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Stories for December 2025

Ordered from most to least recent.

Released Friday, Dec. 19

 NY archdiocese to sell hotel land for $490M
 Pontiff appoints new archbishop of Westminster
 Burkina Faso bishop discusses Islamist insurgency’s toll
 ‘Maximum security’ planned for Pakistan’s churches at Christmas
 USCCB gave $2.6M in grants to Africa in 2024
 Vatican diplomat calls for safe return of refugees to home countries
 War refugees are dying of hunger, Congolese bishop says
 Pope Leo: The human person, not capital, should be at the center of work
 War victim, assassinated leader’s daughter help present papal peace message
 Pope, in phone call with Israeli president, reiterates Church’s condemnation of anti-Semitism

Released Thursday, Dec. 18

 Pope Leo’s vision of ‘disarming peace’ [News Analysis]
 Vatican dicastery moves candidates toward beatification
 New York Governor Hochul will sign assisted-suicide legislation
 Christian prelates ask Israel to allow treatment for Gaza children
 Filipino rebels announce Christmas truce
 Confirmed: Bishop Hicks to head New York archdiocese
 North Carolina bishop calls for routine use of extraordinary ministers; bans altar rails, intinction
 Poor nations should have access to benefits of information society, Vatican diplomat says
 Pope expresses gratitude to superiors of women’s religious orders
 Cardinal Parolin asks lawmakers to put Christ at the center of their lives, remember God’s judgment
 Pope attends elementary school’s Christmas concert
 Bishop who apologized to LGBTQ community to lead California diocese
 Prominent African prelate transferred to far smaller diocese
 Bethlehem’s deputy mayor grateful for papal peace appeals
 Prepare for Christmas by going to Confession, Pope Leo advises
 Vatican newspaper highlights growing wealth inequality

Released Wednesday, Dec. 17

 Radical priest silenced in Brazil
 Uganda confirms arrest of missing priest
 Only Jesus brings peace of heart, Pope tells audience
 Illinois bishop to head New York archdiocese?
 Oakland diocese offers $242M to abuse victims
 Prayer outside abortion clinic protected by law, Spanish court rules
 People are ‘very depressed’ in Gaza, says parish priest
 Cardinal Chow dismisses claims of religious persecution in Hong Kong
 1 killed, 13 worshippers abducted in attack on Nigerian evangelical church
 Read the documents of Vatican II for yourself, former Vatican spokesman advises
 Vatican Christmas tree, Nativity scene inaugurated in St. Peter’s Square
 Missionary describes attacks on civilians in Sudan’s Nuba Mountains
 Malta’s prime minister discusses peace, climate change with Pontiff
 Pope, in letter, advises young people to show ‘concrete charity,’ turn to St. John Henry Newman

Released Tuesday, Dec. 16

 Liturgy, governance on agenda for January meeting of cardinals
 United Airlines settles suit with Catholic flight attendant
 Bishops’ immigration spokesman defends USCCB stance
 Michigan AG releases report on alleged abuse in Diocese of Grand Rapids
 Federal court sides with New Orleans archdiocese, against priest who alleged discrimination
 Thai desire for military glory is fomenting conflict, Cambodian prelate says
 USCCB president expresses prayerful solidarity with Jewish community following Sydney shooting
 Pontifical academy president believes late physicist’s theories point to Christianity
 Vatican security forces hold jubilee
 Papal appeal for peace in DR Congo
 Pope Leo: The Nativity scene reminds us we are never alone
 Pope, addressing conductor Muti and concert performers, speaks of importance of music
 Follow Christ and know the divine law, Pope tells priests, religious, and seminarians

Released Monday, Dec. 15

 Pope decries Australian shooting, condemns anti-Semitism
 Filipino bishops oppose nuclear power generation
 Czech prosecutor seeks rehabilitation of Cardinal Beran, foe of Communist regime
 Sydney’s Archbishop Fisher blasts anti-Semitism after mass murder
 Hong Kong court finds Jimmy Lai guilty
 Diplomacy builds on honesty, trust, Pope says
 Cardinal Parolin: Violence in Mozambique has ‘fundamentally religious root’
 Cardinal Fernández delivers address on Mary as Mother of Evangelization
 Record 12.8 million pilgrims visit Guadalupe shrine
 Vatican newspaper highlights plight of Tuvalu’s migrants
 Vatican publishes book on progress of Methodist-Catholic dialogue
 Martyrs beatified in Spain, France
 Rejoice, for Jesus is our hope, Pope tells pilgrims on Gaudete Sunday
 ‘Let no one be lost,’ Pontiff preaches at Jubilee of Prisoners
 Papal preacher reflects on rebuilding the Lord’s house
 On Guadalupe feast day, Pope prays that leaders shun lies, hatred, division, disrespect for life

