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Bishop Peter F. Christensen, far right, takes advice from his mother on how to blow out candles on his sixth birthday in 1958. (Photo courtesy of Bishop Peter F. Christensen) By Bishop Peter F. Christensen Each year a new Men in Black calendar, featuring Idaho priests is printed and sold offering the proceeds to help support our seminarians and priests. Mary Lou Molitor, the publisher of these calendars, once again, asked me to participate in the 2026 edition. The theme for this year was to submit a photo which included 12 priests with their mothers. Thus, I submitted the above photo for the month of December. The photo tells the story of my sixth birthday when my mother was teaching me, with the “help” of three of my four siblings at the time, how to blow out candles. Obviously, it doesn’t happen with mouths wide open. My mother is giving instructions on how to pucker my lips and then blow out while aiming at the lit candles. I finally got it, and my sixth birthday was then celebrated with a wish, a slice of her home-made birthday cake and lots of laughter. What patience she had, as I now recognize the many sacrifices, she made that can only be understood today as simple acts of love! On the second Sunday of this Advent, I was invited by one of our priests to visit his extended family at an open house gathering. After making the invitation, he asked if I’d be willing to anoint his elderly father at the same event. I gladly agreed to do so. Prior to attending, I offered this prayer in my heart for both his parents: “Lord, if there is anything you want me to mention to this couple, please give the words to say.” I had hardly finished, when these words came to my heart: “Tell them that I know the many sacrifices you have made for others during your lives. Some of these are known, however, many not fully recognized by those for whom they were offered. I also know the many sacrifices you have made on behalf of others which are no longer remembered by you.” When I had finished saying these words to the couple there was the audible sigh. The kind of sigh that comes when knowing you have been blessed – in this case a sigh including eyes filled with tears. The words given to me then: “Some of these are known, however, many not fully recognized by those for whom they were offered,” continue to resonate deep within my heart today as I reflect back on my sixth birthday December 24, 1958. Just think, my mother had five of her eight children by that time and at this moment expecting her sixth. It’s the day before Christmas, with gifts to be wrapped, meals to be prepared, probably laundry to be done, a cake to bake and a birthday to be celebrated. All the while, she’s patiently and joyfully teaching her fourth child how to blow out his six birthday candles. What a loving sacrifice she was making. And, at the time, I had no real understanding of all she must have been going through in order to make this event so special and memorable for her child. Perhaps the same words spoken in my heart for the elderly couple could be spoken to her as well: “I also know, (Ann), the many sacrifices you have made on behalf of others which are no longer remembered by you.” I believe it’s important that we remember today that an act of love made in sacrifice for the well-being of others, does not go unnoticed by Our Lord, nor can they be forgotten even if we forget. As a child I knew I was cared for, but as I have grown older, even decades later, I have come to see these sacrificial moments as touchstones of grace that touch deep within the heart. These moments are commingled with Divine Grace reminding me that I am known and loved by God. My brothers and sisters, when we experience a taste of pure, selfless love by another, it is then that we are brought to realize, in an even deeper way, that Our Heavenly Father does indeed care for us; for human love touches on the eternal. With the experience of such love we touch upon a love that we have been created to receive from the beginning of time. When we receive and when we share sacrificial love from and for another, we share in a taste of God’s eternal love for us. This flow of Grace is what we celebrate each and every Christmas as we remember how deeply loved we are as seen by Jesus’ birth at Bethlehem, and His life which follows here on earth. So many sacrifices made, some recognized, some unknown, and some yet to be revealed. They will be revealed when we have eyes that are opened and Blessed to see as children of God just how Loved we’ve been for all eternity. Merry Christmas!

From left, Tom Hicks, transplant nurse Sheila Alcantara, Coleman and Beth Ann Kavanaugh. (Courtesy photo) By Emily Woodham ICR Staff Writer Tom Hicks describes himself as a “type-A personality.” “Pretty much, anything I set my mind to, I’ve done-with God’s help,” he said in an interview with the Idaho Catholic Register (ICR). “My wife, Juliet, and I are very similar. We work hard, but we’ve found that [sometimes] God’s plan is bigger than what you can do.” In 2016, Tom found himself in a circumstance that he could not simply shoulder his way through. Up to that year, five of his 13 siblings had kidney disease, and one of his brothers needed a kidney transplant. He underwent tests hoping to become a donor, but, shockingly, the results revealed that he also had kidney disease. “I felt great at that time. I had no idea there was something wrong,” Tom explained. “There are no symptoms with kidney disease until your GFR (glomerular filtration rate) is under 30 percent.” The GFR measures the efficacy of the kidneys to filter impurities from the blood. At that time, Tom’s GFR was between 50 and 60%. Because he had no other medical issues, his nephrologist allowed him to continue a normal diet. Although doctors were certain that he and his siblings suffered from a genetic disease, they could not pinpoint which one. “The doctor basically said to me, ‘Your kidneys are going to fail. We don’t know what it is.’ So, I asked for a second opinion.” Tom and his family had been living in Huntington Beach, California, where a doctor referred him to a specialist at the University of California, Irvine, Medical Center. “In 2020, I met Dr. Wei Lau. She was curious, compassionate and intelligent. She asked a lot of questions,” he said. Kidney disfunction Dr. Lau asked Tom for permission to consult with her colleagues, then posted his case overview on the intranet for nephrologists, where Tom’s case caught the attention of Dr. Anthony Bleyer of Wake Forest Baptist School of Medicine in North Carolina. Dr. Bleyer’s research included a genetic malfunction that manifests in large families called MUC1, an autosomal dominant kidney malfunction. “Dr. Bleyer called me and said, ‘How come I don’t know you?’” he explained. “It turned out that the malfunction came through my maternal line. The malfunction in the gene produces a protein that deposits in the kidney, which destroys the glomeruli that filter the kidneys. It’s also binary, which means either you have it or you don’t.” Tom’s mother died when he was 13 of an unrelated illness. Half of his siblings and many of his cousins on his maternal side are diagnosed with MUC1. In 2022, Tom, his wife and two children moved to Boise and joined St. Mark’s Parish. He began a special diet of no animal protein and limited plant protein to try to slow down the kidney disease. He was preparing for dialysis, but luckily didn’t need it at the time. The best option for Tom, who still needed to work and was raising two teenagers, was to apply for a kidney transplant. Because it can take up to 10 years for a kidney transplant through the donor waiting list, he asked family and friends to consider donating. “If you don’t have a live donor who is willing to give you their kidney, then you have to wait for someone who has died and has donated their kidneys,” Tom said. “For example, one of my sisters who had chronic kidney disease for 16 years just got a transplant last May from someone who died.” Although several friends and a family member had told Tom that they would consider donating a kidney, their life logistics prevented them from doing so. A trip to Lourdes “In the meantime, my GFR dropped to 20 percent. In 2021, a colleague of my wife’s went to Lourdes with his disabled son. They were very devout Catholics and went with the Order of Malta. They had a great time, and they suggested to my wife that I go.” The Order of Malta is a lay religious order