From the Amazon to Rome
At Mount Notre Dame High School (MND), the legacy of Sister Dorothy Stang, SNDdeN, is more than a chapter in history—it’s a call to action that shapes the school’s mission and inspires its students. Through a close partnership with her religious community, the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, her …
Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr to Open Jubilee Year in Archdiocese of Cincinnati
W H A T | Opening of Jubilee Year 2025 W H E N | Sunday December 29, 2024, at 4 P.M. Mass W H E R E | Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains: 325 W. 8th St., Cincinnati OH Release Date: December 27, 2024 Pope Francis Opens …
What Did Cain Say to Abel?
The story of Cain and Abel is among the more famous episodes in the Bible. We are all acquainted with this account of the first murder—indeed, the first fratricide—by which the bonds of brotherly love and responsibility were torn asunder. What we do not know, however, is what Cain said …
Ohio martyr’s relic set to be displayed in Rome
[December 26, 2024] Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in Ohio recently filled a reliquary with blood-soaked soil from the site of the murder of Sister Dorothy Stang, SNDdeN. Set to be installed in a Sanctuary of the New Martyrs in Rome, the relic represents the life and sacrifice of …
Urbi et Orbi: Pope Francis urges world leaders to pursue dialogue, peace in Jubilee Year
By Kristina Millare Vatican City, Dec 25, 2024 / 12:54 pm Pope Francis on Christmas Day delivered the traditional Urbi et Orbi address and blessing in Vatican City, inviting all individuals and nations to “silence the sound of arms and overcome divisions.” Delivering his Christmas Day message overlooking crowds of thousands …
The 8 days of Christmas? A look at the Christmas octave
By Kevin J. Jones Denver, Colo., Dec 25, 2024 / 04:00 am The Catholic calendar has several ways to divide the Christmas season. The Church’s Western liturgical tradition sees Christmas as an octave, an eight-day celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. The octave of Christmas begins on Christmas itself, the feast of …
Pope Francis launches Jubilee 2025 with opening of Holy Door
By Hannah Brockhaus Vatican City, Dec 24, 2024 / 14:10 pm Pope Francis opened the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica before Mass on Christmas Eve, officially launching the Jubilee Year 2025. “O Christ, bright star of the morning, incarnation of infinite love, long awaited salvation, sole hope of the world, …
The History of ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’
The song, “The Twelve Days of Christmas” is an English Christmas carol. From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface …
‘Christ, the Savior, is here:’ 200 years of ‘Silent Night’ in its Austrian birthplace
By Rudolf Gehrig Salzburg, Austria, Dec 24, 2024 / 08:00 am As the Advent evening turns cold and dark, a young couple lingers atop a dike dividing two nations, their mulled wine steaming in the chill. One holds a phone, the other a cup, capturing a final selfie before heading to …
