Pope Leo XIV Ends 2025 Urging Catholics to Examine Conscience and Entrust the New Year to God

Pope Leo XIV ends 2025 urging Catholics to examine conscience and entrust the new year to God | Catholic News Agency: Pope Leo XIV used the Vatican’s final general audience of 2025 on Wednesday to invite Catholics to look back on the past year with gratitude and repentance, and to place what lies ahead in God’s hands. In St. Peter’s Square on Dec. 31, the pope said 2025 brought both joy and sorrow...

It happened again: Why would anyone want to edit ‘It’s a Wonderful Life?’

It happened again: Why edit "It's a Wonderful Life"?MATTINGLY: Every now and then, someone sends me a URL pointing to some kind of abomination with a butchered movie running somewhere on basic cable or hidden deep inside the bowels of a streaming service website. It’s easy to mutter, “We live in a sinful, fallen world.” Frankly, it’s amazing that bored people handling off-hour broadcasts don’t fall asleep at key switches more often...

Jan. 1 Mass Readings: Follow Mary, Mother of God, and Mary of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’

Jan.%201%20Mass%20Readings%3A%20Follow%20Mary%2C%20Mother%20of%20God%20and%20Mary%20of%20%u2018It%u2019s%20a%20Wonderful%20Life%u2019%20%u2013%20Benedictine%20College%20Media%20%26%20CultureHOOPES: January 1 is the Octave Day of Christmas, eight days after the celebration of the Nativity of Our Lord, a second Christmas Solemnity, Christmas Day II. But it isn’t called that. Instead it is the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God. That fact alone shows the singularity of Mary. The Octave of Easter Sunday is Easter Sunday II, a second day to celebrate what Jesus did...

Keeping the Heat On: How Finances Work in the Diocese of Fairbanks

Keeping the heat on - Finances in the Diocese of FairbanksFIGGE: It takes a lot of money to run a parish or diocese. Personnel, property, and insurance costs quickly add up, no matter where you live. But few dioceses have a budget line for snowmobiles and bush plane flights, or operating costs for remote parishes that cannot be accessed by road. The Diocese of Fairbanks has that. Spanning the northern 409,849 square miles of Alaska...

More Than 3 Million Faithful Visited the Vatican in 2025, Says Papal Household

2025 in numbers: Over 3 million faithful visited the Vatican - Vatican News: In 2025, 3,176,620 people were present for papal audiences and liturgies in the Vatican. That's according to figures disclosed by the Prefecture of the Papal Household, which include General, Jubilee, and special audiences; liturgical celebrations; and the recitation of the Angelus...

US Executions Rise in 2025 Amid Shifting Public Opinion

U.S. executions rise in 2025 amid shifting public opinion | Catholic News Agency: A rise in executions in the United States in 2025 occurred alongside “shifting public opinion” against the death penalty, offering anti-death-penalty advocates a hopeful sign going into 2026 even amid high levels of capital punishment. The Death Penalty Information Center, a nonprofit group that tracks and catalogs executions in the United States...

4 Habits to Help You Get Along Better With Others

4 Habits to Help You Get Along Better With Others| National Catholic RegisterGUARENDI: Have you ever met someone and immediately liked them? Why such a good first impression? Afterward you realized: She was interested in you. She genuinely liked hearing about the bits and pieces of who you are. Your mother-in-law believes your parenting could use some adjustment. She comments and corrects, each time you listen slower and argue faster...

Secularism, Security, and ‘Civilizational Erasure’

Secularism%2C%20Security%2C%20and%20%u2018Civilizational%20Erasure%u2019%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterWEIGEL: Twenty years ago, I published a small book, The Cube and the Cathedral: Europe, America, and Politics Without God. It enjoyed a fair sale, got translated into French, Spanish, Polish, Italian, Portuguese, and Hungarian, and was named a Foreign Affairs Bestseller. In it, I argued that Europe was experiencing a crisis of “civilizational morale,” evident in sclerotic governmental bureaucracies...

The Day Our Daughter Disappeared

The Day Our Daughter Disappeared - Patrick MadridMADRID: After being out of town for several days doing back-to-back speaking events, I arrived home exhausted. Needing sleep, I lay down on my bed for a nap. The next thing I knew, my wife was shaking me awake, saying something urgent about our five-year-old daughter, Rebecca. “What?” I asked groggily. “What’s going on?” “We can’t find Rebecca!” Nancy said, in a tone...

South Korea is choosing self-destruction — and the world should learn its lesson

Two is already too many - Works in Progress Magazine: South Korea has the lowest fertility rate in the world. Its population is (optimistically) projected to shrink by over two thirds over the next 100 years. If current fertility rates persist, every hundred South Koreans today will have only six great-grandchildren between them.

Ranked: The World’s 30 Largest Cities by Population

Ranked%3A%20The%20World%u2019s%2030%20Largest%20Cities%20by%20Population: Population growth, migration, and economic opportunity continue to pull millions into major metropolitan areas. At the same time, aging populations and limited space are beginning to slow growth in several long-established megacities.

Surviving Your Current Chaos With Confidence

New Advent: Surviving Your Current Chaos With ConfidenceSTEFANICK: One of the most comforting truths of our faith is also one of the hardest to accept. You’re not living the whole story — you’re living your current page. One of the most powerful (and overlooked) truths of the Bible is typology—the way God weaves the same story across centuries, fulfilling promises in ways no human author could plan...

The Family That Prays Together Grows Holy Together

Imitating the Holy Family - The Catholic ThingPAULSCALIA: The collect for today’s feast prays, “O God, who were pleased to give us the example of the Holy Family, graciously grant that we may imitate them.” Now, that’s a tall order. After all, the Holy Family was exceptional. Inimitable, one might say. Joseph and Mary were indeed married. But their marriage was unlike any other...

Dick Van Dyke at 100

Dick Van Dyke at 100 ~ The Imaginative ConservativeDEAVEL: Dick Van Dyke’s new memoir puts it out front: he’s no genius. Instead, he’s been lucky personally and professionally. On the professional side this book is flawless: no soft-pedaling failures or 20-20 hindsight about his prospects; no easy vengeance on long-dead nemeses; no pedantic hints for aspiring performers; and no (thank God!) explanations about what makes jokes funny.

