Pope urges war-torn world to walk through door of peace on Christmas December 25, 2024By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Christmas, Feature, Jubilee 2025, News, Vatican, World News As millions of pilgrims prepare to cross through the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis called on individuals, nations and the global community to take a transformative step toward peace and reconciliation by walking through the “door of salvation” that is Jesus Christ.
Pope at Christmas: Jesus’ birth brings hope for world of justice, peace December 25, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Christmas, Feature, Jubilee 2025, News, Vatican, World News Celebrating Christmas Mass after opening the Holy Year 2025, Pope Francis said the birth of Jesus fills Christians with hope and the courage to work for peace and justice.
The Christmas octave: Continuing the celebration December 25, 2024By D.D. Emmons OSV News Filed Under: Christmas, Feature Every day of the Christmas octave is filled with meaning that reflects back on the Nativity — not just the birth of Christ, but the impact and reality of the birth.
Gloria in Excelsis Deo! What was the Star of Bethlehem? December 25, 2024By Peter D. Brown OSV News Filed Under: Arts & Culture, Christmas, Feature, News, World News Like much else the Bible recounts, the star of the Magi was a special intervention in the world by God, probably carried out with the intermediation of one of his angels. It was a Christmas miracle.
Pope opens Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica, launching ‘Jubilee of Hope’ December 24, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Christmas, Feature, Jubilee 2025, News, Vatican, World News In the quiet of Christmas Eve, Pope Francis opened the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica, launching what he called a “Jubilee of Hope.”
The story of the L.A. miracle that will make Pier Giorgio Frassati a saint December 24, 2024By Pablo Kay OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Saints, World News This odd combination of circumstances would eventually prove providential, confounding medical authorities, changing the life of this anonymous seminarian, and forever tying him to another young man who had been dead for almost 100 years: Pier Giorgio Frassati, who in August will be declared a saint of the Catholic Church on account of the miracle of Juan Gutierrez’s ankle.
Biden commutes most federal death-row sentences to life in prison December 23, 2024By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Respect Life, World News Several days after speaking with Pope Francis, President Joe Biden announced Dec. 23 that he would commute most existing federal death sentences to life in prison.
Pope, suffering a cold, focuses on mothers and children before Christmas December 23, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Christmas, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Leading the recitation of the Angelus prayer from inside the chapel of his residence because of a cold, Pope Francis nevertheless blessed the baby Jesus figurines children and adults will put in their Nativity scenes — and he brought one of his own as well.
Father Demek retires after nearly 50 years as a priest December 23, 2024By Christopher Gunty Catholic Review Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News, Retirement, Vocations Father Demek was inspired to become a priest by a seminarian from his home parish, Holy Cross in South Baltimore. “My father ran the altar servers when I was a kid back in the ’50s and so I was an altar server from second grade on.” He was an altar server at the seminarian’s first Mass after ordination.
The Door of Hope December 23, 2024By Archbishop William E. Lori Catholic Review Filed Under: Charity in Truth, Commentary, Feature, Jubilee 2025 In opening the Holy Door, Pope Francis opens the door of hope for the Church and for the whole human family.
Southwest Baltimore faith-based partners to reprise candlelight prayer walk Dec. 30 December 23, 2024By Catholic Review Staff Catholic Review Filed Under: Catholic Charities, Feature, Local News, News, Social Justice A coalition of public, private and faith-based partners plans to gather for a one-hour prayer vigil Dec. 30 at 5:30 p.m. to remember the lives lost to homicide this year and plead for an end to violence in Baltimore City.
The Christmas Eve creation of ‘Silent Night’ December 23, 2024By Eddie O'Neill OSV News Filed Under: Arts & Culture, Christmas, Feature, News, World News Father Josef Mohr (1792-1848) was the pastor of St. Nicholas Catholic Church in Obendorf, Austria. In 1816 he composed the six verse lyrics to “Silent Night,” which would become one of the most popular Christmas carols of all time.
