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Holy Land: 'Crackdown on civil society is reaching alarming levels'

Olive harvest - Image: OHCHR

The UN human rights office, OHCHR, has condemned an Israeli raid on the Union of Agricultural Work Committees in the occupied West Bank, warning that pressure on Palestinian civil society has reached alarming levels. Israeli security forces raided the organisation's offices in Ramallah and Hebron on 1 December, vandalising property and detaining staff. According to OHCHR, people present in the b... Read More


Newton-le-Willows schools unite for Jubilee pilgrimage

Young Pilgrims of Hope

St Mary's Catholic Infant Academy, St Mary's Catholic Junior Academy, and Hope Academy - all part of All Saints Multi Academy Trust - came together for a special Jubilee pilgrimage on World Children's Day, 20 November. Each academy began its pilgrimage from its own school site around Newton-le-Willows, processing towards St Mary and St John's Catholic Church as a way of living out this year's Jubi... Read More


Stella Maris brings Christmas joy to seafarers and fishers

Chris Reynolds - Image Stella Maris

Christmas can be a challenging time for seafarers. They miss spending this special time of the year with their family. Many struggle to cope with homesickness. Christmas just doesn't feel like Christmas when you're thousands of miles away from home and can't be with the people you love. But seafarers arriving on ships at the ports in the UK are never forgotten, thanks to the port chaplains and ... Read More


US parish places 'ICE was here' sign in crib

St Susanna Parish in Denham, Massachusetts, USA is an active Pax Christi parish. For this year's outdoor Nativity scene, the figurines of the Holy Family are not displayed - instead, the parish placed a sign: "ICE was here." When contacted by a Boston Globe reporter who asked if the photo was authentic and if ICE actually had visited the church, St Susanna's pastor Fr Steve Josomo confirmed the ve... Read More

Gospel in Art: Saint Francis Xavier, Priest

Virgin Mary with Infant Jesus and Her 15 Mysteries, with Ignatius of Loyola and Francis Xavier, by Unknown Japanese artist, 17th C (Azuchi-Momoyama period)  © Kyoto University Museum, Japan

Gospel of 3 December 2025 Mark 16:15-20 At that time: Jesus appeared to the Eleven and he said to them, 'Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will ... Read More


Pope Leo concludes Apostolic Visit to Lebanon

Pope Leo appeals for peace as he concludes Mass at the Beirut Waterfront  (@Vatican Media)

Pope Leo began the last day of his Apostolic Visit to Lebanon on Tuesday with prayers at the site of the catastrophic explosion of 2020 in the Port of Beirut that killed over 200 people, wounded 7,000, and left 300,000 without homes. The Holy Father stood for several minutes before the monument bearing the names of all the victims as the world looked on. He then bent to touch a wreath of red roses... Read More


Lebanon: Pope encourages young people to dream, plan, do good

The huge youth gathering with Pope Leo in Bkerké

More than 13,000 young people gathered in Bkerké on Monday evening for an open-air meeting with Pope Leo. The atmosphere was jubilant. The event began with processions and the testimonies of volunteers and young people, before two more asked the Holy Father questions. In his speech, the Pope began by addressing those present with the "greeting of the Risen Jesus", "assalamu alaikum" - "peace be w... Read More


Lebanon: Pope brings message of peace to meetings with church and interfaith leaders

Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon, Harissa  - Wiki Image

After his visit to the Shrine of St Charbel Makhlouf, Pope Leo on Monday, Pope Leo met with bishops, priests, consecrated men and women, and pastoral workers at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa. From here he went on to Martyr's Square in Beirut for a gathering with Christian and interreligious leaders. In his meeting with bishops, priests, consecrated persons and pastoral workers, the ... Read More


Caritas Australia responds to cyclone and flooding in Sri Lanka

Caritas partners distributing food  in flooded avissawella area. photo: Caritas Ratnapura

Caritas Australia is urgently responding to the devastating impacts of Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka, as part of its Asia Storms Appeal launched in early November to support communities affected by severe storms in the Philippines and Vietnam. Following Cyclone Ditwah making landfall on the 28th of November, Sri Lanka is now experiencing one of its worst weather emergencies in recent years. At l... Read More


Ian Linden: Advent and the baby-moving business

Dr Ian Linden

Britain's markets need the Christian 'big reveal' that began this week with Advent. Without the coming of the Christ-child, most town-centres would be boarded up. The emotional push and pull of Christmas sustains a prodigious expenditure on gifts and food that buffers shops and stores from the consequences of low 'footfall' during the rest of the year. As a prompt to start the buying, the American... Read More


Gaza: Shell-shocked parish prepares for Christmas

First Sunday of Advent Mass © Holy Family Parish

Gaza's Christians are preparing for their first Christmas without conflict for two years - despite widespread damage and devastation. Fr Gabriel Romanelli, the parish priest of Gaza City's Holy Family Church, told Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) that they are doing their best to get ready to celebrate the birth of Christ, but the situation is dire. He said: "The world should know that there are ov... Read More


Let's make Together For Palestine single Christmas Number One

The single's official design by Gazan painter Malak Mattar, additional artwork by Cameron JL West.

The team behind Together For Palestine, the sell-out September 2025 Wembley concert that raised more than £2 million for Gaza, has announced the release of their charity single Lullaby. Released on 12 December, the day the UK's Official Christmas Number 1 race kicks off, supporters can pre-order the song now. Lullaby is a powerful new rendition of the traditional Palestinian folk song Yamma Mweel... Read More


Gospel in Art: Blessed are the eyes that see what you see!

Trust in Jesus, Painting by Yongsung Kim, 2019,  Oil on canvas  © Yongsung Kim, all rights reserved

Gospel of 2 December 2025 Luke 10:21-24 In that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, 'I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Fat... Read More


Nicaragua: Catholic lay leaders moved from prison to house arrest

Carmen María Sáenz Martínez

Roman Catholic lay leaders Carmen María Sáenz Martínez and Lesbia del Socorro Gutiérrez Poveda were released into house arrest in Matagalpa, Nicaragua, after spending nearly 16 months in incommunicado detention, on 29 November. The two women were detained on 10 August 2024. Ms Gutiérrez Poveda, who was 58 years old at the time, was arrested by at least 15 police officers wearing ski masks and... Read More

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