While he skipped morning Mass due to what the Vatican called a “painful sciatica,” Pope Francis was in the saddle again for his Angelus address later in the day, reflecting on the role of Mary as Mother of God and the need for a change in attitude at the end of a tumultuous year.
Several families of Coptic Catholics from Egypt have settled in Staten Island where they continue their pursuit of the Focolare movement, sharing the Gospel in Arabic and English, urging unity, and welcoming all.
A ritual bath dating to the time of Jesus has been uncovered on the Mount of Olives at the site tradition says is the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus experienced the Agony in the Garden before his arrest, trial, and crucifixion.
Known as a globe-trotting pope who conducts the bulk of his diplomacy through words and gestures during trips, Pope Francis found himself with extra time on his hands this past year with international travel brought to a halt by the coronavirus pandemic.
Two top Vatican cardinals, one of whom was seen talking with Pope Francis on Friday, have tested positive for COVID-19. One of them is in the hospital, fighting off pneumonia.
As the Argentine Senate gears up to vote on a bill to legalize abortion, the bishops released a searing Christmas message saying that this “feverish obsession” from the government to end the country’s protection of the unborn further darkened a bleak national situation.
The Catholic bishop of Gboko, Nigeria, and the Knights of Columbus added their voices to a Dec. 17 congressional hearing spotlighting sectarian violence in Nigeria in which thousands of Christians have been killed simply for their faith identity.
After receiving what they said were “several requests for guidance” on the morality of the use of COVID-19 vaccines developed with cells derived from aborted fetuses, the Vatican’s doctrine office issued an explanatory note Dec.21 giving the green light.
The Papal Foundation has announced it will give $1.8 million in grants to support COVID-19 relief efforts in developing nations around the world, with the majority of the funds assisting with health care and basic needs for the poor.
What is not healthy, however, is the future of frankincense. Highly sought after for its religious, medicinal and household purposes, it is one of the oldest traded commodities in the world, spanning at least 5,000 years.
