The Gift of the Magi "The Gift of the Magi" is a short story by American writer O. Henry, first published in 1905. The story tells of a young husband and wife and how they deal with the challenge of buying secret Christmas gifts for each other with very little money. As a sentimental story with a moral lesson about gift-giving, it has been popular for adaptation, especially for presentation at Christmas time. The plot and its twist ending are well known; the ending is generally considered an example of cosmic irony. The story was allegedly written at Pete's Tavern on Irving Place in New York City. The story was initially published in The New York Sunday World under the title "Gifts of the Magi" on December 10, 1905. It was first published in book form in the O. Henry collection The Four Million in April 1906. youtube.com/watch?v=eEYKlV0vkIs
NY Times: Russia Sends Naval Vessel to Escort Oil Tanker U.S. Is Pursuing The development deepens the confrontation over the tanker formerly known as the Bella 1, which the United States wants to seize but which Russia has sought to protect. nytimes.com/2026/01/06/world/americas/russia- … The oil tanker Bella 1 at the Singapore Strait in March. Russia has dispatched at least one naval vessel to meet and escort the tanker, which the U.S. military has been pursuing and trying to seize. Russia has dispatched at least one naval vessel to meet and escort an oil tanker that the U.S. military has been pursuing and trying to seize, according to a U.S. official briefed on the operation who requested anonymity to discuss a sensitive matter. The development deepens the confrontation between the two countries over the tanker, known until recently as the Bella 1 and now called the Marinera. The United States has been chasing the tanker for weeks after it tried to evade a partial blockade around …More
In order that all the faithful every where might be moved to honour the Sacred Heart of Mary, Pope Pius VII at the prayer of many bishops and priests, by Rescripts given from the Segretaria of the Memorials, Aug 18 1807, Feb 1, 1816 and Sept 26, 1817, granted: The indulgence of sixty days, once a day, to all who say devoutly the following prayer with the act of praise to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary; and The plenary indulgence to those who say it every day for a year, on each of the following three feasts of our Lady: The Nativity, Assumption, and her Immaculate Heart provided that, after Confession and Communion, they visit a church or altar dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, and pray there according to the Pope's intention. Lastly, he granted The plenary indulgence at the hour of death to all who in life shall not omit to say this prayer. The Prayer Heart of Mary, Mother of God, our Mother, Heart most amiable, on which the Adorable Trinity ever looks with complacency, worthy of …More
More than 30 priests from the Diocese of Charlotte have formally appealed to the Vatican with a series of questions concerning recent liturgical directives issued by their bishop, including the prohibition of altar rails and kneelers during Communion. The questions, known as dubia, were submitted in a letter to the Dicastery for Legislative Texts on Jan. 5.
31 priests of the Diocese of Charlotte have formally challenged recent liturgical directives issued by Bishop Michael Martin, submitting Dubia to of all places the Vatican. The Substack.com account The Pillar reports that the priests’ letter to the Dicastery for Legislative Texts was sent on January 5. It questions whether the bishop has the authority to mandate the removal and prohibition of kneelers for Communion. This a policy was announced in a “pastoral” letter by Bishop Martin on December 17. Temporary kneeling fixtures are required to be removed by Jan. 16. Thirty-one priests are about a quarter of the diocesan presbyterate. They argue that kneeling for Communion is explicitly permitted by the General Instruction of the Roman Missal and part of the traditional liturgical practice of the Church. Furthermore, the Dubia question Bishop Martin’s authority to prohibit certain vestments, liturgical prayers, gestures, and elements associated with the Mass of the Roman rite but …More
Jan. 7 Saint Raymond Of Peñafort. breski1 | January 07, 2010 Saint Raymond of Penyafort, O.P. (c. 1175 – 6 January 1275) (Catalan: Sant Ramon de Penyafort, Spanish: San Raimundo de Peñafort ) is a Dominican friar who compiled the Decretals of Gregory IX, a collection of canon laws that remained part of church law until the Code of Canon Law was promulgated in 1917. He is the patron saint of canon lawyers, specifically, and lawyers.
