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Local
By Special To The Catholic Herald
A combined choir of 60, including representatives from the children’s choir, presented the annual Lessons and Carols program at St. Mark Church in Vienna Dec. 13. The choir was directed by Laura Cooman, director of liturgy and music, and accompanied by Mark Brown and Nancy Novelly, former director. Lessons and Carols date to the late […]
National
By Kate Quiñones
When a seminarian was injured while playing basketball in 2017, he had no idea it would one day contribute to the cause for canonization of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati. Father Juan Gutierrez, 38, then a seminarian at St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo, Calif., got an MRI and soon learned he had torn his Achilles tendon. […]
Local
Bishop Michael F. Burbidge has appointed three new members of the diocesan Catholic Charities board of directors. The new members are: Andy Colón, a parishioner of Holy Family Church in Woodbridge and an attorney with experience in strategic planning, risk management and governance related issues; Patricia “Trish” McQuillen, a parishioner of St. James Church in […]
Local
By Jim Hale
Father Richard A. Miserendino had a problem. As chaplain of Catholic Campus Ministry at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, he noticed that no students were coming to see him at 10 a.m. So, he decided to go see them. “Basically, I pop down at the campus coffee shop a few days each week […]
Global
Pope Francis
By Carol Glatz
VATICAN CITY — On Pope Francis’ 88th birthday, two major newspapers on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean published two different excerpts from his new book on hope. The New York Times published the pope’s words on the importance of humor as a “guest essay” in its opinion section, while Italy’s Corriere della Sera ran, […]
Local
By Jim Hale
Alexander Hoffarth wasn’t prepared when Father Donald J. Planty, pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Church in Arlington, asked him to be an usher in 2020. “I viewed it as something that old people do,” Hoffarth said. But he said yes and was in for a big surprise. “It became such a joy,” said Hoffarth. “There’s […]
Local
National
By Matt McDonald
Author and Catholic convert Lee Edwards, one of the foremost historians of the conservative movement in America, died Dec. 12. He was 92. Edwards co-founded the Victims of Communism Memorial in Washington, authorized by Congress in 1993 and completed in 2007. He was a distinguished fellow of conservative thought at the Heritage Foundation for about […]
National
By Jonah McKeown
An immersive Catholic-produced audio adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic Christmas novel is climbing the podcast charts. “A Christmas Carol: An Audio Advent Calendar” was produced by The Merry Beggars, a Catholic entertainment company founded in 2019 — and now part of Relevant Radio — that aims to create highly produced, uplifting audio that families can […]
Global
Pope Francis
By Cindy Wooden
ROME — Making his customary visit to the Rome Basilica of St. Mary Major to pray before his trip to the French island of Corsica, Pope Francis also met and prayed with dozens of actors staging a living Nativity scene. For the third year in a row, the basilica and an Italian association that promotes […]
Local
The National Wreaths Across America Day was held Dec. 14 at Historic St. Mary of Sorrows Cemetery in Fairfax, honoring veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. The goal is to make sure no one is forgotten by placing a Christmas wreath on the grave of all war veterans who rest in honor. […]


