Pope Francis has declared as saints 16 Carmelite martyrs executed by guillotine during the French Revolution and confirmed the martyrdom and heroic virtues of five others in a series of decrees published Dec. 18.

A Reflection for Friday of the Third Week of Advent, by Joe Hoover, S.J.

We are not only the family of God because of an act of love but, because he was born as one of us, we are now also biologically like God. We are genetically related to him because he became one of us.

A Reflection for Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent, by Grace Lenahan

Today in The New York Times, Pope Francis praised the value of joy, humor and laughter, and noted “jokes about and told by Jesuits are in a class of their own.” Here are 5 of my favorite.

A Reflection for Thursday of the Third Week of Advent, by Cecilia González-Andrieu