Books for Christmas 2025 December 3, 2025By George Weigel Syndicated Columnist Filed Under: Books, Commentary, The Catholic Difference Surveys indicate that reading books is dropping precipitously across all age groups. This is a tragedy in itself; it’s also a social disaster, as a post-literate society risks becoming a post-rational society. All the more reason, then, to consider giving books for Christmas: books that entertain, inform, and open new horizons of understanding.
Question Corner: Do Catholics give things up for Advent? December 3, 2025By Jenna Marie Cooper OSV News Filed Under: Advent, Commentary, Question Corner Catholics aren’t required to “give anything up” for Advent. And even while the practice of taking on an additional, personal Lenten penance is a well-established and praiseworthy custom, Catholics technically aren’t required to do anything extra for Lent beyond the usual fasting and abstinence from meat (see Canon 1251 of the Code of Canon Law).
That’s No Coincidence December 2, 2025By Rita Buettner Catholic Review Filed Under: Advent, Blog, Commentary, Open Window I never would have thought those two things would happen on the same day.
The importance of ‘Gaudium et Spes,’ 60 years later December 2, 2025By Deacon Omar F.A. Gutierrez OSV News Filed Under: Commentary The “Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World” is rich in tradition and yet boldly new in the way it presents that tradition to the world. It is a manifesto of love directed toward an ever more secularized world, a world that looks with skepticism at the church.
The time that has been given to us December 2, 2025By Effie Caldarola OSV News Filed Under: Advent, Commentary What do I choose to do with the time given me? Worry prevents me from using my precious time freely and constructively. Anxiety inhibits my boldness.
‘One mightier than I is coming’: Advent with St. John the Baptist December 2, 2025By D.D. Emmons OSV News Filed Under: Advent, Commentary, Saints While we celebrate both John’s birth (on June 24) and death (Aug. 29), it is during Advent that the liturgy amplifies John’s role as the precursor of Christ. It is John who, as God’s instrument, tells the world to get ready, the Messiah is coming; it is John who will then single out the Messiah living in the midst of man.
Accompanying Dad on his final journey: View from the treehouse December 1, 2025By Barb Arland-Fye OSV News Filed Under: Commentary My memories of the father who loved his family, lifted us up and lived his Catholic faith in word, thought and deed.
While you wait December 1, 2025By Rita Buettner Catholic Review Filed Under: Advent, Commentary, The Domestic Church During this time of preparation for Christmas, Advent offers us a beautiful opportunity to grow in faith while we are waiting.
What’s Your Starter Word (for Advent and for Wordle) November 30, 2025By Rita Buettner Catholic Review Filed Under: Advent, Blog, Commentary, Open Window Whether we’re playing Wordle or entering Advent, we might not begin the same way every time.
An easy morning with Pope Leo November 30, 2025By Katie Prejean McGrady OSV News Filed Under: Commentary, Vatican, Youth Ministry Pope Leo wasn’t just off in Rome, fitting us in on the list of “things to do” on his Friday afternoon (which, if you look closely, appears to also include a haircut, if his buzzed hair on Saturday morning is any indication of his after-NCYC plans). He was with us, live, and so happy to be there, and it truly felt like an in-person experience.
In Advent, gaining a healthy sense of sin November 30, 2025By David Werning OSV News Filed Under: Advent, Commentary This penitential season of Advent is a perfect opportunity to take stock of our lives.
What is lectio divina? Rediscovering an ancient spiritual discipline November 28, 2025By Jim Manney OSV News Filed Under: Bible, Commentary Interest in lectio divina has surged in recent years. Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis both recommended it as a way for us to hear God, with Pope Benedict saying it was a way to respond to God “with openness of heart.”
