College campus ministries register remarkable growth in baptisms, confirmations
By Martin Barillas Ann Arbor, Michigan, Dec 15, 2025 / 07:00 am Several college campuses across the country are witnessing a notable rise in baptisms and confirmations among students. Catholic evangelists tell CNA that this growth reflects a deepening desire among young adults for certainty, stability, and faith amid today’s turbulent …
Jimmy Lai found guilty of national security violations, faces life in prison
By Daniel Payne CNA Staff, Dec 15, 2025 / 07:00 am 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 …
A Call to Spiritual Arms
(Note: The first installment of this 3-part series can be found in the November 2025 issue.) Some heard it as a child. Others were well into adulthood amid a lucrative career and serious relationship. That still small voice. That restless heart. That sense of emptiness despite having everything they thought …
Lord’s Day Reflection: Rejoice in the Lord always!
As the Church celebrates Gaudete Sunday – Fr Edmund Power reflects on the theme of “joy” that permeates the liturgy on the Third Sunday of Advent. By Fr Edmund Power, OSB Rejoice in the Lord always! The words of the entrance antiphon of today’s Mass, taken from the letter of St …
Pope: At Christmas, let music be a ‘dwelling place for the soul’
Pope Leo meets with artists and organisers involved in the Vatican’s Christmas Concert, saying that the festive period reminds us that God comes to meet us “at the very heart of our small human stories.” By Vatican News For 33 years, the Vatican has hosted a Christmas concert in the …
Our Home, Our Hope
There’s always a blend of sadness and excitement when I leave Cincinnati to return to my studies in Rome. It’s tough to leave home: family, parishioners, Skyline Chili, and the Midwest’s iconic seasons, especially the snowfalls (Rome only sees snow once every 10 years); but it is exciting and a …
Making Catholic Memories Celebrating Saint Lucy
Tip-Toe Twinkle, the name of our Elf on the Shelf, arrived in our house by surprise one December day a few years ago. For the remainder of the month, he would occasionally cause mischief about the house while we parents grumbled about the mess left behind. However, the next year, …
Why Sweden honors St. Lucy, a beloved Italian saint
By Francesca Pollio Fenton CNA Staff, Dec 13, 2023 / 04:45 am St. Lucy’s Day, also known as Lucia Day, is a traditional Swedish celebration filled with children in costumes, elaborate processions, and Swedish treats — all honoring the beloved saint. St. Lucy, whose feast day is celebrated by the Catholic …
Fact or fiction? 9 popular myths about Our Lady of Guadalupe
By David Ramos ACI Prensa Staff, Dec 12, 2025 / 04:00 am Almost 500 years after the appearance of Our Lady of Guadalupe — whose feast the Church celebrates Dec. 12 — the image of Our Lady has become the subject of several popular myths and legends, especially in Mexico, where …
