Oh My Lord, You sent Your son to save us Oh My Lord, Your very self You gave us Oh My Lord, that sin may not enslave us, and love may reign once more.This on secular radio! I remember a few years ago, one night, on my way home I heard a new Christmas song – I almost had to pull over to really try and understand the lyrics. This is what I heard:
You'd say that today holds something special Something holy and not superficial So here's to the birthday boy who saved our lives It's something we all try to ignore.I later found out this is Taylor Swift’s song, Christmas Must be Something More, a song that very clearly says that Christmas is about the birth of Jesus and is not scared to say the name of Jesus. This on a secular radio station. So – I’m going to be a little less judgmental from now on – if radio stations want to start playing Christmas music before December, that’s OK for me, because, Advent or not, any time is a good time to proclaim the name of Jesus on radio! If Taylor Swift is not scared to proclaim it, neither should we: Christmas is something more!
Deacon Pedro explores the ins and outs of a modern Conclave, and asks, "Where is the Holy Spirit in all this?"
Pope Francis continued his cycle of catechesis on "Jesus Christ our Hope," as part of the Jubilee 2025. This week he reflected on the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus, writing that the Magi "are men who do not stay still but, like the great chosen ones of biblical history, feel the need to move, to go forth. They are men who are able to look beyond themselves, who know how to look upwards."
In his Wednesday General Audience, Pope Francis continued this cycle of catechesis on "Jesus Christ our Hope," as part of the Jubilee 2025. This week he reflected on the birth of Christ and the visit of the shepherds, saying that "God, who comes into history, does not dismantle the structures of the world, but wants to illuminate them and recreate them from within."
For the Jubilee of Hope, there are designated local pilgrimage sites in every country, and Canada is no exception. How is a local pilgrimage site determined? The local bishop can designate any parish, shrine, or basilica in his territory as a Jubilee Year pilgrimage site.
Fashion and clothing designed to draw people closer to God can inspire and even sanctify others. Nate Nagello, the CEO and owner of the Toronto-based Sanctified Collective, hopes the clothing he creates can provide opportunities for conversation, engagement, and evangelization.