Lusaka, 05 January, 2026 / 2:58 pm (ACI Africa). Members of the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) have condemned what they describe as an attack against their colleague, Archbishop Alick Banda, and the entire Church in the southern African country, following a “money-laundering” probe initiated against the Bishop. Archbishop Banda was reportedly summoned to appear before the Anti-Money Laundering Investigations Unit of Zambia’s Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) on Monday, January 5. The Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lusaka is linked with investigations into allegations that he received a vehicle from the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA), which allegedly auctioned several vehicles without following the law. In a statement that was circulated on Sunday, January 4, the Bishops say that Archbishop Banda received the summons on 31 December 2025. In the statement, the Bishops affirmed their solidarity with the Archbishop of Lusaka and all Catholics in Zambia amid …
Fr. James Altman joins John-Henry Westen to expose what he calls a deliberate campaign to weaken Catholic truth from within. He describes his “exile” as a warning to other priests, enforced through silence and fear, and explains how his new books aim to fortify faithful Catholics with Scripture and timeless doctrine. The conversation also addresses the Vatican’s rejection of Marian titles like Co-Redemptrix, liberal bishops prioritizing illegal immigration over reverent liturgy, and attempts to form a “one-world religion.” Altman blasts these moves as spiritual sabotage, “rat poison” meant to erode doctrine subtly over time. Source: Fr. Altman: The PLOT to REPLACE the Catholic …
A celebration was held in Palermo to seal the shrines containing the bodies of the two holy friars who lived in Palermo in the 15th and 16th centuries. The occasion once again highlights the commitment, duty, and urgency of rebuilding the church, which was almost completely destroyed, to the attention of the community and institutions. The convent, located at the foot of Mount Grifone and fortunately spared from the flames, will once again house the holy relics of Saint Benedict the Moor and Blessed Matthew of Agrigento, which were also damaged in the terrible fire two years ago. The mortal remains will once again be available for veneration by the faithful every day from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm. "I still remember that fiery July a couple of years ago," commented the Archbishop of Palermo, Monsignor Corrado Lorefice, "but I have always told people that our duty is to remain holy in the faith because, even if we were unable to have their bodies returned in their …More
Palermo: Recuperate due Importanti Reliquie Sicilia 242 - Sicilia 24 TV Beato Matteo Guimerà di Agrigento Vescovo Festa: 7 gennaio Agrigento, 1377 - Palermo, 7 gennaio 1450 Nacquead Agrigento dalla famiglia Guimeráverso il 1377e ancor giovane entrò tra i Frati Minori. Fu amico e compagno di san Bernardino da Siena. Aderìal movimento di riforma dell’Osservanza che diffuse principalmente in Sicilia, dove fondò parecchi conventi. Predicò per tutta Italia, raccogliendo copiosi frutti e acquistandosi fama disantità per l’esemplarità della vita e il dono dei miracoli. Nominato vescovo di Agrigento, per leaspre opposizioni incontrate tra il clero e la nobiltà, tre anni dopo rinunciò all’ufficio e si ritirò nel convento di Santa Maria di Gesù a Palermo. Morì il 7 gennaio 1450.Fu beatificato da Clemente XIII il 22 febbraio 1767. Etimologia: Matteo = uomo di Dio, dall'ebraico Martirologio Romano: A Palermo, transito del beato Matteo Guimerá, vescovo di Agrigento, dell’Ordine dei Minori …More
Other groups shown with high welfare participation rates include households from Bhutan, Yemen, Afghanistan, Iraq, and several African, Middle Eastern, and Caribbean nations. President Donald Trumpshared a chart on social media this week showing welfare usage rates among immigrant households in the United States. The chart, titled “Immigrant Welfare Recipient Rates by Country of Origin,” lists the percentage of immigrant households receiving public assistance, broken down by country or region of birth. According to the data shown, approximately 72 percent of Somali-born households in the US receive some form of government welfare, placing Somalia among the highest-listed countries on the chart. Other groups shown with high welfare participation rates include households from Bhutan, Yemen, Afghanistan, Iraq, and several African, Middle Eastern, and Caribbean nations, with many exceeding 50 percent. The chart also includes regional groupings labeled “not specified,” which similarly show …
Praying for Venezuela: Pope, Bishops Call for Peace as Maduro Faces Court in New York Pope Leo XIV urges Venezuelans to pray for peace after Nicolás Maduro's U.S. arrest and court appearance in New York. currentsnews
The president reportedly declined to install opposition leader María Corina Machado as head of the country because she didn’t turn the prize down. “If she had turned it down and said, ‘I can’t accept it because it’s Donald Trump’s,’ she’d be the president of Venezuela today,” the newspaper’s sources said.
