Bishop Christian Carlassare of Bentiu delivered an early Christmas message as Advent began on Dec. 1, through which he sought to inspire hope among the people of the world’s youngest nation, who are suffering from conflict and climate change-related disasters, such as flooding.

A commission set up by Pope Francis to study women deacons has voted against the possibility of ordaining women deacons while also supporting more study on the issue.

Churches and temples in Sri Lanka have been turned into emergency relief camps for thousands left stranded by Cyclone Ditwah, which brought heavy rains, flooding and landslides across the island nation.

From August through Nov. 21, youths ages 3 to 10 – sometimes accompanied by younger siblings – gathered every Friday morning for the Wildly Catholic Homeschool Nature Club, a two-and-a-half-hour program created by Brooke Herrera, a pediatric occupational therapist and a parishioner of Sacred Heart in Glyndon.

The Bible clearly tells us that the happily ever after we all long for is a marriage.