The gospel is more recipe than record. The only way you know that you have received the gift of Christmas is to live in love.

Here’s a rundown of some of the issues the pope tried to keep at the forefront of the news in 2021 and articles about them you may have missed.

The pope’s talk was aimed at promoting a synodal culture, rooted in humility, at the heart of the central government of the church.

The 75-year-old Canadian Jesuit will replace Cardinal Peter Turkson on an interim basis.

Our Dispatches contributors were kind enough to share some thoughts on what stories are likely to be important in 2022 as we cross off, in some relief, the concluding days of 2021.

In an inversion of the typical Yuletide tale, characters who have much less than the McCallisters generously provide them with assistance.

I wanted children to hear the story of the nativity through the eyes of a child, not the experience of an adult. And so the character of Leah began to take flight in my imagination; I wanted my young readers to see the first Christmas through her eyes.

Christmas is a season of blessing. So do not put away the carols (or the lights) until you have to.

A Reflection for the Thursday of the Fourth Week of Advent

“It’s a Wonderful Life” is the Gospel transposed onto celluloid. The message is the same in both.