Rapper Prakazrel Michel, part of the pop music group the ‘Fugees,’ was sentenced to 14 years in prison this week, after being found guilty of funneling millions of dollars worth of illegal campaign contributions to Obama in 2012.
The post Rapper Gets 14 Years in Prison for Funneling Millions of Dollars in Illegal Campaign Contributions to Obama in 2012 appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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It has been three days since a handful of Democrats released a bizarre video where they told members of the U.S.
The post Journalist Matt Taibbi on the Democrats’ ‘Defy Illegal Orders’ Message: ‘Reminds Me of the Beginning of Russiagate’ (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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President Donald J.
The post BREAKING: Trump Announces He is Terminating Temporary Protected Status for Somalis in Minnesota — EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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SEATTLE, WA — In an effort to attract more male customers, Starbucks announced the release of its new Zyn Spice Frappuccino.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Trump administration announced plans this week for the president to host a thrilling game show for members of Congress in which the audience must help determine who he executes next.
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A macro shot of a red-and-green macaw’s (Ara chloropterus) eye, Serra da Capivara National Park, Piauí state, Brazil.
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O most holy angel of God, appointed by God to be my guardian, I give you thanks for all the benefits which you have ever bestowed on me in body and in soul. I praise and glorify you that you condescended to assist me with such patient fidelity, and to defend me against all the assaults of my enemies. Blessed be the hour in which you were assigned me for my guardian, my defender and my patron. In acknowledgement and return for all your loving ministries to me, I offer you the infinitely precious …
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This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features a galaxy, NGC 2775, that’s hard to categorize.
Read MoreA reading from the First Book of Maccabees
6:1-13
As King Antiochus was traversing the inland provinces,
he heard that in Persia there was a city called Elymais,
famous for its wealth in silver and gold,
and that its temple was very rich,
containing gold helmets, breastplates, and weapons
left there by Alexander, son of Philip,
king of Macedon, the first king of the Greeks.
He went therefore and tried to capture and pillage the city.
But he could not do so,
because his plan became known to the people of the city
who rose up in battle against him.
So he retreated and in great dismay withdrew from there
to return to Babylon.
While he was in Persia, a messenger brought him news
that the armies sent into the land of Judah had been put to flight;
that Lysias had gone at first with a strong army
and been driven back by the children of Israel;
that they had grown strong
by reason of the arms, men, and abundant possessions
taken from the armies they had destroyed;
that they had pulled down the Abomination
which he had built upon the altar in Jerusalem;
and that they had surrounded with high walls
both the sanctuary, as it had been before,
and his city of Beth-zur.
When the king heard this news,
he was struck with fear and very much shaken.
Sick with grief because his designs had failed, he took to his bed.
There he remained many days, overwhelmed with sorrow,
for he knew he was going to die.
So he called in all his Friends and said to them:
"Sleep has departed from my eyes,
for my heart is sinking with anxiety.
I said to myself: ‘Into what tribulation have I come,
and in what floods of sorrow am I now!
Yet I was kindly and beloved in my rule.’
But I now recall the evils I did in Jerusalem,
when I carried away all the vessels of gold and silver
that were in it, and for no cause
gave orders that the inhabitants of Judah be destroyed.
I know that this is why these evils have overtaken me;
and now I am dying, in bitter grief, in a foreign land."
From the Gospel accoording to Luke
20:27-40
Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection,
came forward and put this question to Jesus, saying,
"Teacher, Moses wrote for us,
If someone’s brother dies leaving a wife but no child,
his brother must take the wife
and raise up descendants for his brother.
Now there were seven brothers;
the first married a woman but died childless.
Then the second and the third married her,
and likewise all the seven died childless.
Finally the woman also died.
Now at the resurrection whose wife will that woman be?
For all seven had been married to her."
Jesus said to them,
"The children of this age marry and remarry;
but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age
and to the resurrection of the dead
neither marry nor are given in marriage.
They can no longer die,
for they are like angels;
and they are the children of God
because they are the ones who will rise.
That the dead will rise
even Moses made known in the passage about the bush,
when he called ‘Lord’
the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob;
and he is not God of the dead, but of the living,
for to him all are alive."
Some of the scribes said in reply,
"Teacher, you have answered well."
And they no longer dared to ask him anything.
