Christmas Caretakers

Every year church sanctuaries around the world mirror our hearts as they prepare to receive the newborn King. Red poinsettias, flickering candles and the smell of fresh evergreen are reminders of the joyous season. To make that possible, many parishes have a dedicated group of sacristans and decorators who donate …
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 …
KIDS BAKING CHAMPIONSHIP RETURNS WITH SOME OF THE YOUNGEST MOST TALENTED BAKERS EVER

New Season Premieres on Food Network and discovery+ on Monday, December 27th at 8pm ET/PT New York – November 18, 2021 – On Monday, December 27th at 8pm ET/PT the family-favorite dessert competition series returns for a new season as Valerie Bertinelli and Duff Goldman welcome a dozen of the …
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 …
Pro-life advocates decry FDA decision allowing women to get abortion pills by mail

by Katie Yoder Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 16, 2021 / 15:42 pm The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lifted restrictions on mifepristone, a drug approved for use in medical abortions, on Thursday. The decision authorizes doctors to prescribe the drugs online and mail the pills, allowing women to perform early …
Pew survey: Half of U.S. Catholics pray every day, and the number is dropping

by Joe Bukuras Boston, Mass., Dec 16, 2021 / 17:44 pm A new survey of U.S. adults found that 51% of Catholics pray every day, down from 59% from 2014. Meanwhile, the portion of Americans with no religious affiliation continues to rise. Those are some of the highlights of a …