This year let us make Christmas not just the celebration of an event that happened long ago and far away. Let us make it real for us now. Let us make Christmas all about the coming of Jesus anew for each of us personally. The German
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My first Christmas in the United States came in 1978, and it had a very different feeling to the ones I celebrated in Brazil. I had only arrived in the U.S. in February of 1978, soon after the famous Blizzard of ‘78. It was a very
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O Antiphons The Church has its own countdown—the O Antiphons of Advent— which begin on December 17 and conclude on Christmas Eve. The Roman Church has been singing the “O” Antiphons since at least the eighth century. They are the antiphons that accompany the Magnificat canticle of
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2020 Pope St. Pius X Youth Award On Tuesday evening, December 1, I had the honor of conferring the Pope St. Pius X Youth Award on forty-seven worthy recipients. The award, named for the pontiff who created the Fall River Diocese in 1904, recognizes the commitment and selflessness of
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Taking Care of Our Children The events of 2020 have not only been difficult for adults but also for our children and adolescents. They have struggled through this crisis physically, emotionally, and, yes, even spiritually. In increasing numbers, we are seeing the rise of depression, anxiety,
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The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) gathered for the 2020 Fall General Assembly from November 16-17, this year, in a virtual format. This gathering, one of the best-attended general assemblies, was unique not only in its form but in the necessity of condensing three
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