that was established in the 11th century to “relieve misery.” Among the many charitable works of the order is accompanying “malades,” people in need of healing, to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes in France. The sanctuary was established at the grotto where, in 1858, St. Bernadette Soubirous saw apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in which Our Lady declared, “I am the Immaculate Conception.” During one of the apparitions at the grotto, a spring of healing water appeared. The spring has continuously flowed ever since, and thousands of people have reported being healed. Seventy cases at Lourdes have been verified by the Vatican and local bishops as miraculous. “I’ve loved Mary my entire life. I was born on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, my dad used to give parish talks about Our Lady of Fatima, and my middle name is after her,” Tom said. “So in 2023, I applied for acceptance to the Order of Malta’s Lourdes pilgrimage. In the beginning of 2024, they called me and told me I was accepted.” Tom’s faith was tested by his illness, but he never lost hope. He attended daily Mass, prayed the Rosary, went to Adoration regularly, and received the Anointing of the Sick from Father Paul O’Donnell, former pastor and now assistant priest at St. Mark’s. Although he knew he might not receive a physical healing at Lourdes, he wanted to experience the special graces that he knew God had for him there. He went with about 100 malades under the Western Association of the Order of Malta in April of 2024. “I asked for a miracle, the reinstatement of my kidney function, but I didn’t receive that grace at that time,” he said. “But when you go to Lourdes, you’re healed in one of many ways: body, mind or spirit. I did receive some spiritual healing and solace while there. The presence of Mary and Jesus at Lourdes is profound. I felt it was as if they were right next to me; their presence was palpable. And I felt as if Jesus and Mary had put their fingers on the scale of my life.” While at Lourdes, Tom met Coleman and Beth Ann Kavanagh, parishioners at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. It was the Kavanaghs’ first trip to Lourdes as volunteers with the Order of Malta. Volunteers are not allowed to ask malades questions about their health or reasons for visiting Lourdes. As a result, although Tom and the Kavanaghs had met, it wasn’t until they returned to Boise that they truly got to know one another. “When we returned in May, mutual friends who go to Holy Apostles arranged for us all to have dinner together,” said Beth Ann related. “That’s when we heard Tom’s story.” A great sacrifice While listening to how Tom was still waiting for a kidney donor, Beth Ann heard an interior voice say, “If not you, who?” she said the feeling that God was calling her to help didn’t leave. “As we were walking out of the restaurant, I walked over to Juliet, Tom’s wife, and said, ‘If he needs a donor, I’d be willing to be worked up as one,’” Beth Ann said. Juliet was stunned by the generosity of Beth Ann’s offer. Tom and Juliet looked at each other and asked, “Who does that?” Juliet and Tom prayed together, as did Beth Ann and Coleman. Then the couples spoke more about the possibility of Beth Ann giving Tom a kidney. “We took the time to really assess that this is what we wanted to do and decided to go forward with it. I did some of the bloodwork required, and it turned out that I was not compatible for Tom.” However, Beth Ann was undaunted. “I had read somewhere about a paired donation and so had Tom,” Beth Ann explained. In a paired donation, although a recipient cannot directly receive from a donor because of antibody incompatibility, the recipient and donor are moved to the top of the waiting list on the National Kidney Registry. Another donor and recipient pair is then matched to the first pair. Tom and Beth Ann spoke with Sheila Alcantara, the transplant coordinator nurse at UC Irvine. She explained and alleviated their fears of paired donation. Beth Ann and Tom were cleared for a paired donation on Tom’s birthday, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Their information was put on the National Kidney Registry on Dec. 30. “We were told it would take between six weeks and six months before they could find a recipient for Beth Ann and a donor for me, but the matches came in just 10 days,” Tom said. Alcantara coordinated their wishes to have the paired donation surgeries on the same day, which was scheduled for Jan. 29, 2025, less than nine months after their pilgrimage to Lourdes. Tom and Beth Ann went into separate operating rooms at UC Irvine, Beth Ann first. Tom received a kidney from someone in northern California. Beth Ann’s kidney went to someone waiting at Duke Medical Center in North Carolina. “My transplant surgeon was a lapsed Catholic,” Beth Ann said. “He wanted to talk to Cole and me about our faith and how we came to the decision to help Tom. Then, after the surgery, he showed me a photo of my kidney (they take one to send to the receiving surgeon so they can see the anatomy of the kidney). When he held up the photo, he said, ‘I have a feeling that the Holy Spirit went with that one.’ I don’t think he’s lapsed anymore!” she said. Beth Ann has had no complications from her donation. “I’m doing fabulous!” she joyfully exclaimed. “Through the whole process, God kept telling me, ‘I need you to just let go and let me take care of this. I’ve got this. Do not worry about it.’ I spent a lot of time in Eucharistic Adoration, and I knew it was going to be fine. And it was!” Recovery Tom said he feels “fantastic: like a million dollars.” “My GFR is between 60 and 70 percent,” he continued. “Just before the transplant, I was at 17 percent. When you go from 17 to 70, you feel pretty darn good.” All of Tom’s other blood test results are within normal limits. Tom must remain cautious with his health to prevent the medication that suppresses his immune system from rejecting the new kidney. Over time, he will not need as many medications, but will need to be on anti-rejection medication to support his new kidney for the rest of his life. However, freedom from potential dialysis is worth it, he said. “My doctors are very pleased with the transplant’s success. Beth Ann and Cole have been absolutely miraculous,” Tom said. “This has been a miracle which has changed my life. The entire experience has taught me patience and that God has a plan that is far superior to what you can conceive. Additionally, it became clear about the value of prayer via our family, friends, and even complete strangers. To this day, people introduce themselves saying they were praying for Beth Ann and me. God is so good.”

By Johnny Horn Catholic Men’s Conference Team I want to personally invite you to one of the most powerful spiritual opportunities we have all year — the Idaho Catholic Men’s Conference, sponsored by Salt & Light Radio, taking place at Holy Apostles Parish on Saturday, January 31, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The day begins with Mass, presided over by Bishop Peter F. Christensen. Cost is $59 for in-person early birds through Jan. 11 and $75 thereafter. Cost for students, deacons and active military is $39 and $29 for online/watch party participants. Visit idahocatholicmen.org to learn how to take part online. This year’s lineup is truly extraordinary — Fr. Chris Alar, Bishop Joseph Coffey and Justin Fatica, three nationally renowned Catholic speakers who will challenge, inspire and ignite your heart for Christ. This is a gift we don’t often get, and one you absolutely don’t want to miss. Registrations are already filling up quickly, and it’s no surprise — over 1,000 men from across our diocese come together each year for a day of powerful faith, brotherhood and renewal. The energy, the fellowship and the spiritual strength you experience alongside so many other Catholic men is something you simply have to encounter for yourself. If you’re looking for the perfect Christmas gift for the men in your life, this is it — the gift of faith, encouragement, brotherhood and spiritual transformation. I’ll be bringing all of my boys again this year, and I encourage every father to bring his sons. There is nothing more impactful than men — young and old — growing together in faith. Don’t wait. Get registered now and be part of this incredible day by visiting idahocatholicmen.org. For more information, call 208-344-4774 or email ICMC@saltandlightradio.com.

