NEWS
West Bank town takes pride in links to St. Nicholas, celebrates Dec. 19
By Judith Sudilovsky, Catholic News ServiceBEIT JALLA, West Bank - Bethlehem might have the Church of the Nativity, but residents of this largely Christian town adjacent to Bethlehem say they have St. Nicholas.
Pope to ride in open vehicles during trip to Philippines
By Catholic News ServiceMANILA, Philippines - Philippine church officials said the pope will be riding in open vehicles during his five-day visit in January.
Darkness of Sydney siege cannot overcome Christ's light, archbishop says
By Robert Hiini, Catholic News ServiceSYDNEY - Hell has touched Sydney, but the darkness let loose on a terrorized city cannot overcome the light of Christ, the city's archbishop said at a special Dec. 16 Mass after a lone gunman took 17 people hostage in a cafe, killing two before being shot by police.
Pakistani Catholic official calls attack on school 'barbaric, inhuman'
By Anto Akkara, Catholic News ServiceNEW DELHI - The Catholic Church in Pakistan has joined the chorus of condemnation of the deadly attack by Taliban on an army school in Peshawar that has left at least 126 children and others dead and 250 injured.
Sierra Leone bans Christmas, New Year’s celebrations to prevent spread of Ebola
By Fredrick Nzwili, Religion News ServiceNAIROBI, Kenya - The government of Sierra Leone banned public Christmas and New Year’s celebrations because they may exacerbate efforts to eradicate the Ebola virus.
Lithuanian archbishop worried Russia will move against Baltic states
By Jonathan Luxmoore, Catholic News ServiceWARSAW, Poland - A top Baltic church leader voiced concern about possible Russian aggression against Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, and appealed to Western Catholics to be better informed about the situation.
Count down to Christmas by counting your blessings, Pope says
By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News ServiceVATICAN 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.
Prayer, studying lived reality is key to pope's process, cardinal says
By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News ServiceROME - Pope Francis' decision to hold two synods of bishops on the family with a year of consultation and reflection in between fits in exactly with this theological approach to pastoral planning, which emphasizes studying the reality, reflecting on it and, only later, taking action, said retired German Cardinal Walter Kasper.
Mom who lost son in Sandy Hook massacre urges people to 'let love lead'
By Dan Russo, Catholic News ServiceDUBUQUE, Iowa - Nicole Hockley's message from Newtown, Connecticut, to people at two different venues in the Dubuque area was clear: "Our hearts are broken, but our spirit is not."
Filipinos in Lebanon work, sacrifice to support families at home
By Doreen Abi Raad, Catholic News ServiceBEIRUT - She wakes up before the rest of the family, prepares their breakfast and begins a long day of cleaning the house, washing clothes, cooking and taking care of the children.
Yet she's always thinking of her own family some 8,000 kilometres away.
Food banks only put dent in poverty alleviation
By Michael Swan, The Catholic RegisterTORONTO - The long hours thousands upon thousands of volunteers spend repacking food and stocking shelves in their parish food banks aren’t solving the problem of hunger, claims a union-and-Church-backed campaign demanding governments raise social assistance and minimum wage rates.