For Latin American Catholics, December is an important month, not just in anticipation of the Christmas celebrations, but also for important Marian feast days, such as Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Immaculate Conception, that remain linked to their cultural history.

State laws of interest to Catholics spanned policy areas from abortion to IVF to immigration in 2024. An expected ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court in 2025 could have an impact on state laws across the country banning certain types of medical or surgical gender reassignment procedures for minors who identify as transgender.

Looking back at the year, editors at OSV, in their longstanding tradition of shining a light on exemplary signs of faith, have named the following 10 individuals Catholics of the Year for 2024.

With a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon barely holding, as both sides accuse each other of violations, hopes for even a fragile peace seem impossible for those living and aiding people in Gaza.

Cardinal O’Malley, who was ordained a priest in the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin on Aug. 29, 1970, at the age of 26, has been a key figure at the highest levels of church governance in helping oversee reforms in the wake of the clergy sexual abuse crisis.

Nigeria faces a mental health crisis exacerbated by economic hardship and insecurity, with a shortage of psychiatrists serving its population of over 220 million. With only about 200 psychiatrists in the country, mental health issues remain largely stigmatized, leading to a reluctance to seek professional help.

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.

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.

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.

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.”