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Catholic News Agency
Brick by brick, this Lego master and disability advocate is building up the Church

by Jonah McKeown Denver Newsroom, Dec 20, 2021 / 11:19 am John Kraemer isn’t an architect by training, but he is a builder. In fact, he’s probably designed and built more buildings than the average architect. The only difference? Kraemer’s creations are made entirely out of Lego bricks — and …
December 21: St. Peter Canisius

An important figure in the Catholic counter-reformation that responded to the 16th century spread of Protestantism, the priest and Doctor of the Church Saint Peter Canisius is remembered liturgically on Dec. 21. His efforts as a preacher, author, and religious educator strengthened the Catholic faith in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and …
December 20: St. Dominic of Silos

Saint Dominic was born in 1000 in Cañas, Navarre, Spain. He was born a peasant, and as a youth worked as a shepherd until he entered the Benedictine monastery in Navarre. When Dominic refused to hand over the monastery lands at the King of Navarre’s demands, he was forced to …
Assisi is illuminated with Giotto’s frescoes this Christmas season

by Courtney Mares Assisi, Italy, Dec 17, 2021 / 15:17 pm Saint Francis’ hometown of Assisi has once again been illuminated with Giotto’s frescoes this Christmas season. The frescoes from the interior of the Basilica of St. Francis are being projected each night onto the town’s churches from Dec. 8 …
Vatican insiders: Reports of Cardinal Peter Turkson’s resignation ‘credible’

by Andrea Gagliarducci Rome Newsroom, Dec 17, 2021 / 15:44 pm Cardinal Peter Turkson’s tenure as prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development may be coming to an end. Various Vatican sources told CNA that a recent report by a traditionalist blog claiming that Turkson was set to resign is …
Bishop Paprocki: Illinois repeal of parental notice abortion law ‘a dark and disgraceful moment’

by Jonah McKeown Springfield, Ill., Dec 17, 2021 / 17:01 pm Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker on Friday signed a repeal of the state’s Parental Notice of Abortion Act, a move which drew consternation from Catholic and pro-life people in the state. Under the repeal, which the Democratic governor signed Dec. …
Traditionis custodes: Vatican further tightens restrictions on Traditional Latin Mass

by Hannah Brockhaus Vatican City, Dec 18, 2021 / 04:36 am The Vatican issued Saturday further strict guidelines on the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass, in response to questions about the motu proprio Traditionis custodes. The explanatory document, which bans confirmations and ordinations according to pre-Vatican II Roman Missals, was published …
Traditional Latin Mass restrictions: Here’s what you need to know

by CNA Staff Denver Newsroom, Dec 18, 2021 / 07:53 am New moves by Pope Francis mean changes for Catholics dedicated to the Traditional Latin Mass —and for the priests and bishops responsible for these communities. Even though these Catholics represent a relative small minority of believers, the changes have …
10 things that Pope Francis wants us to learn from the nativity scene

by CNA Staff Greccio, Italy, Dec 17, 2021 / 04:00 am In 2019, Pope Francis issued an apostolic letter on the meaning and importance of the Christmas nativity scene. He signed the document, Admirabile signum (“Enchanting image”), on Dec. 1 that year, at the Shrine of the Nativity in Greccio, a hilltown in the …
4 things to know about Pope Francis on his 85th birthday

by Hannah Brockhaus Vatican City, Dec 17, 2021 / 01:00 am “There is only one thing that really makes us age, grow old interiorly: not age, but sin,” Pope Francis said in 2017, during a speech about the Virgin Mary. As Francis turns 85 on Dec. 17, his ninth birthday …