Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church

CNA Staff, Jan 11, 2025 / 10:00 am (CNA).

A new movie telling the true story of an Armenian family who was forced to flee their home country of Azerbaijan amid political turmoil will be in theaters Jan. 26–28.

The Petrosyans — made up of husband and wife Ivan and Violetta and their two daughters Olga and Julia — inspired the new film “Between Borders,” which depicts the real-life events the family endured while fleeing their home in Baku, Azerbaijan, during the anti-Armenian massacre that took place in the late 1980s.

Experiencing discrimination in their home country and then in Russia, the country to which they fled, the Petrosyans eventually found hope in a church established by American missionaries. There they came to the faith and were helped to seek refuge in the United States.

CNA spoke to Violetta and Olga Petrosyan about their experience fleeing persecution and how they came to find refuge in Christ along the way.

Olga, who was only 4 years old when the violence broke out, said watching their story depicted in a movie has been “healing.”

“Growing up, when you end up going through all of those tribulations, you don’t know that there is a life not lived like this,” she explained. “You think that this is how everyone probably lived their life, but the older you get and the more normal your life becomes away from all the hardships, you understand how much you’ve gone through in your childhood and teenage years that affected you in many different traumatic ways.” 

She pointed out that by watching their story now in a movie format with others who are “processing your story with you” it feels as though “you are seen and known and you are affirmed in some of those situations where you felt it wasn’t as bad — no, it was as bad because you can hear other people processing it out loud so it becomes healing.”

Violetta added that it was “a mix of emotions” watching their story on the big screen.

“It was so intense, so many emotions, bringing back memories — at the same time, in awe and wonder that God actually made it happen,” she said.

She explained that there are moments from your past “that you want to forget but you also don’t want to forget because there’s some aspect in life that still shows you how God brought you through, even at the moments when we didn’t know him. So, that’s how important it is that you understand that his hand was always protecting our family.”

While in Volgograd, Russia, after fleeing Azerbaijan, the family began to attend a church established by American missionaries and it was there that Violetta experienced a conversion.

She shared that she was taught by her grandmother at a young age to always make the sign of the cross and say the Lord’s Prayer before bed but her grandmother never spoke about God.

As she became an adult, Violetta became a member of the Communist Party and even led a Communist Party organization at the school she taught at.

“We were raised in the Communist era and we learned that there is no God, that God is evil. I would protect children from going to church because I said that it doesn’t exist,” she shared. “I still don’t know how I was saying that.”

“When God came into our life in Volgograd through the missionaries that was the immediate click and I realized that I’ve always known that God existed but I pushed him away from me and then it actually happened — my conversion happened on the 6th of October, on my physical birthday.”

Olga added: “I saw my family before Christ and then I saw my family after Christ and the difference that it makes to be united in Christ in the midst of hopelessness, around the circumstances, makes everything different. We still had the same tribulations after we came to Jesus, but we had this center, which was Christ binding us all together, that we knew that no matter what, we can do this with Christ who gives us strength.”

“It was Jesus that made the whole difference for me,” Olga said. “The world can give us temporary labels and I think we all carry some sort of labels that were given to us by people of this world. And I’ve carried those labels as a ‘foreigner,’ ‘unwanted,’ ‘refugee,’ ‘dirty,’ but I got one label from the Lord and that’s the one that will stick with me through eternity and that’s ‘child of God.’” 

Olga hopes that “Between Borders” will help shed light not on the political conflict but on what hatred does to people.

“It’s not ‘Oh, look at what Azeris have done.’ I think for me it’s important, at least, that it’s more ‘Look what evil that is fostered, or hatred that is fostered, between two nationalities can do, what it can lead to,” she explained. “But at the same time, look what God can do despite and through that … There’s always hatred between two … and it’s fostered and it bursts more hatred and it bursts destruction and tragedy, but look what God can do.”

Violetta added that she hopes viewers will see that “there is always forgiveness.”

“No matter how hard the events were in that conflict … no matter how severe it is, love and forgiveness always conquer.”

