RELIGIOUS LIBERTY // The Catholic Benefits Association blasted the Obama administration’s transgender regulation, set to start on January 1. The regulation requires that coverage in group health plans “include coverage for gender transition services, hormonal treatments, counseling and a host of surgeries that would remove or transforms the sexual organs of men or women transitioning to the other gender,” according to CBA. http://cvote.it/2hMfZiM
JAPAN // Japanese Prime Minister Abe makes an historic visit to Pearl Harbor, where he said: “I offer my sincere and everlasting condolences to the souls who lost their lives here.” He did not apologize for the attack but said “we must never repeat the horrors of war again.” http://cvote.it/2hMiHVu
POLITICS // A political columnist (who is also a pro-life Catholic) confesses: “I spent 12 years prophesying a populist takeover of the GOP. When it came, I couldn’t see it.” http://cvote.it/2hM9aOb
FAMILY // Physician: American children ‘immersed in a culture of disrespect.’ http://cvote.it/2hMgJV6
POLITICS // SEIU, a union of government employees, claims that Republican control of the White House and Congress is forcing them to cut back their budgets by 30%. The labor giant is the second largest union in the United States, and is one of the nation’s biggest spenders for Democratic candidates. http://cvote.it/2hMhDkN
CHRISTMAS TIME // The real reason you get grumpy over the holidays — and 5 things you can do about it. http://cvote.it/2hMe8uk
AMERICAN MARTYR // Vatican recognizes Oklahoma missionary priest as the first U.S.-born martyr. Father Stanley Rother was killed in Guatemala in 1981. http://cvote.it/2hM60dz
ON THIS DAY // 1979 – Soviets invade Afghanistan. http://cvote.it/2hMeC3R
SAINT // Feast of the Holy Innocents – http://cvote.it/DailySaint
DAILY READINGS // Today’s readings – http://cvote.it/Daily-Readings
BEAUTY // Watch our new video for today’s Feast of the Holy Innocents featuring a little-known Christmas carol with a hidden story behind it. Watch & share. http://cvote.it/2hvqwml