▪ SEE PAGE 2
▪ SEE PAGES 3 & 7 CARDINAL DINARDO’S ADVENT
JUBILEE OF HOPE
Local celebrations of the Jubilee 2025: Pilgrims of Hope begin this month
A TEENAGED ADVENT
Amy Ann Davila shares seven ways families can embrace the Advent season with teens
▪ SEE PAGE 11
Little Tex says
Almond, spice and everything nice... This Capuchin’s cookie recipe is inspired by St. Francis of Assisi ▪ SEE PAGE 5
In Paris, Notre Dame rises from the ashes. Five years after flames ravaged the iconic cathedral, its restored spire, stone arches, glittering rose windows and ancient relics welcome millions of faithful pilgrims flocking to France.
SEE PAGES 8 - 10
El Cardenal Daniel DiNardo comparte su columna en línea en español. Visite www.archgh.org para leer su artículo en línea.
By Daniel Cardinal DiNardo
“The people were full of anticipation, wondering in their hearts whether John might be the Messiah. John answered them all by saying: ‘I am baptizing you in water, but there is one to come... He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire.’” (Luke 3:15-17)
We have a great privilege this year of listening to the Gospel from the hand of St. Luke, a beautiful writer and a careful synthesizer of all that he heard, collected and read about Jesus, the Christ. The One who has brought “a year of favor from the Lord,” a phrase which Jesus quotes from the Prophet Isaiah in his first sermon at the synagogue of Capernaum. We hear the words of Jesus as given to us by St. Luke.
We hear those words in what Pope Francis will proclaim a “Jubilee Year of Hope” to begin on Christmas Eve this year and last until the beginning of 2026. A Holy Year is a Jubilee occurring every 25 years, which gives a sense of freedom, liberation, canceling of past debt, offering new initiatives and activities in our faith, and celebrating the Lord Jesus active in His Church. We have been celebrating such jubilees since 1300 A.D.!
Before Jesus was baptized and began his public life, the people were already anticipating something new. St. Luke explains that many thought John the Baptist was the Messiah, the Anointed One. John corrects their misconception and directs their hearts and minds away from his own baptism of repentance towards the One who will baptize with fire and the Holy Spirit. The fire will both burn up and purify. The grace will be given to bear good fruit, but there is a judgment involved. The Messiah will bring with Him the energy and vitality of the Holy Spirit. He will also bluntly announce the errors and sins present in our lives and move us to repentance. The Messiah will turn toward us,
and we must turn toward the Lord! This is a great meditation for Advent.
One of the recurring themes in the Gospel of St. Luke (and a great theme for the coming Holy Year) is the act of making a journey. Mary journeys to see Elizabeth; Mary and Joseph journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem to be enrolled; Joseph, Mary and the 12-year-old boy Jesus journey to Jerusalem where Jesus is seemingly lost but found in the Temple; Jesus journeys from chapter 9:51 to chapter 19:28 in a long procession of miracles, preaching and teaching as He makes His way from Nazareth to Jerusalem, His City of Destiny; on the Day of His Resurrection Jesus Christ journeys to Emmaus with two of His disciples who know Him “in the Breaking of the Bread.”
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In every Holy Year, the Church encourages her people to make a pilgrimage to a designated Church or place, to journey and pray for a revival of hearts and minds. Such pilgrimages also give us the opportunities to notice the stranger, the exile, or the marginal person who can show us the face of the One Who Is to Come, the Messiah, the face of Jesus Christ.
During this Advent and throughout the coming Holy Year, I have a suggestion. The Gospel we will be reading is that of St. Luke. Take your Bible (or even buy a new one!), find and read the Gospel of St. Luke, a few verses every day, and make this Gospel your fellow journey friend.
May your Advent be blessed!
May the coming Holy Year be profitable for you, your families and the Church.
May the Season of Christmas and Epiphany, which are coming, be joyful! †
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HOUSTON — As the Universal Church looks toward the Jubilee Year 2025, the 2,025th anniversary of the Incarnation of Our Lord, the Archdiocese is preparing for what Pope Francis calls an “event of great spiritual, ecclesial and social significance in the life of the Church.”
In Galveston-Houston, Daniel Cardinal DiNardo will celebrate a “Jubilee of Hope” Opening Mass on Sunday, Dec. 29 at 11 a.m. at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Houston. Also, on Dec. 29, Auxiliary Bishop Italo Dell’Oro, CRS, will celebrate another “Jubilee of Hope” Opening Mass at 12:30 p.m. at St. Mary Cathedral Basilica in Galveston.
“We must fan the flame of hope that has been given us and help everyone to gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart and far-sighted vision,” wrote Pope Francis wrote in his February 2022 letter announcing the Jubilee 2025. “The forthcoming Jubilee can contribute greatly to restoring a climate of hope
and trust as a prelude to the renewal and rebirth that we so urgently desire.”
The Jubilee Year will offer the faithful opportunities to participate in various jubilee events at the Vatican and in the Archdiocese. The great tradition of opening the Holy Door will begin when Pope Francis opens the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica on Dec. 24. Other holy doors will be opened at the Rome basilicas of St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major and St. Paul Outside the Walls.
The two cathedrals remain pilgrimage sites for Catholics in and visiting the Archdiocese.
For pilgrims who cannot travel to Rome, bishops around the world are expected to designate their cathedrals or popular Catholic shrines as special places of prayer for Holy Year pilgrims, offering opportunities for reconciliation, indulgences and other events intended to strengthen and revive faith.
To learn more about the Jubilee, see Page 7 and visit www.archgh. org/jubilee2025. †
JUBILEE OF HOPE OPENING MASSES
Sunday, Dec. 29 at 11 a.m. Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart 1111 St. Joseph Pkwy., Houston Celebrant: Daniel Cardinal DiNardo
Sunday, Dec. 29 at 12:30 p.m. St. Mary Cathedral Basilica 2011 Church St., Galveston
Celebrant: Auxiliary Bishop Italo Dell’Oro, CRS
Cardinal DiNardo to celebrate Simbang Gabi, Vietnamese Christmas Eve Masses
HOUSTON — Daniel Cardinal DiNardo will preside over two separate Masses, marking a pair of major Advent and Christmas devotions for the Filipino and Vietnamese Catholic communities.
Cardinal DiNardo will celebrate the Archdiocesan Simbang Gabi Culmination Mass at St. Theresa Parish (705 St. Theresa Blvd., Sugar Land) on Monday, Dec. 23, at 7 p.m. Traditional Filipino carols begin at 6:30 p.m. The Mass concludes the Filipino Simbang Gabi novena tradition, a series of Masses held in anticipation of Christmas across the Archdiocese.
Then, Cardinal DiNardo is set to be the main celebrant for a Christmas Eve Mass at Vietnamese Martyrs Parish (10610 Kingspoint Rd., Houston) on Tuesday, Dec. 24, at 6 p.m. with the Vietnamese Catholic community. †
DSF annual appeal to support Archdiocesan ministries continues
HOUSTON — This year, the theme of the annual Diocesan Services Fund (DSF) appeal is “We are the Lord’s.”
The annual campaign to support 64 Archdiocese-wide ministries is underway, and the local Church is asking parishioners to continue their generous giving to DSF.
The fund supports a variety of ministries, such as those forming youth in the Catholic faith; providing support and preparation for clergy; teaching, evangelizing, worshiping and outreach to the incarcerated, aging, poor and sick; and programming to strengthen Christian families, among many others.
To pledge online or see a full list of the ministries supported, visit www.archgh.org/dsf. †
Registration for Feb. 8 race continues
HOUSTON — Registration is open for the 20th Annual Steps for Students 5K Run/Walk, held Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in downtown Houston. The event raises funds and awareness for the network of Catholic schools in the Archdiocese.
The Roman Catholic Church has been singing the “O Antiphons” since at least the eighth century. They are the antiphons that accompany the Magnificat canticle of Evening Prayer from Dec. 17 to 23. They are a magnificent theology that uses ancient biblical imagery drawn from the messianic hopes of the Old Testament to proclaim the coming Christ as the fulfillment not only of Old Testament hopes, but present ones as well. Their repeated use of the imperative “Come!” embodies the longing of all for the Divine Messiah.
DECEMBER 17
O Wisdom of our God Most High, guiding creation with power and love: come to teach us the path of knowledge!
