ATLANTA–Archbishop Gregory J. Hartmayer, OFM Conv., offered warm greetings to the Jewish community during the celebration of Hanukkah.

ATLANTA—Archbishop Gregory J. Hartmayer, OFM Conv., of Atlanta, and Bishop Stephen D. Parkes, of Savannah, named Jayna Hoffacker as the new director for the Georgia Catholic Conference on Dec. 9.

ATLANTA–St. Vincent de Paul Georgia received a $5 million donation in its effort to move families into safe housing.

ATLANTA—Calling it “holy ground,” Atlanta Archbishop Gregory J. Hartmayer, OFM Conv., dedicated the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on Nov. 16 by blessing its walls and anointing the altar with sacred chrism. Like the prayers of the faithful rising to God, a thick smoke of perfumed incense rose to fill the sanctuary.

ATLANTA—When a parent loses a child, the world becomes unrecognizable. Daily routines become unmanageable, and even faith can feel distant.

Georgia’s bishops have shared a letter in opposition to the execution of Stacy Humphreys, scheduled on Dec. 17.

VATICAN CITY (CNS)–Visiting two countries over six days on his first foreign papal trip, Pope Leo XIV preached unity, dialogue and respect for differences as the only paths to peace.

When I am at a parish for the Mass of confirmation, I sometimes ask those to be confirmed if they know why we Catholics keep Sunday as our Sabbath.

The Bishops of the Atlanta Province released a pastoral statement Dec. 2 on the vision of Pope Leo XIV’s first apostolic exhortation.

ISTANBUL (CNS)–With their different rites, cultures, languages and races, Catholics find a unity around the altar that “is a gift from God. As such, it is strong and invincible, because it is the work of his grace,” Pope Leo XIV said.

It’s in the eyes of the young and the very old that members of St. Vincent de Paul at St. Mary Mother of God Church find inspiration. Although small in number, the parish’s Vincentians are tackling the problem of hunger in their rural community.

With a parish culture that emphasizes forming the whole person, St. Ann Church of Marietta was named the 2025 recipient of the national Archbishop Thomas Murphy Parish Stewardship Award.

ATLANTA—Advent, the start of the church’s liturgical year, begins Sunday, Nov. 30, and continues through Dec. 24. It is the season of preparation for Christ’s birth and one of hope.

ATLANTA—With a call of solidarity, Catholics from across the Archdiocese of Atlanta came together to join a national movement advocating for immigrants during Oct. 22 and Nov. 13 events.

ATLANTA—Six priests delivered humor instead of homilies on Nov. 12, taking the stage at St. Pius X High School for a stand-up comedy show.

VATICAN CITY (CNS)–Being a Christian means recognizing every person as a brother or sister and always being ready to lend a helping hand, Pope Leo XIV said.

ATLANTA—When Edwin Rambusch saw the dozen lanterns suspended along the length of the nave of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, their design and style felt familiar.

VATICAN CITY (CNS)–Insisting that the dignity of all people, including immigrants, must be respected, Pope Leo XIV asked U.S. Catholics and “people of goodwill” to read and listen to the U.S. bishops’ recent pastoral message on the topic.

(OSV News)–“When the Church speaks tenderly about mental health, people listen,” said Bishop John P. Dolan of Phoenix, whose mental health advocacy draws on his lived experience of losing several family members to suicide.

BALTIMORE (OSV News)–From the opening gavel to adjournment Nov. 11, the immigration issue was at the forefront for much of the first day of public sessions of the U.S. bishops’ fall plenary assembly in Baltimore.