By Lisa Ormond ICR North Idaho Correspondent In the Coeur d’ Alene area, middle and high school students are attending weekly youth group meetings in record numbers. They want to encounter Jesus, actively learn more about their faith, find community and spend two hours weekly with their peers and leaders. “The youth are on fire for Jesus Christ and it’s real,” Louie Zember, 72, told the Idaho Catholic Register (ICR). He volunteers as an adult leader in the 24-member Faith Formation Director Carla Loucks at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Coeur d’ Alene. She is an active partner in the youth ministry program and weekly efforts. This particular meeting, she discussed the Sacrament of Baptism. (Photo/Lisa Ormond) St. Pius X ministry team, which serves and supports young Catholics on their faith formation journey. Zember has been involved in youth ministry for over 15 years. “I see a major revival going on,” he said. “We pray the youth will bring Jesus from their head into their heart, so they will know Him personally and go deeper in a relationship that lasts their whole life.” Shedding light on the rise Wes Miller, 33, of St. Pius X Parish coordinates and leads the youth group ministry program for the region. “This is the highest youth group attendance we’ve seen in my seven years I’ve been here,” he said. “It’s also the strongest our adult leadership team has ever been.” Miller said that adding a significant increase in young adult leaders (ages 18-25) has had a noticeable impact on their mission. “Their energy, relatability and ability to connect with teens brings a unique and powerful dimension to the ministry,” he said, adding that teens in this generation are “hungry” for two things in terms of faith formation. “One is authentic community, which means real relationships with both peers and trusted adult mentors, and the second is true intimacy with Christ. They don’t just want to learn about God; they want to encounter Him.” Quantifying the growth The St. Pius numbers are staggering, bordering on miraculous, considering youth these days have a long list of options vying for their after-school time. Miller agreed the growth was “remarkable” and showed “Jesus is leading the success.” He provided data to illustrate what he’s witnessed over the years. “It’s a reason to praise God and be hopeful in terms of Catholic faith development,” he said. • Average Weekly Attendance - Past years: 35 teens - 2025: 85 teens → 143% increase • Peak Night Attendance - Past years: 45 teens - 2025: 100 teens → 122% increase • Total Teens Served (not all come every week) - Past years: 80 teens per year - 2025: 140 teens → 75% increase in total reach Youth group adult leaders pray prior to starting the evening’s activities with the students. There is a pool of about 25 adult leaders from multiple parishes, supporting youth ministry in the Coeur d’ Alene area. (Photo/Lisa Ormond) Parish partnerships The youth group program is based out of St. Pius X parish, and this is where the youth, 11-18, meet on Tuesday evenings. On average, about 100 students gather. Miller said students generally come from four area parishes, including St. Pius X and St. Thomas the Apostle in Coeur d’Alene, and St. George and St. Joan of Arc in nearby Post Falls. “Having one youth group open to all parishes helps us rise above parish boundaries and create unity, especially for our young people,” Miller said. In addition to the youth group, the Confirmation preparation program is also intertwined into the meeting time, and crossover occurs especially for the high school teens. “That connection reinforces the importance of working together to support the spiritual growth of our teens from multiple angles,” Miller said. St. Thomas Director of Faith Formation Carla Loucks regularly partners with Miller in preparing teens for the Sacrament of Confirmation and for service to the youth group. Their partnership has resulted in “important fruit” for which he’s grateful. “Carla and I have a great working relationship. She is a trusted collaborator, and her support is so important,” he said. “I value the partnership we’ve developed, which upholds the value of one united youth group for our broader Catholic community.” Loucks gladly brings over 30 years of experience to the table. “I have a degree in theology, and I want to pass along a real love of our faith to youth,” she said. “We need to be sure that we’re delivering meaningful content, so I ask the question, ‘What is the meat and potatoes of the evening going to be?’” She emphasized that quality communication and instruction are critical with these age groups. “Faith is a beautiful diamond with many facets,” said Loucks. “When you make the message tangible using words that resonate and ask probing questions, then it appeals to all students of catechesis levels.” Behind the scenes A youth group night includes prayer, icebreakers, dodgeball, karaoke (for middle school students only), sacrament instruction, a home-cooked meal, small-group faith talks, and time with Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration. Students fluidly move from room to room during the two-hour time, and middle and high school students have different “tracks,” and the same adult leaders are assigned to these two groups to allow for relationship building and the establishment of trust between students and mentors. Seven of the middle school leaders are in their early twenties, which is a plus when mentoring and interacting with the 6th to 8th graders. “We have a large number of young adult leaders who can match the kids’ energy, be role models closer to the kids’ ages, and provide insight to the struggles of today’s youth,” said 20-year-old St. Thomas parish member Ben Lowman. High school students gather in small groups each week to go deeper spiritually together and talk about the evening’s topic. (Photo/Lisa Ormond) Volunteers are the lifeblood Miller admitted there are “a lot of moving parts” each week, but the model of ministry he’s established with his ministry team seems to be working as more students keep coming. “One reason for the growth is that we are meeting the real needs of today’s youth,” said Miller. “It’s come through prayer, discernment and a deep desire to let Christ lead the way. We’ve taken time to ask, ‘What do our youth truly need right now?’ and we’ve shaped every aspect of our program to respond.” He humbly deflects any accolades for what’s happening under his watch, instead giving thanks to his committed volunteers and the youth themselves for their zeal and courage in pursuing their faith. “Our adult leadership team is amazing and one of the main reasons for our positive outcomes,” Miller said. “Without them, none of this would be possible.” St. Pius X Parish member Annie Jones, a homeschool mom of six children, is one of Miller’s key adult high school leaders. She has three children participating. Jones said she was “called” into youth ministry at her church. Suddenly, one day, she just decided to reach out to Miller, asking how she could help. “I love young people, especially if they resist,” she said. “I’m willing to connect with youth, and youth are willing to connect with me. I’m willing to serve and grow in mission.” Lowman shared that constant adaptations help draw students to the program and keep them excited and involved. “We are always trying to make small improvements to help the kids have fun and grow in their faith,” said Lowman, who has served as a middle school young adult leader for the past two years. “We work with different games, schedules, topics and Adoration lengths—using feedback from the youth and leader observations to constantly tune the way our youth group night is structured.” A focus on the young adult leaders Young adult leader Sawyer Fude, 21, of St. Thomas Parish, said his friend Lowman invited him to join the ministry program two years ago. They volunteer together. He’s been coming ever since serving the team and the teens. He said it offers him a consistent Catholic community to be a part of. “I really like being here and helping,” said Fude. “It’s nice also to be around my professional Catholic friends in this ministry and share my faith beliefs. We hang out and are friends outside of what we do here.” Gavin Rhodes, 18, is a member of both St. Pius and St. Joan of Arc parishes. He has seven younger siblings. He started in youth group himself as a 9th grader at St. Pius and said he’s now “rolled into this helping role” joyfully. “I really get so much out of being part of this ministry,” said Rhodes. “I’ve been trained in setting up Eucharistic Adoration, so I have the honor of bringing this spiritually intimate focal point of the evening to our youth, which means so much to me.” St. Pius X parish member Joanie Young serves dinner to high school