God of love, Father of all, the darkness that covered the earth has given way to the bright dawn of your Word made flesh. Make us a people of this light. Make us faithful to your Word, that we may bring your life to the waiting world. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Read MoreA reading from the Book of Malachi
3:1-4, 23-24
Thus says the Lord GOD:
Lo, I am sending my messenger
to prepare the way before me;
And suddenly there will come to the temple
the LORD whom you seek,
And the messenger of the covenant whom you desire.
Yes, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.
But who will endure the day of his coming?
And who can stand when he appears?
For he is like the refiner’s fire,
or like the fuller’s lye.
He will sit refining and purifying silver,
and he will purify the sons of Levi,
Refining them like gold or like silver
that they may offer due sacrifice to the LORD.
Then the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem
will please the LORD,
as in the days of old, as in years gone by.
Lo, I will send you
Elijah, the prophet,
Before the day of the LORD comes,
the great and terrible day,
To turn the hearts of the fathers to their children,
and the hearts of the children to their fathers,
Lest I come and strike
the land with doom.
From the Gospel according to Luke
1:57-66
When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child
she gave birth to a son.
Her neighbors and relatives heard
that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her,
and they rejoiced with her.
When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child,
they were going to call him Zechariah after his father,
but his mother said in reply,
“No. He will be called John.”
But they answered her,
“There is no one among your relatives who has this name.”
So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called.
He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,”
and all were amazed.
Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed,
and he spoke blessing God.
Then fear came upon all their neighbors,
and all these matters were discussed
throughout the hill country of Judea.
All who heard these things took them to heart, saying,
“What, then, will this child be?
For surely the hand of the Lord was with him.”
The entire event of the birth of John the Baptist is surrounded by a joyous sense of wonder, surprise and gratitude. Wonder, surprise, gratitude. The people are filled with a holy fear of God “and all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea” (v. 65). (…)
The faithful people sense that something great has occurred, even though it is humble and hidden, and they ask themselves: “What then will this child be?” (v. 66). The faithful People of God are able to live the faith with joy, with a sense of wonder, of surprise and of gratitude. We see those people who spoke well about this marvelous thing, this miracle of John’s birth, and they did so with joy, they were happy, with a sense of wonder, surprise and gratitude. And looking at this, let us ask ourselves: how is my faith? (…) Is it joyful? Is it open to God’s surprises? Because God is the God of surprises. Have I ‘tasted’ in my soul that sense of wonder which the presence of God brings, that sense of gratitude? Let us think about these words which are the moods of faith: joy, a sense of wonder, a sense of surprise and gratitude. (Pope Francis, Angelus, 24 June 2018)
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Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski serves on the Committee on Migration of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. / Credit: “The World Over with Raymond Arroyo”/EWTN News screenshot
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 22, 2025 / 16:52 pm (CNA).
The bishops of the Catholic Church in Florida have asked President Donald Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis “to pause immigration enforcement activities during the Christmas holidays.”
“We request that the government pause apprehension and roundup activities during the Christmas season. Such a pause would show a decent regard for the humanity of these families,” the bishops said in a Dec. 22 statement.
“Don’t be the Grinch that stole Christmas,” Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami said in a news conference. “Give people these two weeks to be with their families without fear of being arrested or taken into custody and ending up at Alligator Alcatraz or at Krome or other places to await deportation.”
Along with Wenski, other prelates including Bishop Gerald Barbarito of Palm Beach, Bishop Frank Dewane of Venice, Bishop John Noonan of Orlando, Bishop Gregory Parkes of St. Petersburg, Bishop William Wack of Pensacola-Tallahassee, Bishop Erik Pohlmeier of St. Augustine, and Auxiliary Bishop Enrique Delgado of Miami joined in issuing the statement.
Pausing enforcement during the holy season “can lower the temperature within our partisan divisions, ease the fear and anxiety present in many of our immigrant and even nonimmigrant families and allow all of us to celebrate with greater joy the advent of the Prince of Peace,” they wrote.
“Now is not the time to be callous toward the suffering caused by immigration enforcement. Our nation is richly blessed. Despite challenges confronting our nation, we Americans enjoy a peace and prosperity that is the envy of the world, made possible by our special constitutional order which protects our liberties.”
‘Removing dangerous criminals has been accomplished to a great degree’
“The border has been secured” and “the initial work of identifying and removing dangerous criminals has been accomplished to a great degree,” the bishops said. “Over half a million people have been deported this year, and nearly 2 million more have voluntarily self-deported.”
The arrest operations “inevitably sweep up numbers of people who are not criminals but just here to work,” and some have “legal authorization to be here,” the bishops wrote. “Eventually these cases may be resolved, but this takes many months causing great sorrow for their families. A growing majority of Americans say the harsh enforcement policies are going too far.”
The call follows a December report released by human rights organization Amnesty International that detailed “cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment” at Florida detention centers Alligator Alcatraz and the Krome North Service Processing Center.
