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The Apostolic Nuncio in Nigeria has lauded the evangelization efforts of the missionaries who laid the strong foundation upon which the faith of the people of God in the country’s Catholic Diocese of Umuahia continues to thrive.
In 1531 a "Lady from Heaven" appeared to Saint Juan Diego, a poor Indian from Tepeyac, a hill northwest of Mexico City. She identified herself as the Mother of the True God and instructed him to have the bishop build a church on the site. As a sign for the bishop, she left an image of herself imprinted miraculously on his tilma, a poor quality cactus-cloth. The tilma should have deteriorated within 20 years but shows no sign of decay after over 470 years. To this day it defies all scientific explanations of its origin.
Members of the Pious Society of the Daughters of St. Paul (FSP/Pauline Sisters) in Africa are organizing their first-ever children’s literary event as they seek to nurture knowledge and foster a love for reading among children.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria has commended the country’s security agencies for the rescue of 100 children of the 303 individuals who were abducted on November 21 from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri community in Nigeria’s Niger State, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to ensuring the safety of all kidnapped persons across the country.
Faith actors in Africa have been challenged to use their voices to champion aligning “spiritual values with scientific solutions” to safeguard the future of clean energy on the world’s second-largest continent.
The Bishop of Kenya’s Catholic Diocese of Ngong has urged the faithful under his pastoral care to harness the available modern tools of communication to evangelize and reach more people who may not be accessible through traditional evangelization methods with the Gospel message.
Pope Leo XIV on Dec. 11 emphasized the academic, cultural, and ecclesial value of archaeology and called for the promotion of “cultural diplomacy.”
The National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) in Malawi has welcomed his Vatican appointment as the National Delegate for World Children’s Day (WCD) 2026, noting that his nomination is good news for the Church in the Southern African nation, especially for children.
The Bishop of Kenya’s Catholic Diocese of Bungoma has called on Kenyans to be “pilgrims of hope” through responsibility and dependability in their families, villages, Small Christian Communities (SCCs), and the wider Church. In his Wednesday, December 10 homily at the closing of the Misikhu Deanery Church’s Jubilee year celebrations, Bishop Mark Kadima Wamukoya noted that true Christian hope is made visible through action despite the challenges. “We should be people who are responsible in our work.We must carry out our responsibility if you want to be a person who brings hope to others.That you fulfill your work without thinking that there is something else that will make you fail to work. Sometimes there is hunger, or other challenges, even if people are not good, you fulfil your work,” Bishop Kadima said at the closing Jubilee Year mass, which was held at Misikhu Parish in his Episcopal see. “That is hope: do your work without complaining that you are tired, it is far, you have not eaten, people are difficult,” he added. Bishop Kadima urged the faithful to entrust their struggles, including sickness and other difficulties, to God, assuring them that “He is there all the time.” The Bishop encouraged Kenyans to be fully present in their duties for hope to take root, saying, “ Be there at your work, at your duty, at your responsibility.” He noted that challenges are normal in life, urging people to embrace them at all times because “There is no place where everything is perfect.” “There will be no day when you will not be sick, or you will not be discouraged, or you will have everything. Continue working hard; do not lose the desire to work. That is what brings hope,” he said. Bishop Kadima also emphasized dependability as a key pillar of hope in the Christian community, urging the faithful to support one another consistently, both in good and bad times. “Carry the burdens of others; be there to carry your brother’s or sister’s load; that is what brings hope. Be a dependable person. There are people you live with who, when you lose your job, disappear,” he said. The Catholic Bishop cautioned against behaviors that undermine hope and trust, calling on the people of God to remain true to one another in all circumstances. “Be a person who can be relied on in good and in bad. Continue carrying the burden so that friendship does not end because there is no payment. We should not be calculating people. Be depended on at all times, people who can be trusted, who can be relied on. Some people have too much lying, too much gossip, quarrels, you cannot be relied on. You destroy hope,” he said.
Saint Damasus was born in Rome at the beginning of the fourth century. His father, a widower, had received Holy Orders there and served as parish priest in the church of St. Laurence.
Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto in Nigeria has expressed regret that his position on the anguish of Christians in the West African nation has been misinterpreted.
Leaders of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost Fathers/Spiritans/CSSp.) have witnessed firsthand a community defined not by conflict and hardship, but by remarkable resilience, unwavering faith, and an enduring hope for a better future during their just concluded canonical visit to South Sudan.
Members of the Congregation of the Missionaries of Mariannhill (CMM) and the Missionary Sisters of the Precious Blood (CPS) have been urged to press on with the Beatification process of their founder, Abbot Franz Pfanner, who left a lasting legacy in Southern Africa.
Mozambique’s former President has welcomed the visit of the Vatican Secretary of State to Cabo Delgado Province, praising the Catholic Church as “irreplaceable” in advancing peace, social justice, and reconciliation in the country.
The red-covered Pontifical Yearbook — known in Italian as the “Annuario Pontificio” — is an important reference updated every year.
The Coordinator of the Oblates’ Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) ministry in Kenya has appealed for ecological education for young people, saying it is essential if the Church is to partner with the next generation in protecting the environment.
A faith leader in Kenya has highlighted the environmental risks of deep-sea mining, urging action and prayers to halt the practice even as debates about it continue.
Pope Leo XIV spoke about Christ's promise of eternal life during his Wednesday general audience in St. Peter's Square on Dec. 10.
President Donald Trump is crafting a sanctions plan to pressure the Nigerian government amid ongoing Christian persecution, according to a member of Congress.
St. Eulalia descended from one of the most prominent families in Spain in 290 AD. She was educated in the Christian religion and was taught the sentiments of perfect piety. From her infancy she distinguished herself by an admirable sweetness of temper, modesty and devotion.