DECEMBER 18
O Leader of the House of Israel, giver of the Law to Moses on Sinai: come to rescue us with your mighty power!
DECEMBER 19
O Root of Jesse’s stem, sign of God’s love for all His people: come to save us without delay!
DECEMBER 20
O Key of David, opening the gates of God’s eternal Kingdom: come and free the prisoners of darkness!
DECEMBER 21
O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death.
DECEMBER 22
O King of all nations and keystone of the Church: come and save man, whom you formed from the dust!
DECEMBER 23
O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law: come to save us, Lord our God!
For other resources on how to celebrate the Advent season, including prayers and more, visit www.archgh.org/advent.
The event will start with Mass at 7 a.m., followed by the presentation of the David Guite Spirit Award. The timed 5K race will begin at 8:30 a.m.; a post-race party will follow the event along with the Catholic School Village. To register, visit www.steps4students.org. †
CHRISTMAS AT
▪ WEDNESDAY, DEC. 25 —
▪ TUESDAY, DEC. 24 — CHRISTMAS
p.m.
Madonna
USPS picks ‘Madonna and Child’ painting from Indianapolis museum for 2024 Christmas stamp.
BY FATHER MICHAEL ACKERMAN Special to the Herald
(OSV News) — Socrates, in Plato’s Apology, famously stated that “the unexamined life is not worth living.” This axiom is certainly applicable to the spiritual life, and it is very relevant to one of our greatest patrons — St. Joseph. It is worthwhile to examine the lessons St. Joseph has taught us and consider how we can carry these into the great season of Advent.
A well-known American comic once said, “it’s the quiet ones you have to watch out for.” Now, I am confident that he was not referring to St. Joseph when he said this. However, when we reflect upon the life of St. Joseph, we really know nothing about him. St. Joseph is as stealthy as an international spy. There is no recorded dialogue from him in the Scriptures and no substantial curriculum vitae of record.
However, the silence of St. Joseph
teaches us volumes. Pope Benedict XVI, in an Angelus address from Dec. 18, 2005, had this to say about St. Joseph’s taciturn demeanor: “St. Joseph’s silence does not express an inner emptiness, but on the contrary, the fullness of the faith he bears in his heart and which guides his every thought and action.”
1. SILENCE OF GOD
The first lesson of St. Joseph for Advent then is to enter into the silence of God, which is teeming with grace, intimacy and unconditional love. He was not silent because he had nothing to say. He was silent instead because he wanted to listen to and follow God completely.
Pope Francis, in his apostolic letter “Patris Corde” (“With a Father’s Heart”), writes about the silence of St. Joseph. “His patient silence was the prelude to concrete expressions of trust.”
Perhaps this Advent, we too can spend time in silent prayer, in quiet
contemplation before the Blessed Sacrament, or even meditating on the words of Scripture in the recesses of our hearts as did St. Joseph. Doing so does not bear futility but instead, fertility and joyful anticipation of Christ’s coming into the world.
2. SERVICE AND SELF-DENIAL
The second lesson that St. Joseph teaches us is one rooted in service and self-denial. St. John Paul II in his 1989 apostolic exhortation “Redemptoris Custos” (“Guardian of the Redeemer”) said: “His fatherhood is expressed concretely in ‘his having made his life a service, a sacrifice to the mystery of the incarnation and the redemptive mission connected with it; in having used the legal authority which was his over the Holy Family in order to make a total gift of self, of his life and work.’”
St. Joseph did not allow his own passions or selfish wants and desires to dictate his actions. Instead, he was docile and receptive to the will of God. His preparation for the coming of Christ was not filled with shopping, fighting with relatives and baking cookies. Instead, he invites you and me to be disciples who serve others first, not ourselves.
Now, this can take a variety of forms. We can volunteer our time at church or in our communities, assisting at food pantries, homeless shelters or missions. We can assist those around us who are struggling right now financially, emotionally and especially spiritually, either in person or through charitable organizations. Or, we can make visits to those who are homebound, in hospitals, in nursing homes or who are unable to celebrate the birth of Christ with family and friends for a variety of reasons. There is no “correct” way to serve, but the desire to do so must be rooted in St. Joseph’s desire to serve God alone.
3. SIMPLICITY
Third, St. Joseph teaches us a lesson of simplicity. The world in which we live is overly complex. We are so enamored with technology, fashion and entertainment that we often miss what is essential. That is not the world of St. Joseph. Pope Benedict XVI said this about St. Joseph’s simplicity: “His greatness, like Mary’s, stands out even more because his mission was carried out in the humility and hiddenness of the house of Nazareth. Moreover, God Himself, in the person of His incarnate Son, chose this way and style of life — humility and hiddenness — in His earthly existence.”
St. Joseph was not out to “make a name”for himself. He was no social media influencer. Instead, the raison d’être for his life was to remain humble before God.
St. Joseph invites us during Advent to slow down and appreciate the people, blessings and encounters with God taking place in our lives. Presents and entering the wild world of retail are probably not the best ways to prepare for Christ.
Instead, spending time with our loved ones, sharing faith and experiences, or even making a personal retreat is beneficial for keeping things simple. However, there is another thing that simplicity does: It allows us to increase
our trust and dependence upon God. In “Patris Corde,” Pope Francis writes about the “creative courage” of St. Joseph. “God finds a way to save us,” he writes, “provided we show the same creative courage as the carpenter of Nazareth, who was able to turn a problem into a possibility by trusting always in divine providence.”
St. Joseph, because he was not distracted by the trappings of culture, was able to have fortitude in God’s plan because of his simple trust in a God who loved him. This same trust is accessible to us if we keep it simple.
4. SACRIFICE
Finally, St. Joseph teaches you and me the value of sacrifice. Sacrifice is necessary for all of us in our vocations, and any parent, spouse, priest, religious or dedicated single person knows the value and necessity of this. In his book “The Mystery of Joseph,” Father MarieDominique Philippe writes of St. Joseph’s suffering: “There is no doubt that the sword of sorrow penetrates Mary’s heart the most deeply, but it pierces Joseph’s heart as well. In their common suffering, in their shared sadness and anguish, Joseph and Mary come to know a new degree of intimacy; together they bear the first fruits of Jesus’ apostolic life.”
St. Joseph invites you and me in the struggles of life to unite our pain to the cross of Christ. Suffering is always a mystery, but it is not devoid of meaning. The more that we unite our pain and struggles to Christ, the more that we draw into the infinite love, mercy and forgiveness of God. Joseph in denying his own objectives, wants and desires makes his will one with God. We are also called, like him, to unite and sacrifice. This can be done through charitable giving, fasting, increased prayer or giving things away we do not need. Regardless, sacrifice is crucial to ready the way for Christ. This Advent presents an opportunity to increase our desire to emulate this great saint so loved by Our Lady and Our Savior. Silence, service, simplicity and sacrifice are not easy pills to swallow, but they do lead us closer to Christ and salvation. May the anticipated joy of Advent lead all of us to a deeper love of the Christ Child through the intercession of St. Joseph. †
BROTHER ANDREW CORRIENTE, OFM
BY BROTHER ANDREW CORRIENTE, OFM Special
to the Herald
(OSV News) On St. Francis of Assisi's death bed, he wanted almond cookies from his good friend Lady Jacoba. This recipe uses spices as spices were a luxury item and Lady Jacoba would’ve gladly used any for her dear friend Francis.
Outside of the Christmas holidays (St. Francis is attributed for creating the first Nativity scene), a few suggested dates for baking these cookies are April 16 (Franciscan order founded), July 16 (his canonization), Sept. 17 (when he received the Stigmata) and Oct. 4 (his Feast Day). †
– Brother Andrew Corriente is a Capuchin Franciscan friar in formation for the priesthood. He is the winner of the fifth season of ABC’s “The Great American Baking Show: Holiday Edition.”
In the Nov. 26 issue, we wrote about how things can go wrong during Thanksgiving. Well, something went wrong when the Apple Pie Oat Bar recipe was misprinted without the correct ingredients for the apple mixture. We regret the error and we appreciate our loyal readers who did not hesitate let us know!
