All Saints Parish Homilies and News

  Challenges and blessings at the globe’s most northern parish. A Polis h pri est shares the beauty of ministering in Norway, a country where Catholics are a small but diverse fraction of the population and the weather can be a trial. "For me, the synonym for prayer is presence." Published in Aleteia by  Katarzyna Matusz-Braniecka -   published on 12/27/25 Father Rafał Ochojski MSF, a Polish missionary of the Holy Family, has been working in Norway for six years. He’s currently the parish priest of St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Hammerfest, the northernmost Catholic parish in the world. Previously, as he emphasizes, he was a satisfied youth minister, and before that, an equally happy vicar of the Parish of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Złotów, Poland . “You’re alone and far away, it’s dark and cold, there are few people… Why did you choose Norway?,” his friends ask him. He replies: “Twenty years ago, I came to Norway as a deacon. Fr. Wojciech (the ...

 https://julianalheureux.substack.com/p/bienvenue-visit-saint-john-the-baptist Bienvenue! Visit Saint John the Baptist Church in Brunswick A beautiful setting to enjoy meditating on the Christmas religious celebrations. Bienvenue! Visit Saint John the Baptist Church in Brunswick A beautiful setting to enjoy meditating on the Chrismas religious celebrations. Juliana L'Heureux Dec 24, 2025 In Brunswick, one of the most beautiful sanctuaries in Maine’s many churches. Christmas decorations at St. John the Baptist Church, fondly known as “St. John’s” on Pleasant Street in Brunswick, contribute to a perfect setting for the religious celebrations held on Christmas Eve and on Christmas day. St. John’s is one in the cluster of the All Saints Parish churches in the Brunswick, Bath, Boothbay, Richmond, Harpswell and Newcastle communities. (L’Heureux photographs included.) Check the parish website at allsaintsmaine.com. Saint John the Baptist "creche" nativity  An essay published in ...

The hilltop community near Nice has the most festive crèches in France. Lucéram: the French village with hundreds of Christmas nativity scenes. Published in The Connection- French News In English since 2002 by Annaliza Davis In Alpes-Maritimes, 27km north of Nice, the picturesque village of Lucéram appears as a cluster of terracotta-topped houses overlooking the surrounding valley. It is a village perché , a ‘perched’ village, constructed on a high point in a strategic defensive position, similar to several other villages in the Alps. In other aspects, however, it is far from ordinary. Circuit of Christmas scenes:  Despite being home to fewer than 1,300 residents, Lucéram is famous for having more crèches than any other village in the country, and this does not mean children’s nurseries, but Christmas nativity scenes. Christmas nativity scene in Lucéram depicting the birth of Jesus Across France, you will see model replicas of the nativity arranged in churches, schools and public ...

ST MARY'S CATHEDRAL in Sydney, Australia, published in the Australian Jewish News  by Shane Desiatnik Menorah image beamed onto cathedral in solidarity Saint Mary's Cathedral's opening night of Christmas event pivoted into an interfaith vigil for the terror victims. A menorah image projected onto St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney on December 17. Thousands of Sydneysiders of all faiths and walks of life gathered in the St Mary’s Cathedral forecourt on Tuesday evening for the iconic cathedral’s annual ‘Opening Night of Christmas’ event, which fittingly on this occasion, was rededicated to bringing people together in unity, shared grief, and solemn tribute, for the victims of the previous Sunday’s deadly Bondi Beach Chanukah terror attack. After the moving event, the cathedral’s facade was illuminated with an image of a menorah and the message “May their memory be a blessing” – a poignant symbol of solidarity with Sydney’s Jewish community, still reeling from the terror attack...

Canadian singer praises Concert With the Poor as "a beautiful night that brings hope and celebrates humanity." Echo report published in Aleteia by Kathleen Hattrup: Pope Leo attends the Michael Bublé "Birds flying high, you know how I feel!" Michael Bublé began with enthusiasm, as he took the stage in Paul VI Hall, with his famous hit "Feeling Good," as a smiling Pope Leo joined the crowd in warm applause. The Canadian singer was the star performer for the Vatican's 6th Concert With the Poor, an initiative that Leo described as having been "born from the heart of Pope Francis," as the crowd, and perhaps especially the "honored guests" so beloved by Francis, gave long applause. The 8,000 spectators in the Hall included some 3,000 who are supported through various Vatican and other charity initiatives. Bublé was accompanied by the Nova Opera Orchestra and the 200-voice Choir of the Diocese of Rome. Italian actress and singer Serena Au...