On Feast of the Holy Family, Pope Leo XIV Warns Against the ‘Herods’ That Threaten Families Today

Pope Leo XIV urges families to keep the flame of love alive | Catholic News AgencyCARDIEL: Pope Leo XIV on Sunday urged Christian families to “cherish the values of the Gospel” and protect the “flame of love” in their homes against modern myths of success, power, and comfort that he said often leave people isolated and divided. Speaking to pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square before the Angelus on Dec. 28...

This Sunday: Mary and Joseph Reveal the High Purpose and Hard Work of Family Life

This%20Sunday%3A%20Mary%20and%20Joseph%20Reveal%20the%20High%20Purpose%20and%20Hard%20Work%20of%20Family%20Life%20%u2013%20Benedictine%20College%20Media%20%26%20CultureHOOPES: The Gospel begins with the departure of the magi and the message of an angel. It is hard to imagine a more exalted moment for a father, when great men have sought out his child and angels intervened for his safety. But the message of the angel must have been hard for Joseph to take...

Cardinal Reina Closes Holy Door at St. John Lateran, Urges Rome to Live Jubilee’s Mercy

Closeness is the legacy of the Jubilee, says Cardinal at closing of St. John Lateran Holy Door - Vatican News: Cardinal Baldassare Reina, Vicar General of Rome and Archpriest of the Basilica of St. John Lateran, presides over the closing of the Holy Door and the subsequent Mass and invites the faithful to manifest the presence of God in the places where there is no fraternity, justice, truth and peace.

Architect Frank Gehry and the Cathedral That Might Have Been

Architect Frank Gehry and the Cathedral That Might Have Been| National Catholic RegisterDESOUZA: The Catholic world is preparing for the centenary next year of the death of Antoni Gaudí, the Spanish architect who imagined the Sagrada Família church in Barcelona, a striking 20th-century conception of all creation singing the praises of God, in forms and shapes taken from the natural world...

When does Christmas really end?

When does Christmas really end?ESCALEIRA: The ancient commemoration of the birth of our Lord and Savior resounds through the ages and occupies a pivotal place in the Christian life. Faithful around the world mark the solemn occasion of our salvation with extra prayers, Mass attendance, sacramental participation and family traditions...

What are plenary indulgences and how can I get TWO this New Year’s?

What%20are%20plenary%20indulgences%20and%20how%20can%20I%20get%20TWO%20this%20New%20Year%u2019s%3FESCALEIRA: Looking for a way to go into the new year with some extra grace? Did you know the Church offers TWO chances for plenary indulgences as we ring in the New Year? The first opportunity comes on New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31, as we reflect on all God has done in 2025 and prepare for a new year — a Jubilee Year! For those who publicly recite the Te Deum, a plenary indulgence is granted under the normal conditions detailed below.

God Became a Burden to Take Away Our Burden

God Became a Burden - St. Paul CenterHARROLD: An aspect of the Christmas story we often fail to notice is the way that God, through the Incarnation, became a burden to Mary and Joseph and the people around them. From Luke’s Gospel we know that Jesus’s parents were not wealthy, yet that didn’t stop God from asking them to have a child sooner than they had anticipated...

Catholics Pray for Speaker Paul Kim’s 5-Year-Old Son, Now On Life Support, Calling on Ven. Fulton Sheen

Catholics%20Pray%20for%20Speaker%u2019s%205-Year%20Old%20Son%20Now%20On%20Life%20Support%2C%20Calling%20on%20Venerable%20Fulton%20Sheen%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterMURPHY: Catholics across the globe are lifting up 5-year old Micah Kim in prayer this Christmas season. His father, Paul Kim, a popular Catholic speaker and comedian, husband and father to six children, shared on Dec. 22, that Micah had suffered a “medical emergency” and was in an ambulance heading to the hospital...

Which of these aerial masterpieces should win the Great Grinch Sky Art Showdown?

The Great Grinch Sky Art Showdown | Flightradar24 Blog: Every December, as huge chunks of the world deck the halls and trim the trees, a special breed of pilot decides that standard flight patterns are beneath (pun intended) them. Because why fly a straight line when you can create Grinch sky art across the winter sky? This holiday season, we’ve spotted not one but two ambitious attempts to paint everyone’s favorite Christmas villain...

‘As You Wish’: Truth and True Love in Rob Reiner’s ‘The Princess Bride’

%u2018As%20You%20Wish%u2019%3A%20Truth%20and%20True%20Love%20in%20Rob%20Reiner%u2019s%20%u2018The%20Princess%20Bride%u2019%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterDESOUZA: The dreadful murder of Rob and Michele Reiner, allegedly at the hands of their son, has returned the filmmaker’s work to greater prominence in recent days. No doubt some families will be prompted to watch again The Princess Bride over the holidays. That would be a good choice, for the film has some powerful Christian messages.

Pope Leo XIV’s Angelus on Feast of St. Stephen: ‘Christians Have No Enemies, Only Brothers and Sisters’

Pope Leo XIV: Christians have no enemies, only brothers and sisters | Catholic News AgencyCARDIEL: Pope Leo XIV on Friday urged Christians to resist the temptation to treat others as enemies, saying the mystery of Christmas calls believers to recognize the God-given dignity of every person, even in their adversaries. “Christians, however, have no enemies, but brothers and sisters, who remain so even when they do not understand each other,” the Pope said...

God wants to give you two great gifts for Christmas: Himself, and His mission...

Our Christmas Mission| National Catholic RegisterLANDRY: There are many ways we can approach the nearly inexhaustible mystery of Christmas. We can meditate on the divine humility of God’s becoming one of us, on his deliberate choice to become a helpless baby, and to number himself among the poor. We can focus on the holiness of those gathered around a manger, especially Mary and Joseph, and on the quiet strength of the domestic church that shelters the baby Savior of the world.

How Feminism Has Escaped Public Scrutiny

How Feminism Has Escaped Public Scrutiny | The American Spectator | USA News and PoliticsGRESS: There are a growing number of scholars today who can be considered anti-feminists. These men and women are starting to look under the hood of the feminist ideology. What is surprising is that more people haven’t done so before. Most people have blithefully believed that it is simply a movement about helping women. In my forthcoming book...

