Message from the Holy Land: Peace is not an illusion but a life choice
Violence begets death and destruction, revenge begets hatred and pain. News and pictures from Gaza and other war-torn lands show the physical and moral suffering of the innocent and defenceless. By Ibrahim Faltas * Holy Christmas is approaching. The Advent journey prepares us for the coming of the One who …
The Christmas Truce of 1914: Here’s what really happened
by Jonah McKeown St. Louis, Mo., Dec 25, 2022 / 10:00 am The experience of fighting in “The Great War,” World War I, was marked by brutality and misery on a scale never before seen. The grisly realities of trench warfare had already, in just five months, claimed a million …
St. Francis and the story of the first Nativity scene
by Hannah Brockhaus Rome Newsroom, Dec 23, 2023 / 07:00 am It’s a well-known origin story: how the young and wealthy Francis of Assisi freely abandoned his noble patrimony to serve Christ’s Church as a poor, itinerant preacher. One of the world’s most beloved saints, the founder of the Franciscan …
Cardinal Pizzaballa visits Holy Family Parish in Gaza days before Christmas
By Amira Abuzeid CNA Staff, Dec 19, 2025 / 18:35 pm Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, arrived in Gaza City on Dec. 19 for a pastoral visit to Holy Family Parish, the only Catholic church in the Gaza Strip, just days before Christmas. Accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop William Shomali, the …
Multiple Kansas Catholic schools targeted by apparent bomb hoax
By Daniel Payne CNA Staff, Dec 20, 2025 / 09:00 am Multiple Catholic schools in Kansas were targeted by what were apparently hoax bomb threats this week, according to authorities. Law enforcement agencies in the Kansas City area reported investigating threats at numerous Catholic schools on Dec. 19. The Archdiocese of …
Lord’s Day Reflection: The righteousness of Joseph
As the Church marks the Fourth Sunday of Advent, Abbot Marion Nguyen reflects on the theme “Justice without judgement: the righteousness of Joseph” By Abbot Marion Nguyen As Christmas approaches, the Church places before us the figure of Joseph and names him with a single, arresting title: “a just man.” In an age marked …
Today’s Video: Philip Rivers on 17 Years in the NFL, 10 Kids, and His Catholic Faith
From the Saints and Parish Podcast: In this episode, we had the joy of sitting down with 17-year NFL veteran, Philip Rivers. We discuss his many years in the NFL, his 10 children, coaching high school football, and his Catholic faith. God Bless!
Cardinal Dolan says of retirement: ‘I’ll always keep working’
By Amira Abuzeid CNA Staff, Dec 19, 2025 / 07:00 am Now that the Vatican has announced that Archbishop-designate Ronald Hicks will succeed Cardinal Timothy Dolan as archbishop of New York, what comes next for the cardinal? “I’ll always keep working,” Dolan told Father Dave Dwyer, a Paulist priest, executive director of Busted Halo …
Pope Leo XIV appoints new bishop for Palm Beach, auxiliary bishop for Phoenix
By Daniel Payne CNA Staff, Dec 19, 2025 / 07:30 am 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 …
UPDATE: New York’s new archbishop-designate vows to ‘serve faithfully’ while remaining a Cubs fan
By Daniel Payne CNA Staff, Dec 18, 2025 / 06:00 am The newly announced leader of the Catholic Church in New York expressed “heartfelt gratitude” on Dec. 18 for having been appointed to the post by Pope Leo XIV. Archbishop-elect Ronald Hicks, who will head the Archdiocese of New York after …
