Celebrating the Incarnation, remember Bethlehem, too, pope says December 18, 2023By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Christmas, Feature, News, Vatican, World News When St. Francis of Assisi staged the first Nativity scene 800 years ago, he did so to remind people of the powerful, awe-inspiring truth that God became human in Jesus, Pope Francis said.
Pope condemns targeting of unarmed civilians in Gaza December 18, 2023By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Pope Francis condemned the Israeli military’s killing of two Christian women sheltering at a Catholic parish in Gaza and an attack on a convent, noting that in the current fighting “unarmed civilians are targets for bombs and gunfire.”
Christmas still calls December 18, 2023By Carole Norris Greene Special to the Catholic Review Filed Under: Amen, Christmas, Commentary God will never dishonor himself by going back on this tremendous gift of free will. And when our choices cause us pain, God never stops encouraging us to “confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help” (Heb 4:16).
‘Come, Holy Spirit’ — A simple prayer that never fails December 18, 2023By Effie Caldarola OSV News Filed Under: Commentary The examen is not a call to review your sinfulness, like an examination of conscience, although you may find things in your day for which you are sorry. It’s often called an examination of “consciousness” because it reviews your life as you’ve lived it in the past 24 hours.
Analysis: U.S. Catholics’ priest shortage faces new ‘serious crisis’ due to immigration law December 18, 2023By Kimberly Heatherington OSV News Filed Under: Feature, Immigration and Migration, News, Vocations, World News In a particularly unwelcome revelation for American Catholics, the federal government announced that same month in a Federal Register notice a procedural change in how it processes green cards for foreign-born religious workers.
Ukraine’s war-torn Christians look ahead to first Christmas shared with West December 17, 2023By Jonathan Luxmoore OSV News Filed Under: Christmas, Feature, News, War in Ukraine, World News When Ukraine’s embattled citizens gather this Christmas, their rich festivities will feel symbolically different — as the festival is celebrated for the first time on Dec. 25, in line with the Western calendar.
Holy Spirit ‘propels us’ out of comfort zone, says synod’s spiritual adviser December 17, 2023By Sean Gallagher OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Synodality, World News Some people came to the Synod on Synodality at the Vatican in October “with the hope that it would bring dramatic change to the life of the church,” Dominican Father Timothy Radcliffe said in a talk in Indianapolis Dec. 6. “Other people hoped it would exactly change nothing.”
Backed by Catholic clergy, Buffalo Bills chaplain provides rare full-time pastoral care December 17, 2023By OSV News OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Sports, World News Now in his seventh season as the Buffalo Bills’ team chaplain, Vanden Bos is a rare breed in the NFL: He is a full-time chaplain.
How to celebrate a Catholic Christmas December 16, 2023By Amy Welborn OSV News Filed Under: Christmas, Commentary For Catholics, Dec. 25 is only the beginning of the celebration of Christmas. As others pack away the decorations, we continue to celebrate the gift of Christ, ever present for us in the Eucharist — a continual manifestation of God’s loving care for us all year long.
Having child out of wedlock does not bar access to sacraments, Vatican says December 16, 2023By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Respect Life, Vatican, World News Women who have conceived a child out of wedlock and have the courage to choose life for their baby “should be encouraged to have access to the healing and consoling power of the sacraments,” said the head of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.
At Christmas, God remains with us through war and poverty, pope says December 15, 2023By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Christmas, Feature, News, Vatican, World News The Christmas season is a reminder to Christians that despite hardships, God chose to join himself to humanity and still remains by its side, Pope Francis said.
Jesus helps sinners by welcoming, not banishing them, papal preacher says December 15, 2023By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Filed Under: Advent, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Jesus does not wait for sinners to change their lives before he welcomes them, said the preacher of the papal household.
