If you have been watching the Olympics this year, odds are you have seen the famous “Christ the Redeemer” statue that overlooks the city of Rio. It is listed as one of the “New Seven Wonders of the World” and has become one of Brazil’s most famous landmarks. Measuring 124 feet tall with an arm Read more
A team of specialists has begun to repair the statue of Christ the Redeemer, overlooking Rio de Janeiro, after it was damaged by a lightening strike last month. The Rio Archdiocese, owner of the statue, has entrusted the work to a group of abseiling eigineers, to avoid the use of scaffolds, and allow visits to Read more
My Facebook newsfeed in recent days has been filled with exciting stories and photos about World Youth Day (WYD)—which ended today with a Mass in Rio. Yet again, we have had some amazing quotes from Pope Francis on his visit to Brazil reminding us about the church’s social and ethical obligations towards the poor. However, Read more
This photograph, taken by a Mexican Marist priest, shows that New Zealand is literally showing the flag at the World Youth Day. There are close to 50 kiwi pilgrims, representing all the dioceses in New Zealand, making the 19 day World Youth Day pilgrimage. It began with 5 days in Santiago, Chile, where the pilgrims were Read more
I’ve covered enough papal trips under Pope John Paul II and Benedict XVI to be familiar with the routine. As the press centre fills, the first reports filter out of the Pope’s remarks to journalists accompanying him on the plane. The familiar Alitalia A330 touches down on the airport tarmac flying the Vatican and local Read more
ESSCNews shares this article written by Pedro Walpole after he returned from the Earth Summit. Originally published in Intersect magazine in September 1992, the observations that Pedro wrote about 20 years ago eerily remain the same 20 years after in Rio+20. Last June, over 100 governments gathered at the United Nations Conference on the Environment Read more
In an astounding show of solidarity, a diverse group of countries rallied together with the Holy See to successfully remove any mention of reproductive rights or population control from the final outcome document produced during the last round of UN negotiations at the Rio +20 conference this week. For the past six months, the UN Read more
Registration for World Youth Day 2013 (WYD2013) will open in July said the organizers for the Rio event. “Rio awaits you with open arms,” organizers said as they urge young people to come to Brazil, participate in the event and show the strength of young people around the world. The only place to register for the Read more
As preparations get under way for World Youth Day, organisers in Rio have launched a new smartdevice App, and announced that a “week of missions” will precede WYD. At the request of Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, and to help young people prepare to participate in World Youth Day, a “week of Read more