NATION/WORLD

Pope Francis' Christmas greeting to the Vatican bureaucracy this year was an extended warning against a host of spiritual ills to which he said Vatican officials are prone, including "spiritual Alzheimer's," "existential schizophrenia," publicity-seeking, the "terrorism of gossip" and even a poor sense of humor.

God is knocking to come into people's lives, so be attentive, humble and courageous to let him in, Pope Francis said. On the fourth Sunday of Advent, Pope Francis talked about Mary showing the way to be ready, humble, generous and courageous when God calls people in their lives.

New York Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan joined in mourning what he called the "brutal and irrational execution of two young, promising and devoted police officers" fatally shot Dec. 20 as they sat in their New York Police Department cruiser on a Brooklyn street.

Christmas is the time to heal wounds and fix whatever defects still linger in one's life and heart, Pope Francis told Vatican employees. And leading by example, the pope asked everyone for their forgiveness -- for any errors or shortcomings he and his "colleagues" may be guilty of and "also for some scandals that cause so much harm. Forgive me."

Christ is being "reborn again in the lowly stable" this Christmas because of the remarkable faith of Iraqi Christians who were driven out of their homes, said Australian bishops who visited refugees in Lebanon and the displaced in Irbil, Iraq.

The winner of college football's 2014 Heisman Trophy attended the same all-boys Catholic high school as St. Damien of Molokai.

God did not come to the world with arrogance to impose his might; he offered his powerful love through a fragile child, Pope Francis said.

Ukrainian Catholic leaders have warned their church is being driven underground again, a quarter-century after it was re-legalized with the end of communist rule. "In Crimea and eastern Ukraine, we've already effectively returned to the catacombs," said Father Ihor Yatsiv, the church's Kiev-based spokesman.

The story of the Middle East in 2014 is one of war and displacement, broken families and tireless aid workers, and the rise of a new group one scholar referred to as "al-Qaida on steroids." It's a story of populations stretched to the limit, but still welcoming more refugees as neighbors. And it's a tale of religious leaders calling for prayer, meeting for dialogue and urging an end to the violence.

Pope Francis personally appealed to President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro this year to encourage both leaders to normalize diplomatic relations, a senior Obama administration official said.