Released Friday, Dec. 12

 Filioque clause ‘no longer an obstacle,’ says Vatican cardinal
 Keep high ethical standards, Pope urges Italian intelligence officials
 Put Jesus first, ignore the world’s noise, Pope advises
 Trump border czar: Church should support deportation efforts
 Decision due in Hong Kong on Jimmy Lai case
 US Catholic voters favor Trump immigration crackdown
 Information alters poll results on IVF
 Cardinal Müller weighs in on Islam and secularism, upholds Second Vatican Council
 Appeals court rules against abortion clinic buffer-zone law
 Vatican cardinal says new ‘Chapel of Liberation’ exhibit is not about liberation theology
 Hong Kong cardinal sees AI as gift from God; Vatican prefect advises caution
 Vatican publishes 82 homilies of Benedict XVI
 Papal praise for Kazakhstan’s contribution to building peace, interreligious dialogue
 Pope, leading Italian rabbis discuss need to combat anti-Semitism
 Leading Polish bishops meet with Pope, say papal visit is needed
 Christian archaeology can contribute to ecumenism and evangelization, Pope tells pontifical institute
 Vatican newspaper warns of ‘culpable’ mass starvation, hypothermia in Gaza

Released Thursday, Dec. 11

 Venezuela revokes cardinal’s passport
 Pope meets with organizers of award for human fraternity
 Pope Leo, in new apostolic letter, hails importance of archaeology
 Vatican reverses parish closures in Diocese of Buffalo, advocates say
 Religious Liberty Commission examines availability of military chaplains
 USCCB, Catholic Charities oppose Trump administration’s decision on migrant work permits
 Vatican diplomat says states have right to protect borders, duty to respect migrants’ rights
 Haiti needs ‘new moral leadership,’ prelate says
 Papal aid for flood-ravaged Asian nations
 Pope, Vatican foreign minister recall 60th anniversary of Polish bishops’ reconciliation letter to German bishops
 Ukrainian Catholic leader reflects on Immaculate Conception, life of human embryo
 Discipleship is key for effective teaching, Pope tells Italy’s Catholic Action movement
 Vatican releases schedule of papal Christmas liturgies

Released Wednesday, Dec. 10

 Recognize Europe’s Christian roots, Pope urges politicians
 Minnesota archbishop leads rite of reparation after church shootings
 Pope sees danger to US-European alliance
 Papal plea for peace on Thai-Cambodian border
 Papal audience message: Only Jesus overcomes death
 South Korean bishops warn against false AI-generated messages
 USCCB publishes asylum update
 Bishops of Haiti issue Christmas message, call for hope and change
 Cardinal Parolin visits Islamist insurgency hotspot
 Vatican publishes online edition of Annuario Pontificio
 Vatican spokesman recalls 60th anniversary of Second Vatican Council’s conclusion
 Pope encourages Rorate Masses
 Papal message marks centenary of Taiwanese university
 Pope Leo: Martyrs of Chimbote show what is essential in Christianity
 Pope, at jubilee audience, pays tribute to Blessed Alberto Marvelli

Released Tuesday, Dec. 9

 Irish teacher faces Christmas in prison in dispute over gender ideology
 Cardinal McElroy says cancer surgery successful
 Pope tells new envoys: Church diplomacy strives for peace
 Court approves settlement between New Orleans archdiocese, abuse victims
 Ukraine’s Zelenskyy again meets with Pontiff
 New York archdiocese building fund to pay abuse claims
 Archbishop Gänswein: ‘never understood’ restrictions on traditional liturgy
 European bishops’ conference questions court decision on same-sex marriage
 Boston pastor refuses to remove anti-ICE sign from Nativity display
 President Trump issues message for feast of Immaculate Conception
 100 abducted Nigerian children freed
 USCCB committee chairman reacts to President Trump’s comments on Somalis
 Israeli settlers again attack Palestinian Christian village
 Italian bishops publish 34-page document on peace
 Croatian prime minister, Leo XIV discuss Ukraine war
 Papal preacher reflects on the Parousia of the Lord
 The Church ‘consistently affirms the vocation of scientific inquiry,’ Pontiff tells cardiologists
 Pope Leo: Let us arise and walk in Christ’s light
 Renew Mary’s ‘yes,’ Pope tells pilgrims on feast of Immaculate Conception

