‘Listening is act of love,’ says papal message to European youths December 28, 2023By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News The Christian community and society need young people to live out their dreams of a world where people listen to one another, accept each other and build bridges with members of different cultures and religions, Pope Francis told young Europeans meeting to “pray in” the new year.
Middle East Christians sad, but hopeful on Christmas amid constant Gaza bombardment December 28, 2023By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News Amid ongoing bombardment of the Gaza Strip by the Israeli military — despite the Christmas season — Christian clergymen in the Middle East are decrying attacks on their community’s dwindling numbers.
Cardinal says Vatican is not moving toward accepting gay marriage December 28, 2023By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, Marriage & Family Life, News, Vatican, World News The Vatican’s affirmation that a priest can give an informal blessing to a gay couple who asks for one is not a first step toward the Catholic Church recognizing same-sex marriages, said Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.
Christmas gifts and memories in the making (7 Quick Takes) December 28, 2023By Rita Buettner Catholic Review Filed Under: Blog, Christmas, Commentary, Open Window What a whirlwind Christmas is every year! When our children were younger, I felt more pressure to make sure Christmas was magical. Celebrating Christmas with teens means this season is still magical, but in a different way.
The missing apple December 28, 2023By Rita Buettner Catholic Review Filed Under: Commentary, The Domestic Church God will give us our daily bread. He will ensure that we are not alone, and that we are equipped with the faith and the strength for whatever we might face.
As migration increased in 2023, so did pressures on the church’s ministry December 28, 2023By OSV News OSV News Filed Under: Feature, Immigration and Migration, News, World News Unauthorized border crossings increased in 2023, fueled in part by shifts in U.S. policy and global migration trends. The year saw increasingly heated anti-immigrant rhetoric and actions that also put Catholic Charities agencies — and the church’s religious freedom to minister to migrants — in the crosshairs.
Twist! A Christmas resolution for this New Year’s December 28, 2023By Greg Erlandson OSV News Filed Under: Christmas, Commentary This Christmas season, let our New Year’s resolution be to celebrate Christmas a wee bit longer than 24 hours.
Movie Review: ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ December 27, 2023By Kurt Jensen OSV News Filed Under: Movie & Television Reviews A menagerie of special effects aimlessly searching for a coherent plot is the most concise way to sum up “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” (Warner Bros.), the sequel to 2018’s immensely successful “Aquaman.”
Movie Review: ‘Migration’ December 27, 2023By John Mulderig OSV News Filed Under: Movie & Television Reviews An endearing piece of entertainment awaits audiences in the animated adventure “Migration” (Universal).
Pope encourages persecuted Christians to stay strong in their witness December 27, 2023By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News On the feast of St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr, Pope Francis prayed for people persecuted for their faith or denigrated for living a life marked by Gospel values.
Memorial services around country honor fallen homeless December 27, 2023By Sam Lucero OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Social Justice, World News At least 20 people experiencing homelessness in the United States die every day, according to HomelessDeathsCount.org. To help remember and honor those who have died, the National Coalition for the Homeless began sponsoring memorial services in 1990.
‘The devil is a seducer,’ pope says as he begins new series of talks December 27, 2023By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News The devil is sly and sneaky like a serpent and subtly entices people to sin, Pope Francis said at his weekly general audience Dec. 27.