students. She personally home cooks the food weekly for around 115 adult leaders and youth. (Photo/Lisa Ormond) Good food shared Joanie Young, who has been a parishioner at St. Pius for over 30 years, is also a valued member of the ministry program. At 62, she still works full-time as an international controller, but in her spare time she shops, plans, cooks (at her house), and serves about 115 home-cooked dinners to students and the ministry team each week. “There are not many leftovers,” Young joked. “I say a prayer over the meal every week, ‘Lord, please make sure there’s enough for everybody.’” She admitted that she is “constantly shopping” and “keeps in her head” a plan of what she’s going to make at least a month in advance. She takes much pride in what she does, and with a loving spirit. “If the kids see someone who cares, who wants them to have good food, and is joyful about serving it, that goes a long way for their youth group experience here,” Young explained. Making it possible What happens next with the St. Pius youth group is a step of faith and a waiting game, but more hands can only further spread God’s mission. “I’m not the youth ministry guru,” said Miller. “I’m trying to offer space for others to use their gifts. It’s astonishing what happens to people when they do this. They come alive.” According to Miller, the rising number of youth choosing to prioritize their faith shows that Jesus is intimately touching their hearts and transforming their lives. “That’s what matters most,” he emphasized. “There are always sacrifices to do this type of ministry,” said Miller. “But ultimately, you need to trust that God provides.” High school students gather in small groups each week to go deeper spiritually together and talk about the evening’s topic. (Photo/Lisa Ormond) A Personal Plea Miller graciously asked Catholics across the state to please pray for youth ministers in their parishes and to offer support to keep youth formation at the forefront. “Please reach out to your local youth coordinator. It really takes an entire church body to answer the Lord’s call to sustain spiritual growth and meet youths’ needs,” he said. “Help could come in numerous ways, such as monetary donations, volunteering as a mentor, overseeing Eucharistic Adoration, doing tasks on the back end—basically sharing whatever God given talents you have to offer.”

"Faith and unity in celebration: Parishioners gather outside the cathedral, waving flags from various countries, honoring cultural diversity and devotion." (Photo/Vero Gutiérrez). Vero Gutiérrez,  Assistant Editor   With devotion and respect, the Anglo and Hispanic communities of Saint John the Evangelist Cathedral participated in the celebration in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which concluded with the Eucharistic Celebration marking the end of this year’s Guadalupan festivities on December 14. Although the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is traditionally celebrated on December 12, this commemoration—honoring the 494th anniversary of her apparitions on the hill of Tepeyac in Mexico—was integrated into the Sunday Mass to allow participation from both communities. This is the fifth year that a procession in honor of the Virgin of Guadalupe has taken place through the streets of downtown Boise.   The mariachi group Cantares de México  contributed to the liturgy with Mass hymns, and afterward, the faithful joined a procession through several streets in downtown Boise, concluding with a community celebration at the gym adjacent to the cathedral. The Cantares de México mariachi band performed songs from the Mass during the celebration. Then, the faithful took part in a procession through downtown Boise, concluding with a community celebration in the gym adjacent to the cathedral. The Anglo and Hispanic communities of Saint John the Evangelist Cathedral participated with devotion and respect in the celebration honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe. The celebration culminated with the Eucharistic celebration, closing this year’s Guadalupe festivities on December 14. The procession was led by an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, placed in a frame and surrounded by flags from various countries, carried on a vehicle. With the cross held high and the acolytes carrying candles, the altar servers led the procession, followed by the priests—Father Germán Osorio, rector of the Cathedral; Father Tim Segert; and Deacon O’Neill Derrick—and the faithful. Various groups of dancers representing indigenous Mexican cultures also participated, along with musical bands, mariachi, and horseback riders. During his homily, Father Germán Osorio emphasized the importance of both communities celebrating this special feast together and recognizing Mary as the Mother of God and Patroness of the Americas. Father Germán connected the theme of Advent with Mary as the central figure in this season of waiting to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. The priest recalled the words of the prophet Isaiah, who delivers a powerful message of hope: “ The desert and the parched land will rejoice; the wilderness will blossom and flourish.” “This is the heart of Advent,” Father Osorio affirmed. “God comes precisely where life feels dry, divided, or wounded, and He is preparing a renewal.” The prophet Isaiah speaks of eyes and ears being opened, of the lame leaping, and of the mute singing. He reminded the congregation that this is not just about individual healing, but rather about the restoration of a people, of a community that comes together again on the sacred path that leads to God. Continuing with the theme of the celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Father Osorio noted that, in this season of waiting, we rejoice because God does not remain distant. He draws nearto us. The procession ended with the men on horseback. This message, he said, is reaffirmed in celebrating Our Lady of Guadalupe, who, in 1531, appeared not to a powerful man, but to a humble one, Saint Juan Diego. She spoke his language, shared his culture, and revealed a God who sees, hears, and walks with his people. Through the apparition and message of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the desert of despair blossomed into faith for an entire continent. Today, the vision of Isaiah and the message of Our Lady of Guadalupe are present here among us. Our cathedral parish is blessed to have two great communities, the Anglo and the Hispanic, with different histories, languages, and traditions. However, Advent reminds us that we are one people, walking toward the same God. Our Lady of Guadalupe is among us not as a mother who divides, but as the Mother of God who gathers her children together. Alive with tradition: an Aztec dancer participates in the procession honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe, wearing a majestic feathered headdress and ceremonial attire. She teaches us that unity does not mean uniformity, but rather walking together, listening to one another, and recognizing Christ in every person. When this happens, the desert blossoms; when we remain united in faith, joy overcomes fear, and hope conquers division. As Isaiah says, "Those the Lord has rescued will return… and everlasting joy will be theirs." This joy is not just for one group; it is for all who trust in God. The presence of people wearing traditional indigenous and mestizo clothing is common in Mexican religious and cultural celebrations.

El día de ayer iniciaron formalmente las tradicionales posadas, también conocidas como la novena en espera del nacimiento del Niño Jesús. Las posadas son una tradición propia de la comunidad hispana que se remonta al siglo XVI, durante el proceso de evangelización de América. Se trata de una celebración religiosa y cultural que se lleva a cabo del 16 al 24 de diciembre, como una preparación especial para la Navidad. Los niños del catecismo de Our Lady of the Valley, participaron representando a José y María, así como al ángel que los guió en la búsqueda de una posada para pasar la noche en Belén. Estas celebraciones incluyen el rezo del Rosario, el canto de villancicos y la representación del recorrido de José y María en su búsqueda de posada para el nacimiento del Hijo de Dios. En algunas comunidades también se organiza una pastorela, en la que, de manera sencilla y a veces humorística, se narra cómo los diablos intentan impedir que hombres y mujeres de buena voluntad acudan a celebrar el nacimiento del Niño Jesús en Belén. Como parte de la tradición, se reparten aguinaldos y se rompen piñatas, que tradicionalmente tienen siete picos, los cuales representan los siete pecados capitales. Al romper la piñata se comparten los frutos y dulces de su interior, símbolo de la gracia y los dones de Dios.

