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Bishop Alberto Rojas of San Bernardino, Calif., the main celebrant, distributes Communion to a detainee during a Mass on the grounds of the ICE Processing Center near Adelanto, Calif., Dec. 10, 2025. Attendees said the Mass, which took place in the Mojave Desert, was deeply emotional for both the bishops and the roughly 300 detainees present.

California bishops celebrate ‘very powerful’ Mass for detainees in ICE facility

December 19, 2025
A group of seven California bishops celebrated Mass at the ICE Processing Center outside the town of Adelanto in the Mojave Desert on December 10, providing communion to the roughly 300 detainees present.
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Pope Benedict XVI acknowledges pilgrims during his general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Nov. 4, 2009. Pope Benedict died Dec. 31, 2022, at the age of 95 in his residence at the Vatican. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

Pope Benedict’s funeral will respect his wishes to be simple

January 1, 2023
In accordance with Pope Benedict XVI's wishes, his funeral and moments of prayer surrounding it will be simple, according to the Vatican press office.
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Retired Pope Benedict XVI's final message to Catholics around the world was: "Stand firm in the faith! Do not let yourselves be confused!"

Pope Benedict’s spiritual testament: ‘Stand firm in the faith’

December 31, 2022
Retired Pope Benedict XVI's final message to Catholics around the world was: "Stand firm in the faith! Do not let yourselves be confused!"
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Pope Benedict XVI greets the crowd as he leaves his final general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Feb. 27, 2013. The pope emeritus died Dec. 31, 2022 at 95. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

Pope Benedict XVI Dies; Funeral To Be Jan. 5 In St. Peter’s Square

December 31, 2022
Retired Pope Benedict XVI, who had an impressive record as a teacher and defender of the basics of Catholic faith, is likely to go down in history books as the first pope in almost 600 years to resign.
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Supreme Court keeps Title 42 restriction on border entry in place for now

December 29, 2022
WASHINGTON (CNS) — In an end-of-the year decision, the Supreme Court said Dec. 27 that a federal public health rule that allows immigration officials at the border to quickly turn away migrants seeking asylum could stay in place while legal ...
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Pope Francis says retired Pope Benedict is ‘very sick’ 

December 28, 2022
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Saying that retired Pope Benedict XVI was “very sick,” Pope Francis asked people to offer special prayers for him. “I would like to ask all of you for a special prayer for emeritus Pope Benedict,” Pope ...
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The Silent Night Chapel, which is in the town of Oberndorf in the Austrian state of Salzburg, is a monument to the Christmas carol "Silent Night." The chapel stands on the site of the former St. Nikola Church, where on Christmas Eve in 1818 the carol was performed for the first time. (CNS photo/courtesy www.stillenacht.com)

Chapel memorializing ‘Silent Night’ continues to draw tourists

December 23, 2022
The Christmas song "Stille Nacht" ("Silent Night") may have put the town of Oberndorf, Austria, on the map, but it's the chapel memorializing the beloved carol that is the town's main attraction.
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