Pope Leo XIV asked Canadian singer Michael Bublé and other artists to do their very best when performing a Christmas concert for the poor.

Human beings are meant to be actively involved in the world of creation, not just passive consumers of content generated by technology, Pope Leo XIV said.

When it’s Christmastime in the city, Christ’s presence can still loom larger than any skyscraper, draw big crowds and applause, and shine brighter than any light.

Speaking in a room adjacent to the exhibit, which will remain open until Feb. 8, the panelists invited American Catholics to see the human dignity of Christians suffering in Iraq and Nigeria. They asked Catholics to pray and remember the persecution that their brothers and sisters face worldwide.

Just about everyone enjoys a Christmas holiday with all the trimmings, including Santa’s ho ho ho and Rudolph’s red nose. But the preparatory time of Advent can serve as an invitation to explore more deeply the true spiritual meaning of the Incarnation and to focus more intently on the virtues that reflection on that mystery should promote.