What is hedonism? It’s more than you think...

What is Hedonism? More Than You Think. - Community in Mission: In yesterday’s Gospel Jesus set forth the need to accept the crosses of our life and carry them. As we reviewed in yesterday’s homily notes, crosses are not merely the big sufferings in life such as disease, the death of a loved one, the loss of a job, and so forth. There are also the daily crosses of self-discipline, hard work, obedience, setbacks, consequences for our decisions, limits to what we can do, and the cross of resisting temptation.

Archbishop Cordileone of San Francisco calls on mayor to end ‘excessive limits’ on outdoor Mass

San Francisco Catholic archbishop calls on mayor to end 'excessive limits' on outdoor Mass: In a letter to San Francisco's Mayor London Breed and other city officials, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone on Monday called on the city’s secular authorities to, “at a minimum, remove the excessive limits on outdoor public worship.” “Particularly for us as Catholics, attending the Mass and receiving the Body and Blood of Christ in person is the source and the summit of our faith, and we have shown we can celebrate the Mass safely,” Cordileone wrote Aug. 31.

Cultivating time for eternity — Ecology, exceptionalism, and apocalypse

Cultivating Time for Eternity - Homiletic & Pastoral ReviewTSAKANIKAS: In today’s scientific world, sometimes we need to be reminded that it is okay to generalize and speak according to common sense, to look at the forest and see more than just individual trees. It is okay to talk still about sunrise and sunset, instead of describing the earth rotating on its axis, in describing when you will wake up or when the picnic will end. We do not need to know the measurement or movement of quarks to act with a moral compass...

Byzantium is under siege again — will Chora’s mosaics and frescoes survive?

Byzantium Under Siege Again: Preserving Chora’s Icons – Building Catholic CultureSTAUDT: The four gigantic minarets surrounding Hagia Sophia serve as a constant reminder of the Turkish triumph in 1453 over the holy city founded by the emperor Constantine. The church, turned mosque, turned museum, and now reverted to a mosque stands undoubtedly among the greatest architectural accomplishments in human history. Its unique floor plan with a central dome and two half domes overawes, leading many to say with the envoys from Kiev...

‘Deplorable and malicious’ — Blessed Virgin Mary statue beheaded at Maronite church in Toronto

"Deplorable & Malicious": Virgin Mary Statue Beheaded at Maronite Church in Toronto |: The full post reads, “Sunday, August 30th, 2020, before we started our Masses at Our Lady of Lebanon Church Toronto, we were shocked to discover a horrible act of vandalism: we found that the statue of the Virgin Mary, erected in front of the church, was completely decapitated!

The new film about the apparitions at Fatima is heaven-sent during the pandemic

Film about miraculous visions of Fatima heaven-sent during the pandemicLISI: Movie releases in the age of COVID-19 have been tricky. Theaters around the world have been shuttered in order to stem the spread of the virus. The summer box office season — one of Hollywood’s most profitable — has evaporated. Instead, movie-goers are home binge-watching TV shows. Viewers interested in religion and history can take a break from Netflix starting this weekend and watch Fatima...

The beautiful new movie, ‘Fatima,’ is now available on Apple TV, YouTube and elsewhere...

"FATIMA": a Review - The Catholic ThingMINER: The time has probably passed when films about faithful Catholics could be box-office hits, but Italian director Marco Pontecorvo has given his best to make one with Fatima. This iteration of the story of the Marian apparitions scans almost as a remake of 1952’s The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima, except for a flash-forward device involving a purported interview of the now elderly Sister Lúcia dos Santos by a noted journalist.

Is Archbishop Viganò’s rejection of the Second Vatican Council promoting schism?

Is Archbishop Vigano’s Rejection of the Second Vatican Council Promoting Schism?DESOUZA: Two years after his incendiary whistleblowing about Theodore McCarrick, where does Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò stand?

That original “testimony” was — as I characterized it in 2018 — “reckless” and “unfair” in the breadth of those it accused, its rather uneven appeal to facts, and its foolish call for the Holy Father to resign. Yet it did offer some specific claims about how the McCarrick allegations were handled under Benedict XVI and Pope Francis...

You can’t be pro-life unless you oppose abortion

You Can’t Be Pro-Life Unless You Oppose Abortion | National ReviewLOPEZ: Election times in non-pandemic years can bring out some of the best and the worst of America. Both parties, in their convention productions, were maybe a mix of both. The aspirational, inspirational moments are the best, which, of course, may be a bit too much of a promise about what electing one ticket to the White House could ever possibly do...

Argentine ‘slum priest’ and COVID victim hailed as ‘martyr for the poor’

Argentine 'slum priest' and COVID victim hailed as 'martyr for the poor'SANMARTIN: A “slum priest” in Argentina admired by Pope Francis died Saturday after a three-month battle with the coronavirus, hailed by the movement of which he was a part as a “martyr for the poor.”

Father Basilicio “Bachi” Britez, 52 at the time of his death, had suffered from kidney problems, hypertension and diabetes, so when the COVID-19 pandemic began to surge in Argentina, he was advised to leave the shantytown where he lived and served due to the impossibility of observing a strict quarantine regime in such cramped quarters.

Waking up Arian: 52 percent of Americans say Jesus is just a great teacher but not God, according to survey

52 Percent of Americans Say Jesus Isn't God but Was a Great Teacher, Survey Says: A slight majority of American adults say Jesus was a great teacher and nothing more during his lifetime, which several Christian leaders say is evidence today's faithful are "drifting away" from traditional teachings...

I was hit hard by COVID-19 — and I’m still not afraid

I Was Hit Hard By COVID-19 — And I’m Still Not AfraidPOPE: It was July 27, a fairly normal Monday at the parish. I was up early for the radio show followed by a private Mass. Strangely, my nerves were shot, and I had no appetite. By early afternoon I had a fever of 102.5 and felt horrible. A parishioner friend offered to drive me to the nearby urgent care center. Both of us masked up, and we made the short drive. I could barely fill out the multiple forms required but was seen rather quickly.

Liturgical improvisation must end

New Liturgical Movement: Liturgical Improvisation Must EndDIPIPPO: By now, I am certain that all of our readers have heard of the appalling matter that recently came to light in the Archdiocese of Detroit. A young priest, ordained just over three years ago, happened to see the video of his own baptism, and thus discovered that the deacon who baptized him had said “We baptize you in the name of the Father etc.”, rather than “I baptize you...”

How to destroy virtual idols? Flannery O’Connor has the answer...

How to Destroy Virtual Idols? Flannery O’Connor Has the AnswerREGISMARTIN: Listening to NPR the other day — which I no longer do, by the way, having found it to be an unhealthy habit — I found myself being manipulated by a story so spurious and sentimental that I nearly drove my car into a ditch. It was about a middle-aged single mom who, for many years now, has spent long stretches of her life lost in cyberspace...

How do I invite my child to God?

How do I invite my Child to God? | Knowing Is DoingTORRE: There is a unique passage in Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians where he proclaims to his brethren that God chose them from the very beginning to be saved through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. Paul goes on to proclaim that the brethren are called through the Gospel, so that they may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. The unique character of this particular Pauline letter is that...

Video: “In Ethiopian Orthodox teaching, a church (to be a church) should be enveloped by a forest. It should resemble the Garden of Eden...”

How hundreds of small ‘Gardens of Eden’ guard against total deforestation in Ethiopia | Aeon Videos: Ethiopia’s northern highlands were once covered by trees. But over the past century, development and exponential population growth have all but wiped out the region’s forests, transforming the landscape into an expanse of brown fields, given over to cattle grazing and agriculture. However, an aerial view of the region reveals small pockets of green with round buildings in the middle, dotting the barren expanses...

What happens when pandemic locks down a globe-trotting pope?

What happens when pandemic locks down a globe-trotting pope?WINFIELD: On the March day that Italy recorded its single biggest jump in coronavirus fatalities, Pope Francis emerged from lockdown to offer an extraordinary prayer and plea to his flock to reassess their priorities, arguing the virus had proved they needed one another. Francis’ words from the rain-slicked promenade of St. Peter’s Basilica encapsulated the core messages he has emphasized...

Pope’s Sunday Angelus: The Cross reminds us of the sacrifices of the Christian life

Pope Francis: The Cross Reminds Us of the Sacrifices of the Christian Life: Pope Francis said Sunday the crucifix we wear or hang on our wall is not supposed to be decorative, but a reminder of God’s love and the sacrifices involved in the Christian life. “The cross is the holy sign of God’s Love and a sign of Jesus’ Sacrifice, and is not to be reduced to a superstitious object or an ornamental necklace,” the pope said in his Angelus address Aug. 30.

The Bridegroom beckons to a cellar where the best wine is still waiting

Beginning to Pray: The Best Wine for LastLILLES: Feeling abandoned by the Church, many wonder over the plight of humanity and the promise of the Gospel. Some priests and bishops remember the tradition passed on to them and they dare, even in the face of incoherent policies, to build an island of humanity and to raise the standard of love. The miracle of Cana flows from these celebrations of eternal thanksgiving, not despite, but because of such suffering...

Trademarks of the True Messiah — 22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time

Trademarks of the True Messiah – A Homily for the 22nd Sunday of the Year - Community in MissionPOPE: In Sunday’s Gospel the Lord firmly sets before us the need for the cross, not as an end in itself, but as the way to glory. Let’s consider the Gospel in three stages. First, the text says, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised. The Lord announces not only the Cross but also the Resurrection...

The Cost of Discipleship — 22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time

The Cost of Discipleship: 22nd Sunday of OT – The Sacred PageBERGSMA: If last Sunday’s Readings were a soft-ball pitch, a nice high arc to knock out of the park, this Sunday’s Readings are a wicked curve ball for the Catholic preacher. Nonetheless, while these readings aren’t the “feel good” homiletical experience of last week’s, the truths are just as important and just as “Catholic.” We begin with a troublesome passage from the prophet Jeremiah...

