Catholic News

• On Gaudete Sunday, Pope blesses statues of Child Jesus, invites pilgrims to joyful gratitude (Vatican News)
  “When you gather in your homes in prayer before the manger, looking at the Child Jesus, you will feel amazement at the great mystery of God made man; and the Holy Spirit will give your heart the humility, tenderness, and goodness of Jesus,” Pope Francis said during his December 16 Angelus address (video).
• Vatican delegation in China for 'practical steps' to implement bishop agreement (Global Times)
  The Global Times, based in Beijing, reflects the views of China’s Communist government.
• Pope emphasizes education of refugee children in address to Christmas concert artists (Vatican Press Office)
  The theme of the concert was “refugees.” Dee Dee Bridgewater, Anastacia, and Alessandra Amoroso were among the artists at the concert (Italian media report).
• Cardinal Nichols apologizes for withholding evidence of child abuse allegations (The Telegraph)
  Cardinal Vincent Nichols of Westminster testified before the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse in England and Wales.
• Former Archbishop Nienstedt prohibited from celebrating Mass (St. Paul Pioneer Press)
  Click here for the full text of the letter from Archbishop Bernard Hebda of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, who succeeded Archdiocese John Nienstedt.
• Pope accepts invitation to visit Slovakia (Rome Reports)
  On December 14, Pope Francis received Andrej Kiska, Slovakia’s president since 2014. The Central European nation of 2 million is 58% Catholic.
• Pope Francis receives Italian Prime Minister Conte (Vatican News)
  “We discussed issues such as social inequalities, migration, the environment, and peace,” said Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, who assumed office in June.
• French police kill Strasbourg Christmas market shooting suspect (New York Times)
  On December 11, a terrorist, shouting “Allahu akbar” (Allah is great), killed five and injured 11 during an attack on the Christmas market in front of Strasbourg Cathedral (photograph). Strasbourg is a city of 275,000 in eastern France and headquarters of the European Parliament, which Pope Francis visited in 2014.
• Argentine bishops follow Pope's lead with major interreligious declaration (Crux)
  Click here for the full text of the “Declaración por el diálogo y la convivencia,” signed by Catholic, Jewish, and Muslim leaders.
• Cardinal Müller strongly criticizes 'party spirit of progressivism' in Church in Germany (LifeSite News)
  Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller, 70, served as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith from 2012 to 2017.
• Egyptian prosecutors investigate killing of two Coptic Christians by police sergeant (Al-Ahram)
  The killings took place in Minya, a city of 260,000 (map).
• Gaza's parish priest speaks out against Israeli policies on Christians visiting Bethlehem (Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem)
  “Israel is using a policy of separation between parents and children,” said Father Mario da Silva. “It would give a permit to the father but deprive the mother and the children of the same document. Thus, the family decides not to go and stay together in Gaza.”
• Papal Christmas greetings to Santa Marta dispensary (Vatican News)
  “Working with children is not easy, but it teaches us a lot,” the Pope told workers at the dispensary, which provides medical assistance to children in need. “It teaches me one thing: that in order to understand the reality of life, you have to lower yourself.”
• Papal preacher devotes second Advent sermon to 'the living God and the living Trinity' (Cantalamessa.org)
  Capuchin Franciscan Father Raniero Cantalamessa, preacher to the papal household since 1980, delivered his sermon on December 14 in the presence of Pope Francis. The overarching theme of his Advent sermons this year is “My soul thirsts for the living God.”
• Pope invites poor people to Christmas lunch (Vatican News)
  The lunch will take place on December 18 in Ostia, a seaside suburb over 15 miles from the center of Rome.
• Priest at Abu Dhabi's cathedral looks forward to papal visit (Gulf News)
  The Pope’s three-day apostolic journey to the United Arab Emirates begins on February 3. Islam is the official religion of the Arabian Peninsula nation of 6.1 million; 76% of its residents are Muslim, and 9% are Christian. “The world will appreciate how the UAE is home to different nationalities, creeds, and religions,” said Swiss Capuchin Father Gandolf Wild, “and they will see how everyone lives here in harmony.”
• Shredded documents, hundreds of files seized in Houston-area abuse investigation (KHOU-TV)
  Local residents said they were stunned to learn that the Shalom Center in Splendora, Texas, was used to treat abusive priests.
• Evangelical Protestant leaders discuss harassment, abuse in their communities (Christianity Today)
  Wheaton College hosted “Reflections: A GC2 Summit on Responding to Sexual Violence.”
• Jihadist incursions in Niger cause over 50,000 to flee homes (AfricaNews.com)
  The West African nation of 19 million (map) is 80% Muslim.
• USCCB approves $4M in grants to Church in Latin America (USCCB)
  The Subcommittee on the Church in Latin America awarded over $3.2 million for 173 pastoral projects and nearly $800,000 for recovery and reconstruction following natural disasters.
• More...