Released Monday, Dec. 8

 CWN closed for feast of the Immaculate Conception

Released Friday, Dec. 5

 Minnesota court rules Church can dismiss ‘transgender’ employee
 Bangladesh: Muslim group threatens violent attack on Catholic colleges
 Chinese bishop installed with papal approval
 Consider impact of AI on young people, Pope urges
 Pope welcomes performers for Concert for the Poor
 USCCB: Black Catholic young adults are concerned about gerontocracy, ‘LGBTQ+ issues’
 ‘Rethink trade,’ Holy See urges UN trade organization
 Roberto Benigni, Pope Leo meet ahead of actor’s St. Peter monologue broadcast
 Vatican foreign minister prods European security organization on peace, religious freedom
 Vatican bank publishes sustainability report
 Theme of papal preacher’s Advent sermons: ‘Awaiting and hastening the coming of the day of God’’
 Mongolian president meets with Pontiff
 Pope Leo asks Slovakia to uphold the traditional family and build bridges, not walls
 Ukrainian bishops, in pastoral letter, call for prayer, fasting, almsgiving for nation’s sake
 Vatican newspaper spotlights world’s ‘culpable silence’ on Haiti

Released Thursday, Dec. 4

 Pope abolishes newly created Vatican fundraising commission
 Vatican commission says No to female deacons
 Archbishop Broglio rips Trump campaign against Venezuelan drug trade
 Another Nigerian priest kidnapped
 Prelate assumes presidency of Philippine bishops’ conference
 Alabama vicar general laicized followed allegation
 Chapel in Italy’s busiest train station desecrated
 Pope Leo’s childhood home designated a historic landmark
 USCCB backs change from ‘gender’ to ‘sex’ in Trump administration’s refugee forms
 Papal visit has awakened Turkish Catholics from their slumber, prelate says
 Archbishop dismisses claims of persecution of Christians in Nigeria
 Holy See renews call for immediate end to war in Ukraine
 Caritas disappointed in result of UN climate change conference
 Ukrainian Catholic leader calls for fervent prayer, fasting for peace

Released Wednesday, Dec. 3

 Vatican employees skeptical of Holy See budget figures
 EU court requires nations to accept same-sex marriages
 Syro-Malabar liturgy celebrated in cathedral after three years closed
 Cameroon: kidnappers release last priest held in captivity
 Retired German bishop joins critics of conference document on sexuality
 Cardinal Koch: Benedict XVI is my favorite pope
 Vatican halves 2024 budget deficit, according to new financial statement
 Supreme Court weighs appeal from NJ faith-based pregnancy centers
 Amid fragile truce, 2 million people in Gaza have nothing, parish priest says
 ‘We need less Herod, trapped in fear,’ Cardinal Tagle tells Asian Catholic leaders
 USCCB expresses prayers, solidarity for Nigerian Catholic school kidnapping victims
 Vatican diplomat voices reservations about UN’s political declaration on human trafficking
 European bishops’ conferences discuss Christian-Muslim dialogue
 Italian prelates commemorate 60th anniversary of lifting of 1054 excommunications
 Vatican spokesman comments on papal theme: ‘disappear so that Christ may remain’

Released Tuesday, Dec. 2

 Papal airplane interview touches on conclave, secret peace talks, travel plans
 Pope concludes Lebanon visit with prayers for peace
 Indian Catholic villagers end 414-day hunger strike
 Holy See mission concerned about aid reductions to least developed countries
 Jubilee participants reminded of importance of common good, peace
 Church attacked in Nigeria
 Bishops of Central African Republic score corruption, nepotism in election statement
 Custos makes solemn entrance into Bethlehem
 CCHD, US bishops’ anti-poverty program, announces $3.5M in grants for 2026
 ‘Listen to what God is calling you to be and do,’ Pope tells Australian youth
 Vatican spokesman describes papal invitation to Jerusalem in 2033 as ‘humble and courageous’
 Video released for December papal prayer intention

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Fri19 December
Advent

December 19, O Root of Jesse (O Radix Jesse); Ember Friday

Image for December 19, O Root of Jesse (O Radix Jesse); Ember Friday

Today is the Third of the O Antiphons, O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse). Christ the King, the Lord! Divine Wisdom, Adonai, the powerful God, is at the same time man with flesh and blood of the house of Jesse, the father of King David. Truly, the right of kingship has now passed from the house of…

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