On Christmas Eve 1223, St. Francis created the first nativity in the Italian city of Greccio. With the help of a local nobleman, Francis celebrated the birth...
Christmas
Discover stories and spiritual wisdom for the Christmas season, from Advent preparation to the joy and mystery of Christ’s birth.
In the pre-Christmas rush, take time for Advent. Jamie and Carol and their four children, ages 9 to 15, try to avoid looking at any Christmas decorations...
We shouldn’t get hung up on the details surrounding Jesus’ birth, says this Bible scholar. As with any scripture story, there’s more here...
Let’s not only be green when summer’s here but also during the most wonderful time of the year. The anticipation was over, the gifts all opened...
We’ve all seen the Hallmark version: the loving, happy, laughing family gathered around the Christmas tree. Then there’s real life. Father John...
Here's the intel: This war, evidently, is being fought on two fronts. First, the pious pundits of fair and balanced cable TV news have determined that...
As we’re reminded every Advent, our Catholic Christmas customs are somewhat at odds with the secular “holiday season,” which starts before Thanksgiving and...
Presents are a dime a dozen this time of year. But presence—that’s another matter entirely. The ability of family members to be truly present to one...
Amid cries of economic catastrophe, let holiday cheer take the place of fear. This year promises to be a blue Christmas for many. Given the angry tone of the...
An old Irish custom—at least my mother told me it was Irish and old—was to put an extra potato in the pot for supper for “the people on the...