Pope Leo XIV Restores Christmas Day Mass at St. Peter’s for First Time Since 1994

Pope Leo XIV revives tradition during first Christmas of his pontificate | Catholic News AgencyCARDIEL: Pope Leo XIV will celebrate his first Christmas at the Vatican by reviving the tradition of offering Christmas Mass on Dec. 25 in St. Peter’s Basilica, something no pope has done since 1994. The Christmas celebrations — which will be marked by the closing of the Holy Doors — will begin on the evening of Dec. 24...

Why the Birth of Jesus Matters

Why the Birth of Jesus Matters | Knowing Is DoingTORRE: There is a particular verse in the second letter of St. Peter where he reminds us that the salvific message of Christ fulfilled through his death and resurrection has granted us the opportunity to escape the corruption of the world, fueled by misplaced human passions, by becoming partakers of the divine nature...

He Came to Bring Us Home

He Came to Bring Us Home - LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: There is a Home that is truly our home. And the Father in that home bends all His energy to make possible our taking up residence there. Permanently. It really is that simple. It is simple, but it is also somewhat involved—because life there is so rich. This is not surprising. Really and truly being at home calls for more than meets the eye...

Christmas Mass Readings: Baby Jesus Prepares You For Battle

Christmas%20Mass%20Readings%3A%20Baby%20Jesus%20Prepares%20You%20For%20Battle%20%u2013%20Benedictine%20College%20Media%20%26%20CultureHOOPES: If life is a battle — and it is — Christmas is the day before the fighting starts, when we do what is perhaps the most important thing in the battle: Commit to each other and to Christ, our cause. Here are five takeaways for the The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas), drawn from Sunday Readings columns at this site and the Extraordinary Story podcast.

An Exclusive Interview With Santa Claus

New Advent: An Exclusive Interview With Santa ClausSTEFANICK: What if Santa Claus weren’t just a character ... but a calling? In this unforgettable episode of The Chris Stefanick Show, I sit down with one of my oldest and dearest friends, Eddie Cotter, Jr.—an experienced Catholic youth minister who unexpectedly took on the role of Santa Claus and eventually ended up appearing as Santa at Rockefeller Center in New York City...

Exploring Bethlehem’s bright streets, the sky shattered by Glorias, holding our Eucharistic Lord in the Cave of the Nativity, and Our Lady’s rest stop

Chapter%206%3A%A0%20EXPLORING%20LITTLE-%20AND%20SOME%20WELL-KNOWN%20SITES%20IN%20THE%20HOLY%20LAND%u2013BETHLEHEM%u2019S%20BRIGHT%20STREETS%2C%20THE%20SKY%20SHATTERED%20BY%20GLORIAS%2C%20HOLDING%20OUR%20EUCHARISTIC%20LORD%20IN%20THE%20CAVE%20OF%20THE%20NATIVITY%2C%20AND%20OUR%20LADY%u2019S%20REST%20STOP%20%u2013%20%u0396%u03AE%u03C3%u03C4%u03B5%20%u03B6%u03B5%u03C3%u03C4%u03CC%u2026%20%22STAY%20HOT%22BEAUDOIN: In January 2023, I had the amazing opportunity to go back to the Holy Land on another self-guided pilgrimage. I still had more sites that I hadn’t yet had the opportunity to visit and/or that I hadn’t known existed until recently. When I originally planned to do the trip, I was planning to limit my trip to seeing more sites in and around Jerusalem...

Are the Gospels Myth?

Are the Gospels Myth? - St. Paul CenterHARROLD: Skeptics will sometimes claim that the canonical Gospels are mythical accounts with little or no basis in historical fact. According to their logic, we shouldn’t trust what Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John said about the life of Jesus any more than we should trust what Homer said about the fall of Troy or what Virgil said about the founding of Rome...

Worldwide Prayer Network Releases Pope Leo XIV’s Monthly Prayer Intentions for 2026

These%20are%20Pope%20Leo%20XIV%u2019s%20prayer%20intentions%20for%202026%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: The pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network has released Pope Leo XIV’s list of prayer intentions for the year 2026. Every month, Pope Leo asks Catholics around the world to pray for a particular intention. This initiative is accompanied by a video in which the pontiff expresses the reasons why he has chosen that particular intention.

Christ at the Center: How Tradition Anchors the Development of Doctrine

Christ at the Center: How Tradition Anchors the Development of Doctrine| National Catholic RegisterCHAPP: In a previous article, I wrote about the need for the Catholic Church to foster in the faithful a proper sense of ecclesial tradition. In that first essay, I argued against a false dialectic between a runaway progressivism that treats tradition like a Rorschach inkblot onto which one can project any interpretation one desires, and a moribund traditionalism that rejects...

How Changing Your Language Can Change Your Relationships

How Changing Your Language Can Change Your Relationships| National Catholic RegisterGUARENDI: To get along better with everybody — well, almost everybody — the first question to answer is “Why?” After all, aren’t there people in your life who just don’t seem that willing to get along better with you? What’s more, they seem to be okay with that. As they see it, you’re the problem. They’d be easier to get along with if you were...

What G.K. Chesterton wrote to his wife when she entered the Church

What Chesterton wrote to his wife when she entered the Church | Catholic CultureMIRUS: In 1901, Gilbert Keith Chesterton married Frances Alice Blogg. As the Catholic world knows now, Chesterton was a prolific thinker and writer who operated through genius more than well-organized habits, and Frances (who was also a writer) often served as his secretary and kept him on track. By all accounts, including their own, they were deeply in love, and it was a sadness that they were unable to have children...

Through Snow and Sacred Darkness: The Xavier Society for the Blind at 125

Through Snow and Sacred Darkness: The Xavier Society for the Blind at 125| National Catholic RegisterBRUNO: “Ain’t nobody got no sickdays?” the bus driver chuckled as he opened the door, welcoming a dozen commuters who stood freezing in the pre-dawn dark. It was the Third Sunday of Advent, and the Northeast was in the embrace of the season’s first snowpocalypse. But snow or no snow, I had to get to St. Patrick’s Cathedral to cover Mass, so off I went.

