A great day in Brooklyn, as Brennan takes the chair (The Deacon’s Bench) It was a day rich in emotion, history, pageantry and joy, as Brooklyn welcomed Robert Brennan as our 8th bishop…

SCOTUS set to hear most important abortion case in decades (Crux) When the Supreme Court hears arguments this week in a Mississippi abortion case, the state’s Catholic bishops will watch closely in anticipation of what could be a major victory for the pro-life cause. “We really need to win this battle and we are definitely bringing it to prayer in a big way as a diocese and I’m hoping the whole country will pray for the Supreme Court justices to make a decision that is built on the right to life,” Bishop Louis Kihneman of Biloxi told Crux

Catholics in Greece preparing for visit from Pope Francis (Reuters) Roman Catholics in mainly Orthodox Greece are preparing excitedly for a visit by Pope Francis that they hope will help bring Eastern and Western Christianity closer together…

Vatican criticizes EU communications guide that discourages use of word “Christmas” (CNA) The Vatican’s Secretary of State on Tuesday criticized a European Commission communications guide discouraging staff from using the word “Christmas.” In an interview published by Vatican News on Nov. 30, Cardinal Pietro Parolin suggested that the document was going “against reality” by downplaying Europe’s Christian roots. He was commenting on a 32-page internal document called “#UnionOfEquality. European Commission Guidelines for Inclusive Communication,” launched on Oct. 26 by EU Commissioner for Equality Helena Dalli. Dalli announced on Nov. 30 that she was withdrawing the guidelines, saying that they “clearly need more work…”

Pope offers message for engaged couples (Vatican News) Pope Francis offered his catechesis at Wednesday’s General Audience as amessage for all engaged couples, as he reflected on St Joseph as a “just man” and “Mary’s betrothed spouse…”