Intermittent electricity and air raid sirens cannot and should not stop Ukrainians from celebrating the birth of Jesus, said Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk of Kyiv-Halych, head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church.

The day after Christmas the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr, which emphasizes how the story of Jesus’ birth is not a “fairy tale,” but a call to live as witnesses of the Gospel, Pope Francis said.

We can see the passing years and decades as simply growing older. Or we can see the passing years and decades as growing toward eternity.

Twenty years later, at their assembly in Baltimore Nov. 14-17, the bishops acknowledged the charter’s anniversary and said that they have made steps in addressing clergy sexual abuse and would continue to listen, care for and walk with survivors.

Nearly 1,000 archdiocesan employees, clergy, parishioners and community members (some unaffiliated with the church) have gone through Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training offered as part of the Mental Wellness Initiative launched by Archbishop William E. Lori about a year ago.