With this response, first and foremost, Jesus invites His interlocutors — and us too — to consider that this earthly dimension in which we now live is not the only dimension, but that there is another, no longer subject to death, which will fully manifest that we are children of God. It is of great comfort and hope to listen to this simple and clear word of Jesus about life beyond death; we need it very much especially in our time, so rich in knowledge about the universe but so lacking in wisdom about eternal life. (…) Jesus responds that life belongs to God, who loves us and cares very deeply about us, to the point of linking His name to ours (…) Life exists where there is [a] bond, communion, brotherhood; and it is a life stronger than death when it is built on true relationships and bonds of fidelity. On the contrary, there is no life where one has the presumption of belonging only to oneself and of living as an island: death prevails in these attitudes. It is selfishness. If I live for myself, I am sowing death in my heart. (Pope Francis, Angelus, 10 November 2019)
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Indianapolis, Indiana, Nov 21, 2025 / 17:50 pm (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV spoke to teenagers during a digital encounter at Lucas Oil Stadium on Friday in Indianapolis during the 2025 National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC).
Five teenagers asked the pope questions regarding using technology, recovering from mistakes, giving worries to Jesus, avoiding distractions, and preparing for the future of the Church. The pope gave guidance to the young crowd with words applicable to both teenagers and the universal Church.
The Holy Father’s advice that Catholics can apply to their lives included:
“All of us struggle,” Leo said. “The truth is that none of us is perfect.”
“St. Paul teaches that everyone has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God … Because of original sin, we sometimes do the opposite of what we know is right. But there’s good news. Sin never has the final word,” the pope said.
“Whenever we ask for God’s mercy, he forgives us. Pope Francis said that God never gets tired of forgiving. We sometimes get tired of asking for forgiveness. So even when we fall again, we should remember St. Paul’s words, ‘Christ Jesus, came into the world to save sinners.’ He came for us, knowing our weaknesses,” he said.
“We may struggle to forgive, but God’s heart is different. God never stops inviting us back. We experience this mercy of God in a special way in the sacrament of reconciliation,” the pope said.
“It can be discouraging when we fall, but do not focus on all your sins. Look to Jesus. Trust his mercy and go to him with confidence. He will always welcome you home,” he said.
“In his first letter, St. Peter tells us to give all our worries to Jesus because he cares for us,” Pope Leo said. “Jesus does not just understand our struggles from a distance. He actually wants us to hand them to him because he loves us.”
“That trust starts when we have a real relationship. We cannot give our problems to someone whom we barely know. Think of your closest friends, for example. If they were hurting, you would talk to them. You would listen to them. You would stay close. Our relationship with Jesus is similar,” he said.
“He knows when life feels heavy. Scripture reminds us that he is near to the brokenhearted. Even when we do not feel his presence, our faith tells us that he is there. To entrust our struggles to Jesus, we have to spend time with him in prayer. We have to have a relationship with him,” he said.
“Daily moments of silence are so important, whether through adoration, reading Scripture, talking to him, looking for those little spaces of time where we can be with him. Little by little, we learn to hear his voice, to feel his presence, both within and through the people that he sends to us,” the pope said.
“It’s … important to pray for the gift of true friends,” the pope said. “A real friend is not only someone who’s fun to be with, oh, that is good, too. But it’s someone who helps you grow closer to Jesus, someone who encourages you to become a better person. Good friends also push us to seek help when life gets difficult or confusing.”
“Good friends will always tell us the truth, even when that’s not easy to do. Scripture says that faithful friends are like a strong shelter and a treasure. I hope you are forming friendships like that, even during this conference. Friendships rooted in faith, rooted in love for Jesus,” the pope said.
When we get distracted in prayer, “sometimes the best thing to do is to follow the distraction for a moment, see why it’s there,” Pope Leo said. Then after acknowledging it, “turn back and remember why you’re there and why you’re in prayer and to say to the Lord, ‘Look I’m distracted right now. I know you understand.’”
“But not to allow yourself to be taken too far away, especially during prayer, because there are all kinds of temptations and all kinds of distractions, but there’s only one Jesus Christ, and we really need to give our time also in prayer to Christ,” the pope said.
“Technology can really help in many ways,” and it “can help us live our Christian faith,” Pope Leo said. “It lets us stay connected with people who are far away … It also gives us amazing tools for prayer, for reading the Bible, for learning more about what we believe.”
“It allows us to share the Gospel with people we may never meet in person. But even with all that, technology can never replace real in-person relationships. Simple things, a hug, a handshake, a smile. All those things are essential to being human,” he said.
