1. New Threats and Intimidation Against Iraqi Christians

2. Christian, Muslim leaders join Jordan’s king for Christmas celebration

3. Stephen P. White on Piecemeal but Concrete Beginnings of Reform in the Catholic Church

4. The New York Times on Planned Parenthood

Consider sending a letter to the paper thanking them for doing the story.



5.

“People with down syndrome, they don’t know anything about judgment or discrimination,” Dr. Greene said. “All they know is love.”https://t.co/fxj2pAvl35.https://t.co/E6YnhUK3qw — Bethany (@Bethany) December 19, 2018

6.

We asked teens in foster care to tell us what adoption or family means to them: "Adoption means a second chance at happiness and being a regular teen." Dashaunique, age 16 #fostercare #adoption #VoicesOfFosterCare pic.twitter.com/tINRjhBi66 — AdoptUSKids (@AdoptUSKids) December 19, 2018

7. Becket: Town gives Jewish menorah the cold shoulder, earns Becket’s 2018 Ebenezer Award


8. Surprise DNA Results Are Turning Customer-Service Reps Into Therapists

9.

Asked why 2/3rds of the churches in Holland will have to close, the conference delegate said, "No one is going." Asked, "Have you ever considered why in the last 50 years no one is going?," his response was, "No, I've never considered that." https://t.co/5537AO7yz3 @NCRegister — Edward Pentin (@EdwardPentin) December 19, 2018

10. Fr. James Schall on Curiosity

11.

Christmas is neither optimist nor pessimist; perhaps it's a sane but subtle blend of the truths of both. For Christmas is a winter feast; and 9 times out of 10 an optimist is a fool who denies that there is any winter; and a pessimist is a fool who denies it is possible to feast. — G. K. Chesterton (@GKCdaily) December 19, 2018

12. I’m dreaming of a noir Christmas

13. Fr. George Rutler has an advice column (and it doesn’t disappoint)

14. Georges Bernanos: Fear the Innocence of Children

15.

Maybe what is wrong with our world today is we have stopped believing that God can do the impossible. #homilytweet #advent #dec20 #thursdaythoughts — Fr. Edward Looney (@FrEdwardLooney) December 20, 2018

PLUS:

Do you know you can sign up for free a weekly e-mail from me? Among other things, it’s a good way to keep up with the National Review Institute’s Center for Religion, Culture, and Civil Society. Details here. (I also try to include Bill Buckley flashbacks.)

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