Friday Free-for-All: December 10

Good morning! Just a quick round-up today; feel free to add your own links in the comments:

• A Wisconsin shrine has been approved as the first Marian apparition worthy of belief in the United States.
• Carl Olson parses the reports about a recent study claiming that “religion makes you happy because of its social rather than spiritual aspects” — and discovers that the original report is much more nuanced.
• Being hunted down by an angry mob is too good for the thugs who did this.
• The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception…in gingerbread. So beautiful. So tasty.
• If you’re looking for some great Christmas gift ideas, Ignatius Press is offering 25 percent off its entire store through Sunday. Don’t miss it!
• And finally: If you thought that David Bowie/Bing Crosby mash-up on “Little Drummer Boy” was the weirdest duet in the history of duets, check out the same song done by Shane MacGowan and the Priests. I can’t decide if this is awesome, terrible, or awesomely terrible (though Simcha has her own very strong feelings about it). Either way, it’s nice seeing MacGowan upright…