Marquette Bans Pro-Marriage Prof, Ukraine’s Catholics Going Back Underground? Islamists Warn Indonesian Christians

VATICAN CITY

"Jesus is your best friend"
—Pope Francis (That He is indeed. Thank God for our Lord and Saviour!) 
RADIO VATICANA

 

Pope to New Ambassadors: 
Task of Ambassador, through small steps, is to bring peace 
VATICAN NEWS

 

"You only need a few words to be disciples of Christ, ‘Here I am’" Pope Francis tells Italy’s Catholic youth 
VIS

 

Pope Francis urges Lutherans and Catholics to take further steps towards unity 
RADIO VATICANA

 

How Pope Francis’ diplomacy may change everything, not just US-Cuba relations 
CRUX

 

"Christians can’t ignore differences on life issues" says Pope Francis 
CNS

 

Vatican communications committee advances path of reforms — The Vatican’s committee on communications has finished its third round of visits to Vatican media branches, and will likely discuss the outcomes of the visits in their next meeting, due to take place in January 
CNA

 

"To resist evil we must call it by its name"—Cardinal Mauro Piacenza 
LIFE SITE

 

Pope Francis distributes sleeping bags to Rome’s homeless — Swiss Guards drove a minibus around the city on Wednesday evening, stopping at sites where homeless people are known the gather, handing out the sleeping bags—which were decorated with the papal insignia. Nearly 400 were distributed 
CATHOLIC CULTURE

 

NORTH AMERICA

Jesuit university bans professor from campus after he exposed pro-gay scandal
 — Dr. John McAdams, a professor of political science at Marquette University whose blog posts have brought to light many of the Jesuit University’s actions undermining its Catholic identity, has reportedly been suspended, banned from campus and is now under formal investigation by the administration 
LIFE SITE

 

Sony’s surrender — Sony’s surrender is more than just a humiliating black eye. It opens a new and insidious chapter in artistic censorship that raises the question of whether any work that lampoons or derides a public figure can now be made in today’s industry 
CNN

 

Forget bombs – the Sony hacking is petrifying proof of how the West could be brought to its knees 
DAILY MAIL

 

Massive gas explosion reported south of Texas border 
BREITBART

 

The War on Christmas: The war on Christmas has struck the Hoosier State. The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana is filing a lawsuit over a Nativity scene in the town of Brookeville, about an hour south of Indianapolis 
CBN

 

The Catholic Con Regroups — Promising yet again to “move beyond partisan and ideological divisions,” the George Soros-supported Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good (CACG) has refined its strategies of the past in its attempts to convince Catholic voters that the pro-choice Democratic nominees for public office will do more to reduce the number of abortions than pro-life Republicans will. The group’s main argument supporting this claim is that Democrats will reduce poverty—a major factor in the choice to abort an unborn child (What nonsense!) 
CWR

 

A young New Jersey girl fighting cancer (a stage 4 neuroblastoma) had one wish .. to meet Pope Francis.
On Wednesday that wish came true 
CRUX

 

US-Cuba reconciliation elicits mixed reactions from Hispanic American Christian leaders; Cuba’s human rights problem point of contention 
CHRISTIAN POST

 

Mosquito-virus Chikungunya has infected a million people across Americas and is found in Florida and Texas. No treatment or vaccine yet discovered 
CHRISTIAN POST

 

Catholic higher education being threatened by gay rights advocacy  — Catholic higher education is at considerable risk due to the advance of “sexual radicalism and extreme LGBT advocacy,” argues Robert Oscar Lopez, an English professor at California State University Northridge 
CATHOLIC EDUCATION DAILY

 

Contention surrounds sale of six California Catholic hospitals 
NCR

 

Christians around the world under siege 
CHICAGO SUN TIMES

 

Black churches no longer ground zero for civil rights activism — Fifty years after civil rights movement activists marched across the South, the black church is finding new ways for activism. But often, its clergy admit, they are not the leaders, and their sanctuaries are no longer ground zero for the civil rights movement 
RNS

 

43-year-old Ukrainian bishop visiting Pennsylvania parishes 
PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE

 

US Catholic Filipinos say Pope’s visit to their homeland will bring hope 
CNS

 

LATIN AMERICA

As Cuba and US mend ties will Venezuela follow their lead?
 
MIAMI HERALD

 

ISRAEL

Christmas message from Patriarch of Jerusalem
 
CATHOLIC CULTURE

 

Abbas defends UN Security Council draft resolution: "This is how we end the occupation" (
Unbelievable!) 
JERUSALEM POST

 

Hamas using diverted Gaza reconstruction materials for tunnel reparations 
JERUSALEM POST

 

RUSSIA

Moscow to maintain position on Ukraine despite pressure
 
SPUTNIK

 

Putin’s news conference and what we can learn from it  
BBC

 

Russia is EU’s biggest concern 
RADIO LIBERTY

 

Ukrainian Catholics being driven underground 
CATHOLIC HERALD

 

RECOMMENDED ON ALETEIA

Mark Gordon’s 
"America the Violent" reflects on the recently released Senate report on torture by taking a frank look at what have become "norms" within American society. Mark places an imperative on those of faith to discern a response to violence which is formed in the light of Scripture, saying; "Catholics are supposed to know better. We’re supposed to be followers of Jesus Christ – first, last and always – with every other motivation and loyalty trumped by that inestimable identity." 
ALETEIA

 

John Burger’s article on the 
"Church and Cuba" delivers essential background information important to understanding how the recently declared thawing of relations between the US and Cuba has been achieved. Consistent efforts by the Church, decade-upon-decade, have played no small part in reinforcing the promise which now exists between these (hopefully) former adversaries. John writes; "John Paul urged, 
‘Let Cuba open itself to the world, and let the world open itself to Cuba.’ Immediately after his visit, Archbishop Jorge Bergoglio of Buenos Aires wrote a book on the dialogue between Pope John Paul II and President Fidel Castro. That Archbishop is now Pope Francis." 
ALETEIA