It wasn’t toughness that carried Jesus through His suffering. It was love. So turn to His Mother in tough times...

Turning to Mary in Tough Times - Seton MagazineCLARK: Years ago, I faced a very difficult stage of my life. The circumstances, the hows, whys, and whats, don’t particularly matter. That is a story for another time perhaps. What matters is the who and where. Back then, at the end of each day over the course of several weeks, as things grew increasingly difficult for me, I stopped in a little chapel. I slowly walked in, blessed myself, fell down on my knees in the back of the church, stared at the statue of Mary, and sobbed.

Viral video: How I dealt with kids playing in my driveway...

New Advent: How I dealt with kids playing in my driveway: “Every night I would get an alert from my driveway security camera, and at first I was a bit annoyed, but then I found myself looking forward to the evening alert. And then inspiration struck, in the form of my wife giving me this great idea. What transpired has turned into the best part of an otherwise dreary pandemic summer...”

Rebecca Kiessling: “I owe my birth to the law which protected me...”

Rebecca Kiessling: “I owe my birth to the law which protected me.”: Kiessling is an international pro-life speaker who has "helped pregnant rape victims all around the world to choose life for their children," according to her website, RebeccaKiessling.com. "She’s also an attorney, wife, and mother of 5 (two oldest are adopted,) lost 2 additional babies to miscarriage, and her 33 day old adopted daughter Cassie, who was born with special needs."

Archbishop Paglia buries the abortion issue yet again...

Archbishop Paglia buries the abortion issue…again | Catholic CultureMIRUS: Since Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia was named President of the Pontifical Academy for Life, it seems to have become impossible for the Academy to shed light on any particular threat to life in our world. One need look no further to establish the Academy’s vacuity than its amorphous, secularized observations on the Coronavirus back in July...

‘I am pro-eternal life’ — Sister Deirdre’s ‘old-fashioned’ religious witness

Sister Deirdre’s ‘old-fashioned’ religious witness | Catholic CultureLAWLER: Sister Deirdre Byrne is a formidable woman, and her speech to the Republican convention has, obviously and understandably, energized President Trump’s Catholic supporters. What I found most impressive, however, was not her endorsement of the President’s re-election bid, but her bold proclamation. Coincidentally, on the morning after Sister Deirdre’s speech...

Makers of sacramental wine, altar bread suffer economic hit due to pandemic

Makers of sacramental wine, altar bread suffer economic hit due to pandemic - Catholic News Service: With the global pandemic practically shutting everything down for months, the sacramental wine and altar bread business has suffered like other businesses in the country, with COVID-19 preventing most indoor public celebrations of the Mass.

Chalice shot by ISIS militants to make tour of churches

Chalice shot by ISIS militants to be displayed in Spanish churches: As part of an effort to remember and pray for persecuted Christians, several churches in the Diocese of Málaga, Spain are displaying a chalice that was shot by the Islamic State. The chalice was rescued from a Syrian Catholic church in the town of Qaraqosh on the Nineveh plain in Iraq. It was brought to the Malaga diocese by the papal charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) to be displayed during Masses offered for persecuted Christians.

Amazing flying macro zoom effect with various household objects

New Advent: Amazing flying macro zoom effect with various household objects: Macrofying looks at basic objects in microscopic zoom, using different lenses and editing to create a zoom effect...

The Book of Exodus and why coming back to Mass matters

The Book of Exodus and Why Coming Back to Mass Matters - Word on FireBARRON: In connection with an academic project of mine, I’ve recently been poring over the book of Exodus and numerous commentaries thereupon. The second most famous book of the Old Testament is concerned primarily with the manner in which God shapes his people so that they might become a radiant beacon, a city set on a hill. On the biblical reading, Israel is indeed chosen, but it is never chosen for its own sake, but rather for all the nations of the world.

8 personal finance lessons from Benjamin Franklin

Personal Finance Lessons from Benjamin Franklin | The Art of Manliness: Benjamin Franklin rose from 17-year-old runaway to successful printer, newspaperman, author, inventor, diplomat, and statesman. His great success came from living the virtues of frugality and industry, and his life offers us many personal finance lessons that apply to modern men just as much as they did to those living in colonial America. So without further ado, let’s dive right into uncovering some of Ben’s timeless wisdom:

Bad art warps our vision

Bad Art Warps Our Vision | Leah Libresco Sargeant | First ThingsLIBRESCO: I haven’t listened to “WAP,” the obscene song with the unprintable full title that’s topping the summer charts, and I don’t plan to. I take warnings about bad art seriously. So when Alyssa Rosenberg of the Washington Post came to the song’s defense, I was curious. I’ve read and appreciated Rosenberg’s cultural analysis for years, and I can sympathize with part of her case for “WAP.”

Take it from YouTube star Nick Becker: What the world needs now is holy heroes

What the world needs now: holy heroes - Today's Catholic: At age 16, Nicholas Becker has already achieved a great deal. He serves as an acolyte at St. Matthew Cathedral in South Bend, spots when his brother Crispin lifts weights, and had a busboy job at Chick-fil-A restaurant before the pandemic shut things down. He has spoken at several area right-to-life events and was elected vice president of his freshman class at Marian High School, Mishawaka, last year. Now he’s a YouTube personality, too.

Boston Catholic priest apologizes for ‘pro-choice’ statements

Boston Catholic priest apologizes for ‘pro-choice’ statements: A Boston priest has apologized for a social media post in which he described himself as “pro-choice” and endorsed former vice president Joe Biden. The post, made Sunday, received widespread media attention and prompted a statement from Cardinal Sean O’Malley...

Before and after satellite images of Louisiana show widespread destruction from Hurricane Laura [autoplay audio]

Hurricane Laura damage: Before and after satellite images of Louisiana show widespread destruction - CNN: New satellite images are giving a glimpse of the destruction that Hurricane Laura has waged across Louisiana.

Hurricane Laura roared through southwestern Louisiana early Thursday morning, killing six and leaving behind a wide path of destruction. CNN has obtained new satellite images from Maxar Technologies that are showing just how destructive the storm was.

The universe has made almost all the stars it will ever make

The Universe Has Made Almost All the Stars It Will Ever Make - Issue 89: The Dark Side - Nautilus: Our human world is soaked in light. For starters there are the 100,000 trillion photons arriving every second at every square centimeter of Earth’s dayside surface, after racing here from the outer envelope of a natural giant thermonuclear reactor we call the sun. There are also the photons that zip every which way through any cubic centimeter of open space. Some of these are the microwave leftovers from the hot Big Bang over 13 billion years ago...

This Sunday, stop correcting Jesus

This Sunday, Stop Correcting Jesus | The Gregorian Institute at Benedictine CollegeHOOPES: Peter behaved the way we often do. We know what Jesus said. We think we know better and can rule out the cross as God’s chosen tool of redemption. We do this whenever we think the rules don’t apply to us because we have a special relationship with God, and he couldn’t really want us to suffer. Surely, the precept “You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church” doesn’t apply to this Friday...

Keep our parishes weird

Keep our Parishes Weird - Adoremus BulletinCARSTENS: In order to keep my writing and editing skills honed, I’ve signed up for the Merriam-Webster “Word of the Day.” The word parochial landed in my inbox recently. It is a word well-known to Catholics, at least on the surface, and one that ought to give us some insight into our current bizarre surroundings. As the good people at Merriam-Webster noted, in the Greek of the New Testament, the word paroikia means...

St Augustine — hammer of 3 heresies

St Augustine: Hammer of Heretics – Fr. Dwight LongeneckerLONGENECKER: In the late fourth century St Augustine was coping with the mixed blessing of the Christian Church becoming the established religion of the Roman Empire.

As a theologian, philosopher and bishop it fell to him to correct three particular heresies which were infesting the church at the time, and all three were the result of the church becoming established. As it became the established religion these three heresies grew like an ugly cancer as a result of the church’s establishment.

We are always asking God to bless what we do. Why not find out what God is already blessing and do that?

Paradoxes of Evangelization - Community in MissionPOPE: Many people today say that we should speak more tenderly. We should be more positive, less demanding, and more merciful. We should strive to be known more for what we are for than what we are against. It is said that honey attracts more than vinegar, but clearly St. Paul and the Holy Spirit don’t agree, for we are exhorted to preach “Christ crucified” even though this is an absurdity to the world. Let us not forget to manifest our joy, but even in doing so let us not neglect to embrace the paradox of the cross.

Take a lesson from St. Peter: Never take your eyes off the Lord. Without Him, you can do nothing...

Take a Lesson From St. Peter — Never Take Your Eyes Off the LordREGISMARTIN: Dame Margot Fonteyn, who put British ballet on the map and was among the world’s most beloved ballerinas, once said that it was only when she took the dance seriously that she was able to execute a perfect pirouette. When she took herself seriously, however, she’d fall flat on her face. There is an obvious lesson here, I think, and not only for students of the ballet...

10 things to know and share about St. Augustine of Hippo

St. Augustine: 10 Things to Know and ShareAKIN: Aug. 28 is the memorial of St. Augustine, bishop and doctor of the Church. He’s one of the most influential Church Fathers and theologians in history. Who was he and why is he so famous? Here are 10 things to know and share. First, when and where was he born? St. Augustine was born in A.D. 354 in Thagaste, Numidia (modern day Souk Ahras, Algeria) into an upper-class family. His father...