Critical Theory and the Politics of Divine Love

Critical Theory and the Politics of Divine Love, Part 1THERRIEN: During my graduate studies, I took a long tour through modern and post-modern social philosophy. This included thinkers such as Machiavelli, Hobbes, Descartes, Bacon, Rousseau, Locke, Kant, Hegel, Nietzsche, and Marx, among others. I did this for the sake of gaining a better handle on the historical backdrop of Catholic social teaching, particularly the contributions of Pope Leo XIII...

3 Ideas for a Richer Christmas Celebration

Three Ideas for a Richer Christmas Celebration - LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: There is a specific virtue of running a household well. For me, discovering it was one of the great fruits of studying ancient and medieval thinking. According to Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas, “domestic prudence” arranges everything in one’s home life toward the true happiness of its members. This can really help us in thinking about how to celebrate Christmas. A key feature of the great virtue of prudence is how it is different from any other know-how, or practical knowledge.

How Your Life Has an Impact on 80,000 People

New Advent: How Your Life Impacts 80,000 PeopleSTEFANICK: Picture a football stadium full of 80,000 people. Research indicates that you will influence that many people during the course of your lifetime (even if you don't have your own YouTube channel). But who is in your stadium? And what does it sound like in there? Are people cheering for the ways you positively affected them? Are they booing for all the terrible things you did? Or are they silent because you were on your phone...

The Peculiar Christmas Custom of the Boy Bishops

The Peculiar Christmas Custom of the Boy Bishops: In the medieval church, folk piety was rich in the theatrical and festive observation of Christ’s nativity. We see and hear a faint echo of it down to our own times in Christmas carols, pageants, living creches, and even quasi-religious pop entertainment like A Charlie Brown Christmas. Some tend to downplay the importance of the Christmas season in comparison to Lent and Easter in the early church, but that’s just not true...

How Feminism Became the Biggest Pagan Megachurch in the World

How Feminism Became Biggest Pagan Megachurch In The WorldGRESS: The underlying premise of feminism is that women are better off mimicking the behavior of men — and not good men who are devoted to their wives and family — but the selfish and promiscuous man committed to his career and his autonomy. Work and career ought to be women’s priority. Fifty years of this rhetoric has given us enough time to see the wreckage and the foolishness of the megachurch’s dogma that motherhood is nothing but slavery and drudgery.

The Plane Crash That Almost Killed Me

The Plane Crash That Almost Killed Me - Patrick MadridMADRID: On August 31, 1986, Aeromexico Flight 498 was on final approach to Los Angeles International Airport when it collided midair with a private Cessna that had drifted into restricted airspace above Cerritos, California. The impact tore both aircraft apart. All sixty-four passengers and crew aboard the DC-9 were killed. The three people in the Cessna were killed as well. Fifteen people on the ground died when the jet slammed into a quiet residential neighborhood in a massive fireball.

Pope Leo XIV Appoints Austin’s Monsignor James Misko as Bishop of Tucson, Arizona

Pope Leo XIV appoints Monsignor James Misko as bishop of Tucson, Arizona | Catholic News Agency: Pope Leo XIV has appointed Monsignor James A. Misko, a priest of the Diocese of Austin, Texas, as the next bishop of Tucson, Arizona. The Holy See Press Office publicized the appointment at the Vatican, and it was also publicized in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 22 by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States. Misko has been serving as vicar general and moderator of the curia for the Diocese of Austin.

Pope Leo XIV’s Angelus for Fourth Sunday of Advent: ‘Pray That All the World’s Children May Live in Peace’

Pope Leo XIV highlights key virtues for final days of Advent | Catholic News Agency: Pope Leo XIV on Sunday highlighted four virtues of St. Joseph — “piety and charity, mercy and trust” — as guides for Catholics in the final days of Advent leading up to Christmas. Speaking during his Angelus address from the window of the Apostolic Palace on the Fourth Sunday of Advent, the pope said the day’s liturgy invited the faithful to reflect on St. Joseph...

A Parent’s Dilemma: ‘We Raised Them Catholic — Why Did They Drift?’

A%20Parent%u2019s%20Dilemma%3A%20%u2018We%20Raised%20Them%20Catholic%20%u2014%20Why%20Did%20They%20Drift%3F%u2019%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterGUARENDI: Do you live on a farm or in a small town? Is the year 1880? If so, your children’s drift is not so common. For much of Christian history, what children were raised in, they stayed in. The family, clan, or tribe was the unchallenged teacher of beliefs, morals, and attitudes — in short, its religion...

Why ignore the risky faith of Hong Kong’s Jimmy Lai?

Crossroads -- Ignoring the risky faith of Hong Kong's Jimmy LaiMATTINGLY: Hong Kong was tense and festive when I arrived for a small 1997 conference about religion coverage in global media. The reason for the odd atmosphere was obvious: In a few days, on July 1, Great Britain would yield control of that great city to the People’s Republic of China...

Bishop Richard Moth to Succeed Cardinal Nichols as Archbishop of Westminster

Bishop Richard Moth to Succeed Cardinal Nichols as Archbishop of Westminster| National Catholic RegisterPENTIN: Pope Leo XIV has appointed Bishop Richard Moth, a former bishop of Britain’s military ordinariate, as the 12th Archbishop of Westminster, succeeding Cardinal Vincent Nichols who is retiring at the age of 80. A canon lawyer, Bishop Moth, 67, has served as Bishop of Arundel and Brighton in southern England for the past decade...

In Rare Move, Retired Albany Bishop Files for Personal Bankruptcy After Pension Verdict| National Catholic Register

In Rare Move, Retired Albany Bishop Files for Personal Bankruptcy After Pension Verdict| National Catholic RegisterMATTMCDONALD: A retired New York bishop has filed for personal bankruptcy protection in federal court after a state jury verdict found him, along with other officials, personally liable for the collapse of a Catholic hospital pension fund that left about 1,100 retirees without the lifetime monthly payments they were expecting...

