Some of our most inspiring stories of 2022

It's easy to see the negatives in the world, but during this festive period, take the time to consider some of the most positive news of the year!

As 2022 winds down, you might be looking back on the year and thinking about all the uncertainties and stress that it brought — especially in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing financial crisis.

However, among all the bad news, there have been many individuals going out of their way to help others. And at the turn of a new year, this is the news we need to focus on, so that we can go into 2023 with hope and faith firmly in our hearts.

So here are just a few of our favorites:

The inspirational grandma!

This wonderful grandmother has managed to raise a family that includes over 100 grandchildren grounded in faith, and the result is remarkable:

Great-grandma of 101 (you read that right!) inspires with her incredible faith

A grandfather leading by example

In this rather heartbreaking article, an octogenarian signed up to fight for his native Ukraine to keep his grandkids safe:

80-year-old enlists in Ukrainian army “for his grandkids”

The joy of the sibling bond

These siblings were united after 80 years apart. The strength of their sibling bond is a reminder of the importance of family, even if they’re far away:

Watch this heartbreaking video of siblings being reunited after 80 years apart

Praising God in song

This year we shared videos of two generations singing Ave Maria. Both renditions proved popular, but here’s a reminder in case you missed them:

96-year-old opera singer’s rendition of Ave Maria is simply stunning

And from a much younger opera singer …

Is this 10-year-old’s version of “Ave Maria” the most exquisite yet?

Religious using their faith to inspire

Fr. Bill Holt used his passion for God to encourage others back to church. His story of how he helped a dying girl and her family showed the lengths our men and women of faith go to to help others:

Priest’s ‘Humans of New York’ testimony wins over internet

This priest inspired any with his story of how he beat cancer — with a special blessing from Pope Benedict — and became a priest:

Teen who beat cancer after Pope Benedict’s blessing becomes priest

Sharing faith for the world to see

These Australian men would not let a severe rainstorm stop them from from offering up their prayers to the Virgin Mary:

Watch video of 100 Australian men praying the Rosary in horrendous rain

And of course, we can’t forget the most recent story of Lionel Messi, the captain of the Argentinian soccer team who led his team to World Cup victory. Not only did he inspire with his God-given talents, he also shared with millions around the world his complete faith in God:

Lionel Messi declares: “I knew God would bring this gift to me”