Before I was a mother, I thought Christmas countdowns were cute and decorative and fun. Now I think they exist so parents can direct their children to the nearest countdown feature.

Students from Cardinal Shehan School in Baltimore teamed up with students from Al-Rahmah School, an Islamic school in western Baltimore County, to prepare lunches for those in need Dec. 19. (

Archbishop William E. Lori recalled that midnight Mass was the highlight of the family Christmas celebrations. The parish where he grew up had a particularly beautiful choir that helped make the Mass a memorable event, even as a kid.

The D’Orazio family, parishioners of St. Ignatius in Baltimore, see their infant son, Leo, as a gift from God. Leo suffers from a rare condition that is likely to make his earthly life brief.

According to Mike Rallo, director of spiritual life for the Helping Up Mission, a faith-based institution with an approach that seeks to help the whole person, it houses more than 400 men.