Pope Francis and Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle before a mosaic of catechist St. Pedro Calungsod in St. Peter’s Basilica on Nov. 21, 2013. Credit: Kerri Lenartowick/CNA

Vatican City, Mar 3, 2021 / 12:00 pm MT (CNA).- Pope Francis will offer Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on March 14 to mark 500 years of Catholic faith in the Philippines.  The Mass will be attended by Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples and the former archbishop of Manila, as well as Filipino Catholics living in Rome.  Due to COVID-19 restrictions, a limited number of people will be able to attend, but the Mass will be live-streamed for people to watch around the world.

“Join us in Rome to pray, praise and thank God for his gift of the Christian faith,” Fr. Ricky Gente, C.S., a priest of the Filipino Chaplaincy in Rome, said in comments to the news agency of the Philippines bishops’ conference.

The papal Mass is being held in honor of the year’s 500th anniversary of the presence of the Catholic faith in the Philippines, where the first Mass and the first Baptism took place in 1521.
EWTN News <catholicna@catholicna.com> 

 On the 150th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Saint Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church
Pope Francis calls for a year dedicated to St. Joseph during this pandemic.

Each of us has a special invitation to pray a Novena to our patron saint, Joseph. 
Here are the links you can use and share with others.

                                             Novena in English            Novena in Spanish

Downloadable books coming soon.

Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer,  Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
To you God entrusted his only Son;
in you Mary placed her trust;  with you Christ became man.

Blessed Joseph, to us too,  show yourself a father
and guide us in the path of life.  Obtain for us grace, mercy, and courage,
and defend us from every evil.  Amen. 

 (PRayer to St. Jospeh that Pope Francis prays each morning and encourages all to pray)