My trip to Lourdes, France was not simply about visiting another city. I came here mainly to visit the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes and the Grotto of Massabielle, where the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared to Saint Bernadette Soubirous in 1858. Between February 11 and July 16 of that year, Bernadette … Read more
It was my last day in Rome. I had a little time before checking out, so I took a taxi to the Church of the Gesù for a quick visit. I’d heard about its famous ceiling fresco and really wanted to see it before leaving Rome. I didn’t have much time, but I’m so glad … Read more
After visiting St. Paul Outside the Walls in the morning, I headed to St. John Lateran in Rome for my next stop. (Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano). I had stayed at St. Paul’s longer than I expected that morning, but there were still a few more places I wanted to see. As I got … Read more
Christmas in Rome left me with a few memories I still think about. One of the things I most wanted to do during the trip was visit the Jubilee Holy Doors in Rome before they closed. I had spent Christmas Eve at the Vatican, and on the evening of December 25, I went to the … Read more
On the morning of December 25, I headed back to the Vatican. One of the main reasons I returned to the Vatican that morning was to walk through the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica during the 2025 Jubilee. The night before, I had walked to St. Peter’s Square along dark, rainy streets, so seeing … Read more
On December 24, 2025, the day I traveled from Paris to Rome, I stayed one night at Hotel Franklin Feel The Sound. The main plan for that day was attending Christmas Eve Mass at the Vatican. It was a long day: I landed at Paris Charles de Gaulle, made my way to Orly, and then … Read more
I’d always dreamed of spending Christmas Eve at the Vatican, and during my winter break in December 2025, I finally made it happen. A friend mentioned that it was a Jubilee year and that the Holy Door would be closing soon, and that was all the push I needed. I booked everything pretty quickly and … Read more
A mortgage renewal in Canada happens when your current mortgage term ends but you still have a balance remaining. At that point, you generally need to renew your mortgage for another term or pay the remaining balance in full. Renewal is an important opportunity to review your interest rate, payment schedule, mortgage features and lender … Read more
Choosing between credit cards in Canada can be confusing because rewards programs work in very different ways. Some cards return a percentage of your spending as cash back, while others offer travel points or higher rewards on everyday categories such as groceries. The right choice depends less on which card offers the biggest advertised reward … Read more
Your credit score in Canada can affect your ability to qualify for a credit card, loan or mortgage and may influence the interest rate a lender offers you. A credit score is a three-digit number calculated using information in your credit report. In Canada, credit scores usually range from 300 to 900, and a higher … Read more