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Mary and Joseph on the Way to Bethlehem (1475) by Hugo van der Goes

God's Word on Sunday: God only asks for our obedience and trust

Fourth Sunday of Advent, Dec. 23 (Year C) Micah 5:2-5a; Psalm 80; Hebrews 10:5-10; Luke 1:39-45

Pope Francis greets a boy during an audience to exchange Christmas greetings with Vatican employees in Paul VI hall at the Vatican Dec. 21.

Jesus is the greatest Christmas gift, Pope Francis says

VATICAN – This Christmas will people go to adore and be amazed by Jesus, or will they let themselves be detoured by distractions? Pope Francis asked.
Parishioners at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Toronto take part in the Simbang Gabi festivities that accompany a traditional Filipino Christmas.

Simbang Gabi adds Filipino flare to feast

In December 2011 Fr. John Sullivan discovered what Christmas means in the Philippines.

Pope Francis greets a child as he arrives to lead his general audience in Paul VI hall at the Vatican Dec. 19.

Christmas is not just a cozy holiday but a chance to turn tables, Pope Francis says

VATICAN – Christmas will not be authentic if people get caught up in a frenzy of shopping, presents and meals, all while ignoring the poor and forgetting who the celebration is really all about, Pope Francis said.
Bishop Lionel Gendron of Saint-Jean-Longueuil, Quebec, president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Live Christmas as revelation of Light, Bishop Gendron says

The following is the Christmas message released by Bishop Lionel Gendron, Bishop of Saint-Jean-Longueuil and president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.

An audience member holds a figurine of baby Jesus as Pope Francis leads his Sunday Angelus prayer in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Dec. 16.

A true Christmas celebrates Baby Jesus, who is tender, humble, Pope Francis says

VATICAN – With Christmas just over a week away, visitors came to St. Peter's Square with their Baby Jesus figurines for a traditional blessing by the Pope.
The cardinals ending their service after five years as members are Australian Cardinal George Pell, 77; Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuriz Ossa, 85, retired archbishop of Santiago, Chile; and Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya of Kinshasa, Congo, 79.

Three Roman Curia advisers end service on Pope's Council of Cardinals

VATICAN – Three members of Pope Francis' Council of Cardinals have officially ended their service as papal advisers on the reform of the Roman Curia.
Pope Francis waves as he leads the Angelus from the window of his studio overlooking St. Peter's Square Dec. 9 at the Vatican.

Let's think of our own conversion to sow peace this Advent, Pope Francis says

VATICAN – Advent is a time for people to think about what they can change about themselves so that they can sow the seeds of peace, justice and fraternity in their daily lives, Pope Francis said.
Nuns and others stand next to a photograph of Bishop Pierre Claverie at his grave in St. Mary's Cathedral, where a vigil was held, in Oran, Algeria, Dec. 7. The vigil was to prepare for the Dec. 8 beatification of Bishop Claverie and a group of 18 others, who were martyred in the course of the Algerian civil war.

Algerian martyrs bear witness to Christian-Muslim peace, Pope Francis says

VATICAN – The lives of 19 religious men and women martyred during the Algerian civil war are a testament to God's plan of love and peaceful coexistence between Christians and Muslims, Pope Francis said.
A firefighter places a wreath on a tall statue of Mary overlooking the Spanish Steps in Rome Dec. 8, the feast of the Immaculate Conception. Rome's firefighters have observed the tradition every year since 1857.

On the Feast of Immaculate Conception, Pope Francis asks Mary's care of refugees

ROME – In the heart of Rome, near streets of fancy shops already blinged out for Christmas shopping, Pope Francis prayed for Romans struggling to survive and for families in the city and around the world who face the same lack of welcome that Mary and Joseph experienced.
An image of Baruch from Gustave Doré's illustrations for La Grande Bible de Tours.

God's Word on Sunday: God’s hand is evident everywhere

Second Sunday in Advent (Year C) Dec. 9 (Baruch 5:1-9; Psalm 126; Philippians 1:3-6, 8-11; Luke 3:1-6)

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