Pope Francis makes surprise visit to Rome’s Basilica of St. Augustine

Pope Francis Makes Visit to Rome's Basilica of St. Augustine: Pope Francis made a surprise visit to the Basilica of St. Augustine Thursday to pray at the tomb of St. Monica. During his visit to the basilica in Rome’s Campo Marzio neighborhood near Piazza Navona, the pope prayed in the side chapel containing the tomb of St. Monica on her feast day Aug. 27.

Cardinal O’Malley: Catholics have a ‘right’ to clarity, after Boston priest supports ‘right to choose’

Boston cardinal: Catholics have 'right' to clarity, after priest supports 'right to choose': The Church’s teachings on the sanctity of life are of preeminent priority, the Archbishop of Boston said on Thursday, August 26. Cardinal Sean O’Malley, OFM, Cap., said that Catholics have “the right to expect the priests of the Archdiocese and those entrusted with handing on the faith to be clear and unequivocal on the Church’s teaching concerning respect and protection for life from the first moment of conception to natural death.”

‘Fatima’ is a compelling, visually lush religious drama

SDG Reviews ‘Fatima,’ a Compelling, Visually Lush Religious DramaGREYDANUS: Marco Pontecorvo’s Fátima is the first screen version of the Marian apparitions at Fátima and the “Miracle of the Sun” I’ve seen that feels like the characters are living through the story’s events in the present tense. That’s more than a little ironic, because it’s also the version that most emphatically places those events in the past, almost but not quite presenting them in flashback from the perspective of an aging Sister Lúcia...

Full text: Sister Dede Byrne’s speech at the 2020 Republican National Convention

Full Text: Sister Dede Byrne’s Speech at the 2020 Republican National Convention: Sister Deirdre Byrne spoke passionately about the sanctity of life at the RNC saying, "While we tend to think of the marginalized as living beyond our borders, the truth is the largest marginalized group in the world can be found here in the United States. They are the unborn."

Please don’t give up on in-person teaching, Notre Dame [paywall]

Please don’t give up on in-person teaching, Notre Dame | America MagazinePHILPOTT: A hard-worn habit of modernity is reducing questions of ethics to science and to the utilitarian logic of risk management. This habit has shone conspicuously in pandemic polemics, where data is plunked down as a trump card—by voices on all sides. That, of course, is the problem. Successes of science and abacuses of utility cannot tell us what we ought to do...

“Catholics are under attack” — Is it a valid news story if a U.S. senator claims this is true?

'Catholics are under attack': Is it a valid news story if a U.S. senator claims this is true? — GetReligionLISI: Is it news if a sitting United States senator pens a letter to the U.S. Justice Department? It depends on a number of factors. Let’s also say that the letter in question is made public by the senator’s communications department via the Internet and on social media. Is it a news story then? This depends, of course, on what the letter says and whether it is connected to facts that journalists can seek out and report...

Catholics can support ‘right to choose,’ says Boston priest; Cardinal O’Malley declines comment

Boston Priest: Catholics Can Support ‘Right to Choose,’ Archdiocese Declines Comment: A Boston priest has said he believes in “a woman’s right to choose” on the issue of abortion, and will continue his advocacy for Joe Biden’s presidential campaign, despite Catholic teaching on abortion and a Church prohibition on clerical advocacy for political candidates. Msgr. Paul Garrity of the Archdiocese of Boston spoke to CNA Tuesday, after attracting criticism for a Facebook post endorsing former vice president Joe Biden for president...

You don’t have to agree with Kellyanne Conway to know that she’s human like the rest of us, and family is what matters

Family is what matters - Our Sunday VisitorLOPEZ: Kellyanne Fitzpatrick (now Conway) might have been the first insider political person I met as a college student at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., in the 1990s. I would meet many more as an intern at the Heritage Foundation, but during my freshman year, she came to campus and talked about the importance of faith and family. Raised by a single mother, she radiated gratitude and a desire to give back and make all the sacrifices that made her life possible bear fruit.

Sister Dede Byrne — sister, soldier and surgeon — to address RNC

Sister, soldier, surgeon, speaker: Catholic sister to address Republican convention: A surgeon, retired army officer, missionary, and Catholic religious sister is among the featured speakers at this week’s Republican National Convention. The convention, which takes place over four days this week, will officially nominate President Donald Trump for reelection.

Three Roman vignettes from the peak of the summer doldrums

Three Roman vignettes from the peak of the summer doldrumsALLEN: Late August in Rome marks the apex of the summer doldrums, the last chance to get away before the press of the fall begins. Pretty much nothing happens in the city, and that very much includes the Vatican. Yet while the headquarters of the global Church isn’t producing much news right now, that doesn’t mean the Eternal City can’t still teach some lessons about the faith...

Discovered: Liturgical abuse leads to invalid sacraments

Discovered: liturgical abuse leads to invalid sacraments | Catholic CultureLAWLER: A priest learns that he was not validly baptized. And since he was not validly baptized, his ordination was also invalid. And since he was not validly ordained, when he celebrated Mass or heard confessions, those sacraments weren’t valid, either. The Archdiocese of Detroit has a mess on its hands. For Father Matthew Hood, who realized that he had been “baptized” with a formula...

Birthdays are always, truly, happy days...

The Joy of Birth-days | LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: It is noteworthy that the birth of a child is pretty much always a painful experience—especially for the mother. Surely it is a trying experience for the child too. Yet when things go well a child comes forth into the world. Scripture speaks of how the difficulty is forgotten in view of the joy. And what a joy it is. It is interesting that at first the joy belongs especially to the parents...

Why we are where we are

Why we are where we are - Denver CatholicWEIGEL: By early March 1865, more than a million Americans had killed or wounded each other in civil war; the killing, wounding, and maiming continued for another month or so. Yet amidst that unprecedented carnage, Abraham Lincoln, at his second inauguration as president, called the American Republic to recompose itself in unity by means of magnanimity: With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right...

Divine chastisement is not a matter of shaming and blaming, as if God were an abusive parent, but extreme love acting against terrible evil...

Beginning to Pray: Chastisement and MercyLILLES: How can Unchanging Love not chastise those who, if not corrected, will destroy themselves? It is true that disaster stings the good and bad alike, and that the suffering of grave evil is not simply the result of a moral failure, not individually or collectively. Both innocent and guilty suffer death and tragedy strikes without regard to our achievements, meritorious or ill...

After six months of livestreaming, Pope Francis to resume general audiences with the public

Pope Francis to resume general audiences with the public: Members of the public will be able to attend Pope Francis’ general audiences again from Sept. 2 after an almost six-month absence due to the coronavirus crisis. The Prefecture of the Papal Household announced Aug. 26 that the pope’s general audience next Wednesday would take place “with the presence of the faithful.”

King St. Louis IX was a religionist, not a racist, determined to enshrine Christ the King over his own kingship

Saint Louis IX: Racist or Religionist? - Crisis MagazineFITZPATRICK: The noise this summer atop Art Hill in Forest Park, St. Louis, clamoring that something be done about the bronze cast of Charles Henry Niehaus’s “The Apotheosis of Saint Louis” should be remembered on this feast day of the sainted King of France. The ignorant anger that has taken the nation in its grip, toppling and defacing memorials that hearken to times of perceived or alleged racial division...

Who is the priest we want?

Who Is the Priest We Want? | Church Life Journal | University of Notre DameCAVADINI: When answering the question, “Who is the priest we want?,” I think the first answer would be, “The priest we get. We do not have much choice!” But seriously, we are glad to have a priest. Most of us laity whether we can articulate it or not, realize that the priesthood is a gift and that we are on the receiving end, and we do not take it for granted, even if we do not always show it.

Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski installed as tenth Archbishop of St. Louis

Whispers in the Loggia: On St Louis' Day, The Arch's Call – "We Must Be 'Gateways,' Not Gatekeepers"PALMO: One hundred sixty years ago, on the eve of a Civil War whose echoes have eerily resurfaced in these days, the bond between Catholicism's oldest diocese in these States and the mother-church of the American West was created when Baltimore and St Louis were respectively led by Dublin-born brothers named Kenrick. Today, as the Premier See's own Mitch Rozanski crosses the Mississippi to become the ninth successor of the younger of the siblings...

There are two reasons why humor is a mark of true Christianity.

Christianity and Comedy – Fr. Dwight LongeneckerLONGENECKER: I’ve got this theory that one of the great signs of authentic Christianity is comedy. I’m reading the letters of Flannery O’Connor at the moment and one of her great gifts is a razor sharp wit. She’s funny, and one of the reasons she’s funny is that she makes fun of herself. She takes herself lightly... even when she knows she dying of lupus. On the other hand, it is also a sign of the ideologue and heretic that they take themselves extremely seriously...

Detroit priest’s baptism story offers a memo for ‘reformers’: Look before you leap

Priest baptism story offers memo for reformers: Look before you leapALLEN: Robert K. Merton, a famous American sociologist, was, by all accounts, a smart guy. Among other things, he popularized the expression “law of unintended consequences” to refer to situations when a person does something for one reason, but he or she finds that it produces all sorts of other unexpected results. Right now, Father Matthew Hood of the Archdiocese of Detroit is living proof of Merton’s dictum.

OCP features Mormonism’s ‘angel’ Moroni on cover of 2021 missals, sparking row with Catholic parishes

Mormon cover art sparks row for Catholic publisher: A Catholic publisher has apologized for using a Mormon image on the cover of two of its 2021 publications. Oregon Catholic Press said the use of the image of the Mormon figure of Moroni was a mistake, and the company believed it to be a general image of an angel. The artist - a Catholic who abandoned the faith for Mormonism - had listed the image as of Moroni on his own social media account.

Saying ‘I baptize’ instead of ‘We baptize’ is God’s will, not legalism

‘I Baptize’ Instead of ‘We Baptize’ is God’s Will, Not LegalismGRONDELSKI: On Aug. 6, 2020, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) issued a “Responsum” to a question about the validity of baptisms administered using a plural “form” — “We baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” is invalid. Because the form was invalid, the person was never baptized and must, thus, be baptized. On Feb. 1, 2008, the CDF was asked whether baptism employing the form...

