Pope urges humility in Christmas address to Vatican administrators (AP) Pope Francis urged Vatican cardinals, bishops and bureaucrats Thursday to embrace humility this Christmas season, saying their pride, self-interest and the “glitter of our armor” was perverting their spiritual lives and corrupting the church’s mission. As he has in the past, Francis used his annual Christmas address to take Vatican administrators to task for their perceived moral and personal failings, denouncing in particular those pride-filled clerics who “rigidly” hide behind Catholic Church traditions rather than seek out the neediest with humility…

Pope accepts Cardinal Turkson’s resignation as dicastery head (CNA) Pope Francis on Thursday accepted the resignation of Cardinal Peter Turkson as prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. He named the Canadian Jesuit Cardinal Michael Czerny as the interim head of the dicastery pending the appointment of “new leadership…”

Catholic Church in Vermont seeks permission to demolish former cathedral (AP) The Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington is seeking permission to demolish a closed cathedral and a grove of trees in the downtown of Vermont’s largest city. If the city grants permission to demolish the Immaculate Conception Church on Pine Street, an existing parking area would remain and the site would be left as an open lawn…

Vatican reaffirms support for COVID vaccines (CNA) The Vatican underlined its support for COVID-19 vaccines on Wednesday amid global concern about the rapid spread of the omicron variant. The Holy See press office issued a statement reiterating the Vatican’s stance on vaccines on Dec. 22, following the release of two new documents on the pandemic by curial departments and the first anniversary of a declaration by its doctrinal congregation…

Bishop Kicanas to undergo heart surgery (CNS) In an online message to Catholics of the Tucson Diocese, retired Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas announced he has to undergo open heart surgery “on or near” Jan. 7 “barring a COVID spike.” “Recently I learned that I had some serious issues with my heart. Quite a surprise!” he wrote in the message, posted Dec. 20 on the website of the Tucson Diocese’s online news outlet, New Outlook…