The children from the catechism class at Our Lady of the Valley parish, representing Joseph and Mary and the angel guiding them, are searching for a place to spend the night in Bethlehem. (Photo/Vero Gutiérrez). Monday, the 16th, marked the formal beginning of the traditional posadas, also known as the novena, in anticipation of the birth of the Child Jesus. The posadas are a tradition rooted in the Hispanic community that dates back to the 16th century, during the evangelization of the Americas. They are both a religious and cultural celebration, traditionally held from December 16 to 24, as a special preparation for Christmas. Members of the Hispanic community participate in a traditional posada, reenacting Mary and Joseph' search for shelter as part of their spiritual preparation for Christmas These celebrations include the praying of the Rosary, the singing of Christmas carols, and the reenactment of Mary and Joseph’s journey as they searched for lodging for the birth of the Son of God. In some communities, a pastorela is also presented, in which—often in a lighthearted and humorous way—the story is told of how the devils attempt to prevent men and women of good will from coming together to celebrate the birth of the Child Jesus in Bethlehem. Families take part in a traditional posada, continuing a centuries-old Christmas tradition of faith and community. As part of the tradition, treat bags are distributed, and piñatas are broken, which traditionally have seven points, representing the seven deadly sins. When the piñata is broken, the fruit and candy inside are shared, symbolizing God’s grace and His gifts.

Procesión por algunas de las calles del centro de Boise en honor a Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, con motivo del 494.º aniversario de sus apariciones en el Tepeyac . (Foto/ Vero Gutiérrez) Vero Gutiérrez  Editora Asistente   Con devoción y respeto, las comunidades anglo e hispana participaron de la celebración en honor a Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, que culminó con la Celebración Eucarística, cierre de los festejos guadalupanos de este año.  Al concluir la Misa, los fieles participaron en una procesión por algunas de las calles del centro de Boise, que finalizó con un festejo comunitario en las instalaciones del gimnasio junto a la catedral. La procesión partió de la Catedral de Boise y regresó al mismo lugar tras recorrer las calles del centro de la ciudad ,  La procesión estuvo encabezada por una imagen de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, montada en un marco y rodeada de banderas de distintos países.  Con la cruz alta y los ciriales, los monaguillos fueron al frente de la procesión seguidos de los sacerdotes, Padre Germán Osorio, rector de la Catedral, el Padre Tim Segert, el diácono O’Neill Derrick y los fieles, además de diferentes grupos de danzantes representativos de algunas culturas indígenas mexicanas, así como bandas de música, mariachi y jinetes. Un grupo de parroquianos vestidos con trajes típicos de la región de Michoacán, durante la pocesión.  Durante la Misa, el Padre Germán Osorio destacó la importancia de que ambas comunidades participen juntas en esta celebración especial y de reconocer a la Madre de Dios como patrona  de las Américas.  Por supuesto, el tema sobre el Adviento estuvo entrelazado con la figura de María como la principal protagonista en este tiempo de espera para celebrar el nacimiento de Jesucristo.   Este es el quinto año consecutivo en que se realiza la procesión por el centro de Boise en honor a la Virgen de Guadalupe. La primera tuvo lugar en el año 2021.  (Foto/ Vero Gutiérrez)   El sacerdote recordó las palabras del profeta Isaías, quien proclama un poderoso mensaje de esperanza: “El desierto y la tierra árida se regocijarán; el desierto se alegrará y florecerá”.  “Este es el corazón del Adviento”, afirmó el Padre Osorio, “Dios viene precisamente donde la vida se siente seca, dividida o herida, y Él está preparando una renovación”. El profeta Isaías habla de ojos y oídos que se abren, de cojos que saltan y de mudos que cantan. Recordó que no se trata solo de la curación individual, sino más bien de la restauración de un pueblo, de una comunidad que se reúne de nuevo en el camino sagrado que conduce a Dios. Los Caballeros de Colón, catequistas, la Legión de María y diversos ministerios participaron en la celebración en honor a la Virgen de Guadalupe el pasado 14 de diciembre. Continuando con el tema de la celebración a Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe el Padre Osorio, comentó que, en esta temporada de espera, nos regocijamos porque Dios no permanece distante. Él se acerca a nosotros. Este mensaje, dijo, se reafirma al celebrar a Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, quien, en 1531, la Virgen María se apareció no a un hombre poderoso, sino a uno humilde, San Juan Diego. Ella habló su idioma, compartió su cultura y reveló a un Dios que ve, escucha y camina con su pueblo. A través de la aparición y el mensaje de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, el desierto de la desesperación floreció en fe para todo un continente.   Hoy, la visión de Isaías y el mensaje de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe se encuentran aquí, entre nosotros. Nuestra parroquia catedralicia tiene la bendición de contar con dos grandes comunidades, la anglosajona y la hispana, con diferentes historias, idiomas y tradiciones. Sin embargo, el Adviento nos recuerda que somos un solo pueblo, caminando hacia el mismo Dios. Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe está entre nosotros no como una madre que divide, sino como la Madre de Dios que reúne a sus hijos. Ella nos enseña que la unidad no significa uniformidad, sino caminar juntos, escucharnos y reconocer a Cristo en cada persona. Cuando esto sucede, el desierto florece; cuando permanecemos unidos en la fe, la alegría vence el miedo y la esperanza supera la división. El Padre Germán Osorio, rector de la Catedral, se detuvo en un momento del recorrido para saludar a los parroquianos y unirse a ellos en las porras dedicadas a la Guadalupana.   Como dice Isaías: “Los que el Señor ha rescatado volverán… y tendrán alegría eterna”. Esta alegría no es solo para un grupo, es para todos los que confían en Dios. Mientras continuamos nuestro camino de Adviento, caminemos juntos, anglosajones e hispanos, guiados por la Virgen María, fortalecidos por la esperanza y confiados en que el Señor viene a salvarnos.