In times of harsh political discourse, what do the Scriptures say?

In Times of Harsh Political Discourse, What Do the Scriptures Say? - Community in MissionPOPE: We are in times of strident political protest that includes a lot of harsh language, personal attacks, name calling, and even debased and profane terms. There are tweets, and angry monologues, harsh commentary on news networks, and interruptive press conferences and news interviews that sound more like a brawl than a debate. To put it all more pleasantly, these are times of “colorful” discourse.

Keep Christ at the center

Keep Christ at the Center | Samuel J. Aquila | First ThingsAQUILA: Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold.” These words from W. B. Yeats’s poem “The Second Coming” were first published one hundred years ago, in a time not wholly dissimilar to ours. The 1918-1919 flu epidemic had ravaged much of Europe, tearing through communities and families without discrimination. (Yeats nearly lost his wife and unborn child to the flu.) The stench of World War I still hovered over the trenches and new conflicts simmered...

What are the odds of getting COVID-19 on a short flight? Between 1/4300 and 1/7700, say MIT experts...

It's unlikely to catch coronavirus on a flight now, according to experts: According to a study published earlier this month by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, air travelers in America have a pretty slim chance of getting COVID-19 on a short flight. Specifically, folks have about a 1/4300 chance of getting infected on a full 2-hour ride, according to the developing research cited by Bloomberg...

Abortion undermines the credibility of the Democratic Party platform

Democratic Party Platform: Abortion Undermines Its Credibility | National ReviewLOPEZ: The Democratic convention this year, odd Hollywood production that it was in these virtual times, was a bit of an exercise in denial. There were the feel-good segments about Joe Biden and his life in public office and his painful personal tragedy. There were shrill attacks on Donald Trump, probably the easiest thing in the world to do — casting so many of the wrongs of coronavirus on him. One of the segments I found the most jarring was Bill Clinton’s...

How it all ends

How It All Ends - The Catholic ThingROYAL: So many things seem to be on the fast train to hell at the moment that it came into my head to look into the Apocalypse. Not some “apocalyptic” film or novel – the Apocalypse, the Book of Revelation, the last book of the New Testament and, therefore, the conclusion of Holy Scripture.

It’s understandable that people don’t pay much attention to the Apocalypse. Most of us vaguely know that it says someday it’s all going to break bad, cosmically bad. Who wants to think about that?

Pope praises priest who pioneered Argentine form of liberation theology

Pope praises priest who pioneered Argentine form of liberation theologySANMARTIN: When a pope has no global leaders visiting him on a regular basis, and no appointments with bishops from around the world doing their regular trek to the Eternal City, what does he do?

Well, if you’re Pope Francis, you use the time to dispatch personal notes and emails.

Last weekend, he sent a note to pay homage to a priest from Argentina who died of cancer Aug. 16. Known as a poet, singer, and a defender of Argentina’s biodiversity, Father Julian Zini penned some of the country’s most famous Mass songs.

Reader attacked during livestreamed Mass at Philadelphia cathedral

Churchgoer attacked during Mass at Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter & Paul in Philadelphia - 6abc Philadelphia: Philadelphia Archbishop Nelson J. Perez is speaking out after a churchgoer was attacked during Sunday morning's Mass.

The attack was captured on video during the 11 a.m. Mass at Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter & Paul while the service was streaming online.

Encouragement for teachers from a teacher’s pope, Pope Pius XI

Pope Pius XI: Encouragement for Teachers From a Teacher’s Pope | Classical Catholic EducationLANGLEY: No matter what ails the nation, turmoil in the inner city, conflagrations, and riots, anxiety over the upcoming election, fears rational and irrational, nonetheless, along with the season of fall there arrives the insuppressible feeling of a new academic year! Almost akin to the instinct that irresistibly directs the feelings and actions of our friends in the animal world...

Bishop Bransfield’s disgraceful non-apology

Bishop Bransfield’s disgraceful non-apology | Catholic CultureLAWLER: Bishop Bransfield, you will recall, was allowed to resign upon reaching the normal age limit, despite mounting evidence that he had used diocesan funds on personal expenses at a spectacular level and—as if that weren’t enough—established a pattern of sexual harassment of priests and seminarians under his authority. Bishop Brennan, his successor in the West Virginia diocese...

Pope’s Sunday Angelus: ‘Christian Charity is not simple philanthropy’

Pope Francis: ‘Christian Charity is Not Simple Philanthropy’: Christian charity is more than simple philanthropy, Pope Francis said in his Angelus address Sunday. Speaking from a window overlooking St. Peter’s Square Aug. 23, the pope said: “Christian charity is not simple philanthropy but, on the one hand, it is looking at others through the eyes of Jesus Himself and, on the other hand, seeing Jesus in the face of the poor...”

Follow these 7 rules and learn how to argue like a Christian...

How to argue like a ChristianHOOPES: We live in an angry, combative age. Our very language of disagreement feeds the unrest. People feel furious, misunderstood, and helpless. What’s a Christian to do? We who have been commanded to love our enemies and to spread the Gospel need to be above the fray. Herewith, some dialogue rules for Catholics. A friend recently read The Church and Racism by the Pontifical Commission Justice and Peace and was struck by how the document denounced racism...

Focus on your household and protect and deepen your family life — for the sake of your neighbors, nation and Church

Focusing on Household for the Common Good | LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: According to Aristotle—and most other thinkers in the great tradition—society should, especially in its laws and customs, be conducive to citizens living a truly good life. Of course, he knows that often it is not. In those cases, he admonishes us to be extra attentive and intentional about our own households and friendships. This could be perceived as a retreat from society. But it is not. Aristotle, like his great teachers Plato and Socrates...

‘Mindfulness’ and empty ‘meditation’ can worsen depression and anxiety, study shows...

Mindfulness and meditation can worsen depression and anxiety | New Scientist: Mindfulness and other types of meditation are usually seen as simple stress-relievers – but they can sometimes leave people worse off. About one in 12 people who try meditation experience an unwanted negative effect, usually a worsening in depression or anxiety, or even the onset of these conditions for the first time, according to the first systematic review of the evidence...

Nicole Hunt: ‘Help Mom Save Baby’ is the answer to late-term abortion

Nicole Hunt: Help Mom Save Baby is the answer to late-term abortion: “Up until the day before your baby is born you can get an abortion for any reason?” is the question that motivates Nicole Hunt, whose daughter — now 11 years old — was born prematurely at 27 weeks, survived and thrived. “At that point, you have two bodies that can live apart from each other, with medical help. It's about the human right of both the mother and the child.”

Let’s smash the TV and the smartphone so that we can rediscover the ordinary things and do them...

Smash Your TV — and Your Smartphone While You’re at It – Building Catholic CultureSTAUDT: In all of my teaching (in about 50 distinct classes), I’ve seen the greatest impact of any contemporary book from John Senior’s The Restoration of Christian Culture. One line in particular always stands out, causing shock and dismay in the students: “smash the television set!” “Isn’t that so extreme? How could he say that? He’s just a curmudgeon!” It’s actually been the most impactful line from the book...

Woman told she should have aborted her autistic children

Woman Told She Should Have Aborted Autistic Children | Matthew SchneiderSCHNEIDER: Unfortunately, the hate mail sender included a prayer to the Holy Spirit. When they are calling a person “a Monster” and “very stupid,” while suggesting abortion, they are not listening to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the spirit of charity. The Holy Spirit values unborn life. The Holy Spirit values autistic humans. Please don’t claim to be Catholic while acting opposite to Catholicism...

Pope St. Pius X reminds us that Vatican reform isn’t a political animal

Pius X a reminder that Vatican reform isn’t a political animalALLEN: Two days ago, the Church marked the liturgical feast of St. Pius X, who reigned from 1903 to his death on August 20, 1914, and who was canonized in 1954. To mark the occasion, Vatican news carried a laudatory interview with an Italian historian styling Pius X as a “Pope-Reformer of the Church.” In itself, that may seem a “dog bites man” kind of story...

Of Peter and the Papacy — A homily for the 21st Sunday of the Year

Of Peter and the Papacy – A Homily for the 21st Sunday of the Year - Community in MissionPOPE: The Gospel today sets forth the biblical basis for the Office of Peter, the Office of the Papacy, for Peter’s successors are the Popes. The word “pope” is simply an English version (via Anglo-Saxon and Germanic tongues) of the word “papa.” The Pope is affectionately called “Papa” in Italian and Spanish as an affectionate indication that he is the father of the family, the Church. Let’s look at the basic establishment of the Office of Peter in three steps.

Jackass priests and deacons who screw around with the forms (essential words) of sacraments. Wherein Fr. Z rants...

Jackass priests who screw around with the forms (essential words) of sacraments. Wherein Fr. Z rants. | Fr. Z's BlogZUHLSDORF: How many times over the years have I written on this blog about priests who fool around with the forms of sacrament, the necessary words to be pronounced? How many? A lot. Very few things disturb people more than not being sure about the validity of a sacrament, be it Baptism, Penance or Eucharist. I’ve dealt with literally hundreds of questions over the years via email about questionable forms being use, which really upsets people and fills them sometimes with fear...

Detroit deacon’s sacramental abuse causes ripple effect of invalid confirmations, ordinations, absolutions, anointings, Masses

Matthew Hood thought he was a priest in the Archdiocese of Detroit. He wasn't even a baptized Catholic: If you think you’re a priest, and you really aren’t, you have a problem. So do a lot of other people. The baptisms you performed are valid baptisms. But the confirmations? Nope. The Masses you celebrated were not valid. Nor the absolutions or anointings. And the marriages? Well... it’s complicated. Some yes, some no. It depends on the paperwork, believe it or not.