“Watching Mass online can be helpful, especially when someone is sick or elderly or cannot attend in person. But actually being there, taking part in the Eucharist, is so important for our prayer, for our sense of community,” the pope said.
“It’s essential for our relationship with God and with each other. There’s nothing that can replace true human presence, being with one another. While technology certainly can connect us, it’s not the same as being physically present.”
“When we face challenges or worries about the future, it might be good to remember that promise that Jesus once made to Peter when he said, ‘The gates of hell will not prevail against the Church.’ Jesus will always protect, guide, and love his Church,” the pope said.
“The day I was elected pope, I said, ‘God loves us, and evil will not prevail,’” the pope said. “We are all in God’s hands. Jesus wants everyone to come close to him.”
“The Church prepares for the future by staying faithful to what Jesus asks of us today. He told us not to be overwhelmed by worries but to seek first the kingdom of God, trusting that everything else will fall into place. He promised that the Holy Spirit would guide us and help us understand what we need to do,” the pope said.
Pope Leo encouraged involvement in the Church, especially among youth. “You are not only the future of the Church, you are the present,” he said to teens.
“If you want to help the Church prepare for the future, start by being involved today. Stay connected to your parish, attend Sunday Mass, join youth activities and say yes to opportunities … where your faith can grow,” he said.
“Your voices, your ideas, your faith matter right now, and the Church needs you. The Church needs what you have been given to share with all of us,” he said.
“The more you come to know Jesus, the more you will want to serve him and his Church. One great way to build up the Church is by sharing your faith, teaching the faith to others, helping others who need you,” the pope said.
“As you discern your vocation, trust Jesus. He knows how to lead you to true happiness. If you open your heart, you will hear him calling you to holiness,” Pope Leo said.
“As Pope Benedict XVI once said, ‘Jesus takes nothing away, and he gives you everything.’ When we give ourselves to him, we receive far more than we could ever imagine,” he said.
“If you think you may be called to marriage, pray for a spouse who will help you grow in holiness, help you grow in your faith,” the pope said.
“Some of you may be called to the priesthood to serve God’s people through the word and sacraments. If you feel that tug in your heart, don’t ignore it. Bring it to Jesus. Speak with a priest you trust,” Pope Leo said.
“Others may be called to consecrated religious life, to be witnesses of a joyful life completely given to God. If you sense this call, that gentle tug, do not be afraid,” he said.
“Now is the time to dream big, be open to what God can do through your lives. Being young often comes with the desire to do something meaningful, something that makes a real difference. Many of you are ready to be generous, to help those who love, to work for something greater than yourself,” the pope said.
“That is why it is not true that life is only about doing what feels good to yourself, makes you feel comfortable, as some people claim it. Sure, comfort can be nice, but as Pope Benedict XVI reminded us: ‘We weren’t made for comfort. We were made for greatness. We were made for God himself,’” he said.
“Deep down, we long for truth, for beauty, and goodness, because we were created for them,” Pope Leo said.
“Joy, hope, with creativity, authentic witnesses in the Gospel can help heal and unite humanity,” Pope Leo said. “Jesus also calls us disciples to be peacemakers — people who build bridges instead of walls, people who value dialogue and unity instead of division.”
“Please be careful not to use political categories to speak about faith, to speak about the Church. The Church doesn’t belong to any political party. Rather, she helps form your conscience … so you can think and act with wisdom and love. As you go closer to Jesus, do not fear what he might ask of you,” the pope said.
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ACI Africa, Nov 21, 2025 / 17:20 pm (CNA).
The Diocese of Kontagora in Nigeria has described as “painful and disturbing” the Friday, Nov. 21, kidnapping of children and staff at St. Mary’s Catholic Nursery, Primary, and Secondary Schools.
In a statement shared with ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, the diocesan secretary of the Nigerian episcopal see appealed for intensified national action against insecurity.
Father Jatau Luka Joseph said armed attackers invaded St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Niger state, in the early hours of Nov. 21, abducting “some pupils, students, teachers, and a security personnel who was badly shot.”
“The incident occurred between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m., causing fear and distress within the school community,” he said.
“The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora strongly condemns the attack and expresses deep concern for the safety of the kidnapped children and their families,” Luka Joseph said.
He added that security agencies were immediately informed and had begun coordinated efforts to ensure the safe rescue and return of the victims.