Our Lady of Victories statue bears a crown given by the pope in 1853. (ICR photo/Emily Woodham) By Emily Woodham Staff Writer Editor’s note: Staff writer Emily Woodham continues her series based on her recent trip to France. Her first installation was published in the Oct. 10 issue of the Idaho Catholic Register. You can read the story by clicking on the Catholic News Article’s “More Articles” section at idahocatholicregister.org. PARIS, France — Many of the churches of France bear scars from the religious persecutions during the French Revolution, from 1789 until 1801, when Napoleon restored the Catholic Church in France. Statues were defaced or smashed, murals whitewashed and sacramental treasures melted for their gold and silver. The Revolutionary government sanctioned its own state church, but it was not authentic. During this time, religious communities and priests had to leave in exile or be killed. But throughout France, the faithful resisted with courage and heroic love. Priests traveled at night from town to town to celebrate Masses and hear Confessions in secret. Faithful laity hid them in attics or basements during the day. After surviving the violent turmoil of the 18th and 19th centuries, the Church was attacked again in 1936, when the government closed convents and seized churches. Then in 1939, the Nazis took the north of France, including Paris, and shut down the Church. During these times of intense suffering, French Catholics persevered. Even today, in churches in Paris, priests encourage their parishioners in homilies to live with courage and heroic love. “I think heroic love in French spirituality comes from the monastic heritage in France. It is first of all a love that is lived, not just feelings,” said Father Dominique Fauré, prior at the Verbum Spei Monastery of Our Lady of Ephesus in Boise, Idaho. Father Fauré was raised in Paris. It was there that he answered the call to Religious life. “The main renewal of faith in France has been through Religious life, which is following the call to leave everything and follow Jesus,” Father Fauré continued. “There’s a sense of giving oneself fully to Christ without keeping anything for oneself. This selflessness is the heroic dimension of love. This heroic love, this courage, was also necessary for all the times the French Church had to resist, whether during the Revolution or during World War II.” Two years ago, Aleteia, a global Catholic news and media website, reported that only 25% of the population of France identifies as practicing Catholics. It’s an underwhelming number in a country that our Blessed Mother, Mary, has historically portrayed as the “eldest daughter of the Church” because it is one of the first nations to officially adopt Christianity. However, the Diocese of Paris is reporting an increase in vocations to the priesthood, and Religious communities in Paris are also growing. Currently, the government is supportive of the Church. This has allowed priests to focus more on pastoral and sacramental duties. With churches and Catholic art throughout the city, there is also constant evangelization through beauty. “Even if so many are no longer practicing the faith, the whole French culture is Catholic,” Father Fauré explained. “A culture is what we transmit from one generation to the next in order to help an individual of the culture mature in goodness. France has deep roots in Catholic values, especially the values of art, beauty and the intellect.” The Basilica of Our Lady of Victories was desecrated and used as the Stock Exchange under the government of the French Revolution. (ICR photo/Emily Woodham) The Basilica of Our Lady of Victories in Paris stands out as an example of the resilience of the Church in France, its resistance against oppression, and deep value of beauty. In 1629, King Louis XIII of France (1610-1643) gave permission and funds to Discalced Augustinians (Les Petits-Pères or “Little Fathers”) to build a convent dedicated to Our Lady of Victories. Devotion to Our Lady of Victory (singular) was declared following the miraculous success of the Catholic military over the Ottoman Empire on October 7, 1571. Louis XIII wanted to expand on Our Lady’s generosity by calling her Our Lady of Victories (plural) in gratitude for her protection and the many victories granted his armies through her intercessions. The ground for the church was dedicated on December 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. In 1637, one of the Little Fathers, Brother Fiacre, had several visions in one night of the Blessed Mother. She told him that King Louis XIII would at last have a son, after 22 years of his wife being unable to carry a child to term. In thanksgiving for the miracle, Louis XIII publicly consecrated France to the Virgin Mary on Aug. 15, 1638, the Feast of the Assumption. On September 5, the queen gave birth to Louis XIV. The fame of the visions at Our Lady of Victories and the miraculous birth of the king’s son grew throughout France. The statue of Our Lady of Victories became known as a “Refuge of Sinners.” In Europe, statues or shrines of the Blessed Mother that were considered a “Refuge of Sinners” were designated as a particular place of merciful answers to prayer, especially for conversions and healing. During the French Revolution, the original statue of Our Lady of Victories disappeared along with all the other sacramental treasures of the church. The Revolutionary government turned the church building into the Paris Stock Exchange. All religious decorations and murals were whitewashed. At the end of 1799, Napoleon became the leader of the new French government, marking the end of the Republic’s rule. Under his direction, persecution of the Church ended in 1801. Catholics bargained with the French government for the church building of Our Lady of Victories for seven years. In 1809, the government finally surrendered the building back to the Church and a new statue of Our Lady of Victories was installed. Like most parishes in France, Our Lady of Victories struggled to recover from the Revolution. Many Catholics in Paris lost their faith during the persecutions. In the first decades of the 19th century, the area of Our Lady of Victories was known more for its banking and businesses than for its faith. But the small group of parishioners who faithfully attended Mass did not give up hope. The religious and sacramental artwork and vessels were installed after the Basilica of Our Lady of Victories was reconsecrated in 1809. The original artwork was whitewashed (the ceiling still bears the scars of being whitewashed) or destroyed during the French Revolution. (ICR photo/Emily Woodham) The Medal of the Immaculate Conception In July of 1830, about one-and-a-half miles south of Our Lady of Victories, a young Sister of Charity, St. Catherine Labouré, saw a brilliant apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On November 27, the Blessed Mother appeared to St. Catherine again and gave her instructions for the Medal of the Immaculate Conception (later called the Miraculous Medal) emblazoned with the prayer: “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.” The Blessed Mother also instructed that on the back of the medal, the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary were to be inscribed. This was 24 years before the Immaculate Conception was declared as dogma by Pope Pius IX (1846-1878) and 28 years before Our Lady of Lourdes said, “I am the Immaculate Conception.” Although there were some controversies and arguments in the Church against the Immaculate Conception, St. Catherine and her spiritual director, in “heroic love,” obeyed the Blessed Mother’s instructions. The medals were first made on June 30, 1832. At the time, Paris was deep in a cholera pandemic that reached the city in March of that year. The Sisters of Charity distributed the medal, and people were miraculously healed of cholera. Other graces were also reported, especially of conversions. News of the miracles spread, and thousands of people began asking the Sisters for medals. Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary quickly grew. Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary In 1836, Father Charles Desgnettes was assigned to Our Lady of Victories. He was a serious priest, who struggled with impatience, but he was also sincere in his faith and concise in his preaching. His stalwart nature helped turn the tide of disbelief and hedonism in a section of Alençon (where St. Thérèse of Lisieux was later born in 1873). He had also served at the chapel of the Paris Missions Society near the Chapel of the Miraculous Medal. Although he had to flee during the brief revolt in 1830, he returned to Paris in 1832 to help during the cholera pandemic. At his first Mass at Our Lady of Victories, he was completely discouraged. About 40,000 lived in the area of his new parish, but only 40 went to Mass that day. He persevered for four years to bring revival to the area, but nothing worked. On December 3, 1836, he had resolved to resign, certain that it was better to admit failure and to move on to where he could be more fruitful. As he walked up the steps to the altar to celebrate Mass that day, he heard an interior voice say to him, “Consecrate your parish to the Most Holy and Immaculate Heart of Mary.” There is no record of him ever meeting St. Catherine Labouré, but given his proximity to the Sisters of Charity, it is certain he knew of the Miraculous Medal and the devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. After Mass, he wrote down prayers and statutes for an association of the faithful, the Brotherhood of Our Lady of Victories, for consecration and dedication to the Immaculate Heart. On December 10, the archbishop of Paris approved the association. The next day, at the morning Mass, only 10 people were present. Father Desgnettes invited the public to vespers that evening for the first meeting of the Brotherhood. When he entered the church for vespers, more than 500 people were waiting in the pews. Many of them said that they weren’t sure why they were there, but they had simply felt compelled to be present. Father Desgnettes lead everyone in the consecration to the Immaculate Heart. The parish of Our Lady of Victories quickly grew. In 1838, the pope declared the Brotherhood of Our Lady of Victories the universal Archconfraternity of the Immaculate Heart of Mary for the Conversion of Sinners. People went to Our Lady of Victories with their desperate needs and found their prayers answered. To the French, she was truly “Mother of Mercy” and “Refuge of Sinners.” Through the Archconfraternity, associations of prayer and consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary spread worldwide. A year before the declaration of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, Pope Pius IX sent a crown and ordered that it be placed on the head of Our Lady of Victories. This side altar commemorates the day St. Thérèse of Lisieux visited the basilica with her father, St. Louis Martin, to give thanks for her miraculous healing. (ICR photo/Emily Woodham) One of the most famous miracles attributed to Our Lady of Victories is the healing of St. Thérèse of Lisieux. Thérèse became seriously ill in the spring of 1883, when she was 10. Her father asked for a novena of Masses at the Basilica of Our Lady of Victories, from May 5 to the 13th, which was Pentecost Sunday that year. On the last day of the Masses, Thérèse was healed. Four years later, just six months before she entered the Carmelites, she went to Paris to see Our Lady of Victories and give thanks. Thérèse later wrote: “A miracle was needed and Our Lady of Victories provided it.” Today, the basilica is still a treasured Marian shrine and is in the care of the Benedictine Sisters of Sacre Coeur of Montmartre. The Feast of Our Lady of Victories is December 3.

