December 2024
VOL. 89, NO. 12
Scroll through the Table of Contents to view what’s in this month’s print issue. Some articles are available only in the print issue: Subscribe today to get full access to all the material you see listed below. And remember to sign up for our weekly email so you never miss an online article!
Features
Mary everywhere
BY ANNELISE JOLLEY
Marian apparitions spotlight Mary’s solidarity with the vulnerable.
Joy to the world
BY RHINA GUIDOS
Global Christmas traditions enrich celebrations—and parish communities—in the United States.
Columns
THE EXAMINED LIFE
Give us a push
BY YUNUEN TRUJILLO
It takes a village to move the church in the direction the Holy Spirit leads.
CULTURE IN CONTEXT
O holy prime time
BY PAMELA HILL NETTLETON
TV holiday specials offer a strange yet enduring mix of sentiment and spectacle.
SALT & LIGHT
What’s the rush?
BY DAVID CLOUTIER
In a world consumed by speed and stimulation, Pope Francis invites us to rediscover the virtue of slowing down.
MARGIN NOTES
Chill out
BY KEVIN CLARKE
Planning a peace tour this Christmas? First stop is Iceland.
TESTAMENTS
Choirs of angels
BY ALICE CAMILLE
You don’t have to be anyone special to hear the music of the heavenly host.
GLAD YOU ASKED
Who was King Herod
Practicing Catholic
Love and joy come to you
BY MIRIAM ATTIA
Wassailing is an old tradition that can offer a fresh view on community.
Essays
Star light, star bright
BY RHONDA MISKA
Seek God in the wonders of the heavens.
Kermit’s carol
BY JOHN CHRISTMAN
The iconic puppet has a surprising relevance—and message about conversion—for modern audiences.
Sounding Board
Banking on change
BY ABBY RAMPONE
Can financially supporting your parish undermine social justice work?
Expert Witness
Beyond dogma
An interview with Jacob Parappally, M.S.F.S.
To be truly universal, the Catholic faith must recognize the European roots of its dogmas and doctrines, says this Indian theologian.
Home Faith
A spark of light
BY DON CLEMMER
A new year can be an anxious time, but God is present in our vulnerability.