Bishop Bulus Yohana Dauwa assured the public that the Kontagora Diocese is “actively collaborating with security operatives, community leaders, and government authorities.”
The diocese called on the public to “remain calm, support security efforts, and continue praying for the safe and quick return of all abducted.” It further reaffirmed its commitment to the protection of children and promised to provide further updates as verified information becomes available.
The statement shared by the diocesan secretary reads: “May the Lord grant quick release to those abducted and continue to protect his people from all danger. With prayers and sympathy.”
Nigeria has been battling with a surge of violence orchestrated by gangs, whose members carry out indiscriminate attacks, kidnapping for ransom, and in some cases, killing.
Boko Haram insurgency has been a major challenge in the country since 2009, a group that allegedly aims to turn Africa’s most populous nation into an Islamic nation.
The insecurity situation in many other parts of the country has further been complicated by the involvement of the predominantly Muslim Fulani herdsmen, also referred to as the Fulani Militia.
The Nov. 21 attack and kidnappings follow a series of other abductions that have targeted members of the clergy in Africa’s most populous nation.
On Nov. 17, Father Bobbo Paschal was abducted from his residence when gunmen attacked St. Stephen Parish of Kaduna Archdiocese. During the attack, numerous people were kidnapped, and the brother of one priest, Father Anthony Yero, was killed.
The archdiocese on Nov. 20 refuted circulating social media reports that Paschal had been killed.
On Nov. 18, Dauwa raised concerns about the safety of children in the West African country following the Nov. 17 abduction of 25 school girls from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi state.
In an interview with ACI Africa, he described the incident as a tragic reminder that the country is no longer “safe for its children.”
Dauwa described the abduction as part of an escalating wave of violence sweeping across Kebbi and parts of Niger state. “It has never been this bad. People sleep in the bush because they have nowhere else to run,” he said.
On Nov. 19, one of the 25 kidnapped girls escaped and is now safe, authorities have confirmed, according to ACI Africa.
The student who escaped arrived home late Monday evening, hours after the kidnapping, according to the school principal, Musa Rabi Magaji.
As the international community expressed concern, Pope Leo XIV addressed the crisis Tuesday evening while departing the papal residence in Castel Gandolfo.
Responding to a question from EWTN News, the Holy Father lamented the ongoing insecurity and called for renewed efforts to protect all civilians.
“In Nigeria, in certain areas, there is certainly a danger for Christians — but for all people,” Pope Leo said, adding: “Christians and Muslims have been slaughtered. There’s a question of terrorism, a question tied to economics and control of land.”
The pope noted that many Christians have died and emphasized that any long-term solution must involve cooperation between religious communities, civil authorities, and the Nigerian government.
“It’s very important to seek a way… to promote authentic religious freedom,” he said.
In July, three minor seminarians were abducted during an armed attack on Immaculate Conception Minor Seminary in Nigeria’s Diocese of Auchi. All three endured months of torture despite pleas with abductors and the paying of ransoms. Two of the seminarians later regained their freedom, while the third died in captivity.
U.S. President Donald Trump recently designated Nigeria as a country of particular concern (CPC) — a move that Father Hyacinth Ichoku, the vice chancellor of Veritas University in Abuja, said accords national leaders of the West African nation an opportunity for international collaboration rather than an act of hostility.
“Anyone who can support us with equipment and help our soldiers in their war against bandits should be encouraged. That is what Trump wants for our country,” Ichoku told ACI Africa on Nov. 7 during Veritas University’s 14th convocation lecture.
This story was first published by ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, and has been adapted by CNA.
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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Nov 21, 2025 / 16:50 pm (CNA).
Archbishop José H. Gómez of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles criticized President Donald Trump’s mass deportation efforts and urged lawmakers to find a bipartisan solution to fix the American immigration system.
“My brother bishops and I have seen how this deportation policy is ruining people’s lives and breaking up families; in our parishes and neighborhoods, people are now living in constant fear,” Gómez said in a Nov. 18 op-ed published in Angelus News.
Gómez — who serves the largest archdiocese in the country and a large Hispanic population — referenced the Nov. 12 special message from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), which conveyed unified opposition to “the indiscriminate mass deportation of people,” approved by 96% of bishops who voted.
In his op-ed, Gómez accused the Trump administration of carrying out deportations “in harsh and indiscriminate ways.” He criticized alleged quotas for arrests, raids on workplaces, limits to foreign worker visas and other legal pathways to the United States, and the revocation of some immigrants’ “temporary protected legal status.”
