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Irish teacher faces Christmas in prison in dispute over gender ideology
An Irish schoolteacher who was dismissed for refusing to accept gender ideology has been warned that he faces a Christmas in prison for contempt of court.Enoch Burke was fired in 2022 from Wilson’s Hospital School, after he refused to use a student’s “preferred pronouns.” When he insisted on reporting for work despite his dismissal, the school obtained a court order barring him from the school grounds. He has repeatedly defied that order and been charged with contempt.
At Burke’s latest court hearing, Justice Brian Cregan accused Burke of a “deliberate, sustained, and concerted attack” on the rule of law, and called the dismissed teacher a “baleful and malign presence” at the school. He said that Burke would be held in jail until he purges himself of contempt of court, by promising not to appear on the school’s grounds.
Leo XIV, Ecumenical Patriarch sign joint declaration; Pontiff calls for 2033 gathering in Jerusalem
Pope Leo XIV and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, who holds a primacy of honor among the Orthodox churches, signed a joint declaration yesterday, the third day of the first...Bishop who apologized to LGBTQ community to lead California diocese
Pope Leo XIV yesterday named Auxiliary Bishop Ramon Bejarano of San Diego as the new bishop of Monterey, California. Ordained to the priesthood in 1998, the 56-year-old prelate was appointed...Phoenix surpasses New York, Chicago to become nation’s 2nd-largest diocese
The Diocese of Phoenix has surpassed the Archdiocese of New York and the Archdiocese of Chicago to become the nation’s second-largest diocese, according to statistics published in the recently...North Carolina bishop calls for routine use of extraordinary ministers; bans altar rails, intinction
In a pastoral letter released yesterday, the bishop of Charlotte, North Carolina, called for the routine distribution of Holy Communion by extraordinary ministers and banned the use of “altar...Pope, in Turkey, commemorates 1700th anniversary of Council of Nicaea, warns of ‘new Arianism’
On the second day of the first international trip of his pontificate, Pope Leo XIV made a pilgrimage to İznik, Turkey (historically Nicaea), where he commemorated the 1700th anniversary of the First...President Trump issues message for feast of Immaculate Conception
President Donald Trump issued a message yesterday for the feast of the Immaculate Conception.“Today, I recognize every American celebrating December 8 as a Holy Day honoring the faith, humility, and love of Mary, mother of Jesus and one of the greatest figures in the Bible,” the message began. “On the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Catholics celebrate what they believe to be Mary’s freedom from original sin as the mother of God.”
“Today, we look to Mary once again for inspiration and encouragement as we pray for an end to war and for a new and lasting era of peace, prosperity, and harmony in Europe and throughout the world,” the president added.
Vatican alters Pope Francis’s original schedule for closing of jubilee holy doors
The Vatican has announced the dates of the closing of the holy doors that were opened at the beginning of the 2025 jubilee year. The closing dates differ from the dates established by Pope Francis in Spes Non Confundit, his bull of indiction for the jubilee year.The holy doors in Santa Maria Maggiore, the Lateran Basilica, and the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls were all originally scheduled to be closed on December 28. Under the new schedule, the archpriests of the three basilicas will close the respective holy doors on December 25, December 27, and December 28. Pope Leo XIV will close the holy door in St. Peter’s Basilica on January 6, as originally scheduled.
In addition, Cardinal Baldassare Reina closed the holy door in Rebibbia Prison on December 21. In his bull of indiction, Pope Francis expressed the hope of opening a holy door in a prison, but without establishing opening and closing dates; he opened the holy door in that prison last December 26.
Vatican releases schedule of papal Christmas liturgies
Archbishop Diego Ravelli, who leads the Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff, has released the schedule of Masses and other liturgies at which Pope Leo will preside during the Christmas season.Pope Leo is scheduled to celebrate two Christmas Masses in St. Peter’s Basilica: at 10:00 PM on December 24 and at 10:00 AM on December 25. In 2024, Pope Francis presided at one Christmas Mass, at 7:00 PM on December 24.
As is customary, the Pope will also offer an Urbi et Orbi blessing on Christmas Day, preside at Vespers on December 31, and celebrate Masses on January 1 (the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God) and on January 6 (the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord on the General Roman Calendar).
Pope abolishes newly created Vatican fundraising commission
Pope Leo XIV has abolished a commission set up by Pope Francis to encourage and coordinate donations to the Holy See.In a decree made public on December 4, Pope Leo suppressed the Commission for Donations to the Holy See, which was created by Pope Francis in February of this year. Pope Leo explained that he was eliminating the new commission in accordance with a recommendation from the Council for the Economy, which is charged with streamlining Vatican finances.
The wording of the December 4 papal decree suggests that Vatican officials were unhappy with the structure and performance of the Commission for Donations. The document states that a new Vatican working group will be set up “to formulate proposals regarding the general structure of fundraising for the Holy See,” while the Council for the Economy will be asked to nominate members of this body.
