On this day in 1563, the Council of Trent ended after eighteen years. Considered to be one of the Church’s most important councils. It convened in Trento (then capital of the Prince-Bishopric of Trent, inside the Holy Roman Empire, now in modern Italy) between December 13, 1545, and December 4, 1563 in twenty-five sessions for three periods. Council fathers met for the first through eighth sessions in Trent (1545-1547), and for the ninth through eleventh sessions in Bologna (1547) during... Read more

On this day in 1982, Pope John Paul II established the Apostolic Exarchate for Romanian Byzantine Catholics. In 1987, the Apostolic Exarchate was elevated to the Rank of an Eparchy (Diocese) centered in Canton, Ohio. The Jurisdiction of the Romanian Catholic Diocese of Canton extends territorially to all of the United States.(From the Eparchy website) Read more

Born to a poor family in Verona, he served in the military before completing his priestly studies. After his ordination, he was appointed seminary confessor and curate of St. Stephen’s Church. He devoted himself with particular zeal to hearing confessions, and to charitable works, helping in particular the poorest and the outcasts. In 1907 he was appointed Rector of St Benedetto del Monte. On November 26th, 1907 he founded the “Casa Buoni Fanciulli.” The following year it moved definitely to... Read more

A bright child, Armand-Jean du Plessis studied theology as a teen and at the young age of 21 was appointed Bishop of Lucon. In 1622 he was made a cardinal and from there rose to become head of the Royal Council and prime minister of France. King Louis XIII was a weak ruler and Richelieu filled the void, more or less running the empire via his advice to the king. A clever politician and strategist, Richelieu expanded royal power, punished... Read more

Novelist, born at Ellsworth, Maine, 18 July, 1833; died at Boston, Massachusetts, 4 December, 1907. At the age of thirteen she began teaching in the public schools. At fifteen her first literary work was printed. At twenty she became a Catholic, and even her Protestant relatives shared in her sufferings from Knownothing bigotry. In 1863 she became a volunteer war nurse, serving in Washington until she grew ill. Boston then became her home. Short stories from her pen appeared in... Read more

Mary Frances Clarke was the foundress of the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In 1833, Clarke and four other women traveled from Dublin to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to help teach the children of Irish immigrants living in the city. With the help of Father Terence Donaghoe, Clarke founded the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. They remained in Philadelphia for the next 10 years, and the order grew to 19 women. Mother Clarke and the community... Read more

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What we are in fact celebrating is the awe-inspiring humility of God, and no amount of familiarity with the trappings of Christmas should ever blind us to its quiet but explosive significance. For Christians believe that so great is God’s love and concern for humanity that he himself became a man. Amid the sparkle and the color and music of the day’s celebration we do well to remember that God’s insertion of himself into human history was achieved with an... Read more

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On this day in 1880, Pope Leo XIII issued the encyclical Sancta Dei Civitas, on Mission Societies. Read more