 

BRITAIN & IRELAND

"Three parent family" proposal condemned by Christians — Proposals to make the UK the first country in the world to allow three-parent babies to be born have been strongly criticized by a Christian charity 
CHRISTIAN TODAY

 

Prince Charles quotes from Corinthians as he vows to "Fervently Pray" for persecuted Christians — The Prince has re-stated his ardent support for Christians in the Middle East during a visit to London’s Syriac Orthodox Church 
GOSPEL HERALD

 

"The Church is incomplete without you"—Bishop of Portsmouth 
CATHOLIC HERALD

 

Saying Britain’s food problem is worse than Africa is an exaggeration, says former Archbishop of Canterbury — Lord Carey rejects Justin Welby’s comparison of Britain’s deprived with starving Africans 
DAILY TELEGRAPH

 

Midnight Mass: 
The ritual under threat from anti-social behavior and a drastic shortage of priests 
THE TABLET

 

Archbishop of Liverpool talks about plans for his diocese, views on the synod and run-ins with Rome 
THE TABLET

 

"The revolutionary nature of the gospel message must be heard this Christmas"—Archbishop of Wales 
WALES ONLINE

 

Widowed former teacher laying on Christmas lunch for 50 strangers so they won’t be alone over festive season (
Inspiring. Well done Betty!) 
DAILY MAIL

 

Joint Christmas message from the Archbishops of Armagh in Ireland 
ICBC

 

Joint Christmas message from the Bishops of Derry in Ireland 
ICBC

 

Gay Catholics pray 2015 will be the year of the welcome 
IRISH TIMES

 

Gay ordination protest group formed in Scotland — "The hope is that the Covenant Fellowship, which begins today as a protest against the approval of the ordination of homosexual priests, will grow to become an effective campaign group within the Church on behalf of those who believe in Christian orthodoxy." (May God be with you in your fight to uphold Scriptural values!) 
COS

 

AFRICA

Boko Haram kills 35 and kidnaps 100 villagers in latest attack 
BBC

 

Sierra Leone’s leading doctor dies of Ebola 
REUTERS

 

Catholics reach out to Muslim ex-rebels in Central African Republic 
CNA

 

Corrupt officials in Ethiopia plant false evidence to ensnare recently converted Chris
tians 
ICC

 

South Sudan in turmoil – Bishop of Juba 
CATHOLIC HERALD

 

MIDDLE EAST

Unceasing ISIS atrocities demands stronger response from Christians — Religious and political leaders are calling for a stronger response from the international and Christian communities regarding the atrocities committed by Islamic State terrorists and the growing persecution of Christians who have lived in the Middle East for thousands of years. According to Patriarch Louis Sako, the head of the Chaldean Catholic Church, the current US-led coalition of airstrikes, which began in August, have done little to stop the radical Muslim group 
GOSPEL HERALD

 

Ancient Iraqi monastery now serving as ISIS prison 
CATHOLIC CULTURE

 

ASIA, PACIFIC & AUSTRALIA

"Taliban will stop at nothing now"—Archbishop of Karachi  
CATHOLIC CULTURE

Dalits in India have urged the Vatican to excommunicate Catholics who continue to treat them as “untouchables” 
THE HINDU

 

Christians not in favor of anti-conversion law — Archbishop Anil Couto has said that the Christian community does not support anti-conversion legislation and has called the campaign  a “threat” to peace and harmony 
INDIAN EXPRESS

 

Cardinal Ranjith talks about the Pope, politics and Sri Lanka 
UCA

 

Catholic priest seriously injured in Goa, India 
INDIA TIMES

 

Peshawar massacre nurse says she is haunted by memory of children slaughtered by Taliban death squad and reveals her colleagues were so traumatized they were unable to comfort grieving mothers 
DAILY MAIL

 

Indonesia: Islamist radicals have attacked Christians and non-Christians in Java warning them not to wear Christian symbols or display any items associated with Christmas 
ICC

 

Priest’s Facebook plea saves woman 
FIJI TIMES

 

Eight children stabbed to death in Australia — Eight children have been found dead in the suburb of Manoora in Cairns, Queensland Police have confirmed 
SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

 

FAMILY MATTERS

The 21st century Gestapo-fringe extremists in the homosexual movement — The Gestapo in Nazi Germany entered Jewish-owned shops to intimidate and demolish them. To do so, they had the full support of the state, the courts and the media to carry out their mission. Today, we are witnessing a similar attempt in Canada, the US and the UK to intimidate and demolish businesses — only this time, it is not Jews who are being persecuted, but Christian men and women (How 
thoroughly refreshing when someone dares to write the truth .. and then publish it! Well done) 
LIFE SITE

 

Unfertilized ovum is not human embryo — European court rules in stem-cell case. The Court of Justice of the European Union has ruled that a corporation can patent human stem cells, provided that they are not derived from an embryo that can develop into a human being 
CATHOLIC CULTURE

 

~ ~ ~

 

ADDITIONAL

Why we’re not impressed with gentleness, but should be
 
CHRISTIANITY

 

Apple not protecting Chinese workforce  — Working over 60 hours a week, not being allowed to take holidays and long night shifts – such are the working conditions inside Apple’s Chinese factory (Is it time to boycott Apple products?) 
LLB

 

The Catholic Weakness — A large proportion of traditional, Mass-going Catholics don’t believe basic Church doctrine. Why not? 
NATIONAL REVIEW

 

Sundar Singh’s Vision of Christ 
CHRISTIANITY