“Agents are not only picking up violent criminals, they are also detaining mothers and fathers, even grandparents, hardworking men and women who are pillars in our parishes and communities,” the archbishop said.
Gómez expressed concerns about a lack of due process and detention centers being “not safe or clean.” The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has repeatedly denied these claims, with a spokesperson telling CNA on Nov. 17 that the administration “cares deeply about the intrinsic human dignity of everybody it comes in contact with.”
The archbishop also expressed concern about detainees being denied Communion, such as has occurred at a facility in Broadview, Illinois. A DHS spokesperson told CNA that the request in Broadview could not be accommodated because of safety concerns and the manner of clergy’s requests to enter.
“And this is what really could have avoided this entire kerfuffle on the front is if people just reached out ahead of time and did a lot of these things ahead of time, instead of, in one situation, there was one retired priest who simply just showed up in a large mob of people and demanded to be let in,” said Nate Madden, principal deputy assistant secretary for communications at DHS.
Father Larry Dowling, a retired pastor and a member of the Coalition for Spiritual and Public Life’s clergy council, led a Eucharistic procession to Broadview on Oct. 11 where participants sang and prayed the rosary in English and Spanish. After multiple denials following formal requests and attempts to follow DHS’ admittance policy, Catholic clergy have sued to exercise their right to freedom of religion and distribute Communion at the facility.
The DHS said pastoral care is available at all long-term detention facilities, but that Broadview is a short-term processing facility designed for 12-hour stays. Detainees have alleged confinement there for nearly a week.
The administration says it has deported more than 500,000 people and that at least 1.6 million more have self-deported, according to DHS. A department spokesperson said on Oct. 27: “This is just the beginning.”
Gómez acknowledged “our government has the right to enforce its immigration laws,” which includes deportations. Yet, he said, “deportation is not the only way to hold people accountable for entering the country wrongfully.”
Gómez encouraged the Trump administration to “pause” mass deportation efforts and “refocus its enforcement efforts on those who are truly a threat to public safety and order.” He asked the administration to work with Congress to pass immigration reform legislation.
The archbishop acknowledged that anxiety about large-scale migration into the United States and former President Joe Biden’s “loose border enforcement policies” partly resulted in Americans electing Trump in 2024.
Gómez said “growing anxiety and fears about how the global economy is reshaping local economies and communities” and people seeing immigrants as “threats to their livelihoods” also factored into election results.
Although he said he understands “the popular anger about uncontrolled borders and large numbers of undocumented people in our country,” he said Trump’s policies are “no way to defend the rule of law or the sovereignty of our great nation.”
The archbishop said it’s true that people who entered the country illegally “have responsibility for their actions,” but said the system has been broken for more than 40 years. He said many “came with the implied understanding that the authorities would look the other way because businesses needed their labor.”
“Politicians, business leaders, and activist groups have long exploited this issue for their own advantage,” Gómez said. “That is why the problem persists.”
The archbishop said “there is still a way forward” on immigration. He said solutions could include holding people accountable in some way while also providing people with a pathway for legal status.
“Millions of undocumented men and women in this country have no criminal record and have been living and working here for decades,” he said. “These immigrants own homes, they run businesses, or work in jobs our society needs; they have children and grandchildren; they are good neighbors and faithful parishioners.”
“Surely a great nation can find a generous solution for these people — to hold them accountable for breaking our laws, but also to provide them with a pathway to a permanent legal status,” Gómez said.
