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It was only 10 days before Christmas and I had not yet had an opportunity to take a photo for our annual Christmas card, which always featured my son in a themed photo. This year he had wanted to be a king for Halloween so I had made him a costume that was quite magnificent with a silver and royal blue velvet crown and a cape to match. I decided that I would take his photo with our nativity scene in the background. Today I dressed him in his costume and set up the nativity figures and then realized that we needed a “gift.” Scrambling to find something resembling gold, frankincense or myrrh, I dug out an old silver jewelry box tarnished with age and shined it up just enough for the photo. It might have anything in it, that wasn’t important, it looked regal. I took a dozen photos and headed for the computer to look at them and get the card made up.

As the 100th anniversary of the birth of the late Father Patrick Peyton nears, Holy Cross Family Ministries in Easton, Mass., is conducting a year-long celebration of the anniversary with the theme “Honor his memory. Continue his mission,” and urging families to remember his cause for beatification.

The following parishes are celebrating anniversaries of 125, 150 and 175 years in 2009.

Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien

Our country is faced with a crisis that’s affecting people of every race, and religion. Whether they are Catholics or not, they are human beings made in the image of God. If you consider yourself a true Catholic or a concerned individual, I suggest you turn your attention to our brothers and sisters who are homeless and hungry. I would like to suggest that we put our negative comments on hold, and turn our attention to those in need of food, clothing and shelter. If you are unable to assist with a donation your prayers are just as powerful. To my Catholic sisters and brothers if you read about the need (CR, Dec. 4), you may find some way of showing your love and concern. I would like to leave this thought with you: Together we stand, divided we fall.

WASHINGTON – The number of Catholic members of Congress is slowly creeping higher, but the Catholic contingent, like the full Congress itself, has taken a decided turn toward the Democratic Party.

A few years ago, two medical displays were featured in Minnesota’s Mall of America on the same day.

SAN FRANCISCO – A one-hour television Christmas special set at the Porziuncola Chapel Shrine at the National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi in San Francisco was taped Dec. 9 and 10 and was to be distributed to ABC affiliates nationally for broadcast at their discretion Christmas Eve, Dec. 24.

WASHINGTON – A U.S. watchdog group monitoring international religious freedom said Iraq should be named one of the world’s worst violators of religious freedom.

No matter how many words are awkwardly assembled, or how many wishful wands of “Catholicism Lite” are waved about, the Obama position on abortion is simply, undeniably, genocide of the unborn helpless, the least among us.

VATICAN CITY – A Vatican spokesman said the Catholic Church is clearly against considering homosexuality a crime, but is wary of international declarations that use the issue to promote a political agenda based on sexual orientation.