Making Advent fun and spreading the 'Good News' by our witness! Our online Advent calendar challenges you to do a small, practical act of kindness every day, to share goodwill and make a difference in this season of Advent. Last year, over 13,000 people took part, with over 105,000 challenges accepted. Whether it was the 4,000 people who actively encouraged someone, or the 3,000 contributions to local foodbanks, a massive difference was made. So this year, you could be buying someone flowers, babysitting … or even just giving a smile.

As the Catholic Church prepares for the major feast day, Vatican Radio's Scottish intern Ryan Black reflects on the relationship between the Apostle and Scotland, and speaks with the Vice-Rector of the Pontifical Scots College and the President of the Bishops' Conference of Scotland...

Four years ago, a Sudanese family was separated, after the pregnant wife and her two young children were resettled in the United States, while the husband/father was stuck in a refugee camp. Forth Worth’s Village Church has helped the young mother for years and has advocated for the family to be reunited. This week, their prayers were answered.

The Jesse tree helps us connect the custom of decorating Christmas trees to the events leading to Jesus' birth. The Jesse tree is named from Isaiah 11:1: “A shoot shall come out of the stock of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.” Jesse was the father of King David. We adorn a Jesse tree with illustrated ornaments that represent the people, prophesies, and events leading up to the birth of Jesus. The ornaments of the Jesse tree tell the story of God in the Old Testament, connecting the Advent season with the faithfulness of God across four thousand years of history.

(Vatican Radio) Saint Patrick’s Community is a lay community focused on promoting the Gospel during parish missions in churches and schools throughout Ireland and the United Kingdom. The most famous member of the community is its founder, John Pridmore. He is an ex-gangster from London’s East End and the international best-selling author of From Gangland to Promise Land. After his conversion to Catholicism, he worked with Saint Teresa of Calcutta for a while. In 2008, he spoke at World Youth Day in Syndey. Niall Slattery, who joined the community fourteen years ago, is a former football hooligan from London. He spoke to Vatican Radio’s Ryan Black about his life before the community, about how he became friends with the ex-gangster, and about how the popular parish missions are structured.

Online safety vote in the Commons 28 November – write to your MP CARE is working closely with Claire Perry MP on an amendment to improve child protection measures in the Government’s Digital Economy Bill. Whilst the Bill introduces very welcome age-verification measures to stop children from accessing harmful content online, its excellent intentions are compromised by its very weak enforcement provisions. These completely undermine the ability of the Bill to deliver real child protection. Mrs Perry’s New Clause 1 makes good these failings. Please write to your MP today asking them to vote for Claire Perry’s New Clause 1 on 28 November.

MISERICORDIA ET MISERA is a phrase used by Saint Augustine in recounting the story of Jesus’ meeting with the woman taken in adultery (cf. Jn 8:1-11). It would be difficult to imagine a more beautiful or apt way of expressing the mystery of God’s love when it touches the sinner: “the two of them alone remained: mercy with misery”.[1] What great mercy and divine justice shine forth in this narrative! Its teaching serves not only to throw light on the conclusion of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, but also to point out the path that we are called to follow in the future.

St Margaret's Children and Family Care Society We are committed to delivering a high quality and personalised service to take you through each and every step of your adoption journey. We provide many services in relation to adoption, including the services for those interested in adoption, on-going support and training for adoptive families, as well as services for adopted adults and services for birth parents. We understand that you will have many questions.

This captivating and heart wrenching film is a stark reminder of the Jewish Holocaust and what happens when we fail to take a stand for what we believe in.

Her impact in Scotland led her to being referred to as, "The Pearl of Scotland." She constantly worked to aid the poor Scotland. She encouraged people to live a devout life, grow in prayer, and grow in holiness. She helped to build churches, including the Abbey of Dunfermline, where a relic of the true Cross is kept. She was well-known for her deep life of prayer and piety. She set aside specific times for prayer and to read Scripture. She didn't eat often and slept very little so she would have more time for her devotions. She lived holiness of life as a wife, mother and lay woman; truly in love with Jesus Christ.

Dear brothers and sisters,   Today we gather to close our Holy Door and bring to a conclusion our Year of Mercy.  Pope Francis decreed that our Holy Year of Mercy would end on the Solemnity of Christ King with the closing of the Holy Door in St. Peter’s, Rome.  Today, the preceding Sunday, the Jubilee is brought to a close in all dioceses around the world with Mass celebrated by bishops in their cathedrals.  The Pope encouraged the bishops’ closest collaborators to concelebrate with him and so I am pleased we have our Cathedral Rector, Fr. Oliver Freney, concelebrating with me. 

'Lest we forget...' The services of commemoration give an opportunity for all of us to remember those who sacrificed so much for past and future generations.” The proceedings start on Friday 11 November with the Annual Renfrewshire Children’s Remembrance Service. Children from two Renfrewshire primary schools – Williamsburgh and St John Ogilvie – will join young musicians and military, civic and church representatives for a service in Paisley Abbey at 10.15, followed by the Two Minute Silence at 11am.

November 2016. The Pope Video: That the countries which take in a great number of displaced persons and refugees may find support for their efforts which show solidarity. For the Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network (Apostleship of Prayer - http://www.popesprayer.net).

As Americans go to the polls today, please keep them in your prayers. No matter what your political opinion, they need prayer and support as they face a new chapter in American history.

It was a cold, bright, sunny day and as always the families & friends of those buried in St. Conval's came along to celebrate Holy Mass & pray for their loved ones. We were also blessed to have Bishop Brian McGee visiting from Argyle & Isles who con-celebrated with Bishop John and priests from both Paisley & Glasgow diocese.

As we approach the closing of the Jubilee Year of Mercy on the 12th November, we would like to invite you to join in a 9 day novena, to Jesus the Divine Mercy, beginning this Friday 4th November.

Providing hopeful accompaniment for the human journey. Dying well, or what constitutes a 'good' death will mean different things to us all. Our understanding is informed by a multitude of influences drawn from our individual journeys through life. But there are many universal questions.

Are you using the power God has given us to free souls from Purgatory? We are not left simply to mourn the dead though – together with Jesus who wept at the death of His friend Lazarus – we do that; we are not simply left to remember and cherish them, though that is most fitting. We are able to embrace them in love and aid and even accompany them on their journey home. Pray for the dead every day; this great power has been given to you. 2 Maccabees 41:45 All then blessed the ways of the Lord, the upright judge who brings hidden things to light...For had he not expected the fallen to rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead, whereas if he had in view the splendid recompense reserved for those who make a pious end, the thought was holy and devout. Hence, he had this expiatory sacrifice offered for the dead, so that they might be released from their sin.