Crowning Mary will increase love, respect, peace and unity

Crowning Mary Will Increase Love, Respect, Peace, and Unity - Marge Steinhage FenelonFENELON: “Thus will it come about that all Christians, in honoring and imitating their sublime Queen and Mother, will realize they are truly brothers, and with all envy and avarice thrust aside, will promote love among classes, respect the rights of the weak, cherish peace.”

These words of Pope Pius XII at the Proclamation of the Queenship of Mary in 1954 are as true and important today as they were then.

Top 10 articles on Christian symbolism found in DC Comics

Top 10 articles on Christian symbolism found in DC Comics - Voyage Comics & PublishingKOSLOSKI: DC Comics remains one of the most popular brands of entertainment, with its iconic superheroes, such as Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. Surprisingly, over the years much Christian symbolism has found its way inside DC Comics stories, including many of their latest movies. Whether intentional or not, truth, beauty and goodness is on display and many of our bloggers have reflected on these hidden gems.

Biden 2020: ‘Devout’ Catholic? ‘Cuomo’ Catholic? ‘McCarrick’ Catholic? ‘Pope Francis’ Catholic?

Biden 2020: 'Devout' Catholic? 'Cuomo' Catholic? 'McCarrick' Catholic? 'Pope Francis' Catholic? — GetReligionMATTINGLY: Joe Biden is a Catholic. This is a statement of fact, because of his baptism. Vice President Mike Pence is a Catholic, too, by the way. Each man — as is the case with all Catholics — is one Rite of Confession away from full participation in the sacraments of his church. What is Biden’s status? That’s between Biden and his confessor. Now we get to the tricky question...

Why it’s good to criticize only those people you could possibly be, in other circumstances...

Portraying Sin - Catholic HeraldMILLS: Talking about almost any issue can mean talking about other people’s faults, at least by implication. It’s like pushing your way through a crowd to get somewhere you need to get to quickly. You step on toes, often without realizing it. You can have impersonal arguments about ideas or information. Once you move from the abstract to the application, and begin talking about things in which human beings choose how to act —as when you try to say what’s going wrong in the world...

21st Sunday of Ordinary Time — Is the pope in the Bible?

Is the Pope in the Bible? 21st Week of OT – The Sacred PageBERGSMA: In terms of Catholic “preachability,” this Sunday’s Readings are a soft-ball pitch, a long high arc that every homilist ought to be able to knock out of the park. The lectionary readings have been set up for a clear explanation of the nature of the Papacy and its basis in Scripture. The context of the Old Testament reading should be explained...

This Sunday: Flawed fisherman; infallible shepherd

This Sunday: Flawed Fisherman; Infallible Shepherd | The Gregorian Institute at Benedictine CollegeHOOPES: In this Sunday’s Gospel (the 21st Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year A), Jesus Christ gives Peter an extraordinary authority, saying “I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” It seems disproportionate. Peter is just a man, after all, and a weak one at that. How can Jesus give him this power?

China suppresses Catholics under COVID-19 cover

China suppresses Catholics under Covid-19 cover  - UCA News: Hundreds of underground Catholics in mainland China were stopped from celebrating the Feast of the Assumption on Aug. 15 in the latest example of communists suppressing Christians under cover of COVID-19. Although most public places, including movie halls, remain open, churches are yet to function in most parts of China. The Marian feast is a day of obligation for Catholics when they are required to take part in Eucharistic liturgy...

How do we preach the Gospel to a man who sits upon a self-made precipice of doom?

Beginning to Pray: WallsLILLES: The contemporary man, or rather post-apocalyptic androgyne, loves building walls - not the kind that sets boundaries in which to thrive, but rather divisions for manipulation and oppression. Having once clamored hope, he peddles fear: whether border barriers or fences between angry neighbors, he is all about dungeon partitions. Caged in narratives of constant crisis: his own state media shames, patronizes, intimidates, moralizes, and blames him...

Words do not make reality, as seen in a commercial

Words Do Not Make Reality, As Seen in a Commercial - Community in MissionPOPE: The situation of the man in this commercial reminds me of modern life in general. We talk a lot about freedom, but compulsiveness, addiction, and lack of self-control are more the case with the average person. We have collectively rejected the “Ten Big Laws of God,” declaring our freedom from being told what to do. But the result has not been that we have fewer laws...

Wildfires wreaking ‘profound damage’ in multiple California Catholic dioceses

Wildfires wreaking ‘profound damage’ in multiple California Catholic dioceses: As wildfires rage across California, scorching more than 700,000 acres of land in multiple dioceses and killing at least four people, Catholics are asking for prayers and offering resources to the displaced.

“In our diocese alone the CZU, River, Carmel Valley and Dolan fires have already caused profound damage to property, persons and the environment,” Bishop Daniel Garcia of the Diocese of Monterey said in a message to Catholics on Thursday, Aug. 20.

‘This is not sustainable’ — More new bishops than priests to be ordained in Ireland this year

More new bishops than priests to be ordained this year amid vocations crisis - Independent.ie: More new bishops will be ordained in Ireland this year than new priests, amid a crisis in vocations, a well-known parish priest has warned.

Next Sunday, Archbishop Michael Neary will ordain Rev Shane Costello to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Tuam at Knock Basilica, Co Mayo.

It is understood that this will be the only ordination this year for the country's 26 dioceses.

A Catholic priest’s homily at the funeral of his son

A Catholic priest’s homily at the funeral of his sonROMANOWSKY: On Saturday, August 1, in Upperco, Maryland, 21-year-old Isaac Scharbach was struck and killed by a vehicle while cycling on a country road. Isaac is the second of nine children and the oldest son of Fr. Albert Scharbach and Abby Scharbach, who entered the Catholic Church with their family in 2009 at the Baltimore Basilica. Fr. Scharbach, a former Anglican priest, was ordained a Catholic priest for the Ordinariate in 2013...

During an epidemic, St. Pius X treated the sick and buried the dead

During an epidemic St. Pius X treated the sick and buried the deadKOSLOSKI: Before becoming pope, St. Pius X was a humble parish priest who went above and beyond his duties to serve his people. It was during a cholera epidemic that his loving heart was on clear display, as he did all that he could to minister to his people.
In one biography, entitled Life of Pius X, Frances Forbes notes the heroic way he continued to shepherd his people during a deadly outbreak.

What was marvelous about St. Pius X is that he carried out his duties as though he were a parish pope..

What Would Pius X Do? - Crisis MagazineFITZPATRICK: “I wonder what Pius X would do if he were pope today,” I said, chatting with a friend one afternoon about all the things Catholics try to keep their eye on—Pope Francis, pandemic safeguards, violent protests, political turmoil, and the rest of it. My friend surprised me with his response. “I bet he’d put chains on the doors of every church until he cleaned house,” he said. I wonder. Though we have not seen chains on our church doors...

Despite what many German bishops seem to think, priests today must lead more, not less

The Catholic Parish Today | Hans Feichtinger | First ThingsFEICHTINGER: The recent Vatican document on parishes, released by the Congregation for the Clergy, is altogether sensible. It challenges the status quo in a number of ways. The most important part of the document is titled “How to proceed with the establishment of Parish groupings.” The Vatican makes it clear that sweeping acts of diocesan-wide “land consolidation” are not permitted...

Blessed are the pure of heart: What you should know about this often-misunderstood beatitude and virtue...

Blessed are the Pure of Heart - A Reflection on an Often Misunderstood Beatitude and Virtue - Community in MissionPOPE: One of the beatitudes taught by Jesus is often misunderstood, largely due to the popular translations of it from the Greek text: “Blessed are the pure of heart,” or “Blessed are the clean of heart.” Let’s look at three facets of the beatitude: its fundamental meaning, its focus, and the freedom it gives. While the words “pure” and “clean,” are not inauthentic translations of the Greek word καθαρός...

How to decode mysterious Church Father citations

How to Decode Mysterious Church Father Citations – Jimmy AkinAKIN: The system of citations used for these documents can take a little while to learn, and it helps to know some Latin, because those abbreviations are in Latin. If I were going to cite a passage for other people, I would do it differently. Years ago, when I first started researching in the Church Fathers it took me a while to figure all this out, so I hope it’s helpful to you...

U.S. Catholic bishops ‘applaud’ Trump administration over fetal tissue research

US Catholic bishops ‘applaud’ Trump administration over fetal tissue research: The U.S. bishops’ pro-life committee praised the Trump administration on Thursday after a federal ethics advisory board recommended against federal funding of fetal tissue research.

Pope calls for ‘freeing’ the Virgin Mary from the devotion of the Mafia

Pope calls for 'freeing' the Virgin Mary from the devotion of the MafiaSANMARTIN: In a letter to an anti-mafia task force, Pope Francis called on them to “free the figure of the Madonna from the influence of criminal organizations.” “I learned with pleasure that this Pontifical Academy has promoted a conference to officially launch the Department of Analysis and Study of Criminal and Mafia Phenomena,” Francis wrote in a letter sent to Father Stefano Cecchin, president of the Pontifical International Marian Academy.

The modern muddle between morals and manners

The Modern Muddle Between Morals and MannersGRONDELSKI: Growing up in the 1960s and 1970s my hometown newspaper, The Perth Amboy Evening News, used to carry two advice columns: Ann Landers, and whomever had succeeded Emily Post on etiquette. For me, Ann Landers was the more interesting, because she often addressed real problems — though I often also thought that many of her correspondents were the causes of their own problems...

Did you know Catholics have a small number of ‘obligations‘?

