By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) – 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, […]
Christmas
Lights On in Bensonhurst
St. Athanasius parish lit up its outdoor Nativity scene and church with the colors of Christmas on Dec. 13. The Saturday evening Mass was followed by singing, guest appearances, the arrival of Santa Claus and refreshments in the parish hall.
Austrian Markets Reflect the Spirit of Christmas
By Cristina Muller VIENNA (CNS) – Tucked behind the Austrian capital’s well known Museumsquartier – a complex of art, natural history and cultural museums – is a little side street Christmas market called Spittelberg. No more than a medieval alleyway, gray cobblestones and slightly wobbly Tudor-like white and dark timber buildings, Spittelberg is a place […]
Reasons for the Season
Dear Editor: Christmas cards should depict the birth of Christ. They should celebrate Christmas and say so, not “Happy Holidays,” or “Santa’s Coming,” etc. Also remember to request religious Christmas stamps at the Post Office and use them. If we don’t buy religious cards and postage stamps, don’t be surprised when they are no longer […]
Advent Prep
The St. John’s Prep, Astoria, is in full preparation mode this Advent season. Special public prayers have been said each day; the Sacrament of Reconciliation has been offered to all students; food is being collected; the Christmas Tree was officially lit; the halls and classrooms are being festively decorated; and student musicians and singers have […]
NET’s Christmas Special Has Star-Studded Cast
The NET’s Christmas Variety Special, which premiers this weekend, is must-see family entertainment. Combining hilarious skits and holiday music, its cast reads like a Who’s Who of Brooklyn TV talent. Host for the one-hour entertainment show is Anthony Mangano, who hosts City of Churches on NET, but you also might recognize him from his roles […]
God Enters Into Creation
My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, Christmas in many ways is one of the most nostalgic periods of time. We have many treasured memories, especially surrounding the celebration of Christmas. Perhaps as we come closer to this Christmas, we can recall these memories. For me, it was the annual ritual of buying the […]
Children’s Christmas Reading For Giving and Receiving
By Regina Lordan WASHINGTON (CNS) – The following books are suitable for Christmas giving: “I Lived on Butterfly Hill” by Marjorie Agosin. Atheneum Books for Young Readers (New York, 2014). 455 pp., $16.99. Lucila has a good life: a loving family, close friends and a home in her cherished hill city of Valparaiso, Chile. But […]
Widowhood and Christmas
By Bill Dodds As I head toward my second Christmas as a widower, I now know the challenges begin with Halloween. Yes, Halloween. Filled with happy “couple” memories, it’s a tough day for a lot of widows and widowers. It is followed by Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s – one blow after another, pummeling an already […]
Exhibit Honors National Christmas Art Contest Winners
WASHINGTON (CNS) — A special Mass Dec. 5 and an exhibit at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington celebrated the winners of the annual Christmas artwork contest sponsored by the Missionary Childhood Association. An agency of the Pontifical Mission Societies, the association asks children in the nation’s elementary schools […]
