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December 22, 2016
It’s that time of year again. For Christians, the time from Christmas day until the Baptism of the Lord is the true Christmas season. It is, however, also the time for New Year’s resolutions.
An iconic soft drink commercial in 1971 invited the world to sing in perfect harmony. But the ad was hardly original. It came three years after Pope Paul VI made a profound pitch to teach the world to live in peaceful harmony.
The woman who demanded Toronto meet its homeless citizens face-to-face and heart-to-heart has died. Sr. Sue Moran, co-founder of Out of the Cold, died of a sudden heart attack Sunday night, Dec. 19. She was 78 years old.
NEW YORK – Directed and co-written (with Jay Cocks) by Martin Scorsese, Silence (Paramount) is a dramatically powerful but theologically complex work best suited to viewers who come to the multiplex prepared to engage with serious issues.
December 23, 2016
More than a hundred middle school and high school youth, along with their parish youth coordinators, gathered at a diocesan-wide Advent party in Ottawa on Dec. 16.
VATICAN CITY – After taking up a collection earlier this year to aid families affected by the ongoing crisis in Eastern Ukraine, Pope Francis has decided to distribute an initial sum of 6 million euros (neaerly $8.5 million Cdn) to different charity projects as a Christmas gift.
ROME – A young American composer is shaking up traditional perceptions of sacred music and finding new ways to combine his love of jazz with his Christian faith.
December 24, 2016
LVIV, Ukraine – Olesia Kuzo of Sacramento, California, prepares the traditional Ukrainian Christmas play called vertep. Her three daughters and children of relatives and friends will take part. Kuzo adapted and remade three different scenarios and conducted the rehearsals.
VATICAN CITY – On Christmas Eve, Pope Francis noted how the coming of Jesus as an infant is paradoxical to the images of grandeur that had accompanied the prophesies on the coming of the Messiah, saying this should challenges us to go beyond the ephemeral and focus on what really counts.
December 25, 2016
VATICAN CITY – In his traditional Urbi et Orbi blessing Christmas Day, Pope Francis prayed that the Child Jesus, also called the Prince of Peace, would bring a real and lasting peace to everyone suffering from violence and conflict around the world.
December 27, 2016
STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. – Fr. Donald Calloway could give St. Augustine a run for his money, in terms of dramatic conversion stories
MADRID, Spain – In the Catholic Church, the spoken language is central to the liturgy: we recite the Nicene Creed as one, we praise the Lord with the Gloria that we sing, and we bow our heads to hear the blessing we receive at the end of Mass.
KUNDIAWA, Papua New Guinea – In the deep Melanesian jungles, a native Papua New Guinea Catholic priest walks miles through the deep thick forests. He scales the country’s steep mountainous terrain to reach his remote flock and serve in the poorest parishes every weekend.
WASHINGTON – Pope Pius XII's secret support for the attempted overthrow of Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler is the subject of a recent book that draws on wartime documents and interviews with the American intelligence agent who wrote them.
ROME, Italy – Yan Xu is an artist from the central China city of Wuhan. What she drew one day would change her life.
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – Brazilian feminist Sara Winter used to work to legalize abortion. She was one of the founders of a radical group that carries out offensive topless protests at churches.
For many people, the New Year marks a new beginning. For the Catholic Church, it is also a return to the beginning of our faith.
OTTAWA – In Canadian politics, 2016 will be remembered as the year Canada legalized euthanasia and assisted suicide.
VATICAN CITY – Despite increased persecution and attacks against Christians, the faithful must strengthen their courage and joyful desire to follow Christ no matter the cost, Pope Francis said.
MANILA, Philippines – A southern Philippines church that was yards away from a police car bombing Christmas Eve was to have tighter security for the coming New Year's weekend, said the priest who was celebrating Mass when the explosion occurred.