Did you know Catholics have a small number of “obligations”?KOSLOSKI: The Catholic Church is often viewed as a religious organization with all these rules to follow. However, in reality there are only a handful of obligations, which stipulate the bare minimum of what is required to lead a life united to Jesus Christ. These rules are called the precepts of the Church and are meant to be viewed as guideposts along the pathway to Heaven...

I got a robe! A teaching on one of the most shocking parables Jesus ever told...

I Got a Robe! A Teaching on One of the Most Shocking Parables Jesus Ever Told - Community in MissionPOPE: The Gospel from Thursday’s Mass (Thursday of the 20th Week of the Year) contains one of the most shocking parables Jesus ever told. It is the Parable of the Wedding Feast from the Gospel of Matthew, and it tells the story of a king who gives a wedding banquet for his son. Most know it well, but in case you want to review it, the full text is available here: Parable of the Wedding Feast.

Bishop Bransfield offers ‘apology for any scandal or wonderment,’ repays $400,000 to West Virginia diocese

Bishop Bransfield offers 'apology', repays $400k to W Virginia diocese: Bishop Michael Bransfield has repaid more than $400,000 to his former diocese and issued a narrowly-worded apology to the faithful. The apology comes nearly two years after Pope Francis accepted his resignation amid accusations of personal and financial misconduct. The letter from Bransfield, dated August 15, was released by his former diocese on Thursday, along with a letter from his successor, Bishop Mark Brennan, outlining how Bransfield will “make amends” following an investigation into his conduct by the Vatican.

Heaven cracks the Devil’s code

Heaven Cracks the Devil’s CodeTURLEY: Such is the lure of esoteric matters It has always been my contention that joining the words “code” and “devil” in a headline would draw an audience. Imagine my surprise upon discovering just such a “code”. The Dictionnaire Infernal is a book about demonology. It describes individual demons and the hierarchies in which they are organized. First published in Paris in 1818, it was compiled by Jacques Auguste Simon Collin de Plancy...

Here are some of the best books on the history of the Church, according to historians

Some of the best books on the history of the Church, according to historiansBURGER: Someone recently remarked that with two popes living and a pandemic raging throughout the known world, we now know what it feels like to have lived in the 14th century. While it might make for a cute internet meme, the comparison has a lot of holes in it. Nevertheless, with so much division in contemporary societies, wars percolating in several parts of the world, geopolitical rumblings...

Holy Mass should be all amazement, all the time

Rediscovering Eucharistic Amazement | George Weigel | First ThingsWEIGEL: In his 2003 encyclical, Ecclesia de Eucharistia (The Church from the Eucharist), Pope St. John Paul II invited Catholics to regain a sense of “Eucharistic amazement.” Being “amazed” by the Eucharist is probably not all that common these days. But Holy Mass should be all amazement, all the time. For in the celebration of the Eucharist, John Paul wrote, our time is linked to the time of Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection...

Five-minute warning: Santa Fe warns of preaching suspensions for homilies over time limit

Five minute warning: Santa Fe warns of preaching suspensions for homilies over time limitCONDON: Priests in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe have been warned that they could lose the faculty to preach if they give homilies longer than five minutes. The archdiocese told CNA the restriction is part of the archdiocesan response to the coronavirus pandemic. In the memo, sent July 31, archdiocesan vicar general Fr. Glennon Jones said that the archdiocesan chancery had “received reports of some homilies going on for well over the 5-minute limit set by the Archbishop.”

What really gives left-handed pitchers their edge?

What Really Gives Left-Handed Pitchers Their Edge? | FiveThirtyEight: Left-handed pitching has long been one of the most prized commodities in professional baseball. Teams strive to obtain lefty pitchers, and southpaws recognize their competitive edge. Two-sport athlete Tom Glavine explained his career choice this way: “I love both sports, but the deciding factor was, being a left-handed pitcher, I had a huge advantage in baseball because of that...

Devout Catholics and secular progressives

Devout Catholics and Secular Progressives | Robert P. George | First ThingsROBERTGEORGE: Imagine that I am running for public office — say, president of the United States — and I claim to be a “committed secular progressive.” You say, “But Professor George, you're no such thing. You're not secular — you’re Catholic; you're not progressive — you’re conservative.” I reply, “Hey, but I was educated by secular progressives. I went to Swarthmore, then Harvard, then Oxford...

NPR dumps Jewish meteorologist who compares Seattle to Kristallnacht

NPR dumps Jewish meteorologist who compares Seattle to Kristallnacht — GetReligionDUIN: When it comes to freedom of speech, journalists are in a tough place these days. Yes, you are free to vent your views on social media, but should you? Those of us who covered regular beats in the past were told to not air our private views about some of the major players on our Facebook and Twitter feeds. We were even coached to not place so much as a bumpersticker on our car that advertised our leanings...

Come down, O Love Divine — A meditation on a great hymn of the Church

Come Down, O Love Divine - A Mediation on a Great Hymn of the Church - Community in MissionPOPE: Most of you know that I have just returned from Georgetown Hospital after 11 days in the ICU. Most who get COVID-19 experience some combination of fatigue, fever, cold-like symptoms, nausea, and vomiting, but do not require hospitalization. Some, mainly those who have a history of pulmonary weakness like me, experience respiratory failure and pneumonia. Such was my lot. I received wonderful care during my hospital stay and made steady progress, thanks be to God...

2,000 rare artifacts — some possibly used for illegal Catholic Masses — discovered beneath Tudor manor’s attic floorboards

Thousands of Rare Artifacts Discovered Beneath Tudor Manor's Attic Floorboards | Smart News | Smithsonian Magazine: While most of England was on lockdown amid the COVID-19 pandemic, archaeologist Matt Champion was working solo at Oxburgh Hall, a moated Tudor mansion in Norfolk.

Pope Francis extends Loreto jubilee to 2021

Pope Francis extends Loreto jubilee to 2021: Pope Francis has approved the extension of the Jubilee Year of Loreto to 2021. The decision was announced Aug. 14 by Archbishop Fabio Dal Cin, the prelate of the Shrine of Our Lady of Loreto, Italy, after the recitation of the rosary on the Vigil of the Assumption. The jubilee year, which began Dec. 8, 2019, marks the 100th anniversary of the official proclamation of Our Lady of Loreto as the patroness of pilots and air passengers...

Democrats tap array of religious figures to address convention; Sister Simone Campbell and Father James Martin to appear Thursday

Democrats tap array of faith leaders to speak at convention: The Episcopal bishop of Washington, D.C., who criticized President Donald Trump after he held a Bible aloft at a photo op at a historic church in her diocese, is among the diverse group of faith leaders selected by Democrats to speak at their presidential nominating convention. Bishop Mariann Budde will deliver the benediction on Tuesday, the second night of the convention, according to a list shared with The Associated Press on Sunday before its public release.

After WashPost attack and Twitter pile-on, COVID-recovering Msgr. Charles Pope sets the record straight

New Advent: After WashPost attack and Twitter pile-on, COVID-recovering Msgr. Charles Pope sets the record straight: “Lord, save me from the deceitful tongue and lying lips.” —Psalm 120

On the problem of rash judgments and the discernment to which we are called

On The Problem of Rash Judgments and the Discernment to Which We are Called - Community in MissionPOPE: In the Gospel for today’s Mass (Monday of the 20th week of the year) Jesus resists being called “good teacher.” He replies that no one is good but God alone. Of course this puzzles us, since Jesus is God. But the young man he rebukes does not know or understand that. Hence Jesus warns him, and us that we human beings are a mixed bag. We are gifted, but flawed; capable of enormous goodness and also of great sinfulness...

‘She framed me’ — Father Eduard Perrone wins $125K from cop for defamation

Priest wins $125K in defamation suit against detective: She framed me: Father Eduard Perrone says he's been vindicated in a sex abuse case against him, and he wants his job back. The embattled priest found absolution in the justice system after suing a detective for defamation, alleging she fabricated the rape claim that got him suspended. The year-old lawsuit ended last week with a $125,000 settlement for Perrone, a rare win for an accused Catholic priest...

West Virginia’s Catholic bishop says emeritus Bishop Bransfield not in contact

W Virginia's Catholic bishop says emeritus Bishop Bransfield not in contact: Bishop Michael Bransfield, who headed West Virginia’s only Catholic diocese before retiring amid scandal, has not communicated with his successor in months. A plan to ensure he makes some reparation for financial and sexual misconduct has still not been implemented.

While on others Thou art calling, do not pass me by

While on Others Thou Art Calling, Do Not Pass Me By – A Homily for the 20th Sunday of the Year - Community in MissionPOPE: The Gospel this Sunday teaches us to pray always and not to lose heart. It is about being tenacious in prayer, continuing to beseech the Lord even when the results are discouraging. It is also about the Lord’s will to extend the Gospel to all the nations and to make the Church truly catholic. Let’s look at this Gospel in five stages. The text says, At that time, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon...

Catholic news outlets are reporting on church vandalism when mainstream media won’t

Catholic news outlets reporting on church vandalism when mainstream media won’t — GetReligionLISI: This endless summer ravaged by political divisions, civil unrest and statue-toppling (did we mention there’s also a deadly virus out there!) has made for a very busy time in journalism. For news sites, this deluge of events to report on has meant long hours for remote-working staffs who have also had to endure furloughs and layoffs in a worsening economy. We live in a culture hijacked by politics...

‘Jurassic Park’ highlights the limits of science and the need for morality

'Jurassic Park' highlights the limits of science and the need for morality - Voyage Comics & PublishingTUTTLE: Steven Spielberg’s film adaptation of Jurassic Park has gone down in celebratory film history as have its Velociraptors in infamy. Behind Spielberg’s cinematic success is a novel that’s just as riveting and meaningful. Conceptualized and penned by Michael Crichton, a medical doctor who graduated from Harvard, Jurassic Park is an engrossing, fast-paced read with several themes running throughout it...