Check theater listings near you for showtimes.

CNA's video interview with Violetta and Olga Petrosyan can be watched below.

CNA Newsroom, Jan 11, 2025 / 07:15 am (CNA).

Pope Francis kicked off the first Saturday jubilee audience of 2025 by urging pilgrims to embrace hope as a divine strength that enables new beginnings, drawing inspiration from St. John the Baptist.

Speaking to pilgrims gathered in the Vatican’s audience hall on Jan. 11, the pontiff emphasized that hope is not merely a character trait but rather a theological virtue that represents “strength to be asked for” from God.

“Many of you are here in Rome as ‘pilgrims of hope,’” Pope Francis said.

“Indeed, the jubilee is a new beginning, the possibility for everyone to start anew from God. With the jubilee we start a new life, a new phase.”

The pope highlighted how the Latin word “virtus” means strength, explaining that hope, therefore, comes as a gift from God rather than existing as a mere habit or personality characteristic.

The Catholic Church teaches that hope is one of the three theological virtues — along with faith and charity — which God pours into the hearts of the faithful.

Drawing connections to the feast of the Baptism of the Lord on Sunday, Francis reflected on John the Baptist as a “great prophet of hope,” noting how people flocked to him “longing for a new beginning.”

“Just as we today pass through the Holy Door, so John proposed to cross the river Jordan, entering the Promised Land as Joshua had done the first time,” the pope said, connecting the biblical narrative to the current jubilee year.

Pope Francis concluded with special greetings to English-speaking pilgrims, invoking God’s blessings of “wisdom, strength, and peace” upon them and their families.

The jubilee audience marked the beginning of regular Saturday gatherings that will welcome pilgrims from around the world throughout the 2025 Jubilee Year.

The first major calendar event of the 2025 holy year is the Jubilee of the World of Communications, scheduled for Jan. 24–26. The Vatican expects thousands of journalists and media professionals from around the world to come to Rome for the occasion.

CNA Newsroom, Jan 11, 2025 / 07:15 am (CNA).

Pope Francis kicked off the first Saturday jubilee audience of 2025 by urging pilgrims to embrace hope as a divine strength that enables new beginnings, drawing inspiration from St. John the Baptist.

Speaking to pilgrims gathered in the Vatican’s audience hall on Jan. 11, the pontiff emphasized that hope is not merely a character trait but rather a theological virtue that represents “strength to be asked for” from God.

“Many of you are here in Rome as ‘pilgrims of hope,’” Pope Francis said.

“Indeed, the jubilee is a new beginning, the possibility for everyone to start anew from God. With the jubilee we start a new life, a new phase.”

The pope highlighted how the Latin word “virtus” means strength, explaining that hope, therefore, comes as a gift from God rather than existing as a mere habit or personality characteristic.

The Catholic Church teaches that hope is one of the three theological virtues — along with faith and charity — which God pours into the hearts of the faithful.

Drawing connections to the feast of the Baptism of the Lord on Sunday, Francis reflected on John the Baptist as a “great prophet of hope,” noting how people flocked to him “longing for a new beginning.”

“Just as we today pass through the Holy Door, so John proposed to cross the river Jordan, entering the Promised Land as Joshua had done the first time,” the pope said, connecting the biblical narrative to the current jubilee year.

Pope Francis concluded with special greetings to English-speaking pilgrims, invoking God’s blessings of “wisdom, strength, and peace” upon them and their families.

The jubilee audience marked the beginning of regular Saturday gatherings that will welcome pilgrims from around the world throughout the 2025 Jubilee Year.

The first major calendar event of the 2025 holy year is the Jubilee of the World of Communications, scheduled for Jan. 24–26. The Vatican expects thousands of journalists and media professionals from around the world to come to Rome for the occasion.

CNA Newsroom, Jan 11, 2025 / 06:15 am (CNA).

Pope Francis expressed his condolences Saturday to Los Angeles communities affected by devastating wildfires that have destroyed homes and churches, including the historic Corpus Christi Catholic Church.

