While we know that the Church invisible has been on the march in Iraq, it is nice to see the visible Church resurgent. Glory to God in the highest; and on earth, peace, goodwill toward men. As al-Qaeda's grip eases, Christians flock home Date: December 24 2007 Aqeel Hussein in Baghdad and Colin Freeman IRAQI Christians who fled a district of Baghdad that declared itself an al-Qaeda caliphate have returned home to celebrate their first Christmas in two years. Known as the "Vatican of Iraq", the small but long-established Christian enclave in the mainly Sunni district of Doura suffered constant terror at the hands of al-Qaeda gunmen who tried to impose a Taliban-style rule. Churches were car-bombed, women were threatened for not wearing Islamic headscarves, and families had to pay off local mosques to keep them safe from kidnap gangs. But now al-Qaeda has been rooted out of Doura and the hundreds of Christian families who left the area are returning. On Christmas Day they will congregate in the battle-scarred St Mary's Church, where part of the crucifix on its tower is still missing after being shot at. "We closed the church two years ago because of all the trouble," said the priest, Father Younadim Shamoon, 45, who has decorated its bullet-cratered walls with modest fairy lights.

The Leader of the Free World gave his Christmas radio address today. He thanked the troops and their families for their sacrifices. Then he recalled the Author of life who said: "Greater love hath no man than this: that he lay down his life for his friends." At this time of year, we acknowledge that love and sacrifice can transform our world. The miracle of Christmas reminds us that God's grace is revealed in the humblest places. Two thousand years ago, the fullness of that grace was found in a tiny manger, and the life born that day changed our world forever. As Christmas approaches, Laura ...

Just when our modern society had drifted into the twilight dreamland of "Everything is relative," "All roads lead to heaven," and "Who am I to say someone else's viewpoint is wrong," we were rudely awakened from our slumber by the sound of two airliners smashing into our tallest buildings. We saw the images and could almost smell the smoke, feel the dust, and hear the cries of our fellow citizens being incinerated or jumping to their deaths. On 9/11 we were reminded that while much is gray, there is black and white. There is good. And there is evil. We were attacked by Evil. Not some nameless, faceless force but by evil personified in Atta, Bin Laden, and Co. We are not ...