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Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney’s Schedule: December, 2025 #Catholic – 
| 12/1 | Mon., 12 Noon Priests’ Advent Day of Recollection – St. Paul Inside the Walls, Madison. |
| 12/2 | Tue., 10 a.m. Board of Bishops’ Meeting – Diocese of Trenton, Trenton; 6 p.m. Firefighters’ Annual Christmas Dinner. |
| 12/5 | Fri., 7:30 p.m. Diocesan Christmas Concert – Our Lady of the Valley Parish in Wayne. |
| 12/6 | Sat., 8 a.m. Mass for Life & Procession – St. Margaret of Scotland Parish, Morristown. |
| 12/7 | Sun., 11 a.m. Installation Mass for Father Yojaneider Garcia, Resurrection Parish, Randolph (preceded by a blessing of a new parish room); 1 p.m. Mass celebrating Our Lady of Guadalupe – Holy Trinity Parish, Passaic; 5 p.m. Noche de las Velitas – Holy Face Monastery, Clifton. |
| 12/8 | Mon., 8:30 a.m. Mass on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception – Holy Spirit School, Pequannock, followed by the Ring Ceremony; 11 a.m. Straight & Narrow grand opening ribbon cutting and blessing for the new 410 Straight St. Building — Paterson; 7 p.m. Mass – St. Paul Parish, Clifton. |
| 12/9 | Tue., 12 Noon Retired Priests’ Christmas Luncheon – St. Ann Parish, Parsippany; 6:30 p.m. Mass – Christ the King Parish, New Vernon. |
| 12/10 | Wed., 8:30 a.m. Mass with the Religious Sisters of Mercy – St. Michael the Archangel, Paterson. |
| 12/11 | Thu., 10 a.m. Finance Council Meeting – the Chancery, Clifton; 8 p.m. Bilingual Mass – St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Passaic; 11 p.m. Mass del Sagardo Corazon celebrating Our Lady of Guadalupe and 125 years of the Mass – Sacred Heart and Our Lady Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Parish, Dover. |
| 12/12 | Fri., 7 p.m. Mass celebrating Our Lady of Guadalupe – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson. |
| 12/14 | Sun., 10:30 a.m. Mass – Ss. Cyril and Methodius Parish, Boonton. |
| 12/16 | Tue., 5 p.m. Mass celebrating Simbang Gabi – St. Joseph’s Health, Paterson. |
| 12/17 | Wed., 7 p.m. Mass and Advent Reflection – St. Joseph Parish, Mendham. |
| 12/18 | Thu., 5 p.m. Seminarian Christmas Evening Prayer – St. Gerard Majella Parish, Paterson. |
| 12/20 | Sat., 5 p.m. Mass celebrating Simbang Gabi – St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Passaic. |
| 12/23 | Tue., 7 p.m. Mass celebrating Simbang Gabi – Our Lady of the Holy Angels Parish, Little Falls. |
| 12/28 | Sun., 11 a.m. Mass – St. Paul Parish, Clifton; 3 p.m. Jubilee Closing Mass – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson, on the Feast of the Holy Family. |
– 12/1 Mon., 12 Noon Priests’ Advent Day of Recollection – St. Paul Inside the Walls, Madison. 12/2 Tue., 10 a.m. Board of Bishops’ Meeting – Diocese of Trenton, Trenton; 6 p.m. Firefighters’ Annual Christmas Dinner. 12/5 Fri., 7:30 p.m. Diocesan Christmas Concert – Our Lady of the Valley Parish in Wayne. 12/6 Sat., 8 a.m. Mass for Life & Procession – St. Margaret of Scotland Parish, Morristown. 12/7 Sun., 11 a.m. Installation Mass for Father Yojaneider Garcia, Resurrection Parish, Randolph (preceded by a blessing of a new parish room); 1 p.m. Mass celebrating Our Lady of Guadalupe – Holy Trinity
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has a habit of showing familiar objects in a new light. With cameras sensitive to a broad range of infrared wavelengths, it can peer deep into celestial objects, revealing details often hidden to telescopes that view visible light. The aptly named Sombrero Galaxy (M104) provides a stunning example. AtContinue reading “The Sombrero Galaxy tips its hat to JWST”
The post The Sombrero Galaxy tips its hat to JWST appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
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All Saints Academy hosts Spirit Week #Catholic – 
Students and staff at All Saints Academy in Parsippany, N.J., held a Spirit Week event to commemorate the Solemnity of All Saints on Nov. 1.
To start the week, the school hosted speakers who answered questions submitted by students and teachers. The panel of speakers included Bishop Emeritus Arthur J. Serratelli; Father Joe Garbarino, a retired priest of the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey; Father Peter Clarke, principal of Morris Catholic High School in Denville, N.J.; and Sister Maria Angeline Weiss, vocation director of her congregation, the Sisters of Christian Charity in Mendham, N.J.
Panelists were asked to share their reflections on their favorite saints, how saints lived and shared their love for Jesus each day, and how the school community is called to do the same.
