December 9: Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
“The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin.” In 1854, Pope Pius IX’s solemn …
Did you know the Immaculate Conception is patroness of the United States?
by Kate Olivera Denver Newsroom, Dec 8, 2021 / 03:00 am Mary, under her title of the Immaculate Conception, has been patroness of the United States since the mid-19th century. But her protection of the nation dates back to its earliest history. One of the first Catholic churches in what …
Vatican: Holy days of obligation not dispensed if transferred to a Monday
By Kate Quiñones CNA Staff, Nov 1, 2024 / 09:45 am The Vatican has clarified that Catholics in the United States must still attend Mass on holy days of obligation even when they are transferred to Mondays or Saturdays, correcting a long-standing practice in the U.S. Church. In its complementary norms, the …
Notre Dame Cathedral ‘back in the light’ after glorious reopening
By Solène Tadié CNA Newsroom, Dec 7, 2024 / 20:15 pm The doors of the newly restored Notre-Dame of Paris Cathedral were officially reopened to the public during a ceremony Saturday evening just over five years after a blaze ravaged the iconic structure’s roof, frame, and spire. The celebration, which began …
Obituary: Brother Blane Grein, OFM
Br. Blane Grein, OFM, 88, passed away Nov. 27 at Lovelace Hospital in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He was a professed Franciscan friar for 70 years and a priest for 62 years. Most of Br. Blane’s ministry was devoted to missionary service, and he was known for his openness, generous spirit, …
New Mexico bishops come out strongly against mass deportations
By Jonah McKeown CNA Staff, Dec 6, 2024 / 09:25 am The Catholic bishops of New Mexico this week articulated a strongly worded statement against a policy of mass deportation of unauthorized immigrants, a policy that President-elect Donald Trump has repeatedly promised to enact. “A mass deportation policy will not fix the broken …
Hawley warns feds: Retain records on Catholic investigation, pro-life convictions
By Tyler Arnold Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 5, 2024 / 15:10 pm Republican Sen. Josh Hawley this week warned the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to not destroy federal records including documents related to the investigation of traditionalist Catholics or the convictions of numerous pro-life …
5 things to know and share about St. Nicholas
by Hannah Brockhaus Rome Newsroom, Dec 6, 2021 / 06:00 am St. Nicholas, whose feast day is celebrated on Dec. 6, is well known as possibly the real-life inspiration for the beloved Christmas character of Santa Claus. Not a lot is known about the historical Nicholas, who was bishop of …
Follow the Star to St Charles Center
I remember seeing the star every year as I grew up, after we left our family Christmas party at Grandpa’s house. It was on the dome of the St. Charles Center, a senior living community for Missionaries of the Precious Blood and local lay people. Their simple tradition of placing …
Summoned to Love with W.H. Auden’s “For the Time Being”
Among the rich and wonderful mysteries of the Incarnation is the intersection of time by eternity. Or perhaps the better formulation is that the Incarnation introduces a different kind of time from the chronological time by which we order our hours, days, weeks, months and years. This everyday account of …