Finally, here are the ingredients required for the apple mixture:
• 2 pounds (3 to 5) firm baking apples (Honeycrisp works best, but Gala, Pink Lady, Granny, Golden Delicious or Ambrosia also work)
• 2/3 cup (140 grams) sugar (or add to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt (or 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt or table salt)
• 2 tablespoon (20 grams) cornstarch
• Juice of one lemon
• 1 cup (100 grams) sliced almonds
• 2 1/2 cup (270 grams) super fine almond flour
• 1/2 cup (110 grams) unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp cloves
• Zest of 1/2 an orange or zest of 1 lemon
• 1 cup (200 grams) sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 2 eggs (cold)
• 1 tsp almond extract
Preheat oven to 400°F. Toast almonds on a baking sheet at 400°F for about 5 to 7 minutes until fragrant and deep brown, then set aside and reduce temperature to 350°F.
While that’s in the oven, toast almond flour in a skillet without stirring over medium or medium high heat until the bottom is brown and fragrant. Stir the flour and let sit until the bottom browns again, then remove from heat and pour the flour into another bowl.
Add butter, cinnamon cloves and zest to the already hot skillet. Let the residual heat melt the butter; put skillet on low heat if it takes too long. Once melted set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk the sugar, baking powder, corn starch and sea salt together, then add toasted almond flour and stir together.
Whisk the eggs and almond extract together in a separate bowl and then add to the melted butter mixture. Combine both the butter mixture and the dry mixture together with a whisk. Add toasted almonds and mix using a spoon or a flexible spatula.
Spoon about 1 1/2 tbs or use a small cookie scoop on a baking sheet lined with parchment and flatten cookies gently with fingertips, adding three almonds for the Trinity. Bake at 350°F for about 15 minutes until edges are set and lightly browned. When finished, cool on trays for five minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Optional, sprinkle with powdered sugar for a snowy finish. †
BY KERRY MCGUIRE Herald Correspondent
HOUSTON — In today’s fast-paced, media-driven world, many parents feel overwhelmed by the challenge of guiding their children through the complexities of human sexuality. Societal pressures, misinformation and shifting cultural norms make these conversations even more difficult.
The Office of Family Life is helping parents in the Archdiocese navigate these challenges. By offering inspiring resources and practical guidance, the ministry aims to empower families to have meaningful conversations about human sexuality rooted in faith and truth. Ricardo Medina, director of the Office of Family Life, emphasized how today’s culture — shaped by movies, social media and daily interactions — profoundly influences children’s views on sexuality. The ministry’s “Discussing Sexuality with Your Children” conference, set for Jan. 17 to 18, 2025, at St. Jerome Catholic Church, will provide parents with a faith-based framework to rediscover the meaning of life, love and dignity. Through exploring St. John Paul
II’s Theology of the Body (TOB), parents will learn to understand humanity in the order of creation, embrace their role as disciples of Jesus and gain practical techniques for meaningful conversations with their children.
Kathleen Cory, the main speaker, comes from The Ruah Woods Institute and has been a TOB speaker since 2010, teaching to youth, parishioners, Catholic schools, diocesan and international events.
Cory said she believes the TOB is true, good and beautiful. As she shares the teachings with others, she often finds that they begin to feel the same, sometimes expressing regret: “If I had known this in high school, I could have avoided so much pain,” she’s been told before. This is why Cory feels it is essential for Catholics to embrace TOB as a foundational teaching for their lives.
to teach them.”
Cory’s talk at the conference will explore three key periods to help people understand their purpose according to God’s vision. First, they must recognize who they were created in the beginning. This understanding then shapes how they live in the present to find happiness, ultimately leading to eternal joy in the future.
“When we understand that we are created in the image and likeness of God to be a gift and are also called to look at every other person as a gift, answers to our questions about our bodies and sexuality become easier to understand and explain,” Cory said. “I hope to convey the concepts of imagining God and the gift of every human person, using practical examples that help parents immediately apply this worldview in their family life.”
The 2024 Diocesan Services Fund theme is “We are the Lord’s.” DSF operates in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston each year to help the Church carry out the ministries of teaching and sanctifying. DSF brings the needed financial resources to carry out 64 ministries.
“I see TOB as absolutely essential for everyone, especially our young people,” Cory said.“My dream is for every Catholic to learn this teaching as a normal part of their upbringing. It is our responsibility
Cory’s perspective is also shaped by her role as a parent and grandparent. These often-overlooked experiences have deepened her understanding of how TOB can impact family life. As she looks ahead to the conference, she is eager to share with parents how they can apply these teachings in their homes and with others.
Scott Ryan, currently in his sixth year of diaconate formation with the Archdiocesan Office of the Permanent Diaconate, will present alongside his wife, Terri Ryan, director of Adult Formation at St. Mary of the Expectation Catholic Church. Together, they will address an important and often sensitive question in their presentation, “Does My Sexual Story Disqualify Me?” This session explores whether personal struggles and past failures to live up to Christ’s teachings on human sexuality disqualify someone from sharing this message with others.
“Some parents may fear being hypocritical, and probably more feel unworthy of sharing the message because of their past, likely due to a mistrust in God’s mercy,” said Terri Ryan.
The Ryans believe that allowing others — especially through social media, TV and books — to teach children about human sexuality harms both family and society. They said for decades, this culture has excluded God’s plan for sex, resulting in generations of wounded and unhappy individuals. They aim to address this in their conference presentation, share a message of God’s tender mercy and gift parents practical tools to bring home to their children.
The Diocesan Services Fund (DSF)
This video series brings to life the ministry featured in these stories. Hear from people personally impacted by God’s grace through these DSF ministries.
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ARCHGH.ORG/ DSFINACTION
supports the Family Life Ministry, enabling resources like the “Discussing Sexuality with Your Children” conference to assist parents. Medina encourages the faithful in the Archdiocese to support the annual DSF appeal to help the ministry continue making a difference.
“Few ministries address all four aspects — forming, revealing, enjoying and protecting families — in such a holistic and inspiring way,” Medina said.
“With limited resources, we could not offer this high-quality content without the DSF support. The reality is that many parents are hungry for this kind of guidance, and we’re thrilled to offer it.”
To learn more about the Family Life Ministry’s “Discussing Sexuality with Your Children” conference, visit https:// archgh.swoogo.com/TOBTalkJan2025. To donate to the DSF, which supports over 60 ministries, go to archgh.org/DSF. Every dollar donated to the DSF directly supports these ministries, including direct services and education, which rely on this vital funding. †
VATICAN CITY (OSV News) — The celebration of a Holy Year every 25 years is an acknowledgment that “the Christian life is a journey calling for moments of greater intensity to encourage and sustain hope as the constant companion that guides our steps toward the goal of our encounter with the Lord Jesus,” Pope Francis wrote.
Opening the Holy Door to St. Peter’s Basilica on Christmas Eve, the pope will formally inaugurate the Jubilee Year 2025 with its individual, parish and diocesan pilgrimages and with special celebrations focused on specific groups from migrants to marching bands, catechists to communicators and priests to prisoners.
Inside the Vatican basilica, the door had been bricked up since Nov. 20, 2016, when Pope Francis closed the extraordinary Holy Year of Mercy.
Dismantling the brick wall began Dec. 2 with a ritual of prayer and the removal of a box containing the key to the door and Vatican medals. The Holy Doors at the basilicas of St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major and St. Paul Outside the Walls were to be freed of their brickwork in the week that followed.
In January 2021, as the world struggled to return to some kind of normalcy after the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pope Francis announced that he had chosen “Pilgrims of Hope” as the theme for the Holy Year.
“We must fan the flame of hope that has been given us and help everyone to gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart and farsighted vision,” the pope wrote in a letter entrusting the organization of the Jubilee to Archbishop Rino Fisichella, president of the thenPontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization.
The pope prayed that the Holy Year would be marked by “deep faith, lively hope and active charity.”
A holy year or jubilee is a time of pilgrimage, prayer, repentance and acts of mercy, based on the Old Testament tradition of a jubilee year of rest, forgiveness and renewal. Holy years also are a time when Catholics make pilgrimages to designated churches and shrines, recite special prayers, go to confession and receive Communion to receive a plenary indulgence, which is a remission of the temporal punishment due for one’s sins.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE
first Holy Year in 1300 and decreed that jubilees would be celebrated every 100 years. But just 50 years later, a more biblical cadence, Pope Clement VI proclaimed another holy year.
