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.
Caritas, Jubilee USA present Holy Year debt-relief project December 23, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Jubilee 2025, News, Vatican, World News A key part of a jubilee in the Bible was releasing prisoners, and Catholics today can join a global campaign to press for the release of thousands of people imprisoned in poverty because of their nations’ foreign debt, said an official of Caritas Internationalis.
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.
Teamsters expand Amazon holiday strike to secure just wages December 23, 2024By Kimberly Heatherington OSV News Filed Under: News, Social Justice, World News After e-commerce giant Amazon ignored a deadline for a labor agreement set by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters labor union, workers at seven U.S. Amazon facilities walked off the job Dec. 19, during the height of the online holiday shopping season.
Pope condemns ‘hypocrisy’ of exalting peace while waging war December 23, 2024By Justin McLellan OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, Vatican, War in Ukraine, World News Pope Francis sharply criticized the global “hypocrisy” of nations advocating for peace while profiting from war, calling for renewed efforts toward dialogue and reconciliation.
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.
Cardinal Pizzaballa tells Gaza Christians they are ‘the light’ of church December 23, 2024By OSV News OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, World News “You have become the light of our Church in the entire world,” Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa told Gaza Christians Dec. 22 during a pre-Christmas visit aiming to bring the joy of the season to the suffering Christian community in the Gaza Strip.
Pope, bishops, hundreds of faithful pray for victims of shocking Christmas market attack December 23, 2024By OSV News OSV News Filed Under: Ecumenism and Interfaith Relations, News, World News Several hundred people gathered at Magdeburg Cathedral in the evening of Dec. 21 for an ecumenical prayer service to remember the victims of the Dec. 20 Christmas market attack in the central German city, which killed five, including a 9-year-old child, and injured over 40 people, leaving some in critical condition.
Bishop J. Gregory Kelly named to Texas diocese after Bishop Strickland’s removal December 23, 2024By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Bishops, News, Vatican, World News Pope Francis has appointed Auxiliary Bishop J. Gregory Kelly of Dallas as bishop of Tyler, Texas.
Trump names CatholicVote’s Brian Burch as next Holy See ambassador December 23, 2024By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: 2024 Election, News, Vatican, World News President-elect Donald Trump on Dec. 20 announced his intention to appoint Brian Burch, currently the president of CatholicVote, as the next U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See.
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.
