The chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Catholic Education, Archbishop George J. Lucas of Omaha, Nebraska, applauded President Obama’s signing today of the Every Student Succeeds Act into law.

Archbishop Charles J. Chaput O.F.M. Cap. will be the principal celebrant and homilist at a Mass honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe. The Hispanic Community of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia will gather in anticipation of the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (December 12th) to celebrate Las Mañanitas, a traditional serenading of Our Lady on the vigil of her feast day, followed by Mass.

The Holy Day of Christmas is a very special occasion for Catholics in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to celebrate the Holy Eucharist. All are welcome to celebrate the Nativity of Our Lord at the mother church of the Archdiocese, the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul.

Just in time for the 60th Annual Archbishop’s Christmas Benefit for Children, nine Archdiocesan High Schools and three local private Catholic high schools will provide presents for close to 350 out of the nearly 500 young people who will attend the annual Christmas Benefit and who receive services from over a dozen programs administered by Catholic Social Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

Pope John Paul II High School (PJP) in Royersford (Montgomery County) will host 350 children during its 6th Annual First Grade Christmas Party for area Catholic school children. The event is hosted by PJP’s National Honor Society and Student Council.

Today we stand with Imam Mohamed Shehata and our friends in that community, saddened that they have been victims of a vile act of desecration targeting a sacred place of worship and study.

The faithful of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia are invited to celebrate the opening of what Pope Francis has declared as an Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy where Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. will be the principal celebrant and homilist.

It is my sincerest prayer that this Chanukah will be particularly strengthening for your community’s families.

In Bucks County, Immaculate Conception B.V.M. Church (Levittown) will no longer serve as a worship site of Queen of the Universe Parish (Levittown) and will close as a Roman Catholic Church. In Montgomery County, Saint Gertrude Church (West Conshohocken) will no longer serve as a worship site of Saint Matthew Parish (Conshohocken) and will close as a Roman Catholic Church.

Each innocent life lost in the December 2 violence in San Bernardino was precious.