Pope Leo XIV Appoints New Bishop for Palm Beach, Auxiliary Bishop for Phoenix

Pope Leo XIV appoints new bishop for Palm Beach, auxiliary bishop for Phoenix | Catholic News Agency: The Holy See said on Dec. 19 that Pope Leo XIV had made two new episcopal appointments in the United States, with the Vatican announcing a new bishop for the Diocese of Palm Beach as well as an auxiliary bishop for the Diocese of Phoenix.

The German bishops’ conference has gone over the cliff

German%20Bishops%u2019%20Conference%2C%20Over%20the%20Cliff%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterWEIGEL: When it was first published in 1993, Pope St. John Paul II’s encyclical on the reform of Catholic moral theology, Veritatis Splendor (The Splendor of Truth), dealt a severe blow to the pride of many German theologians, who had long thought themselves the cutting edge of Catholic intellectual life...

12 Ways Cardinal Dolan Has Been a Joyful Herald of the Gospel

Cardinal Dolan: Joyful Herald and Personification of the Good News| National Catholic RegisterLANDRY: The announcement by the Vatican this morning that Pope Leo XIV accepted the resignation of Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York and appointed Archbishop-designate Ronald Hicks to succeed him will bring a lot of deserved attention to the affable and talented former bishop of Joliet...

It’s Official: Pope Leo XIV Picks Fellow Chicagoan with ‘Missionary Spirit’ as New York’s Next Archbishop

Pope%20Leo%20Picks%20Fellow%20Chicagoan%20with%20%u2018Missionary%20Spirit%u2019%20as%20New%20York%u2019s%20Next%20Archbishop%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterLIEDL: In his most significant U.S. episcopal appointment to date, Pope Leo XIV is going back to his Chicago roots, tapping a young prelate with a remarkably similar background to his own as the next archbishop of New York. The Pope’s pick for the Big Apple is Bishop Ronald Hicks, 58, the current ordinary of the Diocese of Joliet...

Pope Leo XIV to Appoint Joliet Bishop Ronald Hicks Next Archbishop of New York

BREAKING: Pope Leo XIV to appoint next archbishop of New York | Catholic News AgencyBROCKHAUS: Pope Leo XIV has chosen Bishop Ronald Hicks of the Diocese of Joliet, Illinois, to be the next archbishop of New York — the most consequential U.S. episcopal appointment of Leo’s pontificate thus far. The appointment was confirmed by EWTN News with two independent sources with direct knowledge of the appointment...

Joliet Bishop Ronald Hicks to Succeed Cardinal Dolan as Archbishop of New York

Confirmed: Joliet's Bishop Hicks to NYC - The Pillar: Pope Leo XIV is expected to appoint Bishop Ronald Hicks of Joliet as the next Archbishop of New York, The Pillar has confirmed, with an announcement expected as early as Dec. 18.

Pope Leo to Accept Cardinal Dolan’s Resignation, Possibly Name Illinois Bishop to Lead NY Archdiocese, Say Sources

Exclusive | Pope Leo to accept Cardinal Dolan's resignation, possibly name Illinois bishop to lead NY Archdiocese: sources | New York Post: Pope Leo XIV is expected to accept Timothy Cardinal Dolan’s resignation this week — and will possibly name a bishop from the pontiff’s Illinois home state to lead the Archdiocese of New York, well-placed sources said. Dolan, who has served as archbishop since 2009, submitted his resignation in February after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75.

The Charity of Jane Austen

The charity of Jane Austen - OSV NewsBLUM: It was Newman himself who observed in one of his most celebrated sermons that “one little deed, done against natural inclination for God’s sake” is a stronger proof of Christian character than “all the dust and chaff of mere profession.” And in Jane Austen’s more virtuous characters, we find ample support for the conclusion that, while most eminently delighting her readers, she sought also to instruct them.

Catholic Human Rights Activist Jimmy Lai Convicted by Chinese Communist Authorities, Faces Life in Prison

Jimmy Lai found guilty of national security violations, faces life in prison | Catholic News Agency: Jimmy Lai, the Catholic human rights advocate whose long-running national security trial in China has drawn criticism and charges of persecution, was found guilty on Dec. 15 of multiple violations of China’s national security laws, bringing an end to several years of what advocates have described as a politically motivated show trial against a popular Hong Kong publisher.

Pope Leo XIV's Top 5 Moments of 2025...

Echoes. A steady light: Pope Leo XIV's top five moments of 2025. Published 12/10/2025SCALIA: "Lebanon needed this embrace." The words went out over a social media platform, made more poignant for the accompanying image of Pope Leo XIV consoling a weeping Lebanese woman. I couldn't help thinking "perhaps the whole world needed it, and needs this pope, for this time." Leo's papacy, of nine months gestation, has revealed itself slowly...

You Can Ask Jesus Your Questions

You Can Ask Jesus Your Questions | Parishable ItemsFELTES: St. John the Baptist, despite his continued imprisonment, had heard about the works Jesus was doing and sent two of his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” John was no pushover, not some reed swayed by the wind, but from this question we can gather that while John sat in Herod’s prison some doubt arose about whether Jesus was their long-awaited Messiah...

Gaudete Sunday: Rejoice in the Lord Always

Gaudete Sunday: Rejoice in the Lord Always| National Catholic RegisterLANDRY: On Gaudete Sunday, we have another reason to rejoice this year: 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of St. Paul VI’s apostolic exhortation on Christian joy, Gaudete in Domino (“Rejoice in the Lord always”) from Philippians 4:4, the same expression from which the Third Sunday of Advent gets its nickname. While we sing of joy throughout the Advent season...

Sydney Archbishop Urges Prayer After Deadly Attack Leaves 12 Dead at Bondi Beach Hanukkah Event

Sydney archbishop urges prayer after deadly attack leaves 12 dead at Bondi Beach Hanukkah event | Catholic News AgencyWIMMER: Catholic leaders in Australia have responded with prayer and condemnation of antisemitism following what police described as a terrorist attack on a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Sunday that left 12 people dead and 29 others injured.

