It’s Sean Spicer, who should quickly emerge as one of the most visible members of the administration: Spicer, the Republican National Committee’s communications director and chief strategist, has worked as a senior communications adviser to Trump during the transition. He had told reporters Thursday morning they could expect “further announcements on appointments and staff later today” and additional announcements “in the near future on fulfilling the final Cabinet positions.” He also garnered some attention earlier this year on Ash Wednesday: A... Read more

This may be one of the most inspiring and heartbreaking stories of this season of light and hope: a gifted contestant on “Jeopardy!” who competed while keeping from the audience and her fellow contestants the news that she was dying. The story:  Cindy Stowell had Stage 4 colon cancer when she recorded episodes of “Jeopardy!” in August and September, competing on painkillers and developing a fever that caused makeup artists to rush onstage during commercial breaks to clean up her sweat. Ms.... Read more

Pope Francis met with the Curia today for their annual end-of-year gathering, and he offered some pointed remarks regarding reform: The aim of reform is not aesthetic, an effort to improve the looks of the Curia, nor can it be understood as a sort of facelift, using make-up and cosmetics to embellish its aging body, nor even as an operation of plastic surgery to take away its wrinkles. Dear brothers and sisters, it isn’t wrinkles we need to worry about in the... Read more

From the AP:  Donald Trump’s Inaugural weekend will include an interfaith prayer service at Washington’s National Cathedral, a customary event but complicated this year by anger over the president-elect’s rhetoric on Muslims, immigrants and others. The service was announced Wednesday by the presidential inaugural committee, which provided no details on the ceremony or participants. A similar 2013 event for President Barack Obama’s second-term Inaugural included about two dozen religious leaders, including three Muslims, along with representatives of Judaism, evangelical Christianity,... Read more

Some may remember this story from last year, about an ambulance converted into a mobile confessional, just in time for the Year of Mercy. NCR has this update: As of Dec. 16, Fr. Michael Champagne had heard more than 3,000 confessions (well over 300 hours worth) and drove more than 6,400 miles with his team throughout the state — traveling in what they call the “Spiritual Care Unit,” a converted ambulance complete with confessional space. In response to Pope Francis’ calls to... Read more

Who knew?  This is truly inspiring. Her phenomenal generosity toward people in need extends far beyond the money she’s given to support those recovering from the devastating fires in her home state. Such as: Underneath the aw-shucks, who-me persona is a serious woman, now 70, and one of the most philanthropic celebrities around. In 2006, the Associated Press pointed out that while “much of her philanthropy has been anonymous” (or at least done quietly), it includes such gifts as the $60,000 she... Read more

Details:  Lena Dunham has issued a public apology for recently remarking on her podcast that she’s never had an abortion but wishes she had. In a lengthy statement posted to Instagram Tuesday night alongside an image of the word “choice,” Dunham said she hopes her “distasteful joke” doesn’t detract from her own and other women’s efforts to protect reproductive rights. “My latest podcast episode was meant to tell a multifaceted story about reproductive choice in America, to explain the many reasons women do or... Read more

Details:  Five teenagers – all members of a group Albuquerque police called increasingly dangerous as their crimes around the city escalated – have been charged with murder in the death of a carpenter and church deacon who was run down in September as he tried to stop them from stealing his work van. Hector Aguirre was hanging onto the windshield wipers of his van as five of the teens tried to make off with it one morning in September, according... Read more