In a telegram released by the Vatican’s secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the pope said he was “saddened by the loss of life and the widespread destruction” caused by the fires near Los Angeles.

The pontiff entrusted “the souls of the deceased to the loving mercy of Almighty God” and sent “heartfelt condolences to those who mourn their loss.”

President Joe Biden canceled his upcoming visit to Italy — which would have included a meeting with Pope Francis — to address the ongoing crisis in Southern California.

Archbishop José Gomez of Los Angeles, addressing the tragedy during a special Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels on Thursday, called on Catholics to become “instruments” of God’s love amid the devastation.

The archdiocese has set up a donation portal to help the community.

The fires began Tuesday and spread rapidly due to dry conditions and hurricane-force Santa Ana winds. Multiple blazes remained unchecked across thousands of acres as firefighters worked to gain control.

Among the destroyed structures was Corpus Christi Catholic Church. However, in what some consider miraculous, a Virgin Mary statue survived the blaze that consumed one parishioner’s home — the only item left standing after the fire reduced the building to ashes.

The archdiocese is coordinating with local Catholic agencies to provide resources to those affected by the fires.

CNA Newsroom, Jan 11, 2025 / 06:15 am (CNA).

Pope Francis expressed his condolences Saturday to Los Angeles communities affected by devastating wildfires that have destroyed homes and churches, including the historic Corpus Christi Catholic Church.

In a telegram released by the Vatican’s secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the pope said he was “saddened by the loss of life and the widespread destruction” caused by the fires near Los Angeles.

The pontiff entrusted “the souls of the deceased to the loving mercy of Almighty God” and sent “heartfelt condolences to those who mourn their loss.”

President Joe Biden canceled his upcoming visit to Italy — which would have included a meeting with Pope Francis — to address the ongoing crisis in Southern California.

Archbishop José Gomez of Los Angeles, addressing the tragedy during a special Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels on Thursday, called on Catholics to become “instruments” of God’s love amid the devastation.

The archdiocese has set up a donation portal to help the community.

The fires began Tuesday and spread rapidly due to dry conditions and hurricane-force Santa Ana winds. Multiple blazes remained unchecked across thousands of acres as firefighters worked to gain control.

Among the destroyed structures was Corpus Christi Catholic Church. However, in what some consider miraculous, a Virgin Mary statue survived the blaze that consumed one parishioner’s home — the only item left standing after the fire reduced the building to ashes.

The archdiocese is coordinating with local Catholic agencies to provide resources to those affected by the fires.

Rome Newsroom, Jan 11, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

A new tour of the Vatican Gardens at the pope’s summer palace in Castel Gandolfo is opening in the spring for jubilee pilgrims who wish to escape the crowds in Rome for a day and immerse themselves in the natural beauty of God’s creation.

On the wooded slopes of the Alban Hills, overlooking the blue waters of a small volcanic crater lake, the papal residence and gardens at Castel Gandolfo was a favorite summer retreat for popes for centuries.

With the Church’s 2025 Jubilee, these papal gardens will turn a new chapter as the setting for one of Pope Francis’ most ambitious ecological projects.

In the spring, the Vatican will open a new tour of the gardens as part of the Borgo Laudato Si’ initiative, a project years in the making that aims to put the principles for integral development outlined in the pope’s environmental encyclical Laudato Si’ into practice.

“Pope Francis believes that he does not need all this space for his summer vacation,” Donatella Parisi, the initiative’s spokesperson, explained during a preview tour of the gardens. 

“He believes that so much beauty, so much wonder, so much richness should be shared with humanity.” 

Visiting pilgrims will have the opportunity to taste the produce of Borgo Laudato Si’s organic farm, where olive oil will be pressed from the estate’s 1,400 olive trees and a vineyard will produce wine using advanced, pesticide-free techniques.

Honey, herbal teas, and medicinal plants will also be harvested from the property, where cows will provide organic cheese and other dairy products, including ice cream.