This Sunday, is the Church too proud to beg?

This Sunday, Is the Church Too Proud to Beg? | The Gregorian Institute at Benedictine CollegeHOOPES: Jesus himself sees the Church as a Gentile mother begging to save her children, and the biggest problem for the Church in the 21st century is that she is too proud to beg. That may be putting it too bluntly — there is more to the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) than that — but this Sunday the Gospel about the Canaanite woman with a possessed daughter...

The papal consequences of the ‘Miracle of the Vistula’

The Papal Consequences of the ‘Miracle of the Vistula’DESOUZA: Many countries have a day to honor to their armed forces. Fewer have holidays to mark Marian feast days. Only one combines the two; in Poland the solemn feast of the Assumption is also Armed Forces Day. The reason lies in events that took place exactly 100 years ago, but reverberate even today.

Poland had disappeared from the map of Europe in 1795, carved up and occupied by its neighbors — Prussia, Russia and the Empire of Austria-Hungary. After the Great War led to the fall of all three monarchies — German Kaiser, Russian Tsar and Habsburg Emperor — Poland regained its independence with the armistice of November 1918.

70 years ago, Pope Pius XII proclaimed the dogma of the Assumption — and saw the Miracle of the Sun

70 Years Ago, Pius XII Proclaimed Assumption — and Saw Miracle of the SunPRONECHEN: It was 1950, and Pius XII saw the Miracle of the Sun. Not once, not twice, not three times, but four times. The banner appearance was on the day of the definition of the dogma. It was as heavenly gift, a heavenly smile, a heavenly thank you for what he did for the Church, our faith, and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Let’s take a look at what happened.

Pope Francis: Mary’s Assumption was a ‘giant leap for mankind’

Pope Francis: Mary’s Assumption was a 'giant leap for mankind'MARES: On the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Pope Francis said that Mary’s assumption into Heaven was an infinitely greater achievement than man’s first steps on the moon. “When man set foot on the moon, he said a phrase that became famous: ‘That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.’ In essence, humanity had reached a historic milestone...

Msgr. Charles Pope is out of the hospital, recovering from COVID-19, and back to writing...

A Study of Needs Versus Wants in A Commercial - Community in Mission: The video below has a lot to say about how we understand the proper solutions to our real problems. The commercial features a man in the desert who collapses with dire thirst. In the distance he sees a cooler; it is a miracle! Opening it he sees just what he needs, water! But he is disappointed! Why? Water is so plain and ordinary. He wants something with flavor and pizzazz!

Cardinal to consecrate North Korean capital Pyongyang to Mary on Solemnity of the Assumption

Korean cardinal to consecrate Pyongyang Diocese to Mary on Assumption: The Archbishop of Seoul, Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung, has announced that he will consecrate the Diocese of Pyongyang to Our Lady of Fatima on the Solemnity of the Assumption.

“In this meaningful year, marking the 75th anniversary of [Korean] Liberation and the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War, I decided to dedicate the Pyongyang Diocese to Our Lady of Fatima through careful prayer and discernment,” Cardinal Yeom wrote in a message for the Assumption feast published on the archdiocesan website.

Analysis: Was a stack of Bibles burned in Portland, or was it ‘fake news?’

Analysis: Was a stack of Bibles burned in Portland, or was it fake news?MCKEOWN: If you perused the news online on Saturday, Aug. 1, you could be forgiven for believing that large-scale Bible burnings— the kind perpetrated by the Nazis in the 1930s— were taking place in the apparently Godless streets of Portland, Oregon. Dozens of news stories from Aug. 1 repeated a claim from a Malaysia-based journalist that “a stack” of Bibles had been consumed in a bonfire, built by protestors in the middle of the street.

The Pope’s Baptism of the conjoined twins was a blessing — and a puzzle

Papal Baptism of the Conjoined Twins Was a Blessing — and a PuzzleDESOUZA: A remarkable story from Rome is both an astonishing tale and something of a pastoral puzzle. Pope Francis inspired the former and listening more carefully to him would have avoided the latter. Conjoined twins Ervina and Prefina Bangalo were separated in a complex surgery at the Vatican’s pediatric hospital, Bambino Gesù, on June 5...

Will anything change on pro-abortion politicians and Holy Communion?

Analysis: The Biden communion controversy will soon return. Will any bishop break the cycle?JDFLYNN: Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has been working from home these last few months, like a lot of people have. Biden has been campaigning from his house in Delaware: livestreaming interviews, appearing on radio shows, and releasing videos. But now that Biden has selected a running mate, and is less than three months from Election Day, the candidate is expected to hit the road again — while respecting social distance, of course.

Activist Lizzie Velasquez blasts mom’s cruel TikTok prank using her photo: ‘This is not a joke’

Activist Lizzie Velasquez blasts mom's cruel TikTok prank using her photo: 'This is not a joke' | Fox News: Kindness starts at home – and within. Motivational speaker Lizzie Velasquez has blasted a cruel TikTok prank where a mom reportedly used her photo to trick her son into believing the woman would be his teacher for the upcoming school year while filming his reaction. Now, the disability activist is urging others to embrace empathy and stop the spiteful social media stunt for good.

Biden says Catholic nuns inspire him to run, plans to sue Little Sisters of the Poor

Biden says Catholic nuns inspire him to run, plans to sue Little Sisters of the Poor: Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden has released a campaign video in which he credits his Catholic faith, Pope Francis, and the example of nuns for his personal inspiration. The short video was released August 9 on the Democratic National Convention’s Twitter account. Biden’s use of nuns as an inspirational example of “generosity to others” comes despite his promise to renew legal action against the Little Sisters of the Poor should he win election.

Italy's “wine windows,” used during the plague, reopen for contactless food and alcohol sales

Italy's "wine windows," used during the plague, reopen for contactless food and alcohol sales - CBS News: In Florence, Italy, small, quaint windows offer a glimpse of old world architecture – and some also serve, once again, as a place to get wine. These little windows date back centuries, and were once used by wine producers selling their wine directly to customers. They became especially useful during the plague, according to Buchette del Vino, an Italian cultural association dedicated to wine windows.

Smithsonian Magazine: 10 American towns that feel like Europe

Ten American Towns That Feel Like Europe | Travel | Smithsonian Magazine: With Americans being banned from traveling to Europe due to the high numbers of COVID-19 cases in the United States, many travelers have had to shift their summer vacation plans to locales a bit closer to home. Luckily, you don’t need a passport to experience a taste of European culture right here in the United States. Here are ten towns that will transport you to Europe, minus a flight across the pond...

Rediscovering the reality of the Holy Eucharist

Rediscovering the reality of the Eucharist - Denver CatholicWEIGEL: Thinking out loud about a return to “Sunday normal,” a veteran pastor recently told me that he thought it would take one year for each month of lockdown/quarantine/ shelter-at-home for Mass attendance to return to where it was in February 2020. I said I hoped that people’s hunger for the Eucharist would bring them back more quickly, once they concluded that it was reasonably safe, for themselves and others, to do so...

Theology after the Time of the Virus

Theology After the Virus | Ephraim Radner | First ThingsRADNER: The Time of the Virus will have a significant effect on theological study, research, and training. The economic elements of this effect are obvious: a decline in congregational giving, in part tied to the disappearance of many small congregations; the death of an older generation of committed givers; and the squeezing out of theological studies, or their merging with non-theological disciplines, within university systems.

Philadelphia statement: ‘Hate speech’ label does damage to civil dialogue

Philadelphia Statement: ‘Hate Speech’ Label Does Damage to Civil Dialogue: Efforts to protect people from harm and error now marginalize and even demonize others for unpopular opinions, warns a new statement urging a revival of civil engagement and conscientious respect for the convictions of others. “We want—and to be true to ourselves we need—to be a nation in which we and our fellow citizens of many different faiths, philosophies, and persuasions can speak their minds and honor their deepest convictions without fear of punishment...

Pope’s Wednesday audience: ‘Human dignity has serious social, economic, political implications’

Pope Francis: Human dignity has serious political implications: Pope Francis said Wednesday that Christian faith demands conversion from individualism and a commitment to defending the inherent dignity of every person.

“While we work for the cure of a virus that affects everyone without distinction, faith urges us to work seriously and actively to fight indifference in the face of violations of human dignity,” Pope Francis said Aug. 12.

Planting seeds is an act of hope

Planting as an Act of Hope | LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: It is one of the most powerful images of Greek literature. An old man is tilling the soil around a young tree. Most likely he will never see the fruit of this tree, and so in some sense neither will he see the fruit of his work. Yet he still sows seeds, and tills the earth. Working the earth can uniquely mirror, reveal, and instantiate the profound richness of truly human work—that is ultimately a cultivation of the fullness of human life.

Earthquake hits North Carolina during Mass reading about earthquake

Earthquake Hits North Carolina During Mass Reading About Earthquake: As North Carolina experienced a moderate earthquake Sunday, local pastors encourage Catholics to relinquish control to God.

A 5.1-magnitude earthquake with an epicenter near Sparta, about 100 miles north of Charlotte, struck at 8:07 am Aug. 9. There were no injuries but there have been reports of damages throughout Sparta, including cracks in the road and shelves displaced in grocery stores, the Associated Press reported.

Why a generation of girls is fleeing womanhood

Why a Generation of Girls Is Fleeing Womanhood - Public Discourse: Abigail Shrier has given us a gift—a valuable and costly one. Her decision to write on transgender issues has introduced her to the abuse heaped on those who inquire more deeply into the popular trans narrative. As an opinion writer, she initially passed on telling this story, trusting someone else would. Yet when she received an e-mail from a mother desperate to get the word out about her beloved daughter identifying as trans “out of the blue,” she couldn’t get it out of her head...