Pope Paul II decided in 1470 that holy years should be held every 25 years, which has been the practice ever since — but with the addition of special jubilees, like the Holy Year of Mercy in 201516, marking special occasions or needs.
The Jubilee of Mercy had a special focus on encouraging Catholics to return to confession, but the Sacrament is a key part of every Holy Year.
peace, for safeguarding creation and for defending human life at every stage, he said. Those are signs of hope that cannot be discounted.
As part of the Holy Year 2025, Pope Francis has announced the canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis April 27 during the special Jubilee for Adolescents and the proclamation of the sainthood of Blessed Pier Giorgi Frassati Aug. 3 during the Jubilee for Young Adults.
The lives of the two men, active Catholics who died young, are emblematic of Pope Francis’ conviction that hope, “founded on faith and nurtured by charity,” is what enables people “to press forward in life” despite setbacks and trials.
Both young Italians knew that the
hope they drew from faith had to be shared with others through their words, their way of acting and their charity.
Pope Francis, in the Bull of Indiction, told Catholics that “during the Holy Year, we are called to be tangible signs of hope for those of our brothers and sisters who experience hardships of any kind.”
In addition to individual acts of charity, love and kindness like feeding the hungry, welcoming the stranger or visiting the sick and the imprisoned, Pope Francis has continued his predecessors’ practice of observing the jubilee by calling on governments to reduce the foreign debt of the poorest countries, grant amnesty to certain prisoners and strengthen programs to help migrants and refugees settle in their new homes. †
Crossing the threshold of the Holy Door does not give a person automatic access to the indulgence or to grace, as St. John Paul II said in his document proclaiming the Holy Year 2000. But walking through the doorway is a sign of the passage from sin to grace, which every Christian is called to accomplish.
“To pass through that door means to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord; it is to strengthen faith in Him in order to live the new life which He has given us. It is a decision which presumes freedom to choose and also the courage to leave something behind, in the knowledge that what is gained is divine life,” St. John Paul II wrote.
Pope Boniface VIII proclaimed the
Pope Francis, in his bull of indiction for the 2025 Holy Year, said churches are places “where we can drink from the wellsprings of hope, above all by approaching the sacrament of reconciliation, the essential starting point of any true journey of conversion.”
The pope also asked Catholics to use the Jubilee Year to nourish or exercise their hope by actively looking for signs of God’s grace and goodness around them.
“We need to recognize the immense goodness present in our world, lest we be tempted to think ourselves overwhelmed by evil and violence,” he wrote. “The signs of the times, which include the yearning of human hearts in need of God’s saving presence, ought to become signs of hope.”
Even in a troubled world, one can notice how many people are praying for and demonstrating their desire for
AND VIDEOS FROM NOTRE DAME’S REOPENING EVENTS, VISIT WWW.ARCHGH.ORG/NOTREDAME.
BY CAROLINE DE SURY
Special to the Herald
PARIS (OSV News) — In 2017, The New York Times reported that Notre Dame Cathedral was in dire need of a makeover. Weather and time had taken a toll on the edifice. Broken gargoyles were replaced by plastic, and limestone crumbled at the touch, with a renovation expected to exceed $180 million.
The interest in saving it from misery, however, was minimal.
Little did anyone know that two years later, the icon of Paris would be burning, with shocked Parisians flocking to the streets on April 15, 2019, praying for their heroic firefighters — one of the best fire brigades in the world — trying to save the soul of the city. Millions of people all over the world were glued to their screens, many in tears.
The then-president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, said the basilica was a “world treasure. Noble in architecture and art, it has long been a symbol of the transcendent human spirit as well as our longing for God.”
Within hours after the fire was contained, donors pledged almost $1 billion to restore the Parisian icon to its former glory. But it has been a long and busy five years — and a budget of $760 million — that has led to the restoration and reopening of the beloved cathedral.
It was a Monday, 6:30 p.m. local Paris time when stunned passersby looked on from Parisian bridges as the fire engulfed the spire and most of Notre Dame’s roof.
It was no ordinary Monday, however. It was Holy Week.
“Catholics should be commemorating Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection in its pews at Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday services. Instead, a massive inferno is threatening to destroy the culturally and religiously significant icon for good,” USA Today wrote as Catholics and non-Catholics around the world held their breath.
“I asked Jesus, whom I believe to be truly present in the Blessed Sacrament, to fight the flames and preserve this building, which is like a jewel box dedicated to His mother.”
FATHER JEAN-MARC FOURNIER
Chaplain to the Paris Fire Brigade
The cathedral burned until the next morning, Tuesday, April 16.
Europeans woke up to a painful hole in place of the cathedral’s spire and images of its devastated interior, with one heartbreaking picture going viral: ashes still smoking as sunbeams shone through the collapsed roof, spotlighting the rubble that used to be the main altar.
Paris’ fire brigade got the blaze under control, and the main structure — including the bell towers and rose windows — was saved. No one was injured, and the Catholic relics housed in the cathedral and priceless works of art were rescued.
Father Jean-Marc Fournier was a close witness to the moment the fire began to attack the north tower. As chaplain to the Paris fire department, he was on the scene, wearing his firefighting uniform and taking part in the massive operation with the 600 firefighters mobilized.
With the help of a team of colleagues, he had taken Jesus’ Crown of Thorns to safety — a relic particularly dear to his heart and one of Notre Dame’s most valuable treasures. As a member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, he felt an urgency to ensure its protection.
Father Fournier said.
“There was the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle of the high altar, but it was absolutely impossible to reach it! There were blazing infernos on the floor in front, with tangles of beams burning, showers of flames and molten lead falling from the
“After the Crown of Thorns, I helped save a number of works of art, paintings ... and altar furnishings, and then I became concerned with the Blessed Sacrament,”
roof. It was a furnace,” he said.
“Surprisingly, the statue of the Virgin Mary of the Pillar was immaculate, unharmed in this glowing atmosphere,” Father Fournier said.
There was a second reserve of consecrated hosts at the altar of St. George, one of the chapels around the choir, Father Fournier recalled. “There, on the contrary, there was a great silence, a great tranquility and an astonishing freshness. We found the keys, and I retrieved the Blessed Sacrament.”
“I then thought of blessing the cathedral with the Eucharist,” Father Fournier recounted.
“It was an act of faith. I asked Jesus, whom I believe to be truly present in the Blessed Sacrament, to fight the flames and preserve this building, which is like a jewel box dedicated to His mother,” he said.
The 40-foot metal cross, designed in the 19th century — along with its spire — by the architect restoring Notre Dame at the time, Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, is the only element of the choir roof to have survived the 2019 fire. It had fallen to the ground when the roof frame collapsed but was not badly damaged.
Agnès Poirier, the Parisian author of “Notre Dame: The Soul of France,” said, “To think that Our Lady may completely disappear from our view and our lives was simply unimaginable. What was impossible for us to process was that with Notre Dame on fire, we were watching history burning. Our common history. Closely connected, of course, to the history of France, Notre Dame’s universalism, however, speaks to the whole of humanity.”
PARIS (OSV News) — In a much anticipated moment, for the first time in more than five years, the eight bells of the north tower of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris rang out again on Nov. 8.
“It is a beautiful, important and symbolic step,” said Philippe Jost, head of the team overviewing the cathedral’s restoration, cited in the French Catholic newspaper “La Croix.”
In fact, sounds are an inseparable part of Notre Dame’s beauty. Victor Hugo, a French literary giant who helped bring attention to a crumbling Notre Dame Cathedral in the 19th century with “NotreDame de Paris 1482” — restyled as “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” — wrote that the cathedral acoustics and sound were “fraught with such benediction and such majesty, that they soothed this ailing soul.”
This is precisely what Henri Chalet, a qualified organist and director of the prestigious La Maîtrise Notre-Dame de Paris choir since 2014, was longing to see, or rather hear, again.
The Maîtrise choir that “found itself orphaned” after the devastating April 15, 2019, fire returned to Paris’ cathedral on Dec. 7, after five years of work on the cathedral’s restoration.
For eight days, Paris’ famous musicians will be mobilized for a packed schedule of ceremonies, including a special concert on Dec. 17 and 18, featuring Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Magnificat.”
