People pray during a Christmas Mass for the homeless in a bus in Nice, France, Dec. 25, 2010. CNS photo/Eric Gaillard, Reuters ...read more

Advent is only four weeks long, but from mid november onwards we are bombarded with Christmas music, Christmas decorations, and Christmas Parties. Despite the commercial packaging those songs, symbols and festivities come in, they are actually rooted in our Christian traditions. Tune in Christmas day for Signs of the Season as we explore the Christian ...read more

The Most Reverend Douglas Crosby, O.M.I., Bishop of Hamilton and President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), has videotaped his message for Christmas and the New Year. Entitled Goodness abounds, Bishop Crosby refers similarly to the theme of mercy which the Church celebrates this month and throughout the coming year as the Extraordinary Jubilee ...read more

Tony Baker and his daughter Mesa take away a Christmas tree from Rum River Tree Farm in Anoka, Minnesota Dec. 8, 2013. CNS photo/Eric Miller, Reuters ...read more

Egyptian Muslims and Christians celebrate Coptic Christmas Eve in Cairo’s Tahrir Square Jan. 6, 2013 CNS photo/Mohamed Abd El Ghany, Reuters ...read more

The statue of Jesus on St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Christmas tree are seen from St. Peter’s Square following a lighting ceremony Dec. 13, 2013. CNS photo/Paul Haring ...read more

Men salute as Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services arrives on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis to visit troops around Christmas in 2011. The archdiocese provides priest chaplains, with the permission of their home dioceses, to minister to the military. The chaplain’s ...read more

Last week we saw that there is a difference between mercy and compassion. Compassion (to suffer with) can be offered to anyone who is suffering. Mercy, on the other hand can only be offered to someone who is guilty and deserves punishment; mercy is offered instead of punishment. Therefore there is a direct connection between ...read more

Church-goers gather outside the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Beijing before Christmas Eve Mass Dec. 24, 2009. CNS photo/David Gray, Reuters ...read more

The late Cardinal Francis George of Chicago gives communion to detainees during Mass at Cook County Department of Corrections, Division 6, a medium-security facility in Chicago on Christmas Day. The cardinal also made a stop at Children’s Memorial Hospital to visit with families and their children who are hospitalized and could not be home for Christmas. ...read more