Jeanie Hannaman

By John Burger, Aleteia - If the Holy Family had a hard time finding an inn to stay in when Jesus was about to be born, it is the inns of Bethlehem themselves that are having the difficulty this year. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted life in the Holy Land so much that tourism and religious pilgrimage there are practically non-existent... “Sixty percent of the city relies on tourism, and their income disappeared when the tourists disappeared,” al-Arja told the AP

By Francis X. Maier, The Catholic Thing - The problem with Christians, Charles Péguy (reportedly) once said, is that they don’t believe what they believe. It’s a clever line. Whether he actually said it, I have no idea. But it doesn’t matter. Because either way, the words are true. Until we suffer for what we believe, or have our hearts changed by the witness of others who suffer, our faith is untested and aspirational; a matter of good intentions. Which brings me to my best friend Joe.

By F. A. Grabowski, Crisis Magazine - Celebrating Christ’s Passion and receiving the Eucharist will, however. Let’s render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, but let us also pray that our religious leaders, like Moses, will have the courage to act as good shepherds to protest against the harmful restrictions imposed on right worship and lead their flocks back to the sacred places where God can again be served by His obedient faithful as He intended.