Cardinal Porras Passport Incident Puts Vatican’s Balancing Act in Venezuela to the Test

Porras%20incident%20puts%20Vatican%u2019s%20balancing%20act%20in%20Venezuela%20to%20the%20testBELTRAN: A few days after Pope Leo XIV warned against potential American military action in Venezuela, the Venezuelan regime barred a local cardinal with a Vatican passport from leaving the country, raising questions about whether the Vatican will respond more forcefully to the Maduro regime. Cardinal Porras’ detention has exposed a long-running tension in Vatican diplomacy: the attempt to advocate for peace in Venezuela without seeming blind to the human rights’ abuses fueling Venezuela’s crisis. The Holy See has long prioritized protecting clergy and preserving its role as mediator, opting for quiet diplomacy instead of public confrontation.

The Catholic Heart Hidden in the Christmas Classic ‘Home Alone’

The%20Catholic%20Heart%20Hidden%20in%20the%20Christmas%20Classic%20%u2018Home%20Alone%u2019%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterDUNCAN: More than 30 years after its release, ‘Home Alone’ remains cherished as pure Christmas fun: slapstick booby traps, a wisecracking 8-year-old, and two burglars who refuse to quit despite the bodily harm they sustain along the way. Yet woven into the movie’s charm are quieter religious undertones that give the film its emotional depth — and that depth is no accident.

Joy, Venezuela’s Vatican-China Deal, and Numb for the Holidays

Joy%2C%20Venezuela%u2019s%20Vatican-China%20deal%2C%20and%20numb%20for%20the%20holidaysCONDON: I am back in Washington after our first-ever Pillar Pilgrimage to Rome. It was, honestly, a time of great consolation for me. The first weeks of Advent are meant, as we all know, to lift our eyes a little higher to the horizon of the end of time and the coming of the Lord in glory. As someone perpetually preoccupied with the immediate, it was an immense gift to be “forced,” in a way, to set the quotidian concerns of the day’s news aside — at least a bit — and be reminded that there is a Good News much more important for me to both give and receive.

How can your parish attract more capable volunteers? Here are some challenges, and some solutions...

New Advent: How can your parish attract capable volunteers? Here are some challenges, and some solutions...LENCIONI: In this episode of the Upstream Podcast, Father John Riccardo and I explore a fundamental shift in how church leaders can view and use volunteers, emphasizing that the church is the Body of Christ and not a corporation. The biggest challenges are rooted in low expectations, treating volunteers generically, and creating...

Pope Leo XIV Issues New Apostolic Letter on Christian Archaeology, Praises It for ‘Bringing to Light Anonymous Holiness’

Pope%20Leo%20XIV%20praises%20Christian%20archaeology%2C%20capable%20of%20%u2018bringing%20to%20light%20anonymous%20holiness%u2019%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: On the centenary of the founding of the Pontifical Institute of Christian Archaeology, Pope Leo XIV published a new apostolic letter in which he praised Christian archaeology as a work capable of “giving a voice to the silence of history” and of “bringing to light the anonymous holiness of many faithful who have contributed to building up the Church.”

The Tilma, False Gods, and the Fate of our Age [Catholic Herald Paywall]

The Tilma, false gods, and the fate of our ageMERING: When Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to the peasant Juan Diego in 1531, Mesoamerica stood at a crossroads. The Aztec Empire had fallen, yet the religious imagination it shaped remained formidable. Centuries of human sacrifice soaked the land and the collective memory. Atop their temples, Aztec priests tore the still-beating hearts from countless victims, lifting them to feed the sun...

Apostolic Letter on the Importance of Archaeology (December 11, 2025)

Apostolic Letter of the Holy Father Pope Leo XIV on the importance of Archaeology on the occasion of the Centenary of the Pontifical Institute of Christian Archaeology (11 December 2025)COATOFARMS: In this centenary year of the establishment of the Pontifical Institute of Christian Archaeology, it is both my responsibility and my pleasure to share some reflections that I consider important for the Church in our present time. I do so with a grateful heart, knowing that when our memory of the past is illuminated by faith and purified by charity, it nourishes hope...

I Hate When Eastern Orthodox Apologists Do This...

New Advent: I Hate When Eastern Orthodox Apologists Do This...HORN: A look at popular Eastern Orthodox objections to Catholicism—and why many of the same critiques, from papal authority to ecclesial scandals, apply across both apostolic traditions. The video urges viewers to move beyond online polemics and toward serious theological dialogue aimed at eventual unity...

Is There a Priesthood Crisis in America?

A Crisis In The Priesthood In The USA? - Catholic Missionary Disciples - College Station, TXLEJEUNE: I work with priests and bishops from all around the country, so I am blessed to have conversations that the average lay person doesn’t get. In fact, since I am no longer an institutional insider (since I work for our apostolate now), I am considered “safe” to talk to and therefore, I get to hear what is really happening with them. They ask for advice...

We All Live in a Perfect House

We All Live in a Perfect House - LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: Imagine living in the conviction that every aspect of our every day is perfectly arranged for our good. The life-giving power of such a conviction would come from the simple fact that it is true. The heart of our daily challenge is to remember this truth. Having the right images in our mind goes a long way in helping us really to remember...

Today in Papal History: Martin Luther Burns a Bull

Martin Luther burns a papal bull - by Matthew SewellSEWELL: Today in Papal History, exactly 505 years ago, Martin Luther burned his copy of the papal bull Exsurges Domine – or “Condemning the Errors of Martin Luther” – written by Pope Leo X in response to the former’s infamous 95 Theses. The document itself addressed 41 of Luther’s 95 points specifically, and was the product of a commission convened by the pope that brought theologians...

Pope Meets With Zelensky at Castel Gandolfo, Says Trump Ukraine Plan Would Weaken U.S. Alliance With Europe

Pope says Trump Ukraine plan would weaken U.S. alliance with Europe | Catholic News Agency: Pope Leo XIV said President Donald Trump’s plan to end Russia’s war against Ukraine threatens to break apart the alliance between Europe and the United States. The Pope commented to reporters after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at Castel Gandolfo.

Memo to the White House: God Became Man 9 Months Before He Was Born

Memo to the White House: God Became Man 9 Months Before He Was Born| National Catholic Register: The White House marked the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception — the first of two major Marian feasts this week with a direct connection to the sanctity of unborn human life — with a presidential message celebrating the occasion...

