Beauty Will Save the World; It's Merry Christmas, Not Happy Christmas and Much More!

The Best in Catholic Blogging

“Beauty Will Save the World” – Jason Liske, Ascending Mount Carmel

It’s Merry Christmas, Not Happy Christmas by Matthew Schmitz of the First Things website - Big Pulpit

Pope’s Childhood Christmas Letter to Baby Jesus Published – Catherine Harmon, The CWR Blog

Pope Benedict’s Caveats on Subsidiarity, Charity, and Social Teaching – Dr. Jeff Mirus, Catholic Culture/On the Culture

A Defense of the Traditional Date for Christmas – Dr. Taylor Marshall, Canterbury Tales

Porn Use and Supporting Same-Sex "Marriage" – Mark Regnerus, Public Discourse

Gushing Over the Royal Fetus: Words Matter – Eric Metaxas, LifeSiteNews

The Defense of Marriage Requires Honesty About Homosexuality – Dale O’Leary, Crisis Magazine

Why Do Nice Girls Like Bad Boys? – Kevin O’Brien, Waiting for Godot to Leave

St. Joseph’s Hidden Life is so Eloquent – Fr. James Martin SJ, Catholic Herald

A New Rose Vestment – Shawn Tribe, New Liturgical Movement

Could the Soul “Evolve” from Inferior Animals? – Saint Peter’s List

Christmas as Heavenly Economy – Peter J. Leithart, First Things/On The Square

Religion: Virtue of Temperance – Kaitlin Davis, Ignitum Today

Religion in the National Intelligence Council Report – Mark Movsesian, First Things/First Thoughts

God’s Gift and a Pair of Scissors – Donald R. McClarey, The American Catholic

Green Bay’s Mayor Says Too Many Homeless are Staying at Catholic Shelter – Fr. Z’s Blog

Three Hobbit-Related Book Reviews – Brandon Vogt, BrandonVogt.com

Some Paradoxes of Christmas – Msgr. Charles Pope, Archdiocese of Washington (DC)

Will Russia Come Back to Life? – Steven W. Mosher, Catholic Lane

For the latest on the Best Punditry and Analysis in the Catholic Blogosphere click on Big Pulpit.

Palestinian Christians celebrate Easter Sunday Mass at Holy Family Church in Gaza City on March 31, amid the ongoing battles Israel and the Hamas militant group.

People Explain ‘Why I Go to Mass’

‘Why go to Mass on Sundays? It is not enough to answer that it is a precept of the Church. … We Christians need to participate in Sunday Mass because only with the grace of Jesus, with his living presence in us and among us, can we put into practice his commandment, and thus be his credible witnesses.’ —Pope Francis

Palestinian Christians celebrate Easter Sunday Mass at Holy Family Church in Gaza City on March 31, amid the ongoing battles Israel and the Hamas militant group.

People Explain ‘Why I Go to Mass’

‘Why go to Mass on Sundays? It is not enough to answer that it is a precept of the Church. … We Christians need to participate in Sunday Mass because only with the grace of Jesus, with his living presence in us and among us, can we put into practice his commandment, and thus be his credible witnesses.’ —Pope Francis