The Swiss federal government announced on Monday that it has frozen “any assets held in Switzerland by Nicolás Maduro and other persons associated with him, with immediate effect.” Maduro was taken into custody by the U.S. military on Saturday to face narco-terrorism and weapons charges. The Federal Council, which is the seven-member cabinet that serves jointly as head of state for Switzerland, said it was acting quickly to “prevent an outflow of assets.” “The asset freeze does not affect members of the current Venezuelan government,” the statement noted. “Should future legal proceedings reveal that the funds were illicitly acquired, Switzerland will endeavor to ensure that they benefit the Venezuelan people,” the statement added. The asset freeze will remain in effect for four years, or “until further notice.” The Federal Council noted that Monday’s asset freezes were in addition to those imposed in 2018 to bring Switzerland into alignment with the European Union’s position …
Martirio Sor Lindalva. VicentinasCaliColombia Fecha de beatificación: 2 de diciembre de 2007 por el Papa Benedicto XVI. Memoria litúrgica: 7 de enero Breve Biografía Lindalva Justo de Oliveira nació 20 de octubre de 1953 en Sitio Malhada da Areia, en una zona muy pobre de Río Grande del Norte, Brasil. El padre de Lindalva, João Justo da Fé, un granjero viudo. Su segundo matrimonio fue con María Lúcia de Oliveira. La pequeña Lindalva fue la sexta de 13 niños nacido a la pareja. Lindalva fue bautizada el 7 de enero de 1954. Su familia no era pudiente, pero era rica en la fe cristiana. João mudó a su familia a Açu para que sus niños pudieran asistir a la escuela, y después de muchos sacrificios él consiguió comprar una casa donde la familia reside todavía hoy. Siguiendo el buen ejemplo de su madre, Lindalva demostró una inclinación natural hacia los niños más pobres y compartió mucho tiempo con ellos. A edad 12, Lindalva recibió su Primera Comunión, y durante sus años escolares …More
San Raimundo de Peñafort, religioso presbítero(2 coms.)- Memoria litúrgica San Raimundo de Peñafort, presbítero de la Orden de Predicadores, eximio maestro en derecho canónico, que escribió de modo muy acertado sobre el sacramento de la Penitencia. Elegido maestro general de la Orden, preparó la redacción de las nuevas Constituciones, y tras llegar a edad muy avanzada, se durmió en el Señor en la ciudad de Barcelona, en España. († 1275) San Polieucto de Melitene, mártir(2 coms.) En Melitene, ciudad de la antigua Armenia, san Polieucto, mártir, que, siendo soldado, a raíz del decreto del emperador Decio que obligaba a sacrificar a los dioses, rompió los ídolos, por lo cual fue cruelmente martirizado y, finalmente, decapitado, recibiendo así el bautismo con su propia sangre. († c. 250) San Luciano de Antioquía, presbítero y mártir En la ciudad de Nicomedia, en Bitinia, pasión de san Luciano, presbítero de la Iglesia de Antioquía y mártir, el cual, ilustre por su doctrina y …More
More human beings died from abortions than any other cause of death in 2025. A heartbreaking reminder about the prevalence of abortion, statistics compiled by Worldometers indicate that there were over 73 million abortions world-wide in 2025. The independent site collects data from governments and other organizations and then reports the data each day, along with estimates and projections, based on those numbers. Worldometers bases its daily abortion figures on a May 2024 fact sheet from the World Health Organization, which estimates a tragically high number of babies killed in abortions. “Around 73 million induced abortions take place worldwide each year,” the WHO says. Abortion is also the leading cause of death in the United States. “In the USA, where nearly 30% of pregnancies are unintended and 40% of these are terminated by abortion, there are between 1,500 to 2,500 abortions per day. Nearly 20% of all pregnancies in the USA (excluding miscarriages) end in abortion. Guttmacher …
On January 2, during the neoconservative conference SEEK 2026 in Columbus, Ohio, students packed a talk by Jesuit Robert Spitzer about three Eucharistic miracles. Buenos Aires, Argentina (1996) Fr. Spitzer described how a discarded consecrated host, placed in water to dissolve according to Church protocol, failed to decompose and instead developed tissue with characteristics of human cardiac muscle. Scientific analysis approved by then-Archbishop Jorge Mario Bergoglio identified the tissue as heart muscle from the left ventricle containing living white blood cells. Subsequent blind testing by forensic pathologist Dr. Frederick Zugibe confirmed the findings, which Spitzer said were scientifically inexplicable. Tixtla, Mexico (2006) In Tixtla, a consecrated host was reported to bleed during Mass. Investigations found living human cardiac tissue embedded in the host, producing fresh blood and displaying active immune responses. Fr. Spitzer noted that follow-up examinations years later …More