Jimmy Lai's Faith in Prison, Planned Parenthood Closures, and Loneliness at Christmas

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Maggie Murray of OSV News catches you up on the Catholic news of the day for Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com. 

• Following his conviction under Hong Kong’s national security law, Jimmy Lai’s daughter says her father remains sustained by Catholic faith while she urges international leaders to press for his release.
• Nearly 50 Planned Parenthood clinics closed in 2025 after the organization lost access to Medicaid and Title X funding following a federal appeals court ruling tied to President Donald Trump’s legislation.
• As Christmas approaches, Catholic leaders and mental health experts are offering strategies to address what has been called an epidemic of loneliness in the United States, especially during the holidays.
• A new symposium in Houston will mark the 30th anniversary of St. John Paul II’s “Letter to Women,” examining Catholic teaching on women, gender, and modern society.
• Ahead of Christmas, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa visited Gaza City’s Holy Family Parish to offer prayers, encouragement, and hope to Christians enduring ongoing hardship.