We ask you, urgently: don’t scroll past this

Dear readers, Catholic Online was de-platformed by Shopify for our pro-life beliefs. They shut down our Catholic Online, Catholic Online School, Prayer Candles, and Catholic Online Learning Resources—essential faith tools serving over 1.4 million students and millions of families worldwide. Our founders, now in their 70's, just gave their entire life savings to protect this mission. But fewer than 2% of readers donate. If everyone gave just $5, the cost of a coffee, we could rebuild stronger and keep Catholic education free for all. Stand with us in faith. Thank you.

Help Now >

A Young Mother Gives Birth

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town. And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.ďż˝ (Luke 2: 1 ďż˝ 7)

Making a difficult Journey

When Herod had died, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead." He rose, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go back there. And because he had been warned in a dream, he departed for the region of Galilee. He went and dwelt in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, "He shall be called a Nazorean." (Matt. 2: 20- 23)

Facing difficult circumstances

When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi, he became furious. He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi. Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet: "A voice was heard in Ramah, sobbing and loud lamentation; Rachel weeping for her children, and she would not be consoled, since they were no more." (Matt. 2: 16 ďż˝ 19)

The Fruit of Thy Womb.

What the Catholic faith believes about Mary is based on what it believes about Christ, and what it teaches about Mary illumines in turn its faith in Christ. "God sent forth his Son", but to prepare a body for him, he wanted the free co-operation of a creature. For this, from all eternity God chose for the mother of his Son a daughter of Israel, a young Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee, "a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary"(Lk. 1:26,27) Called in the Gospels "the mother of Jesus", Mary is acclaimed by Elizabeth, at the prompting of the Spirit and even before the birth of her son, as "the mother of my Lord". In fact, the One whom she conceived as man by the Holy Spirit, who truly became her Son according to the flesh, was none other than the Father's eternal Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity. Hence the Church confesses that Mary is truly "Mother of God" (Theotokos). (CCC, 495,496) (Council of Ephesus, 431 AD)

Secret Archives of the Saints, Subscribe Today

Catholic PDFs - Print - Free Light a Virtual Prayer Candle

ADVENT: A rehearsal for our meeting the Lord

Enjoy Daily Readings? Pay it Forward

Enjoy our Confirmation Class? Pay it Foward

Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, © Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited.

Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.

A Young Mother Gives Birth

Making a difficult Journey

Facing difficult circumstances

The Fruit of Thy Womb.

More Advent & Christmas

Advent & Christmas 2023

Begins Sunday December 3, 2023

Ends on Sunday December 24, 2023

Christ the King

Advent 2023 starts on Sunday December 3, 2023

Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary[holy day of obligation]

Advent 2023 ends on Sunday December 24, 2023

ChristmasBirth of Our Lord Jesus[holy day of obligation]

The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God[holy day of obligation]

Epiphany

Free Christmas & Advent PDFs | Available in English, Spanish and French

Advent Reflections

Advent Calendar

Advent Candle

Advent Wreath

Advent & Christmas Classes

Advent & Christmas PDFs

Christmas Gifts

Nativity Scene

St. Nicholas

Light your Free Virtual Prayer Candle: We will pray with you

More Advent

More Christmas

Explore More

Supporting FREE Catholic Education with Grass-fed Beef

More Advent & Christmas

Free Catholic PDF's - Home / Parish / School / Bulletin Inserts

Love is Born on Christmas Morn, and the World is Born Anew Watch

Advent Reflection - Day 22- The Fourth Sunday of Advent Watch

Secret Archives of the Saints, Subscribe Today

Join the MovementWhen you sign up below, you don't just join an email list - you're joining an entire movement for Free world class Catholic education.

Daily Catholic

Enjoy Daily Readings? Pay it Forward

Enjoy our Confirmation Class? Pay it Foward

Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary
[holy day of obligation]

Christmas
Birth of Our Lord Jesus
[holy day of obligation]

The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
[holy day of obligation]

Join the Movement
When you sign up below, you don't just join an email list - you're joining an entire movement for Free world class Catholic education.