According to the organization, the report reveals human rights violations that, “in some cases amount to torture … within an increasingly hostile anti-immigrant climate in Florida under Gov. Ron DeSantis, whose administration has intensified criminalization and mass detention of migrants.”
“While enforcement will always be part of any immigration policy, such enforcement can be carried out in a way that recognizes due process as well as the humanity and dignity of all affected including those carrying out those policies,” the bishops wrote.
Neither the White House nor the office of DeSantis responded to CNA for comment prior to publication.
Read MoreAfter detecting a strange combination of signals in the summer of 2025, astronomers believe they may have captured the first evidence of a unique phenomenon previously theorized, but never observed: a superkilonova. Supernovae are a commonly observed astrophysical phenomenon — a giant explosion at the end of a star’s life cycle. They occur when aContinue reading “Astronomers may have detected a first-of-its-kind superkilonova”
The post Astronomers may have detected a first-of-its-kind superkilonova appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
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Archbishop Paul S. Coakley preaches during a Mass in the Oklahoma City cathedral in 2021. / Credit: Archdiocese of Oklahoma City
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 22, 2025 / 13:07 pm (CNA).
Archbishop Paul Coakley said this week he is looking forward to speaking with President Donald Trump in “the near future.”
Coakley, who was elected president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in November, said he has “not had any personal conversations” with Trump or Vice President JD Vance but anticipates “engaging with them over matters of mutual concern.”
When Coakley meets with the administration, “undoubtedly, the question of immigration is going to come up,” he said in an interview on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” on Dec. 21. “I think we have opportunities to work together. We have opportunities to speak frankly with one another.”
In regard to immigration, Coakley said there is a lot of “anxiety” among migrants, but the situation “varies from place to place.” He said: “In communities with a more dense migrant population, there’s a great deal of fear and uncertainty … because of the level of rhetoric that is often employed when addressing issues around migration and the threats of deportation.”
While some bishops have formally granted Mass dispensation for immigrants who fear being targeted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at Mass, Coakley said there has not been substantial declines in Mass attendance.
Coakley, who serves as archbishop of Oklahoma City, said he has not seen declines in the area and has not “heard it reported widely” from his brother bishops.
“I know that that is the case in some places, but I don’t think it’s as common at least here locally or in places that I have personal contact with. There’s an anxiety, there’s a fear, but I don’t think it’s kept people away in great numbers,” Coakley said.
‘No conflict’
In the USCCB’s special message on immigration released in November, bishops said: “We oppose the indiscriminate mass deportation of people. We pray for an end to dehumanizing rhetoric and violence, whether directed at immigrants or at law enforcement.”
The bishops’ message also said: “Human dignity and national security are not in conflict.”
Coakley reaffirmed the bishops’ message and said treating all people with respect and dignity is a “foundational bedrock” for Christians.
“There’s no conflict necessarily between advocating for safe and secure borders and treating people with respect and dignity. We always have to treat people with dignity, God-given dignity. The state doesn’t award it and the state can’t take it away. It’s from the Creator,” Coakley said.
Whether people “are documented or undocumented, whether they are here legally or illegally, they don’t forfeit their human dignity,” he said.
“I don’t think we can ever say that the end justifies the means,” he said. “We have to treat everyone with respect, respect of the human dignity of every person.”
As Americans we must remember “we are a nation of immigrants ourselves,” and “we are founded upon the immigrant experience,” Coakley said.
“We have a right and a duty to respect sovereign borders of a state, but we also have a responsibility to welcome migrants,” he said. “This is a fundamental principle in Catholic social teaching regarding immigration and migration.”
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Pope Leo XIV addresses employees of the Vatican on Dec. 22, 2025, in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican. / Credit: Vatican Media
Vatican City, Dec 22, 2025 / 12:37 pm (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV told Vatican and Holy See employees to see their daily work as part of the Church’s mission, saying that doing one’s job well “gives glory to the Lord.”
Meeting the workers for a Christmas greeting on Dec. 22, the pope said he is still getting to know the Vatican and experiences it as “a great mosaic” made up of many offices and services. He said he hopes, with God’s help, to meet employees as he visits different workplaces.
Reflecting on the Nativity scene, Pope Leo pointed to the many figures shown at work — each carrying out a task — as a reminder that everyday activities find their full meaning in God’s plan centered on Jesus Christ. He said it is as if the Christ Child blesses everyone from the manger, giving purpose and unity to the work of each person.
Even when some figures in the Nativity seem distant from the central event, he said, they participate precisely by being themselves, staying in their place and doing what they are called to do. The pope applied that image to Vatican life, saying each person can praise God by carrying out his or her responsibilities with commitment and care.
The pope also linked professional dedication to family life, telling lay employees that striving to do one’s best at work — and loving one’s family and children — honors God.
He urged Vatican workers to make that spirit a hallmark of the Church “in every expression,” and he asked them to convey his greetings to their relatives at home, telling them that the pope is praying for them.
After giving his blessing, Pope Leo greeted some of those present individually.
