Michael Bublé: 'Faith is light'

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Michael Bublé gets emotional about his faith

Canadian singer and songwriter Michael Bublé called meeting Pope Leo "one of the greatest moments of his life" and said headlining a Vatican Christmas concert for the poor was "an honor." Visibly moved, the Grammy winner opened up about his faith and said he hopes to inspire others to do the same.

"I feel like faith is light, literally a light," Bublé told journalists ahead of the concert over the weekend.

"We know times are difficult for many people, and there's a lot of darkness," he continued.

"When you have faith, you have your own pilot light. And the lights can go out everywhere, everywhere. But if you have that faith and you have that light inside you, you can find your way," Bublé said.

The Vatican's "Concert with the Poor" took place on December 6 and, according to the Vatican, more than 3,000 guests of honor included homeless people, refugees and other vulnerable groups. Pope Francis began the tradition, and Pope Leo said the event came out of the late pope's heart and his love for the poor.

Bublé called the experience life-changing and said faith is something that's always been a part of his life.

"All I can do is live that way and hope that the actions and the things that I do are things that my children can learn from, and they keep that faith inside to keep them strong," he said.

"We are living in a very interesting world. There's a lot of things that you can say, they don't shock people. The language we use, the things we do. They don't shock people. But when you say you have strong faith, this is shocking to people."

"With the platform that I have, my hope is that people see me, and that there's a young person who might listen to me today and who might be afraid to share their faith, to be open about it. And they look at me, and they say, 'Wow, look at Bublé.' He's not afraid to share it. And maybe it will give them the strength to do the same."

Pope Leo attended the concert and could be seen singing along to Bublé's rendition of "L.O.V.E."

Everything you need to know about Hanukkah?

This year, Hanukkah begins at sundown on Sunday, December 14, and lasts until sundown Monday, December 22. Millions of Jewish Americans across the country will be celebrating the holiday with family and friends.
Hanukkah, also known as Chanukah, is the festival of lights celebrating the Maccabees' victory over their Greek-Syrian rulers and the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem and restoration of its menorah, or lamp. They fought to preserve Jewish law and tradition against forced Hellenization.

The miracle of Hanukkah is that the Maccabees only found enough oil to light the menorah for one day, but it lasted for eight days.

How do Jewish people celebrate Hanukkah?

Families gather at home for eight nights to eat special food, sing, play games and commemorate the miracle of light and survival. The heart of the celebration is the lighting of the menorah.

Special prayers are recited to thank God for deliverance.

What are typical Hanukkah foods?

Typical dishes for Hanukkah are foods fried in oil to remember the miracle of the oil. Some of those dishes include latkes, which are potato pancakes, and sufganiyot, or jelly-filled donuts.

Children receive real coins or chocolate coins wrapped in foil and play with a dreidel, a spinning top.

What does Hanukkah mean spiritually?

For Jewish communities, Hanukkah is not only about the customs. Its deep spiritual meaning is about faith over persecution, religious freedom, identity and light overcoming darkness.

Pope Leo on AI: Tips to navigate the next tech revolution?

Pope Leo is issuing a warning about the latest technology experts say will revolutionize the economy, job market and even our personal relationships: artificial intelligence.

In an address to participants at a conference on the new technology last week, the first American pontiff said artificial intelligence poses serious ethical concerns about its impacts on humanity. Leo emphasized that it must always safeguard the human person.

Young people "must be helped, not hindered, on their path to maturity and responsibility," he said, according to the Vatican.

"The ability to access vast amounts of data and information should not be confused with the ability to derive meaning and value from it," the pope said.

"The well-being of society," he said, depends on young people's "ability to develop their talents and respond to the demands of the times and the needs of others, with generosity and freedom of mind."

The pope said the development of AI should be a collaborative effort involving many industries, including business, finance, education and faith communities.

Questions Pope Leo poses about AI

Pope Leo acknowledged that AI is already impacting millions of people daily and certain aspects of the human, such as critical thinking, discernment, learning and interpersonal relationships. He urged people to ask some fundamental questions to ensure AI is being used properly.

The pope offered examples. "How can we ensure that the development of artificial intelligence truly serves the common good, and is not just used to accumulate wealth and power in the hands of a few?"

Another question he posed was, "What does it mean to be human in this moment of history?"

Pope Leo emphasized that "human beings are called to be co-workers in the work of creation, not merely passive consumers of content generated by artificial technology."

"Artificial intelligence has certainly opened up new horizons for creativity, but it also raises serious concerns about its possible repercussions on humanity's openness to truth and beauty, and capacity for wonder and contemplation," he said.

"Recognizing and safeguarding what characterizes the human person and guarantees his or her balanced growth," he underlined, "is essential for establishing an adequate framework for managing the consequences of artificial intelligence."

This newsletter is written by Susie Pinto.

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