A view of Coeur d'Alene from above. (Stock photo) By Eddie Trask CCI Executive Director For 25 years, Catholic Charities of Idaho (CCI) has been committed to serving individuals and families across the state—regardless of demographic or geography. Much of that support has happened quietly, often virtually, reaching Idahoans in rural towns, farming communities, and counties far from our physical offices in Boise and Pocatello. As we enter the final week of Advent—a season of preparation, promise and trust in God’s faithful presence—CCI’s mission of accompaniment takes on renewed meaning. This is a time when the Church looks forward with hope to the coming of the Lord. At the same time, CCI looks forward with hope to what lies ahead for the families we serve. Now, as CCI prepares to open its third location next year, that statewide commitment is taking an important new step forward. In 2026—having intently listened to clients, donors and parishes—CCI will establish a greater presence in Northern Idaho, operating from St. Pius X Catholic Church in Coeur d’Alene. This new office will focus on case management, crisis intervention and comprehensive social services—the same person-centered, mission-driven care Idahoans have come to trust. But this expansion is not a shift away from the rest of the state. It is an effort to build a bridge—both practical and pastoral—ensuring that families in every corner of Idaho can continue receiving support for their varying needs. In other words, we are not moving from anywhere; rather, we’re moving toward greater statewide service. This is about reinforcing our mission, not redirecting it. The need in the north mirrors what CCI sees statewide: families overwhelmed by the cost of living, seniors isolated without support, immigrants navigating complex systems, parents facing crises they never expected and individuals struggling with mental-health challenges without a safety net. This expansion will provide another hub for Idahoans to receive in-person services, as well as strengthen the virtual approach that connects our existing offices to outlying, small communities. Northern Idahoans have received CCI’s help for years through telehealth counseling, immigration legal services, virtual case management and statewide referral systems. But many situations—especially crisis intervention and complex case management—benefit profoundly from an on-the-ground presence. The Coeur d’Alene office will allow CCI to respond more quickly, partner more effectively with local parishes and agencies, and ensure families in the northern counties receive the same access to care found elsewhere in Idaho. As CCI prepares for this expansion, the organization is eager to work alongside the community leaders who have long supported families in the region. “We cannot wait to join the community of Northern Idaho agencies serving the poor and marginalized,” said Deacon Chris Stewart of Coeur d’Alene, a CCI Board Member. “Especially the well-established experts at our St. Vincent de Paul, a collaboration that will complement and enhance the execution of CCI’s portfolio of services.” Together with local partners, CCI hopes to strengthen the network of care that meets families where they are. Boise and Pocatello will continue to serve as strong hubs, each with its own network of partners, donors and community members. Programs in both regions will remain fully supported, active and essential. In fact, the new office strengthens our statewide model by creating a three-point network—north, east and southwest—allowing CCI to collaborate more broadly and respond more efficiently to regional needs. CCI Social Services Program Manager Kayla Eachus added: “Idaho is growing, and so are the challenges families face. Opening a northern office helps us tap into unmet demand and ensure better coverage across our large state—including the communities we’ve served for years. In the last three months, the percentage of inquiries coming from northern counties has increased from 5% to 13%!” As Advent reminds us to wait in hope and trust in Christ’s coming light, CCI looks with that same hope toward a future in which more families receive the support, dignity and compassion they need. Readers across Idaho are invited to support this next chapter. Your generosity has already touched every corner of the state through CCI’s virtual services. Now that same support will help firmly root our mission in Northern Idaho, enabling increased tangible assistance. As St. Leo the Great said over 1,500 years ago, “If God is love, charity should know no limit, for God cannot be confined.” That belief inspires CCI’s hope-filled work and our desire to reach more people throughout this great state. To help make this expansion possible and support CCI’s operations statewide, an envelope is included in this ICR issue. Gifts of any size help ensure we can continue strengthening Idaho in compassion, unity and hope. Last fiscal year alone, we served over 3,300 Idahoans. As we prepare for Christmas, we also prepare for this new beginning. As part of this season of discernment and transparency, CCI plans to host a public information gathering for anyone in the region who would like to learn more about our mission in Northern Idaho—why now, what gaps this new presence will help fill and how we hope to serve alongside existing partners. There will also be time for questions and conversation. We have reserved space at St. Pius X Catholic Church on January 21, with two opportunities to attend: 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. We warmly welcome all who wish to come and learn more. Please pray for us as we take these next steps—trusting in God’s timing, guided by faith and hopeful for what Christ will bring in the year ahead. Together, we remain committed to our vision of loving and strengthening Idaho, one person at a time.