Chalet is putting the finishing touches to an exceptionally rich program for the year 2025, which he describes as “historic,” featuring internationally renowned musicians and soloists. Guest musicians will include American cellist Yo-Yo Ma, born to Chinese parents in Paris, who will play March 25. He will perform Bach’s six cello suites and three motets specially composed for Notre Dame’s reopening by the
For its five years of reconstruction, Notre Dame was sealed off from the public, with tourists patiently viewing the front towers of the cathedral from wooden risers installed in front of it.
The risers are placed not far from the place where Philippe Villeneuve, Notre Dame’s chief architect, found the copper rooster, usually perched atop the spire, that was feared lost on April 15. However, at dawn on April 16, Villeneuve found the battered rooster lying in the gutter of Rue du Cloître-Notre-Dame, a street along the cathedral square. Relics of Paris’ patron, St. Genevieve, were found intact inside.
After five years of intense work and installation of a new rooster — one he designed himself — on top of the new
young French composer Lise Borel and based on prayers by St. Francis of Assisi.
The concert program will cover 1,000 years of repertoire, from medieval Gregorian to contemporary creations,” Chalet said. Traditional iconic works will also be presented, such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “Requiem,” Bach’s “St. John Passion” and another “Requiem” by Gabriel Fauré.
“We are all looking forward to this particular period with great emotion,” Chalet said. “The Maîtrise is 850 years old, just like the cathedral itself. Notre Dame was the birthplace of polyphonic singing and rhythmic writing. We are bound to its history.”
Thirty years ago, the Maîtrise Notre Dame received a new impetus, thanks to the collaboration of the state, the church and the city of Paris. The blue alb worn today by Notre Dame choristers, in reference to the Virgin Mary, dates from the 1990s.
Today, the Maîtrise has returned to a level of excellence and is one of France’s leading vocal and choral training centers. It brings together 150 student choristers — the youngest being merely 5 years old — divided into four choirs.
Also joining the Maîtrise choir during the reopening celebrations will be a choir formed from dozens of people who helped rebuild the cathedral itself. A crew of architects, engineers, stonemasons, archaeologists, art historians and conservators formed the Notre Dame Companions choir just over two years ago.
Organizers said it felt natural. On Dec. 11, the choir will perform a rendition of French composer Gabriel Fauré’s “Cantique de Jean Racine,” or “Chant by Jean Racine.” †
spire, Villeneuve emphasized that this magnificent project was made possible by the international outpouring of generosity and donations that followed the fire.
“I would never have imagined that Notre Dame could have aroused such emotion throughout the world, during and after the fire,” he said.“It was astonishing.”
Those involved in the reconstruction emphasize that many American donors generously supported Notre Dame’s rebuilding.
“Notre Dame shows France’s influence in the world and its extraordinary heritage,” he said. “But the fire was not just a national issue. Notre Dame is also a UNESCO World Heritage site, and during
the fire, we really felt that it was humanity that was seeing its heritage disappear.”
Villeneuve said every person working in the reconstruction had a symbolic task of passing on their knowledge and work to future generations.
Highly skilled carpenters from four different companies were working together to rebuild the spire before the December reopening — with the new construction, identical to the destroyed one, unveiled in March. Workers were chosen from companies that followed a strict ethical code and were skilled in sacred art restoration.
“What has moved me so much over
BY JAMES RAMOS Texas Catholic Herald
HOUSTON — Everyone who has visited Notre-Dame de Paris remembers the moment they walked into the hallowed basilica.
Now, thanks to a special immersive exhibit of meticulously crafted projects of Notre Dame at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH), Catholics and non-Catholics alike have the chance to view the iconic church up close and in Houston.
Commemorating the historic Dec. 8 reopening of the Parisian church, Ars Electronica, in partnership with French start-ups Iconem and Histovery, developed an experience that brings visitors into a virtual 3-D model of Notre Dame. The presentation uses point cloud data compiled by the late Belgian art historian and Vassar College professor Andrew Tallon, who created 3-D laser scans of the cathedral in 2010 that proved instrumental in guiding the cathedral’s reconstruction as well as additional scans and 3-D material by Histovery.
The Notre Dame immersive experience is on view at the Cullinan Hall in the Caroline Wiess Law Building of the Museum of Fine Arts located at 1001 Bissonnett St. in Houston, now through Jan. 5, 2025.
The virtual installation by the Ars Electronica Futurelab recreates the experience of being in the medieval
cathedral’s majestic space while revealing the extraordinary achievement of those engaged in Notre Dame’s five-year restoration: a team of nearly 2,000, both on-site and in workshops across France, including conservators, carpenters, glassmakers, locksmiths, engineers and scaffolding experts. The presentation showcases the legendary architectural features of the cathedral, including its famed stained-glass windows, as well as the role of technology in preserving and sharing humanity’s cultural heritage.
“It is difficult to exaggerate the
role Notre Dame plays in the public imagination, from its iconic architecture, emblematic of the Northern Gothic style, to its magnificent stained-glass rose windows,” said Gary Tinterow, MFAH director, and Margaret Alkek Williams, museum chair. “When the fire erupted five years ago, millions of people around the world grieved the loss of a monument that had personal significance to each of them. Happily, the cathedral has been restored, and now Houstonians will be among the first to experience the reconstructed building that rose from the ashes.”
The exhibit’s projections surround visitors across three monumental walls. The animated, 14-minute presentation replicates the experience of approaching the cathedral from its plaza as light shifts from daytime to dusk to evening, with views of its façade on three sides, entering the nave, illuminated by candlelight, and
MIRACLE, from page 9
the years is precisely the joy that has animated all those involved in the project since the day after the fire,” Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris said.
“All the trades worked together, craftsmen, artists ... believers and nonbelievers alike. Competing companies joined forces. ... Nowadays, every time I visit the site or meet those working on the liturgical furniture, sound and lighting, I witness this joy,” he said.
Architect Villeneuve, like hundreds of professionals working on the cathedral’s reconstruction, didn’t treat the cathedral’s reconstruction merely as a work project. He described the cathedral as if it were a human being. “I would like to give people something that will touch them,”he said.“I would like to help Notre Dame Cathedral speak to people as best as it can.”
Notre Dame’s reopening will include “six months of celebration and praise,” Archbishop Ulrich said in a Feb. 2 letter.
The archbishop announced that “this celebration of the reopening of Notre Dame deserves an octave: from Dec. 8 to 15, every day, we will have a solemn celebration with a particular theme.” But the festive “reopening” time will last until June 8, when Pentecost falls in 2025.
The reopening celebration began Dec. 7, with representatives of the French state, which owns the cathedral, officially handing Notre Dame over to the archbishop of Paris — “the assignee which is the Catholic Church.” The event included the “awakening of the organ,”
Notre Dame Cathedral: An Immersive Experience Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Caroline Wiess Law Building - Cullinan Hall 1001 Bissonnet St., Houston
Open through Jan. 5, 2025
Tickets and info: MFAH.org
viewing the stained-glass windows. That sequence is followed by visuals of the overnight fire and its aftermath.
The final sequence shows the cathedral’s newly reconstructed spire, topped with a cross and a golden rooster. The rooster, which was thought to have been lost when the spire collapsed in the fire, was discovered intact in the rubble and is now on display in the Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine museum in Paris.
In its place atop the spire is a reproduction of the original sculpture, including relics from the original rooster in the 19th century, which have been transferred to the new one. The rooster is a national emblem of France and a symbol of Christianity; this new figure, with its flame-like wings, was intended to recall a phoenix, with its associations of rebirth, renewal and hope.
MFAH members and all access tickets include same-day admission to the Notre Dame exhibition, as well as other special exhibitions and the MFAH Permanent Collections. Admission to the Notre Dame exhibition is free on Thursdays with a Permanent Collections ticket. The museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Tickets range from $10 to $24, with a senior discount available. For more information on tickets and locations, visit mfah.org. †
restored since the fire, followed by a “liturgical celebration with blessing, a Magnificat or a ‘Te Deum,’ then vespers.”
The first Mass was celebrated in Notre Dame Sunday, Dec. 8, the day when the new altar was consecrated, highlighting the celebrative week.
The bronze altar, with a flared shape reminiscent of a cup, was designed by Guillaume Bardet. Based south of Lyon, Bardet was chosen from among 70 proposals. He was in charge of the other pieces of furniture, baptistery, ambo, pulpit and tabernacle.
