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The life-sized Nativity scene outside St. Francis of Assisi parish is a tradition that dates back to the early 1970s.

St. Francis of Assisi tradition carries on

TORONTO - Since the early 1970s parishioners at downtown Toronto’s St. Francis of Assisi parish have honoured their namesake and Jesus Christ with a life-sized Nativity scene. 

The Musallam family puts final touches on a Christmas tree at their apartment in the West Bank city of Bethlehem Dec. 15. Christmastime for Christians in the Holy Land is family time -- with many attending services, presenting gifts, visiting friends and sharing traditional treats. Pictured with Rami Musallam and his wife, Loreen, are 8-year-old Ameer, 4-month-old Sarah, and Aram, 5.

In Holy Land, Christmas traditions include family, parades and Mass

JERUSALEM - The simmering smell of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in Catholic parishes

Fr. Eric Rodrigues, a priest in the Toronto archdiocese, will be saying Mass for the Buffalo Bills for the second year running as the Bills take over the Rogers Centre Dec. 16.

When the Bills come to play, priest helps them pray

TORONTO - The Buffalo Bills have been coming to play at Toronto’s Rogers Centre for the past five years, and each year the archdiocese of Toronto has done its part to make the players feel at home.

A Christmas tree decorates St. Peter's Square after a lighting ceremony at the Vatican Dec. 14. The 78-foot silver fir tree is from the Italian province of Isneria.

Christmas trees remind believers of light of Christ, Pope says

VATICAN CITY - The light of Christ has not dimmed over the past 2,000 years, but Christians today have an obligation to resist attempts to extinguish it

An altar server holds a copy of the new English translation of the Roman Missal during Mass. The new missal was used for the first time in churches across the nation on the first Sunday of Advent 2011.

New missal meets with American approval

WASHINGTON - A wide majority of Massgoers are satisfied with the new English translation of the Roman Missal introduced a year ago at Advent, a survey showed.

Jesuit Father Jose Funes, the head of the Vatican Observatory, gave his reassurances that the world will not end Dec. 21, 2012.

Vatican newspaper: World will end, but not because of Mayan calendar

VATICAN CITY - A papal astronomer gave his reassurances that the world will not end Dec. 21, 2012.

Pope Benedict XVI greets Carl A. Anderson, supreme knight of the Knights of Columbus, and his wife, Dorian, after making remarks at the conclusion of the opening Mass of the International Congress on the Church in America in St. Peter's Basilica at the V atican Dec. 9.

Pope: Americas need renewed missionary spirit, well-catechized laity

VATICAN CITY - The universal church needs Catholics in the Americas who are joyful missionaries

Saint Kateri Tekakwitha

Message for the 2012 Day of Prayer in Solidarity with Indigenous People

In response to an invitation earlier this year by the Canadian Catholic Aboriginal Council

A firefighter places a wreath of flowers on a statue of Mary high atop a column at the Spanish Steps in Rome Dec. 8. The annual tradition marks the feast of the Immaculate Conception.

Gospel is good news of freedom from sin, selfishness, death, Pope says

ROME - In the immaculate conception of Mary, Christians recognize the

A Mass-goer prays in the Guadalupe chapel inside St. Ignatius Cathedral in Shanghai in this 2007 file photo. The image of Our Lady of Guadalupe -- most popular in Mexico and the Americas -- has been well-received by Catholics around the globe.

Our Lady of Guadalupe's devotion extends beyond the Americas

MEXICO CITY - Ana Rita Valero received an unlikely request in 2008. Valero, an anthropologist and president of the Archconfraternity of Our Lady of Guadalupe, was asked by an official with the Mexican consulate in Shanghai to send two large images of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

An authentic "sense of faith," can come only when Catholics actively participate in the life of the church and follow the teaching of the pope and bishops, Pope Benedict XVI said Dec. 7 during a meeting with members of the International Theological Commission.

Catholic beliefs are not open to popular vote, pope says

VATICAN CITY - When the Catholic Church affirms the importance of how all the faithful understand matters of faith and morals, it is not saying Catholic beliefs are open to a popular vote, Pope Benedict XVI said.

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