This story was first published by ACI Stampa, CNA’s Italian-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
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Critics attacked a film about rescuing trafficked children as “QAnon propaganda,” praised a movie that sexualized 11-year-olds as daring social commentary, and labeled a film about a saint, Mother Cabrini, helping immigrants “white supremacist.” These reactions reflected a concerted effort by a cultural and political establishment determined to marginalize Christian voices.
The post Faith-Based Films: Winning a David and Goliath Battle Against Hollywood and the Leftist Establishment appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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The Texas Department of Public Safety investigators have identified the third and final perpetrator in the 1983 KFC murders in East Texas, in which five people were kidnapped from a restaurant and killed.
The post 42 Years Later, DNA Evidence Solves Case of 5 Texans Kidnapped from a KFC Restaurant and Executed After Robbery appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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The post The High-Reward Common-Sense Card Amazon Prime Members Are Missing Out On appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Pope Leo XIV appointed Monsignor James A. Misko, a priest of the Diocese of Austin, Texas, as the next bishop of Tucson, Arizona, on Dec. 22, 2025. / Credit: Diocese of Austin
Vatican City, Dec 22, 2025 / 09:58 am (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV has appointed Monsignor James A. Misko, a priest of the Diocese of Austin, Texas, as the next bishop of Tucson, Arizona.
The Holy See Press Office publicized the appointment at the Vatican, and it was also publicized in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 22 by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States. Misko has been serving as vicar general and moderator of the curia for the Diocese of Austin.
Misko, 55, was born June 18, 1970, in Los Angeles. He earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from St. Edward’s University in Austin and later completed priestly formation and graduate theological studies in Houston, including a master of divinity degree at St. Mary’s Seminary. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Austin on June 9, 2007.
Before entering seminary, Misko worked in the restaurant industry from 1991 to 2000, according to biographical information shared by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
His priestly assignments have included service as parochial vicar at St. Elizabeth of Hungary Parish in Pflugerville (2007–2010) followed by leadership at Christ the King Parish in Belton — first as administrator (2010–2011) and then as pastor (2011–2014). He later served as pastor of St. Louis King of France Parish in Austin (2014–2019).
In 2019, Misko was named vicar general and moderator of the curia for the Diocese of Austin. In 2025, he also served as diocesan administrator of the diocese, a role he held from March to September.
Misko is a native English speaker and is also proficient in Spanish.
He succeeds Bishop Edward Joseph Weisenburger, who served as bishop of Tucson beginning in 2017 and was appointed archbishop of Detroit in February.
Read More![Nativity gives world hope, says bishop during Mendham Advent reflection #Catholic - On Dec. 17 at St. Joseph Parish in Mendham, N.J., Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney gave an Advent reflection about the nativity as a gift of light for our world in need of hope as the Paterson Diocese and the Universal Church prepare for the closing of the Jubilee Year of Hope 2025 on Sunday, Dec. 28. The bishop was the main celebrant of a Mass that evening at St. Joseph’s.
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Bishop Sweeney will celebrate the closing Mass of the diocesan Jubilee of Hope on Sunday, Dec. 28, the Feast of the Holy Family, at 3 p.m. at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson, N.J.
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/nativity-gives-world-hope-says-bishop-during-mendham-advent-reflection-catholic-on-dec-17-at-st-joseph-parish-in-mendham-n-j-bishop-kevin-j-sweeney-gave-an-advent-reflection-about-the-nativi.jpg)
Nativity gives world hope, says bishop during Mendham Advent reflection #Catholic – 
On Dec. 17 at St. Joseph Parish in Mendham, N.J., Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney gave an Advent reflection about the nativity as a gift of light for our world in need of hope as the Paterson Diocese and the Universal Church prepare for the closing of the Jubilee Year of Hope 2025 on Sunday, Dec. 28. The bishop was the main celebrant of a Mass that evening at St. Joseph’s.
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Bishop Sweeney will celebrate the closing Mass of the diocesan Jubilee of Hope on Sunday, Dec. 28, the Feast of the Holy Family, at 3 p.m. at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson, N.J.
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI
– On Dec. 17 at St. Joseph Parish in Mendham, N.J., Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney gave an Advent reflection about the nativity as a gift of light for our world in need of hope as the Paterson Diocese and the Universal Church prepare for the closing of the Jubilee Year of Hope 2025 on Sunday, Dec. 28. The bishop was the main celebrant of a Mass that evening at St. Joseph’s. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Bishop Sweeney will celebrate the closing Mass of the diocesan Jubilee of Hope on Sunday, Dec. 28, the Feast of the Holy
SANTA FE, NM — After honking and swearing at a slow-moving car this morning, Marcus Nabors watched in horror as the car slowly turned its way into the parking lot of Nabors’ church.
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The Babylon Bee has scoured through the thousands of pages of newly released Epstein documents to uncover all of the photos that don’t include former President Bill Clinton. Here they are, in chronological order:
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