The Feast of the Immaculate Conception was celebrated in the reopened cathedral Dec. 9, a day later than the actual feast.
“My very deep desire is to be able to welcome visitors,” the cathedral’s rectorarchpriest, Father Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, said. “Notre Dame is a place of worship that welcomes 15 million people every year. As a priest, I seek, above all, to enable these people to encounter Christ. This can be done through the witness of faith, which is the Masses celebrated as visitors continue their tour of the cathedral.”
He added, “I would like this reopening to be the occasion of a spiritual awakening for France.”
Archbishop Ulrich said, “Like the Mother of God, the cathedral is not the Light, but it reflects the Light; it is a peaceful and sure sign that the Lord is here, in our lives, that He is present in our world and that He comes to meet each person along the way.” †
Advent is a season of hope, reflection and anticipation — a time for preparing our hearts to welcome Jesus at Christmas. For teens, this season can often get lost in the shuffle of exams, social activities and the lure of holiday distractions.
As adults, we have a unique opportunity to guide them through Advent in ways that deepen their faith while fostering meaningful family connections. We have an opportunity to combine prayerful practices with fun, engaging activities; we can help teens journey toward Christmas with hearts ready to encounter Christ.
One way to connect teens with Advent is to make it tangible, interactive and spiritual:
• Create an Advent Wreath Together: Allow teens to choose the greenery, candles and decorations. Each week, light a new candle and discuss its theme — hope, peace, joy or love — while reflecting on how to live it out. Teens can take turns leading a short prayer and fostering both ownership and spiritual growth.
by
AMY ANN DAVILA
• Build the Nativity Scene Gradually: Instead of setting up the entire manger all at once, add one piece at a time during Advent. For example, place the shepherds early in the season and reflect on their humility and joy in responding to God’s call.
• Plan a Family Adventure with an Advent Twist: Take teens on a walk or outing to where they can reflect on the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem. Use the time to discuss their current faith journey. Pair the outing with hot cocoa or festive treats to create a joyful, memorable experience.
• Daily or Weekly Reflections: Invite teens to write in a journal or share during family discussions what they’re grateful for or how they see God working in their lives. Ask reflective
“Advent is a season of hope, reflection and anticipation — a time for preparing our hearts to welcome Jesus at Christmas.”
questions like, “How can I prepare my heart for Jesus this week?” or “Where do I see hope in my life?”
• Dedicated Family Prayer Time: Set aside a specific evening for prayer, reading Scripture and reflecting on the meaning of Advent. Play soft music, light the Advent wreath and invite teens to share their thoughts or intentions.
• Create Handmade Christmas Cards: Make and decorate cards for family members and friends in celebration of Christmas. Include a Scripture verse or
personal prayer in each card.
• Faith Focus Series/Movie Night: Watch a faith-filled movie or series together. After the movie or at mealtime, discuss its message and how it connects to Advent and anticipation for Christmas. Advent invites all of us to prepare our hearts for Jesus. As you journey with teens, take time to reflect on how you can model faith, patience and joy during this season.
Consider these two reflection questions: How can I create space for quiet reflection amid the busyness? What is one way I can help teens experience the deeper meaning of Advent this year? By blending meaningful traditions with spiritual reflection, you can help teens embrace the beauty of Advent and carry its lessons into their celebration of Christmas and beyond. †
Amy Ann Davila is an associate director with the Office of Adolescent Catechesis and Evangelization.
Growing up in Mexico City, it was exciting when Dec. 16 came around, the beginning of “posadas and piñatas season,” or the novena to Christmas, if we want to be more exact. Yes, the posadas are a great example of the living or experiential form of catechesis that evangelizers from Spain used to convert and catechize the natives in the valley of Mexico.
After the initial rejection of Christianity (that was transformed into openness by the apparition in the same valley of our Lady of Guadalupe), the missionaries had to figure out ways to evangelize and catechize the large native population that flocked to the Catholic faith after the apparitions. It could not simply be through verbal communication as the missionaries and the natives spoke very different languages and came from very different cultures, but out of the inculturation of the Catholic beliefs into the native culture, the posadas came to be.
Posada is the Spanish name for an “inn,” and the posadas accompany Mary and Joseph as they try to find a place for Mary to rest and give birth to our Savior. While in the Gospel narratives, they are rejected and alone, in a posada celebration, the “pilgrims” are not alone on their journey (the community
by MIGUEL
surrounds them and carries them), and they are ultimately given shelter at the home of a member of the community. In a posada celebration, Mary and Joseph are welcomed into the community, and they become a part of the community, one with it.
The breaking of the “piñata” is also full of symbols. First, the original design is the pot with seven “horns” attached and decorated with flashy and attractive colors. It is a symbol of evil and its seven deadly sins, which often appear to us as harmless and fun.
The people of the community, starting with the younger ones, take turns to fight against it with eyes covered (which symbolizes faith) guided only by the voices of the rest of the community that try to guide you through your journey of faith, armed with a stick, which represents virtue.
Fighting against evil takes everyone; it takes several tries by different members of the community. Evil gradually weakens until it is finally
shattered into pieces, and, as a result, goodness, grace and joy are showered on the community who, unlike the people in the Gospel narratives, welcomed Mary, Joseph and Jesus with open arms. I can tell you the novena of posadas before Christmas makes for a very joyful Advent.
As I come across piñatas in the shape of superheroes and popular fictional characters, I hope that we may rediscover the creative, experiential and enculturating power of posadas and piñatas. During my ministry at St.
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Ambrose, we made it a tradition that every faith formation group would decorate and break their own piñata every year. It was a challenge, and it took a lot of collaboration to keep everyone safe, but I can report that it made for a joyful and full of expectation Advent season. †
Miguel A. Vences is an associate director with the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis.
‘May God help us’
LONDON (OSV News) — Catholic bishops in England have decried a vote for assisted suicide, with one saying it represented a “dark day” in the history of the country.
Members of Parliament voted by 330 to 275 for the “Terminally Ill (End of Life) Bill,” which will permit doctor-assisted deaths for adult patients deemed to have less than six months to live. Although the bill must pass through several stages in both Houses of Parliament in London, the Nov. 29 vote in the House of Commons means that it is extremely likely that the bill will pass into law.
Following the vote, Bishop Philip Egan of Portsmouth said that he expected the outcome: “It leaves me sad as it will put an intolerable pressure on the elderly and the terminally ill and undermine the trust normally placed in doctors and carers.”
“I fear, too, the ever-growing expansion of eligibility to other categories of people. Britain has now crossed a line: things will not be the same again. May God help us,” Bishop Egan said.
Bishop Mark Davies of Shrewsbury, who issued a pastoral letter in September urging Catholics to campaign against the bill, also expressed disappointment: “It is a dark day for our country when the
Christian witness to genuine compassion and the value of human life is more needed than ever.”
Auxiliary Bishop John Sherrington of Westminster, the lead bishop for life issues of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, issued a press statement on behalf of all of the bishops in which he described the bill as “flawed in principle.”
The bishops said: “We ask the Catholic community to pray that members of Parliament will have the wisdom to reject this bill at a later stage in its progress.
“We are particularly concerned with clauses in the bill that prevent doctors from properly exercising conscientious objection, provide inadequate protection to hospices and care homes that do not wish to participate in assisted suicide and allow doctors to initiate conversations about assisted suicide,” they said.
“We ask that these voices be heard in the next stages of the bill to strengthen the deep concerns about this proposed legislation.”
The bill allows medical practitioners to assist in the suicides with the approval of two doctors and a High Court judge. It will be sent to Committee Stage for scrutiny and amendments before it goes to a vote in the House of Lords, Britain’s second political chamber.
It was introduced by Labour Member of Parliament Kim Leadbeater and was supported by Prime Minister Keir
Protestors hold signs outside Parliament as British lawmakers debate the assisted dying law in London on Nov. 29. Britain’s lawmakers voted on Nov. 29 to legalize assisted suicide for the terminally ill in England and Wales, despite opposition from Britain’s Catholic bishops and other faith groups.
Starmer and the majority of government ministers. Opening a five-hour debate, Leadbeater said her bill would bring “choice, autonomy and dignity” at the end of life.