By Emily Woodham Staff Writer Editor’s note: The following is a first-person account of ICR staff writer Emily Woodham’s recent trip to the Vatican. Sunlight broke through billowing gray clouds as icy winds blew through St. Peter’s Square on the morning of Wednesday, Nov. 26. Tens of thousands of people from around the world streamed in through the Vatican security lines to see Pope Leo XIV in Pope Leo XIV waves from his popemobile. (ICR Photo/Emily Woodham) a general audience, including my husband, David; our two youngest daughters, Evelyn, 11, and Julianna, 8; and me. We shuffled our way to one of the barriers in the back and waited as people filled in on either side of us. A friend told me that it was best to stand at a barrier where you could see the pope up close, even if only briefly, as he passed by in his popemobile. It was our seventh day in Rome and our second opportunity to see the Holy Father. We were grateful that the heavy rains of the previous two days had finally diminished to occasional sprinkles. We were cold and tired, but our pilgrimage to Rome was quickly coming to a close. After the audience, we had less than 48 hours before we had to start the rigmarole of journeying back home. We planned our pilgrimage to Rome way back in January. This year marked the 10th anniversary of our family becoming Catholic — Aug. 9, 2015, the feast of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein). So, it seemed appropriate to mark the momentous 10-year anniversary and the Jubilee of Hope with a visit to the home of the Catholic Church, the See of St. Peter. We chose the end of November for the practical reason that our daughters had a week off from school during Thanksgiving break and the not-so-practical reason of indulging our love of music by being there during the feast of St. Cecilia and the Jubilee of Choirs. We left Boise in the all-too-early hours of the morning on Wednesday, Nov. 19. Our adult children could not come with us, so we carried them in our hearts and prayers. Interior of St. Peter’s Basilica. (ICR photo/Emily Woodham) After more than 24 hours of flying and layovers, we finally arrived at our Airbnb apartment in Rome in the afternoon on Thursday, Nov. 20. Less than a week after our arrival, while standing in St. Peter’s Square, I could barely recall what we did the first day we were in Rome. I vaguely remember eating a comforting pizza dinner, walking to St. Peter’s Basilica under a starry sky and then going into a church that was actually open late at night, the Church of St. Mary of Transpontina. After we prayed and lit candles, Julianna noticed a huge Nativity display in a side altar. It was a complete village, with moving figures that bustled about their ordinary lives of shopkeeping and farming. In the middle of it all was the Holy Family, lovingly centered on baby Jesus. As we waited for the general audience to begin, the warmth of that church and the Nativity scene seemed in the distant past. We were so tired despite all that my husband and I did to keep a reasonable schedule with a rhythm of eating, sightseeing and rest. In our first two days, we somehow made it to St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, the papal audience for the Jubilee of Choirs, the tomb of St. Cecilia and a marvelous dinner with Cindy Wooden, the retiring editor-in-chief of the Rome bureau for Catholic News Service. In the midst of that were more restaurants and churches, a constant banquet for body and soul. Our hearts were full, but we were exhausted. So, on our fourth morning in Rome, we abandoned our reservations to the papal Mass and Angelus. We slept in, had a fun breakfast and went to Mass at St. Patrick’s American Catholic Church. It was the parish’s monthly “family Mass,” with a homily geared for children, all in English. Our daughters were comforted and happy in an atmosphere that was more like home. It was just what our weary family needed. From then on, we were more careful to be in tune with how much we could really handle as a family. After all, humans are not machines. We surrendered plans and expectations each day in order to be sure that we were all well fed and rested enough to enjoy our journey. We had to say “no” to some really fantastic things so that we had the wherewithal to truly appreciate the awesome things we did experience. This seems to be so much the vocation of family life. If we want to be healthy and connected, we have to choose wisely what we do with our time and make space for rest. There are so many good experiences in life to choose from, especially in the Church. But even if everything we do is good, we will miss the point of our vocation if we don’t make time for our relationships. A traditional, highly-detailed nativity scene at the Vatican. (ICR photo/ Emily Woodham) As we slowed down on our pilgrimage and were choosier about what we did, we had more time to listen to one another about likes and dislikes. We also cracked more jokes and really laughed together. When, at last, the general audience began, we had been guarding our space at the barrier for more than an hour. After Pope Leo passed by and waved at our family and the hundreds around us, it was tempting to leave. The wind was bitter, especia- lly whenever a dark gray cloud passed in front of the sun. We moved to the interior of the crowd in hopes of getting more shielded from the wind and for a better view of the pope’s podium. Thankfully, our stubbornness paid off. Pope Leo’s teaching that morning spoke direc- tly to our hearts. The current series in the general audiences is “Christ Our Hope.” That day his topic was: “The Resurrection of Christ and the Challenges of the Contemporary World: Hoping in Life in Order to Beget Life.” As he spoke about rejecting the messages against life born of fear and darkness—I kid you not—the clouds parted even further, sunlight pouring onto the basilica and the square. In his summary, Pope Leo said: “Life is, first and foremost, a gift from God who has created us out of love. One of the temptations prevalent today is a lack of trust in God’s goodness and love. Perhaps we no longer experience life as a gift because we are weighed down by its burdens, but the Risen Christ reminds us that God is always faithful to His plan of love. Trusting in God, we are invited to participate in this plan of life and of love by generating life. For those of you living the vocation of married life, this means discovering the gift and adventure of motherhood and fatherhood, in which you are called to participate in bringing new lives into this world and preparing them for the life that is eternal. Do not be afraid of this adventure, but prayerfully open yourselves to the gift of life, trusting in the God who we know loves us.” Although it would take a miracle for my husband and me to have more children (we’re 61 and 52, respectively), Pope Leo’s teaching on openness to life was affirming in our choosing life despite difficulties and societal pressures. His message encouraged us to continue to pursue all that is lifegiving, which seems to be encompassed in those timeless transcendentals of truth, goodness and beauty. It also reminded me of one of my favorite refrains in the Liturgy of the Hours: “O Lord, our God, unwearied is your love for us.” God is faithful to His plan of love, and that love is unconditional. We can fight against the darkness and culture of death with courage, knowing He never tires of loving us. He will never let go of us. Our last day in Rome, we went to the beach at Ostia. Hearing our daughters laugh as they splashed their feet at the edge of the Mediterranean and picked out shells to take home was treasure for our hearts. The tomb of Saint Cecilia. (ICR photo/ Emily Woodham) There may be crosses we have to carry on our journey, but there is also unrivaled joy, even whimsy and fun. That night, we walked by St. Peter’s one last time. Shops along the path to the basilica already had lights and garland strung around their doors and windows. The Vatican’s Christmas tree was in the square, ready for decoration. The Nativity scene was nearby; its top peaked out from heavy drapes in anticipation of its unveiling on the Second Sunday of Advent. Like the Nativity scene that we saw on our first night in Rome, the Holy Family will be in the middle of crowds and busyness. The display of Jesus, Mary and Joseph is a display of love, courage and humility. It is an invitation for each of us to be still and not to be afraid. We can hope and be assured, for He is God, full of unwearied love for us, and He is faithful to His plan of love.

Parroquias de la diócesis de Boise celebran a Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. Estos son algunos aspectos de las Mañanitas en la fiesta en honor a Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe en la parroquia de Saint Paul, Nampa, este 12 de diciembre.     Devoción guadalupana en la parroquia Our Lady of the Good Counsel La parroquia Our Lady of the Good Counsel celebró a Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe con una novena que inició el 3 de diciembre y culminó el 12 de diciembre con las tradicionales mañanitas  a las 6:00 a. m., seguidas del rezo del Rosario y una peregrinación de aproximadamente dos kilómetros hacia la parroquia. La celebración en honor a la Virgen concluyó con la Celebración Eucarística bilingüe, presidida por el párroco Moisés Torres Urzúa, y una fiesta comunitaria en el salón parroquial.