The Return of the Queen

The Return of the Queen ~ The Imaginative ConservativePEARCE: There was a time, for a very long time and a long time ago, when the shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham was one of the major places of pilgrimage in the whole of Christendom. By the sixteenth-century, the holy shrine at Walsingham, in the English shire of Norfolk, had welcomed pilgrims for more than 450 years...

Boston-Area Pastor Refuses to Remove Anti-ICE Nativity Scene, Seeks Meeting With Archbishop

Boston-Area Pastor Refuses to Remove Anti-ICE Nativity Scene, Seeks Meeting With Archbishop| National Catholic RegisterMATTMCDONALD: The pastor of a Catholic parish near Boston says an anti-immigration-enforcement display in its Nativity scene will stay up at least for the time being, and he is asking for a meeting with the archbishop. The announcement Monday night — more than three days after the Archdiocese of Boston said the display should be removed — leaves the parish and Archbishop Richard Henning of Boston at an impasse.

XIV, XIII, and Buon Natale

XIV, XIII, and buon natale - by JD Flynn - The PillarJDFLYNN: Today’s the feast of St. Juan Diego (and my daughter Pia’s birthday) and you’re reading The Tuesday Pillar Post. Today also marks seven months since the newly elected Pope Leo XIV offered his first Mass as pontiff, in the Sistine Chapel, where I will have the privilege and gift to stand today.

Advent, Salvation, and the Gift of Silence

Advent, Salvation, and the Gift of Silence | Knowing Is DoingTORRE: In his letter to the Romans, Paul exhorts both Jew and Gentile about the necessity of belief in Jesus Christ as the path to salvation. And it is not only belief but in practice, as established by Christ through the Apostles, specifically through the celebration of the Mass commemorating Christ, culminating in the Eucharistic celebration of the Mass. St. Paul places great emphasis on the relationship between a confession, assent, and belief of faith.

Here is Your God: A Reflection on the Upcoming Third Sunday of Advent

Here is Your God: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Third Sunday of Advent - St. Paul CenterHAHN: John questions Jesus from prison in today’s Gospel—for his disciples’ sake and for ours. He knows that Jesus is doing “the works of the Messiah,” foretold in today’s First Reading and Psalm. But John wants his disciples—and us—to know that the Judge is at the gate, that in Jesus our God has come to save us. The Liturgy of Advent takes us out into the desert to see and hear the marvelous works and words...

Lose the Distractions This Advent

New Advent: Lose the Distractions This AdventSTEFANICK: What can you learn from a preacher who wore a camel's hair cloak while eating locusts and wild honey Plenty. In this week's Gospel, John the Baptist gives us the perfect playbook for entering into Advent...and for taking our spiritual lives to the next level. His ascetic appearance and way of life might seem crazy to us, but his intensity had the goal of stripping away life's distractions...

Scholar Carrie Gress warns feminism has become a ‘megachurch’ replacing faith, family and Christian virtue

Author claims feminism rivals Christianity as secular belief system | Fox News: An author of 11 books, including an upcoming title on feminism, says the movement has evolved into a kind of secular "megachurch" with its own doctrines, rituals and moral code — one that she argues now serves as a substitute for faith, family and traditional Christian virtue...

Why I am not (quite, yet) a Traditionalist

Why I am not (quite, yet) a Traditionalist: Part I | Catholic CultureLAWLER: Imagine that you are a young bachelor, having lunch with an old friend who has just married. Wreathed in smiles, radiating joy, he asks you: “Isn’t my wife the most beautiful woman in the world? Isn’t she just perfect?” She is a very attractive woman; that much is beyond dispute...

This Sunday, We Each Have a John the Baptist in Our Heart

This%20Sunday%2C%20We%20Each%20Have%20a%20John%20the%20Baptist%20in%20Our%20Heart%20%u2013%20Benedictine%20College%20Media%20%26%20CultureHOOPES: Our conscience speaks up to us in the Second Sunday of Advent, Year A, telling us to repent and be ready for the clear-cutting operation God is preparing to make way for a new kingdom. Here are five takeaways for this Sunday drawn from Sunday Readings columns at this site and the Extraordinary Story podcast.

‘Peace Is Possible,’ Pope Leo XIV Says After Visits to Turkey and Lebanon

%u2018Peace%20is%20possible%2C%u2019%20Pope%20Leo%20XIV%20says%20after%20visits%20to%20Turkey%20and%20Lebanon%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: Pope Leo XIV on Sunday said his apostolic journey to Turkey and Lebanon showed that “peace is possible,” pointing to renewed steps toward Christian unity and powerful encounters with the Lebanese people still seeking justice after the 2020 Beirut port explosion.

What the Vatican’s New Curia Rules Change — and Why They Matter

What%20the%20Vatican%u2019s%20New%20Curia%20Rules%20Change%20%u2014%20and%20Why%20They%20Matter%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterGAGLIARDUCCI: The new General and Staff Regulations of the Roman Curia, published on Nov. 23, marked the conclusion of the Curial reform initiated by Pope Francis. Almost simultaneously, Bishop Marco Mellino — named secretary of the Interdicasterial Commission for the Revision of the Regulations of the Roman Curia under Pope Francis’ pontificate...

Pope Leo Asks: What Has Arius to Do With Jesus?

Pope Leo Asks: What Has Arius to Do With Jesus?| National Catholic RegisterDESOUZA: On his visit to Turkey to commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, Pope Leo XIV took up two themes dear to his predecessors, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope St. John Paul II. He offered a difference in emphasis from the former, and an echo of the latter in the context of Arianism, the heresy that Nicaea was called to confront.

Catholic Dioceses and Schools Confront $800 Million Pension Fund Shortfall

Catholic Dioceses and Schools Confront $800 Million Pension Fund Shortfall| National Catholic RegisterMATTMCDONALD: Several U.S. dioceses and scores of other Catholic employers have hard choices to make amid an $800 million shortfall in a pension fund, managed by a Catholic financial services firm, for thousands of their employees and retirees. The firm, Christian Brothers Services, a nonprofit company sponsored by the De La Salle Christian Brothers...