– Students and staff at All Saints Academy in Parsippany, N.J., held a Spirit Week event to commemorate the Solemnity of All Saints on Nov. 1. To start the week, the school hosted speakers who answered questions submitted by students and teachers. The panel of speakers included Bishop Emeritus Arthur J. Serratelli; Father Joe Garbarino, a retired priest of the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey; Father Peter Clarke, principal of Morris Catholic High School in Denville, N.J.; and Sister Maria Angeline Weiss, vocation director of her congregation, the Sisters of Christian Charity in Mendham, N.J. Panelists were asked to share their reflections
National Catholic Register, Nov 21, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA).
It’s easy to conceptualize the presentation of the Lord because we find it in Scripture. Luke’s Gospel tells of the Holy Family’s journey to the Temple when Jesus was 8 days old. According to Jewish custom, Jesus was to be circumcised and Mary purified.
There Mary and Joseph meet the prophets Anna and Simeon, who recognized the child as the Messiah who would bring about the fall and rise of many and become a sign of contradiction and the cause of a sword that would one day pierce Mary’s heart. We celebrate the feast of the Presentation of the Lord annually on Feb. 2.
The presentation of Mary, however, is not found in Scripture. Instead, we learn about Mary’s presentation from accounts that have come to us from apostolic times. What we know is found mainly in Chapter 7 of the “Protoevangelium of James,” which has been dated by historians before the year A.D. 200.
The “Protoevangelium of James” was ostensibly written by the apostle of the same name. It gives a detailed account in which Mary’s father, Joachim, tells his wife, Anna, that he wishes to bring their daughter to the Temple and consecrate her to God. Anna responds that they should wait until Mary is 3 years old so that she will not need her parents as much.
On the agreed day for Mary to be taken to the Temple, Hebrew virgins accompanied the family with burning lamps. The Temple priest received Mary, kissed her, and blessed her. According to James’ writing, the priest then proclaimed: “The Lord has magnified thy name in all generations. In thee, the Lord will manifest his redemption to the sons of Israel.”
After that, Mary was placed on the third step of the Temple and danced with joy. All the House of Israel loved Mary, and she was nurtured from then on in the Temple while her parents returned to their Nazareth home, glorifying God.
The celebration of the feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary grew slowly over the years.
On Nov. 21, 543, Emperor Justinian dedicated a church to Mary in the Temple area of Jerusalem. Many of the early Church Fathers celebrated this feast day, such as St. Germanus and St. John Damascene. In 1373, it was formally celebrated in Avignon, France, and in 1472, Pope Sixtus IV extended it to the universal Church. The Byzantine Church considers Mary’s Presentation one of the 12 great feasts of the liturgical year.
In 1974, Pope Paul VI wrote about this feast in his encyclical Marialis Cultus, saying: “Despite its apocryphal content, it presents lofty and exemplary values and carries on the venerable traditions having their origins in the Eastern Churches.”
The memorial of the Presentation of Mary has been noted in the Church since its early years and yet is easily forgotten or misunderstood.
Since it’s classified as a memorial and not a solemnity or holy day of obligation, it doesn’t draw much attention to itself other than a special opening prayer in the Mass. With this memorial, we celebrate the fact that God chose to dwell in Mary in a unique way. In response, she placed her whole self at his service. By our baptism, God invites us, too, into his service.
But there’s more to celebrating the presentation of Mary.
This feast gives us cause for great joy since Mary is truly our mother, given to us by Christ as he hung dying on the cross. Because we are part of her Son’s body, she loves us with as much devotion and tenderness as she loves Jesus. When we celebrate Mary’s presentation, we are giving Mary the honor she deserves and witnessing to her perfect purity as the virgin of Nazareth, the mother of God, and our mother.
Sts. Joachim and Anne surrendered their only daughter to God so that she would be completely free to follow his holy will. Although they loved her dearly, they knew that in the Temple Mary would always be near the Holy of Holies, surrounded by an atmosphere of godliness and grace. She would be instructed in Scripture and the history of the Jewish people. She would be under the guardianship and tutelage of the holy women of the Temple who had given their lives to God. One of them, Scripture scholars believe, was Anna — the woman who prophesied at the presentation of Our Lord. In the Temple, Mary would be completely focused on God and well prepared for becoming the mother of the Savior and mother of the body of Christ.
When we celebrate the presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we remember the tremendous sacrifice Sts. Joachim and Anne made for our sakes. We give honor and respect to the Virgin, who is an example for all of us in our struggle for holiness. It is a privilege and an opportunity to express our gratitude for the gift of a pure, tender, and always-loving mother.
This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, CNA’s sister news partner, on Nov. 21, 2023, and has been adapted and updated by CNA.
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