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By JAN FLASKA

The death of Papà Francesco — Pope Francis — has caught my attention for many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that he embodied and lived out the claim of a Roman Catholic universal truth that is intended to be both accessible to and attainable for every human being. As a teacher of religious studies, philosophy and ethics, and as a non-ordained dean of spiritual life, I am fascinated with the prospect that there may be some way in which all of us — yes, all of us — can embrace shared values and the colloquial common ground. In the spirit of those three realms — religious studies, philosophy and ethics — I offer these three named and representative, respectively, universal truths: natural law, human rights, and deontology.

By NICOLE WINFIELD

VATICAN CITY — Robert Prevost, an missionary who spent his career ministering in Peru and took over the Vatican’s powerful office of bishops, was elected the first pope from the United States in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church.

By ALEXA LEWIS

As the cardinals in Vatican City prepare to begin a conclave to select a new pope on Wednesday, Bishop William Byrne of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield said that local Catholics are in a period of prayer as they eagerly await the election of “a joyful shepherd who will lead the 1.4 billion Catholics in the world.”

By AALIANNA MARIETTA

As Northfield’s Trinitarian Congregational Church celebrates its 200th anniversary this year, longtime and returning members were given the chance to reflect on the institution’s beginnings and how it has changed with time.

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

LAKE PLEASANT — Following a six-month hiatus, The National Spiritual Alliance is coming out of hibernation.

By THE REV. CANDI ASHENDEN

There’s a moment in the Gospels when Jesus responds to a crowd demanding clarity. They say, “Just tell us who you are.” And Jesus responds, in essence, “I already have. I’ve shown you.” He points not to a theological argument, but to his actions — healing the sick, feeding the hungry, welcoming the outcast, challenging the powerful. He says: Look at all I have been doing. That tells you who I am.

By ALEXA LEWIS and SAMUEL GELINAS

A wave of mourning rolled through the local Catholic community on Monday following the news of Pope Francis’ death at the age of 88.

By THE REV. DR. CHRIS DAVIES

For people who identify as Christian, Holy Week (the week leading up to Easter) is one of the most important weeks of our faith. Holy Saturday — today — is a day wherein we live in the darkness of Jesus’ death. So as we wait for hope on the horizon, I want to review this week in basic terms for those who are curious about the fundamentals of faith.

By KATHE GEIST and SUSAN SOLOMON

Faith can be seen as a glimmer of hope or light in an ever-changing world. How we enlarge and trust our faith is a question asked by many. How we define and find God in our own life can be a joyous spiritual journey.

By DOMENIC POLI

NEW SALEM — Chris Ames has been chosen as North Congregational Church’s interim pastor, replacing a man who held the job for more than half a century.

By ANTHONY CAMMALLERI

GREENFIELD — The Episcopal Church of Saints James and Andrew is in need of significant repairs after high winds knocked off parts of the roof last week.

By THE REV. RANDY CALVO

This coming Wednesday is Abraham Lincoln’s birth anniversary. In his Second Inaugural Address, as the President of a divided Union, he realized that people of faith were praying to the same God for different outcomes. Lincoln was humble enough to dare not equate God’s will with that of either side, saying, “The prayers of both could not be answered. That of neither has been answered fully. The Almighty has His own purposes.”

By BEN TOUSLEY, M.DIV

Listening to Jimmy Carter’s funeral service on Jan. 9, a national day of mourning, I found myself choking up as they brought his casket into the cathedral. My emotion certainly wasn’t because Carter’s life, at 100, had been cut short. He had lived out his calling as peacemaker, house builder, disease preventer and the like.

By DOMENIC POLI

NORTHFIELD — The bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield has decreed that the Our Mother of Perpetual Help Chapel at Thomas Aquinas College (TAC) will be an official pilgrimage site for the people of the diocese in observance of the 2025 Jubilee Year.

By THE REV. JASON A. BURNS

It always amazes me at how quickly the joy and excitement of the Christmas season subsides. I suspect it is because the joy of Christmas does not come from the virgin birth, from shepherds in their fields, from kings following a star, or from angels singing with the heavenly hosts. It isn’t about the beautiful decorations, the gorgeous music, the happiness of seeing and being with family, or watching our children open gifts from Santa. All of these wonderful things are byproducts of the fact that God lives among us.

By THE REV. CANDI ASHENDEN

As the holiday glow fades and January settles in, the humdrum of daily life returns. The decorations are boxed up, the festive meals are a memory, and the calendar flips back to workdays, school schedules, and to-do lists. For many, this transition...

By THE REV. DR. CHRIS DAVIES

Mary, the mother of Jesus, was radical — a prophet, even, in a world that offered little hope for an unwed pregnant teenager.For many Christians, Sunday, Dec. 22 is the Fourth Sunday of Advent — the day that symbolizes love — wherein Mary’s song of...

By PASTOR BENJIMAN DURFEE

During the last two months of the year, we’re usually overwhelmed with messages to be jolly, we’re expected to show up for events with cheerful smiles, and we’re constantly surrounded by the joyous sounds of the holiday season. And while this is a...

By THE REV. ALLEN M. COMSTOCK

Because faith matters, we need to ask ourselves whether, in this time of political stress, our faith has gotten swallowed up in our politics. If so, we need to rescue our faith from our politics so that maybe our faith might come to the rescue of our...