“The farm will become an educational farm,” Parisi said. “Everything that is grown will be shared with the jubilee pilgrims.”

The gardens have long been a place of tranquility. Roman Emperor Domitian (A.D. 81–96) first built a lavish country villa on the site, the ruins of which are included in the tour. Hadrian and Marcus Aurelius both visited this ancient villa, according to the Vatican.

The property was later adopted as the popes’ summer residence in the 1600s. Pope Urban VIII (1623–1644) was the first pope to spend his summer holiday in the palace.

Among the gardens’ 3,000 plants from 300 species is a 700-year-old oak tree and meticulously maintained hedges that reflect centuries of papal stewardship.

Today the Vatican Gardens at Castel Gandolfo are accessible via a 45-minute train ride south from Rome. The Borgo Laudato Si’ property includes more than 86 acres of gardens and 49 acres of agricultural land.

The opening of the new tour marks the 10th anniversary of the publication of Laudato Si’ and the 800th anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi’s “Canticle of the Sun.”

Signs have been placed throughout the gardens with reflections on topics from “silence” to “water” to foster moments of contemplation of both creation and Creator. 

“What we want to offer to all visitors … is an immersive experience in the principles of Laudato Si’,” Parisi said. 

Central to this experience is the integration of ecological education, circular economy practices, and environmental sustainability. 

The gardens have undergone significant transformations to align with these goals. Solar panels have been installed on the site. Rainwater harvesting systems and restructured fountain plumbing aim to achieve zero water waste, while electric vehicles will eventually replace gas-powered transport.  

The water system is a major focus, according to Parisi. “There will be rainwater harvesting cisterns put in for the first time. The energy will all be sustainable,” she said. Agriculture will follow conservation and generative practices. 

At the heart of the Borgo Laudato Si’ is a commitment to social justice. “A specific request of Pope Francis is that this place be a home for people in a vulnerable condition,” Parisi explained. 

The project offers job training for marginalized groups, including refugees, former prisoners, survivors of human trafficking, and individuals with disabilities. “This is a mandate that is very close to Pope Francis’ heart,” she said. 

An American priest, Father Manuel Dorantes, recently took the reins as the director of the Borgo Laudato Si’s Center for Higher Education. The pastor from the Archdiocese of Chicago began a four-year term at the center on Dec. 1.

Before taking up the post, Dorantes expressed hope that the initiative will “create tangible examples of the Church’s contribution to the care of our common home and to the integral development of the human person.”

The educational opportunities extend to children and students, who will have the opportunity to participate in summer schools, workshops, and ecological awareness programs.

Cardinal Fabio Baggio, who oversees the project, sees it as a model for future initiatives. 

In a preview of the project last fall, Baggio said: “The beauty of the Barberini Villa and the Pontifical Villas gardens becomes the natural setting for the development of a place of ‘integral ecology,’ open to all people of goodwill.”

Rome Newsroom, Jan 11, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

A new tour of the Vatican Gardens at the pope’s summer palace in Castel Gandolfo is opening in the spring for jubilee pilgrims who wish to escape the crowds in Rome for a day and immerse themselves in the natural beauty of God’s creation.

On the wooded slopes of the Alban Hills, overlooking the blue waters of a small volcanic crater lake, the papal residence and gardens at Castel Gandolfo was a favorite summer retreat for popes for centuries.

With the Church’s 2025 Jubilee, these papal gardens will turn a new chapter as the setting for one of Pope Francis’ most ambitious ecological projects.

In the spring, the Vatican will open a new tour of the gardens as part of the Borgo Laudato Si’ initiative, a project years in the making that aims to put the principles for integral development outlined in the pope’s environmental encyclical Laudato Si’ into practice.

“Pope Francis believes that he does not need all this space for his summer vacation,” Donatella Parisi, the initiative’s spokesperson, explained during a preview tour of the gardens. 

“He believes that so much beauty, so much wonder, so much richness should be shared with humanity.” 