‘Miraculous’ Summer Wildfire Reveals Dramatic Discovery in Biblical Bethsaida

New%20Advent%3A%20%u2018Miraculous%u2019%20Summer%20Wildfire%20Reveals%20Dramatic%20Discovery%20in%20Biblical%20Bethsaida: From Adrian Lawson of Sips with Serra...

Leo XIV Shuts Down Vatican Donations Commission 10 Months After Its Creation by Pope Francis

Leo XIV suppresses Vatican donations commission: Pope Leo XIV has suppressed a Vatican donations commission less than 10 months after it was established by his predecessor Pope Francis. The Vatican released Dec. 4 a chirograph, signed Sept. 29 by Pope Leo XIV, suppressing the Commissio de donationibus pro Sancta Sede, or Commission of Donations for the Holy See, which sought to raise much-needed funds for the Vatican.

Advent, St. Newman, and the Forgiveness of Sins

Advent, St. Newman, and the Forgiveness of Sins | Knowing Is DoingTORRE: Among the many remarkable literary gifts the great Doctor of Catholic education, St. John Henry Newman, has left us, one resonates as we prepare to recall the nativity of our Lord during this Advent season. In his meditation on the effects of sin, he describes with great detail what sin does to man. His description of the effects of sin...

Glory Hidden in the Home

Glory Hidden in the Home - LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: We all want to be seen and approved. Indeed, if we are not seen and approved by someone then we will not only feel but actually be quite alone. It is understandable, then, that a proverbial human temptation is to seek approval or glory for its own sake. We might think here of how this temptation is fanned today by various common practices of parading what we do before the eyes of others.

Here’s the easiest way to de-banalize your liturgy

The easiest way to de-banalize your liturgy | Catholic CultureTHOMASMIRUS: Let me propose a way to instantly improve the liturgy at your parish. Fear not, beleaguered pastors: it won’t require developing a new skill, arguing with a choir director, or getting in trouble with your bishop. Probably no one will complain, though if someone does, it’ll be a micro-opportunity to practice the virtue of fortitude...

Dolton, Illinois, Designates Pope Leo XIV’s Childhood Home as Historic Landmark

Village of Dolton, Illinois, designates Pope Leo XIV's childhood home as historic landmark - CBS Chicago: Months after purchasing the childhood home of Pope Leo XIV, the village of Dolton has designated it as an official historic landmark. The Dolton Village Board of Trustees voted unanimously on Monday to approve an ordinance declaring the home at 212 E. 141st Pl. as an official historic landmark and site of special historical significance. The vote will allow the village to seek state funding to preserve and develop the site.

Pope Leo XIV’s Childhood Home in Dolton, Illinois, Named a Historic Landmark

Pope Leo XIV's childhood Dolton, Illinois home is officially a historical landmark at 212 E. 141st Place - ABC7 Chicago: The village of Dolton has officially designated the childhood home of Pope Leo XIV as an official historical landmark.

Pope Leo XIV Returns to Rome, Discusses Peace Efforts, Ukraine, and His Election

Pope%3A%20%u2018I%20was%20thinking%20of%20retiring%2C%20but%20instead%20I%20surrendered%20to%20God%u2019%20-%20Vatican%20News: Aboard the papal plane returning to Rome from Lebanon, Pope Leo XIV speaks to journalists about the role of the Holy See, which works “behind-the-scenes” in peace negotiations, so that all parties may lay down arms. Regarding Ukraine, the Pope underlines Europe’s involvement and the important role Italy could play...

Society’s New ‘Sins’: Smoking, Spanking — and Having Too Many Kids

Society%u2019s%20New%20%u2018Sins%u2019%3A%20Smoking%20and%20Having%20Too%20Many%20Kids%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterGUARENDI: Tolerance is the pervasive, preeminent new moral virtue. Whatever others want to do is their choice — indeed, their right — and is to be accepted, even celebrated. Yet our society is quite narrow in its tolerance. For all its vaunted openness, the tolerance movement is riddled with ironies. Not everyone deserves to think his or her own way...

Humility Is the Devil’s Achilles’ Heel

Humility%20Is%20the%20Devil%u2019s%20Achilles%u2019%20Heel%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterARMSTRONG: Our God is a God of surprises. From the Son of God being born a helpless infant raised by a carpenter and then dying to bring salvation, his ways are beyond human imagination. The humility of God is the ultimate plot twist that baffles Satan. The devil chose eternity in hell rather than to humble himself before the very one who created him. And his first big score against humanity was made possible through pride...

A YouTube Priest Says You Shouldn’t Pray After Communion. Here’s Why He’s Wrong...

New%20Advent%3A%20This%20YouTube%20priest%20wants%20you%20to%20stop%20praying%20after%20Holy%20Communion.%20Here%u2019s%20why%20he%u2019s%20wrong...AKIN: Jimmy Akin corrects popular Franciscan YouTuber Fr. Casey Cole’s claim that it’s “not appropriate” to pray privately after Communion and that EVERYONE must sing the Communion hymn. Jimmy goes through the argument line-by-line and exposes the claim as a classic “pious little legalism.” Jimmy quotes parts of the General Instruction that Fr. Casey never mentioned and reveals what Rome actually says about post-Communion prayer...

Pope Leo XIV Visits Tomb of St. Charbel in Lebanon

LIVE%20UPDATES%3A%20Pope%20Leo%20XIV%u2019s%20historic%20first%20papal%20trip%20to%20Turkey%20and%20Lebanon%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: Pope Leo XIV is on the second day of his apostolic journey to Lebanon. Watch LIVE the major events of Pope Leo’s apostolic journey Nov. 27 to Dec. 2 at youtube.com/@ewtnnews and follow our live updates of his historic visit...

If We Must Thank God for Good Things, Why Can’t We Blame Him for Bad Things?

If%20We%20Must%20Thank%20God%20for%20Good%20Things%2C%20Why%20Can%u2019t%20We%20Blame%20Him%20for%20Bad%20Things%3F%20-%20St.%20Paul%20CenterHARROLD: Believers and non-believers alike sometimes balk at the demanding nature of St. Paul’s exhortation in 1 Thessalonians 5: “Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” In a world as broken as ours, can we really be expected to rejoice and give thanks in all circumstances?