By M.C. Holbrook, Catholic Exchange – The Holy Family offers us a beautiful model to follow in our own families, even though Scripture reveals so little about the “hidden years” before the time of Jesus’ public ministry. We are invited to imagine the love that poured forth from their little home, the abundant peace palpable to anyone who entered in, the joyful welcome to any guest, the cleanliness of each room down to every corner, the fresh and delicious smell of warm bread baking in the oven, ready to be served to an unexpected visitor.

By Srdja Trifkovic, Chronicles – On this Christmas Day, let us spare a thought for the plight of Middle Eastern Christians, arguably the most endangered religious minority in today’s world. I addressed this neglected issue 14 years ago (“A Grim Christmas,” Chronicles, December 2011), and those communities’ position has grown much worse since then.
Counting Eastern Christians is difficult: few reliable surveys have been conducted, and, moreover, religious leaders tend to overestimate their numbers. Statistics thus vary from one source to another and should be considered indicative rather than absolute.

By John Mac Ghlionn, Blaze TV – From Michigan to Melbourne, exorcisms are rising — an odd trend in an age when Christianity is supposedly retreating… Odd, that is, if you accept the official story: that faith has faded, churches have emptied, and modern life has supposedly outgrown such concerns. Yet behind parish doors and rectory walls, priests report the opposite: more calls, cases, and urgency… The demonic, it seems, didn’t get the secular memo.

By Franciscan Media – A strong man who wavered for a moment, but then learned one cannot come to terms with evil, and so became a strong churchman, a martyr, and a saint—that was Thomas Becket, archbishop of Canterbury, murdered in his cathedral on December 29, 1170… His career had been a stormy one. While archdeacon of Canterbury, he was made chancellor of England at the age of 36 by his friend King Henry II. …

By Fr. Kevin Drew, Catholic Exchange – Pour forth we beseech thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts That we to whom the Incarnation Of Christ thy Son, was made known By the message of an angel May by His Passion and Cross Be brought to the glory of His resurrection… That is the Collect, the Opening Prayer for last Sunday’s Mass, prayed for centuries on the 4th Sunday of Advent. 

Author Don Schwager, Servants of the Word – Luke 1:67-79 – 67 And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying, 68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people, 69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, 70 as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, 71 that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us; ….

By Joseph Pearce, Crisis Magazine – Christmas, for Christians, is primarily about our only true home, which is to be found in Heaven, the gates of which were opened by the coming of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ… There’s no place like home for the holidays. So sang Perry Como in the popular Christmas hit of 1954, and so sings Perry Como and numerous other singers every year on countless “holiday” channels on the radio throughout the Advent season, right through until the advent of Christmas itself… Home—for many people, Christmas is all about home and the love of home.

By Alexandra Greeley, National Catholic Register – Long associated with family gatherings and shared labor, tamales continue to anchor Christmas celebrations across cultures… Celebrating the Christmas season should be filled with good cheer, family gatherings, special events and, of course, a memorable holiday dinner. Forget serving roast turkey, glazed ham or prime rib of beef. Instead, introduce family and friends to a Latino Christmas dish that dates back thousands of years.

By Bring Me The News, (Complicit Clergy) – Archbishop Hebda just directly associated himself with arguably the most radical, corrupt Governor in the nation… Joined by faith leaders and Twin Cities mayors, Governor Tim Walz addressed ongoing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations and federal immigration enforcement across the Twin Cities at a joint news conference on Tuesday… Federal officials began “Operation Metro Surge” on Dec. 1, with the Department of Homeland Security claiming they have arrested “the worst criminal illegal aliens, including child sex offenders, domestic abusers, and violent gang members” across Minnesota.

By S.A. McCarthy, The Daily Signal – Hundreds of Christians in China will likely spend Christmas in jail this year, according to a recent report. Starting on Dec. 13, the Chinese Communist Party mobilized “more than a thousand police officers, SWAT units, anti-riot forces, and firefighters” in the Zhejiang Province’s Yayang Town in Wenzhou City, raiding churches and conducting mass arrests of Christians, ChinaAid reported Friday… “Belongings of relevant individuals were illegally confiscated, roads leading to the church were completely blocked by police, and Christians in Yayang Town were unable to enter the Yayang church.

By Phil Lawler, Catholic Culture – Edna Costello was one of those irreplaceable women who seem to appear in every healthy parish. She was the most active member of the altar guild, the Rosary circle, the parish council, the Bible study, marriage preparation classes, the pro-life league, and the ladies’ sodality. You could find her in church every morning, a half-hour before the early Mass. She would still be there for another hour after the Mass was over: making her thanksgiving, tidying up the pews, saying her Rosary, arranging flowers, making the Stations of the Cross. …

By Salena Zito, Patriot Post – After surviving two assassination attempts, one of which nearly killed him, and seeing the brutal murder of his friend Charlie Kirk, Trump recognizes that returning to huge outdoor rallies is impossible. Kirk’s death, he says, has changed him, shaping not only how he thinks about security but affecting him personally as well… After surviving two assassination attempts, one of which nearly killed him, and seeing the brutal murder of his friend Charlie Kirk, Trump recognizes that returning to huge outdoor rallies is impossible. Kirk’s death, he says, has changed him, shaping not only how he thinks about security but affecting him personally as well.

By Kim Hayes, LifeNews – “Women considering abortion should be informed of the possibility that they may experience persistent emotional distress,” Paul Sullins, Ruth Institute senior research associate concluded in a report published in the International Journal of Women’s Health Care… Most women seeking help are at a minimum five years removed from the abortion experience with one, two or even as much as three decades passing before women (and even men) seek healing through these ministries. …

By Derek Rotty, Catholic Exchange – Christmas is quickly approaching, and remembering to recognize it as a season offers an opportunity to extend its graces and lessons further into our lives… Venerable Fulton Sheen helps us to understand this reality well. Each year, in his syndicated newspaper column published close to Christmas day, he provided rich teaching, application to everyday life, and memorable turns of phrase that help deepen our insight into the Christmas mystery and apply it to our lives beyond December 25th.

By Fr. John A. Perricone, Crisis Magazine – One by one, as though on a conga line for the Democratic National Committee, our bishops last November recited a scripted Instagram paean to illegal immigration. Moreover, at the end of their recent November meeting, it was reported that they also, by overwhelming majority, huffed and puffed: “We oppose the indiscriminate mass deportation of peoples.”… For greater effect, they should have hired a better costume director. Except for one or two, they looked like unmade beds. Of course, this is part of the episcopal Spirit-of-Vatican-II look: casual, unkempt, pedestrian.