Lisa Hendey
Around us, we see all the trappings of Christmas, and yet we bask in the glow of that rose-colored Advent calendar. “Not yet,” I tell myself… “I’m not ready.” But I worry a bit how much of that “not ready” sense of mine is related to what society thinks is important during Christmas — the gifts, the parties, the baking — when in reality the truth is that my soul is not ready to truly welcome Christ’s coming at Christmas. I still have work to do! Yet another reason to be so grateful for the example of Pope Francis and for so many of our friends and colleagues engaged in the New Evangelization!
As we close our the year with our final “Sweet Tweets” of 2013, I want to thank John Clem for making this weekly feature possible. John is the Director and Media Minister at Catholic Web Services (http://catholicws.com/). I urge you personally to support John’s Greater Good Technology campaign in its final days. This is technology at the service of the Word!
- Papal Tweet: “The love of God is not generic. God looks with love upon every man and woman, calling them by name.” (Pope Francis Dec. 17)
- @Pontifex “This Christmas may we be consistent in living the Gospel, welcoming Jesus into the centre of our lives” (Pope Francis Dec. 20)
- Pope Francis: Wasted food could feed all of world’s hungry (Vatican Radio) http://ow.ly/rX322
- Evangelii Nuntiandi: “The greatest pastoral document that has ever been written” | Catholic World Report http://ow.ly/rKhsG
- “Apple Forecast: Immigration Reform” A 5 Minute Documentary Film | Franciscan Earth Corps http://ow.ly/rX6AJ
- Listing of The Best Christmas movies | CNS Blog http://ow.ly/rKnLb
- ‘Jesus the Homeless’ sculpture may find home in Rome (CNS) http://ow.ly/rLbln
- Video: Tim Shriver endorses Special Chronicles podcast http://youtu.be/ivNQ1qH3B_w http://specialchronicles.com/ (Dan Smrokowski)
- Help us reach our goal! 5 Days left in our indiegogo campaign for Greater Good Technology | Indiegogo http://ow.ly/rLrMz
- Send your VIDEO PRAYER for #Christmas to @Pontifex with @Pope2YouVatican” at http://pope2you.net
- Vocre App updated: This great app translates languages like Star Trek and has added languages including now LATIN http://www.vocre.com/
- 4 Benefits Gained by Quitting Porn | Porn Harms by Morality in Media http://ow.ly/rLBZq
- Video: Can an old Christmas carol help us understand social justice? Fr. James Martin, SJ on “Good King Wenceslas” http://youtu.be/qZK3ZOgcEIk
- Audio: Bambinelli Sunday in St. Peter’s Square (Vatican Radio) http://ow.ly/rMlLU
- Christmas celebrations around the globe (http://reviewed.com ) http://ow.ly/rMxZp
- New Pope Francis Interview “Never be afraid of tenderness” (La Stampa) http://ow.ly/rN2o8
- Wonderful Video: The Story of the Three Trees (XT3) http://youtu.be/z5qRzTOpOnk Book available from Pauline Books http://ow.ly/rNUoe
- Story worth watching: The Coptic Christians of Egypt – 60 Minutes CBS News http://ow.ly/rOdUb
- Whispers in the Loggia: Francis’ Flush – At Bishops’ Table, Pope Runs the Wuerlpool http://ow.ly/rOfOe
- Who Am I To Judge?: A Radical Pope’s First Year :: (The New Yorker – James Carroll) http://ow.ly/rOh4V
- Pope Francis’ Christmas Gift to Rome’s Poor: Phone Cards and Metro Tickets http://ow.ly/rPtQF
- Video: Highlights of the year of two popes (Catholic News Service) http://youtu.be/HrvEaSCN2eM
- St. John the Evangelist in Goshen, NY is ‘world’s first Catholic church to accept bitcoin’ for donations http://ow.ly/rPvjB
- Video: Silent Night (Live at The Helix, Dublin Ireland, 2013) Celtic Women http://youtu.be/kf16EBNTxGI
- Pope Francis celebrates Mass with 4 homeless men on his 77th birthday (Vatican Radio) http://ow.ly/rQfjj
- Vatican newspaper launches redesigned website :: Catholic News Agency (CNA) http://ow.ly/rVX71
- Audio: Pope canonizes Peter Faber, SJ (Vatican Radio) http://ow.ly/rSzGj
- Vatican Document on Education & Intercultural Dialogue – primarily for parents (Vatican Radio) http://ow.ly/rVZOy
- Maps of Seven Deadly Sins in America | memolition http://ow.ly/rRCRB
- US to open first Trappist brewery outside Europe (Patheos – Deacon Greg Kandra) http://ow.ly/rRDdv
- Video: You won’t believe what Pope Francis did now | MSNBC (Fr. James Martin w/ Lawrence O’Donnell) http://ow.ly/rSGIX
- Video/Book: A Mary Christmas: based on the seven joys of Mary & Franciscan Crown Rosary (Franciscan Media) http://youtu.be/Wlhe94Ld2-E
- RT @FrRobertBarron “I’m really excited about #AskFrBarron! New way for me to personally answer your questions:” http://ow.ly/rUSfY
- Satire: Video about Lutheran Airlines (may everyone have safe travels during Christmas) http://youtu.be/KakIacaDyCI
- Thoughtful Video: Who Do You Want to Become (St. Paul’s Outreach) http://vimeo.com/
saintpaulsoutreach/become … - Video: The importance of brightness (Ireland’s Bishop Brendan Leahy – Diocese of Limerick) http://youtu.be/JaVhflsmYrU
- Bethlehemian Rhapsody sung by puppets – w/ captions (B Rob) http://youtu.be/FYh2OU4vtIk
- Video: Chuck Norris Tops Jean-Claude Van Damme’s Epic Split with a Christmas message http://ow.ly/rVXxA
- National Migration Week 2014 to be Celebrated January 5-11 (USCCB) http://ow.ly/rW22Q http://ow.ly/i/44VFh
- Dec. 29 Feast of Holy Family: Prayer events ahead of Synod on the Family – Pope Francis to share special prayer http://ow.ly/rW2x1
- 10 Best Catholic Pages On Facebook | uCatholic http://ow.ly/rW30T
- Watch CatholicVote’s new Christmas video | (Good message – spend more Facetime with your family!) http://ow.ly/rWeZH
- Was there really a Star of Bethlehem? (Jesuit Brother Guy Consolmagno of the Vatican Observatory – CNS) http://youtu.be/WsQgRMokAek
- Video: Friar Alessandro: Tu Scendi Dalle Stelle (You Come Down From The Stars) at Nativity Grotto http://youtu.be/hlaOjFHswIY
John Clem is the Director and Media Minister at Catholic Web Services (http://catholicws.com/). John is currently in formation to join the Secular Franciscan Order, and loves to share his talents in faith, technology, and journalism in service to the church. John also writes a blog entitled Call To Holiness (http://www.calltoholiness.
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