Visiting pilgrims will have the opportunity to taste the produce of Borgo Laudato Si’s organic farm, where olive oil will be pressed from the estate’s 1,400 olive trees and a vineyard will produce wine using advanced, pesticide-free techniques.

Honey, herbal teas, and medicinal plants will also be harvested from the property, where cows will provide organic cheese and other dairy products, including ice cream.

“The farm will become an educational farm,” Parisi said. “Everything that is grown will be shared with the jubilee pilgrims.”

The gardens have long been a place of tranquility. Roman Emperor Domitian (A.D. 81–96) first built a lavish country villa on the site, the ruins of which are included in the tour. Hadrian and Marcus Aurelius both visited this ancient villa, according to the Vatican.

The property was later adopted as the popes’ summer residence in the 1600s. Pope Urban VIII (1623–1644) was the first pope to spend his summer holiday in the palace.

Among the gardens’ 3,000 plants from 300 species is a 700-year-old oak tree and meticulously maintained hedges that reflect centuries of papal stewardship.

Today the Vatican Gardens at Castel Gandolfo are accessible via a 45-minute train ride south from Rome. The Borgo Laudato Si’ property includes more than 86 acres of gardens and 49 acres of agricultural land.

The opening of the new tour marks the 10th anniversary of the publication of Laudato Si’ and the 800th anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi’s “Canticle of the Sun.”

Signs have been placed throughout the gardens with reflections on topics from “silence” to “water” to foster moments of contemplation of both creation and Creator. 

“What we want to offer to all visitors … is an immersive experience in the principles of Laudato Si’,” Parisi said. 

Central to this experience is the integration of ecological education, circular economy practices, and environmental sustainability. 

The gardens have undergone significant transformations to align with these goals. Solar panels have been installed on the site. Rainwater harvesting systems and restructured fountain plumbing aim to achieve zero water waste, while electric vehicles will eventually replace gas-powered transport.  

The water system is a major focus, according to Parisi. “There will be rainwater harvesting cisterns put in for the first time. The energy will all be sustainable,” she said. Agriculture will follow conservation and generative practices. 

At the heart of the Borgo Laudato Si’ is a commitment to social justice. “A specific request of Pope Francis is that this place be a home for people in a vulnerable condition,” Parisi explained. 

The project offers job training for marginalized groups, including refugees, former prisoners, survivors of human trafficking, and individuals with disabilities. “This is a mandate that is very close to Pope Francis’ heart,” she said. 

An American priest, Father Manuel Dorantes, recently took the reins as the director of the Borgo Laudato Si’s Center for Higher Education. The pastor from the Archdiocese of Chicago began a four-year term at the center on Dec. 1.

Before taking up the post, Dorantes expressed hope that the initiative will “create tangible examples of the Church’s contribution to the care of our common home and to the integral development of the human person.”

The educational opportunities extend to children and students, who will have the opportunity to participate in summer schools, workshops, and ecological awareness programs.

Cardinal Fabio Baggio, who oversees the project, sees it as a model for future initiatives. 

In a preview of the project last fall, Baggio said: “The beauty of the Barberini Villa and the Pontifical Villas gardens becomes the natural setting for the development of a place of ‘integral ecology,’ open to all people of goodwill.”

I, the Lord, have called you for justice, I have grasped you by the hand; I formed you, and set you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, To open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness. – Isaiah […]

The post The Heavens Opened Wide appeared first on Integrated Catholic Life™.

A Daily Quote to Inspire Your Catholic Faith “If the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning: just as, if there were no light in the universe and therefore no creatures with eyes, we should never know it was dark. Dark would be without meaning.”   – […]

The post Daily Quote — C. S. Lewis appeared first on Integrated Catholic Life™.

St. Hyginus was born in Greece and became the ninth Bishop of Rome (Pope) around the mid-2nd century, serving from approximately 138 to 142 AD. During his papacy, he defended the Church against various heresies, including Gnosticism, by affirming core Christian doctrines and the proper structure of Church leadership. He is also credited with clarifying […]