Anyone who has followed Pope Francis over the past nine months would spot few surprises in his apostolic exhortation released Nov. 26. The 214-page document reads like a digest of the many pastoral teachings articulated by Francis in homilies, addresses and interviews during his young pontificate.

Every Advent the eyes of the Christian world turn towards the birthplace of Christ. But with each passing year those eyes are finding fewer and fewer Christians in Bethlehem and throughout the Holy Land.

The Year of Faith is ending and what a remarkable year it was.

Before John F. Kennedy it was unthinkable that a Catholic could overcome religious prejudice in the United States to be elected president. Kennedy proved otherwise, of course, and now 50 years after his assassination the full impact of that victory is evident in how the relationship between politics and religion has fundamentally changed — and not necessarily for the better.

Governor General David Johnston should be commended for a new initiative that is Catholic in everything but name. Launched by Johnston on Nov. 4, My Giving Moment is a national campaign to encourage Canadians to improve society by volunteering time, giving money and providing expertise to charitable and other community causes. Johnston calls this philanthropy, the Church calls it stewardship — the obligation to give our time, talent and treasure as part of our Christian call to live with joy, compassion and generosity.

The case of Germany’s “luxury bishop” underscores that Pope Francis is someone who says what he means and means what he says.

Canadians can’t stop talking about the appropriateness of allowing the weakest and sickest members of society to be killed.

By taking the bold and encouraging step of empowering a permanent council of cardinals Pope Francis has launched an era of revolutionary rebirth to create a less centralized, more inclusive world Church.

In their darkest warning yet, world scientists have predicted an inevitable increase in storms, droughts, heat waves, floods and, ultimately, deaths due to global warming which they boldly now confirm is caused by humans.

A day after at least 85 Christians were murdered at a Peshawar church, thousands of protesters spilled into Pakistan’s streets to demand justice and protection. Their cries for help followed a particularly bloody weekend for Christians who, in addition to enduring persecution in places like Syria, Iraq and Egypt, were among those targeted by Muslim terrorists in a mall massacre in Kenya that caused dozens of deaths.