She said: “We should all have the right to make the choices and decisions we want about our own bodies,” adding that “we are talking about giving dying people a choice of how to die.”
Conservative MP Danny Kruger warned politicians, however, that the bill could lead to the assisted suicides of people with a range of illnesses or disabilities.
“All that someone needs to do to qualify for an assisted death — for the definition of terminal illness — is refuse treatment, such as insulin if the person is diabetic,” he said.
“In the case of eating disorders ... a person just needs to refuse food. The evidence from jurisdictions around the world, and our own jurisprudence, shows that that would be enough to qualify someone for an assisted death,” Kruger said.
A previous bill on assisted suicide was defeated by 330 votes to 118 in Britain’s lower House of Commons in September 2015, while an August survey highlighted public fear the practice could be encouraged to ease pressures in the National Health Service.
Seven European countries — Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland — currently permit assisted suicide. Austria, Finland and Norway allow passive euthanasia under strict circumstances.
Responding to the Nov. 29 vote, Andrea Williams, chief executive of Christian Concern, a British advocacy group, said the vote represented “a very Black Friday for the vulnerable in this country.”
“But this is not over,” she said in a press statement. “The proposals in this dangerous bill have been completely exposed … it must be stopped.” †
In a continuing effort to provide pastoral care to victims of sexual abuse by clergy or Church personnel, Daniel Cardinal DiNardo would like to remind the faithful of the Archdiocese of the availability of the Victims Assistance Coordinator. Anyone who has been the victim of sexual abuse by clergy or Church personnel is encouraged to call Diane Vines at 713654-5799. Please keep in daily prayers the healing of victims of abuse and all who suffer in any way.
MALVERN, Pa. (OSV News) — More than a million people descended upon Logan Circle on a beautiful autumn day in Center City Philadelphia Oct. 3, 1979, for a Mass celebrated by St. John Paul II, the Polish cardinal who had been elected pope less than a year earlier.
At the center of it all, above a covered fountain on the city’s Eakins Oval, the pope celebrated Mass on an expansive altar in the shadow of an enormous 34-foot-tall white cross.
In the days after the papal visit, the cross, a symbol of one of the greatest Catholic gatherings in North America at that time, was taken to the outskirts of the city, where it was erected on the grounds of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary. It has been on display at the busy intersection of Lancaster and City Avenues for the last 45 years.
Earlier this year, St. Charles Seminary moved to another part of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and the seminary grounds were sold. Fast forward to Nov. 11, another beautiful weather day in the Philadelphia area, and the newly refurbished cross was unveiled at its new place of honor at Malvern Retreat House, where Father Douglas McKay offered prayers for a gathering of about
100 people. The formal rededication of the statue is scheduled for June at a Mass to be celebrated by Philadelphia Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez.
Father McKay, the current rector at the retreat house, was a seminarian in 1979 and was chosen to be a cross-bearer at the Mass with the pontiff.
“The cross is the most precious image that we have because it’s a symbol of the paschal mystery of Jesus,” said Father McKay, ordained for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in 1982. “The life, the death and the resurrection of Jesus. It’s so Eucharistic. And the Holy Father, John Paul II, was so Eucharistic. He was so contemplative.”
Of course, it’s the type of service a person never forgets.
“The privilege of being the cross bearer Oct. 3, 1979,” he said, “standing next to the Holy Father as he celebrated the Mass. … That’s what it all means to me. It’s all about the paschal mystery. Life, death and resurrection, coming home to God where we all belong.”
The cross was moved to the grounds of the retreat house, where a team of craftsmen painstakingly restored it for permanent installation on the 125-acre campus. †
Cuando era niño en la Ciudad de México era emocionante cuando llegaba el 16 de diciembre, porque marca el comienzo de la temporada de posadas y piñatas o, si queremos ser más precisos, la novena de Navidad. Las posadas son un gran ejemplo del tipo de catequesis viviente que los evangelizadores de España usaron para convertir y catequizar a los nativos del valle de México.
Después que los indígenas rechazaron originalmente cristianismo (que luego se transformó en apertura por la aparición en ese mismo valle de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe), los misioneros tuvieron que encontrar la mejor manera de evangelizar y catequizar a la numerosa población nativa que acudía a la fe católica después de las apariciones. No podía ser solamente por medio de comunicación verbal ya que los misioneros y los nativos hablaban lenguas muy diferentes y tenían culturas muy distintas, las
por MIGUEL VENCES
posadas surgieron por lo tanto de la inculturación de las creencias católicas en la cultura indígena. En las posadas acompañamos a María y a José en su búsqueda de un lugar en que María pueda reposar y dar a luz a nuestro Salvador. En el relato de los evangelios, María y José encuentran rechazo y está solos; en la celebración de las posadas, los “peregrinos” no están solos en ese viaje (la comunidad los rodea y los apoya) y a la larga reciben albergue en la casa de un miembro de la comunidad. En la celebración de una posada, la comunidad acoge a María y a José y ellos pasan a ser parte de la misma. Hay mucho simbolismo también en la
CNS PHOTO
Los niños intentan golpear una piñata en una parroquia de Nueva York. Una "posada" es una celebración navideña tradicional mexicana que comienza con un recuento de la historia de la búsqueda de refugio de María y José y generalmente concluye con comida, bebida y una piñata para los niños.
ruptura de la piñata. Primero, el diseño original de la piñata es una olla con siete “cuernos”, decorados de colores llamativos y atractivos. Es un símbolo del mal y los siete pecados capitales, que a menudo nos parecen inofensivos y hasta divertidos. La gente de la comunidad, empezando por los más jóvenes, se turnan para luchar contra la piñata con los ojos cubiertos (lo que es un símbolo de la fe) armados con un palo, que representa la virtud, guiados solo por las voces de los miembros de la comunidad que tratan de guiarnos en nuestra jornada de fe.
Luchar contra el mal nos involucra a todos; lleva varios intentos de distintos miembros de la comunidad. El mal se va debilitando y eventualmente se hace pedazos y, como resultado, el bien, la gracia y la alegría se derraman sobre la comunidad que, al contrario del pueblo de las narrativas evangélicas, acoge a María, José y Jesús con los brazos abiertos. Les garantizo que la novena de posadas de Navidad hace el Adviento una temporada jubilosa.
Cuando veo piñatas en forma de super héroes y personajes populares, confío en que podremos redescubrir el poder creativo, experiencial, y de inculturación de las posadas y piñatas.
Durante mi ministerio en San Ambrosio, empezamos la tradición de que todos los años, cada grupo de formación en la fe tenía que decorar y romper su propia piñata. Fue un reto y llevó mucho esfuerzo y colaboración para que nadie se hiciera daño, pero puedo decirles que eran Advientos alegres y llenos de esperanza. †
Miguel A. Vences es director asociado de la Oficina de Evangelización y Catequesis.
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INDIANAPOLIS (OSV News) — Mary with the Christ Child has long been an iconic Christmas image for cultures and peoples around the world.
Starting more than 60 years ago, the U.S. Postal Service began annually issuing Christmas stamps featuring various classic artistic portrayals of the image.
This year, the USPS selected a painting that has been in the collection of the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields in Indianapolis since 1938 as the image for this stamp.
The “Madonna and Child” was created in the workshop of the Italian artist Giovanni Battista Salvi da Sassoferrato in the 17th century.
Belinda Tate, the Melvin and Bren Simon director of the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields, said she and the staff were “deeply honored” by having one of its paintings chosen for a Christmas stamp this year.
“This selection brings a beloved piece from our collection to a broad audience, allowing us to celebrate its beauty, historical significance and the spirit of the season,”Tate added.
A broad audience indeed. The USPS has produced 210 million stamps featuring this painting.
This is the first time that a work from the Indianapolis Museum of Art has been featured on a USPS Christmas stamp.
In seeking possible images for one of its 2024 Christmas stamps, the USPS requested in February 2023 a highresolution digital image of the museum’s “Madonna and Child.”
for
wasn’t on my radar for schools.”
But Marian’s track and field team was recruiting her to come to Indianapolis.
“One of their recruiting points was, ‘Hey, we know that you’re interested in art and working in a museum. We have a museum down the road. Maybe that would come in handy someday,’” Miller recalled. “Then, years later, here I am working as an intern in its science lab.”
