all people of good will, to join in praying for the country. In a press statement issued 28 July 2017 at the Catholic Secretariat in Nairobi, by all the Bishops, the prelates propose to start Novena prayers for peaceful elections from 30 July to 7 August 2017…

Charlie Gard, the critically ill baby at the centre of a contentious legal battle that attracted the attention of Pope Francis and US President Donald Trump, died on Friday, according to a family spokeswoman. He would have turned one next week.

Charlie suffered from a rare genetic disease, mitochondrial depletion syndrome, which caused brain damage and left him unable to breathe unaided…

Cardinal George Pell made a brief appearance at an Australian court on Wednesday in a preliminary hearing regarding the accusation of “historical sexual offences”.

His lawyer said he would plead “not guilty” to the charges leveled against him by police in the state of Victoria.

Escorted by Australian police, Cardinal George Pell made his way through a mass of journalists and protesters to arrive at a filing hearing before the Melbourne Magistrate’s Court…

God of faith,
Hear the deepest prayer of our hearts,
for a child to be ours.
Help us to believe –
even when we wrestle with doubt,
even when months pass empty,
even when darkness threatens our joy –
that your promise of love for us
remains faithful, good, and true.

God of hope,
Hold our dreams for a child
within your loving hands…

One year after the brutal killing of Fr. Jacques Hamel, French bishops recalled the beautiful example of the man who lived out every day in simple faithfulness, rooted in the love of Christ.

Archbishop Georges Pontier of Marseille wrote in a statement Monday that Fr. Jacques Hamel, who was murdered by Islamist extremists while celebrating Mass, was, in the words of his sister, Roseline: “above all a man among men.”

“It was this man among men who was killed…