There’s been some critical commentary over the last couple days, regarding Pope Francis’s homily on Christmas, which compared the Holy Family to modern-day refugees. It’s worth remembering that he’s not the first pope to make this comparison. Some examples: “The émigré Holy Family of Nazareth, fleeing into Egypt, is the archetype of every refugee family. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, living in exile in Egypt to escape the fury of an evil king, are, for all times and all places, the... Read more

As the Facebook post by Jeffrey in Bowling Green, Kentucky puts it: My parents were married for more than 20 years, divorced, fought a lot, went to work on themselves. Years later, they started dating. And as of yesterday, this happened. Excuse me, there’s something in my eye. As one of my favorite scripture passages reminds us: “Behold, I make all things new.” God bless us, everyone. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D358BxTytcY Read more

We have so few world leaders who still speak to us like this:  Her Majesty the Queen has spoken of her Christian faith in her Christmas message, saying Christ has inspired her “through good times and bad”. In her annual message, the Queen focused on the theme of ‘home’, and praised volunteers who were providing meals to the homeless of Christmas Day. “We remember the birth of Jesus Christ, whose only sanctuary was a stable in Bethlehem. He knew rejection,... Read more

This video is sweeping the Interwebs: He may not look like Eddie Van Halen or Randy Rhoads, but this dude is a legit guitar hero. Not only is Kenny Petrie the elder statesman of Mr. Spanky and the Hipthrusters, but he’s also a Catholic priest. As Christmas approached, this video of a band covering Tom Petty’s “Runnin’ Down a Dream” started making its way around the internet. The man holding his guitar may seem unassuming at first, but once he lets loose, Father Kenneth... Read more

Check out this wonderful Christmas gift—a new and delightful twist on an ageless idea. Tip: Grab a Kleenex first.   Read more

Sad news during this season. (In the picture shown, she’s the blonde girl standing next to Julie Andrews.) Actress Heather Menzies-Urich, best known for portraying Louisa von Trapp in the 1965 film “The Sound of Music,” died Sunday night in Frankford, Ontario. She was 68. Menzies-Urich, the widow of actor Robert Urich, had been recently diagnosed with cancer, according to her son Ryan Urich. Urich said his mother died on Christmas Eve, surrounded by her children and family members. “She... Read more

It’s the second time someone has tried to do this in recent years—it last happened in 2014. Details: A topless protester was detained by Vatican police on Monday for attempting to steal the doll of baby Jesus from the Vatican’s nativity scene. The incident occurred as thousands of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square to hear the Pope’s Christmas Day message. The woman, who was wearing pants and shoes, was part of the international feminist organization Femen. The group has... Read more

Details from The Daily Beast:  Egyptian security forces wielding assault rifles peer warily into the cars at each of the three checkpoints visitors must go through before reaching the ancient monasteries here about 60 miles west of Cairo. At the biggest checkpoint, on an exposed crossroads, young officers in bullet-proof vests are burning an upturned tree trunk to try to keep warm and to make some tea while waiting, and watching for threats. During each stop, cars are searched meticulously,... Read more

Amazing: There’s an elaborate nativity scene in Cathedral Square in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. It depicts everything from the baby Jesus to the three wise men and a collection of animals, including sheep and a camel. Researchers at Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VGTU) have now rendered that scene in nanoscale proportions and nicknamed the project NanoJesus. The team behind the nano-nativity says it’s the world’s smallest, and they’ve submitted it to Guinness World Records for certification. The scene is... Read more

Here’s a haunting old hymn we’ll be hearing during Mass this weekend, performed here by the incomparable Kings Choir. Background: This English-language hymn was based on a translation, by English Anglican priest Sabine Baring-Gould (1834 – 1924), of a Basque-language folk-style Christmas carol about the Annunciation, “Birjina gaztetto bat zegoen”. It is based on Luke 1:26−38, 42−48. In recent years, it has been performed by artists including Sting – but it works well as a congregational hymn, with or without... Read more