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.
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Biden commutes most federal death-row sentences to life in prison
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
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.
The Door of Hope
In opening the Holy Door, Pope Francis opens the door of hope for the Church and for the whole human family.
Father Demek retires after nearly 50 years as a priest
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 Christmas Eve creation of ‘Silent Night’
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.
Father William Au, pastor of the Shrine of the Sacred Heart, is set to retire
Christmas Day will be especially poignant for Father William A. Au, pastor of the Shrine of the Sacred Heart.
Southwest Baltimore faith-based partners to reprise candlelight prayer walk Dec. 30
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.
Unlock the way: Jubilee Year 2025 is chance for renewal of faith
Archbishop William E. Lori will mark the beginning of the Jubilee Year 2025 in the Archdiocese of Baltimore with a Mass at Cathedral of Mary of Our Queen in Homeland Dec. 29 at 11 a.m.
Meet Luce, the 2025 Jubilee mascot
She has blue hair, muddy boots and wears a yellow raincoat. Meet Luce, the official Vatican mascot for the upcoming Jubilee Year.
Baltimore bishops’ Christmas schedule
A list of where and when the bishops of the Archdiocese of Baltimore will celebrate Christmas Masses.
Papal preacher tells Curia to rediscover power of ‘littleness’ during Advent
With Christmas just days away, Christians must embrace the human quality of “littleness” as a path toward living out God’s humility exhibited in Advent, the papal preacher said.