Little did Miller know that she would contribute to a project that would lead to hundreds of millions of people seeing a classic image of Mary and the Christ Child.
“It’s hard to process how big this project is,” Miller said. “The stamp is going to be seen around the world. This is something that I will forever, in some way, have my name attached to. It’s honestly kind of mind-blowing.”
work on the painting, which has not been publicly displayed since 1987. The museum now will have it on display until Jan. 31.
Varnish on the painting and materials used in a repair made decades ago had darkened over time.
The process the postal service uses to select images for its holiday stamps is confidential, and leaders at the museum didn’t know that its painting had been selected until the postal service’s public announcement regarding the stamps in August.
But aware that the USPS was interested in one of its paintings led the museum earlier this year to conduct conservation
A-I – SUITABLE FOR ALL
• The Wild Robot (PG)
A-II – SUITABLE FOR OLDER CHILDREN
• Lost on a Mountain in Maine (PG)
• Moana 2 (PG)
• Piece by Piece (PG)
• The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (PG)
• The Carpenter (PG-13)
Roxy Sperber, Clowes conservator of paintings at the museum, described how the varnish “was masking the quality of the painting technique and the beautiful vibrant colors that Sassoferrato used.”
“These colors, particularly the ultramarine blue, were incredibly expensive, and the artist would have spent a lot of money making sure he and his workshop used the most vibrant, luxurious colors for this painting,”
Sperber said. “It was only during the conservation treatment that we were able to identify this pigment, offering greater dimension to the story of the painting. To show this work with a discolored layer that masks the vibrant colors takes away from that interesting story and from the visitor’s appreciation of the artist’s skill.”
A student at Marian University in
Indianapolis with a love of art and knowledge of chemistry contributed to the conservation work done on this painting that shares with viewers a classic portrayal of an image at the heart of the Christian faith.
In an internship that began at the Indianapolis Museum of Art in May, Marian senior Allie Miller analyzed the pigments used in the painting and the ingredients of its varnish.
As a chemistry major and an art studio minor, she was glad for the opportunity to work at the museum.
“I walked into the internship just wanting to get any experience I could get,” she said in an interview with The Criterion, Indianapolis’ archdiocesan newspaper. “I wasn’t sure exactly what I would be doing.”
The idea that she might do work at the museum dates back to when she was a high school student in Kalamazoo, Michigan. At the time, she said, “Marian
As a Protestant studying at a Catholic university in Indianapolis, Miller also appreciated that she was able to work on an image expressive of the Christian faith.
“It adds an extra level of power with it being such a recognizable image,” she said. “Whether you’re Catholic or Christian, it is an across-the-board image that we can all recognize. This is a stamp that will be nationwide. You’re spreading the message even further. That’s an extra bonus to the project.”
The work also had a personal effect on Miller.
She noted that other versions of the “Madonna and Child” produced in Sassaferrato’s workshop portray Mary as looking down at Christ’s child. But the one at the Indianapolis Museum of Art used on the Christmas stamp shows her looking forward.
“She is looking at us, the viewer,” Miller said. “It feels like you’re going to inherently have a connection with her.” †
• Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin. (PG-13)
• Here (PG-13)
• Red One (PG-13)
• Trap (PG-13)
• Wicked (PG) A-III – ADULTS AND ADOLESCENTS
• Venom: The Last Dance (PG-13) L – LIMITED MATURE AUDIENCE
• Conclave (PG)
• Gladiator II (R)
• Heretic (R)
• Saturday Night (R)
O – MORALLY OFFENSIVE
• Smile 2 (R)
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DEC. 14
DAY OF REFLECTION, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., St. Angela Merici (9009 Sienna Ranch Rd., Missouri City). “Journey to Bethlehem: According To Thy Will” day of reflection with Kathleen Messina, director of the Spiritual Direction Institute at the Emmaus Spirituality Center. Free, registration requested. stamericigh.com; 281-778-0400.
DEC. 16
ADVENT SEAFARERS MASS, 9:30 a.m., St. Mary’s Seminary Chapel (9845 Memorial Dr., Houston). Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston Council of Catholic Women hosts an Advent Mass and luncheon with Daniel Cardinal DiNardo to honor, thank and promote the Seafarers Port Ministry for the Archdiocese. ghcw.org; ghaccwboard@gmail.com.
DEC. 20
LIVE NATIVITY, 3 to 9 p.m., Sacred Heart (109 N Frazier St., Conroe). Live nativity outside the church at Frazier and FM 2854 with animals, prayer, Posada, music, light refreshments and children’s activities. The nativity will move indoors in the event of rain. Cost: Free. the99SH@gmail.com.
FREE CONCERT, 6 p.m., Shrine of the True Cross (300 FM 517 Rd. E., Dickinson). Free Steven Termini concert with Jeffrey Ragsdale and James “Joey” Martel followed by a reception. info@truecrosschurch.org; truecrosschurch.org.
JAN. 8, 2025
ADORATION HOUR, 7 to 8 p.m., Sacred Heart (507 S 4th St., Richmond). Vocation Adoration Hour on the first Wednesday of the month to pray for vocations. Sacraments of Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick are also offered.
JAN. 10-12, 2025
CATHOLIC MEN’S RETREAT, Friday 6 p.m. to Sunday 12:30 p.m., Holy Name Passionist Retreat Center (430 Bunker Hill Rd., Houston). Threeday retreat includes Mass, Reconciliation, conferences and prayer. Open to parish groups, father/sons (16+) and individuals. Cost: $265. registrar.holyname@passionist.org.
JAN. 17-19, 2025
CATHOLIC MEN’S RETREAT, Friday 6 p.m. to Sunday 12:30 p.m., Holy Name Passionist Retreat Center (430 Bunker Hill Rd., Houston). Threeday retreat includes Mass, Reconciliation, conferences and prayer. Open to parish groups, father/sons (16+) and individuals. Cost: $265. registrar.holyname@passionist.org.
JAN. 18, 2025
EUCHARISTIC CONFERENCE, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Prince of Peace (19222 Tomball Pkwy., Houston). A bilingual conference focused on being sent for the Eucharistic Revival “Year of Mission.” Daniel Cardinal DiNardo will celebrate the Opening Mass. Keynotes by Bishop Brendan J. Cahill of Victoria and Father Victor Perez of Houston. Includes breakout sessions. Cost: $15-$20 includes breakfast and lunch. Early registration through Jan. 5. 832-808-7060; SENT@ pophouston.org; pophouston.org/sent.
JAN. 20, 2025
HUMAN TRAFFICKING NIGHT OF AWARENESS, 6 p.m., Christ the Redeemer (11507 Huffmeister Rd., Houston). Faith-based national non-profit Street Grace will teach how to recognize warning signs of child sexual abuse and exploitation, report suspicious activity and get involved. Local law enforcement and House representative will update on progress being made at the Capitol. 281-469-5533; kerry.chu@ ctrcc.com; ctrcc.com.
JAN. 24-26, 2025
CATHOLIC MEN’S RETREAT, Friday 6 p.m. to Sunday 12:30 p.m., Holy Name Passionist Retreat Center (430 Bunker Hill Rd., Houston). Threeday retreat includes Mass, Reconciliation, conferences and time for prayer. Open to parish groups, father/sons (16+) and individuals. Cost: $265. registrar.holyname@ passionist.org.
JAN. 29-FEB. 1, 2025
GARAGE SALE, Jan. 29 (4 to 7 p.m., $25 admission), and Jan. 30 to Feb. 1 (8 a.m. to 4 p.m., free admission). St. Ignatius of Loyola (7810 Cypresswood Dr., Spring). Sales of furniture, household items, clothing, jewelry, baby items, toys, books and other items benefit the St. Ignatius Outreach Ministry. Rain or shine. y. garagesale@silcc.org. Cost: $25 for the pre-sale Wednesday, Jan. 29; GarageSale@silcc.org; silcc.org/yearly-projects.
JAN. 31-FEB. 2, 2025
AA (ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS) MEN’S RETREAT, Friday 6 p.m. to Sunday 12:30 p.m., Holy Name
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Passionist Retreat Center (430 Bunker Hill Rd., Houston). Three-day 12-Step study weekend for those working 12-step programs, providing an opportunity to grow spiritually and participate with others. Cost: $265, or $250 for 65 and older. registrar.holyname@passionist.org.
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