In a pastoral letter on stewardship, Cardinal Thomas Collins suggests that in order to discover what is really important to us, we should look at how we spend our money.

VATICAN – The desire to spend vast amounts on shopping and needless extravagances can prevent Christians from being generous with others, Pope Francis said.

Some time next month the Vatican will release the Pope’s much-anticipated encyclical on the environment. It will be the first time a pope has devoted an encyclical to environmental matters and already critics are questioning Pope Francis’ qualifications to address this complex scientific issue.

Editor’s note: Robert Adragna, a 16-year-old student at Toronto’s Bishop Allen Academy, spent his Christmas break experiencing the beauty of Antarctica through the Students on Ice Antarctic Youth Expedition. Here he shares insights on his journey to the final southern frontier and how it relates to our Creator.

Antarctica — the vast, white, mysterious continent at the farthest reaches of the southern hemisphere. Some see it as a land of untamed wilderness, others as a land of science and research. To me, the meaning of Antarctica transcends the boundaries of our physical world. It is a living testament to God’s almighty presence on Earth and a symbol of our obedient but benevolent relationship with Him.

VATICAN CITY - No saint was ever known for having a "funeral face," Pope Francis said; the joy of knowing one is loved by God and saved by Christ must be seen at least in a sense of peace, if not a smile.

Celebrating the third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday, Dec. 14, Pope Francis paid an evening visit to Rome's St. Joseph parish, meeting with the sick, with a group of Gypsies, with a First Communion class and with dozens of couples whose newborn babies were baptized in the past year.