The play about America’s first Black Catholic priest most have never heard of

The play about America's first Black Catholic priest most have never heard ofDUIN: Of the nine American saints in the Catholic Church, none are Black. That may change soon, ever since Augustus Tolton, America’s first Black Catholic priest, was declared “venerable,” the first step to official sainthood, last year by Pope Francis. Meanwhile, a scrappy Catholic theater company in southwestern Washington state is finding out how engaging Father Tolton’s story really is...

Joe Biden’s faith becomes a campaign issue as anti-Catholic attacks rise

Biden's faith becomes a campaign issue as anti-Catholic attacks riseLISI: The summer that has been highlighted by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, protests and statue-toppling has helped to place a spotlight on everything that’s wrong with politics. As the coronavirus crisis worsens, Christians and people of all faiths must face one stark reality: the possibility that their faith will be further eroded by secular society. The spread of the coronavirus has been a boon for some politicians...

Why there is no vocation to the “single life”

There Is No Vocation to the 'Single Life' - Crisis MagazineCUFF: The word “vocation” has been diluted. Before the sixteenth century, “vocation” had an exclusively sacramental sense. But, as Max Weber points out in The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, the Lutheran and Calvinist dissolution of monastic and priestly orders gave rise to its modern sense of “occupation” or “profession.” What is the difference between them and a vocation?

7 unexpected ways the Old Testament prefigures Mary

7 Unexpected Ways the Old Testament Prefigures MaryBEALE: As Catholics, we are familiar with how Mary is the New Eve — as well as the many ways that the other women of ancient Israel look forward to the Mother of God. But Mary is also prefigured in some unexpected parts of the Old Testament. Here are seven of them. First, Noah’s Ark. We tend to think of the wooden ark that saved humanity from destruction as a type of the cross. But some also see it as a type of Mary...

No longer a clump of cells? Mainstream press stories on unborn use ‘baby’ language...

No longer a clump of cells? Mainstream press stories on unborn use 'baby' language — GetReligionDUIN: Inspiring. “Uplifting,” “amazing” and “beautiful.” Those were some of the praises lavished on an upbeat Washington Post story about a 28-weeks-pregnant woman with COVID-19. As she was overtaken with respiratory failure, obstetricians quickly delivered her very premature twins in March. It was at the height of the coronavirus crisis...

How St. Clare of Assisi can help us make the most of today’s strange times

How St. Clare of Assisi can help us make the most of today's strange times | Angelus NewsLOPEZ: One of the great blessings of the Catholic faith is the awareness we are given of the communion of saints. When we embrace the gift of their active intercessory presence in our lives, we know we are never alone. Getting to know the saints helps keep them close. The more we become familiar with individual stories, experiences, and personalities, the more we might find the lives of the saints coming to be a known, even undeniable part of our lives...

Run away from safe schools, safe spaces and safe sex. Seek wholesome and holy dangers instead...

The Dangers of a 'Safe' School - Crisis MagazineFITZPATRICK: There is a strong push from President Donald Trump, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, and educators across the country for schools to resume in-person, full-time instruction despite the fears and dangers associated with Covid-19. Even the CDC issued an article recently on the importance of reopening America’s schools this fall, estimating that it is actually more dangerous for children to be out of school than in school...

Benedict XVI’s illness is ‘subsiding,’ says Archbishop Georg Gänswein

Archbishop Gaenswein: Benedict XVI’s Illness Is ‘Subsiding’PENTIN: A skin disease that has been afflicting Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is “subsiding” and he is on the mend, his personal secretary Archbishop Georg Gänswein has said. Speaking at a cultural event in the Black Forest over the weekend, Archbishop Gänswein said the rash that could be seen on Benedict's face had lessened and his medication was reduced a few days ago, according to the Austrian Catholic news site Kath.net citing German media reports.

Two months on an icebreaker in Antarctica, condensed into five minutes

New Advent: Two months on an icebreaker in Antarctica, condensed into five minutes: Time-lapse of the icebreaker, the Nathaniel B. Palmer, traveling through the Ross Sea, Antarctica. Two months of sequences, condensed into less than five minutes...

The ingenious reason why the Dutch wait less at traffic lights

New Advent: The ingenious reason why the Dutch wait less at traffic lights: Hate waiting at traffic lights? Yeah, me too. Good thing the Netherlands has smarter traffic lights to make sure that happens as little as possible.

An incarnate God necessitates incarnate worship

An incarnate Jesus necessitates incarnate worship – Mama Needs CoffeeUEBBING: Let me start this off with a big ol 2020 caveat: if you’re concerned about transmitting or contracting covid, whether because of an underlying condition or an immunocompromised person in your life, you should be free to stay home and exercise every precaution. This is not a post telling people with depressed immune systems or chronic diseases to suck it up and start taking public transit again...

Catholic churches continue to drop David Haas hymns after multiple accusations against songwriter

Catholic Churches Drop Hymns After Accusations Against Composer - The New York Times: Several Roman Catholic archdioceses have banned a well-known liturgical composer from performing in their churches and many others have stopped playing his music after dozens of women accused him of sexual misconduct and harassment over more than 40 years.

Lebanese priests from viral video recount their horror as the explosion rocked their church

Lebanon priests recount horror as blast rocked church: The video shows Father Rabih Thoumy swinging a chain censer sending incense into the air when abruptly there is a rumble and then a loud bang as the shockwave from Beirut’s devastating explosion slams into the church.

Was Beethoven a Catholic believer? The case of the ‘Missa Solemnis’

Was Beethoven a Believer? The Case of the "Missa Solemnis" ~ The Imaginative ConservativeKWASNIEWSKI: It has long been fashionable in music history textbooks to speak of Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis as a purely artistic statement that, to be blunt, uses the texts of the Catholic Mass as a convenient springboard for musical experimentation and an idiosyncratic expression of a wholly subjective faith. That Beethoven was not, in every respect, a practicing orthodox Catholic is probably, at this point in time, indisputable.

San Diego Catholic high school files lawsuit against California governor to reopen in the fall

San Diego Catholic high school files lawsuit against Newsom to reopen in the fall - The San Diego Union-Tribune: St. Augustine High, a Catholic school, and seven families of its students filed a lawsuit Thursday against Gov. Gavin Newsom to allow the school to have in-person learning in the fall.
Newsom signed an executive order in July that forbids public and private schools from returning to in-person learning in counties on the state’s COVID-19 watch list, which includes San Diego County. The order requires schools to provide online learning.

A priest’s hopeful message for parents of fallen-away Catholics: “Be patient... God is waiting”

A Priest's Hopeful Message for Parents of Fallen-Away Catholics: "Be Patient...God is Waiting" |: Fr. Goyo Hidalgo of the Diocese of Los Angeles shared inspiring advice for parents of fallen-away Catholics. He encouraged parents not to lose hope in the battle for their souls. He advised parents to remind their children that God loves them and “is waiting.”

The Pope may be the key to preserving Italy’s social compact on abortion

Pope may be key to preserving Italy's social compact on abortionALLEN: Italy has enjoyed almost forty years of uneasy political peace on the abortion issue, ever since the procedure was legalized in 1978 during the first 90 days of pregnancy. Two hugely controversial ballot propositions were put up for a vote in 1981, the first seeking to re-criminalize abortion and the other to legalize it with no restrictions at all.

Could you die for Jesus? We have one way of finding out...

Dying for Jesus | The StreamMILLS: Christians seem to like this meme. The line usually goes with one of the classic pictures of Christians being martyred. Like the one above, showing Christians in a Roman coliseum as the hungry lion sees them. The line is: “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.” It’s funny, and a good reminder of where your faith can take you...

Preempting clerical sex abuse — What went wrong, and what must now go right for the Church to move forward

Preempting clerical sex abuse – Catholic World ReportNASH: Jesus’ sober words about scandalizing young Catholics should be imprinted on the hearts of all Church employees, clerical or lay, who have anything to do with the oversight of children in the universal Church. The grave damage done to many victims and their families has been far-reaching, striking a severe blow to the Church in advancing her God-given Great Commission...

Sacramento Bishop Jaime Soto’s ‘Letter to the Faithful’ announcing excommunication of schismatic priest

Letter to the Faithful regarding Fr. Jeremy Leatherby | Diocese of Sacramento: Fr. Jeremy Leatherby has placed himself and others in a state of schism with the Roman Catholic Church. By his words and actions, Fr. Leatherby has incurred a latae sententiae (automatic) excommunication. This means that by his own volition he has separated himself from communion with the Roman Pontiff, Pope Francis, and other members of the Catholic Church.

Sacramento Catholic priest excommunicated for ‘schismatic stance’ against Pope

Priest excommunicated from Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento | The Sacramento Bee: A Sacramento priest has been exiled from the Roman Catholic Church by the Diocese of Sacramento for continuing to hold Mass and teach publicly during his suspension. His gatherings were marked by his refusal to acknowledge the legitimacy of the current pope.

Fix your focus – A homily for the 19th Sunday of the Year

Fix Your Focus – A Homily for the 19th Sunday of the Year - Community in MissionPOPE: Although I am currently resting and offline, I am posting this homily from three years ago with the help of a friend. The Gospel today is about faith and about focus. It teaches that although storms and struggles inevitably arise, we have a choice as to whether we focus on them or on Jesus. The message is clear: “Keep your eyes on the prize. Hold on!”

These 5 Catholic priests earned the Medal of Honor

These 5 Catholic priests earned the Medal of Honor: The Archdiocese for the Military Services has been called “the biggest diocese with the fewest priests,” as the number of Catholics serving in the military far outstrips the proportion of Catholic chaplains. Yet this “diocese without borders” does vital work in ministering to Catholic military personnel and their families. As their website explains,

Pope’s Sunday Angelus: ‘Even in times of darkness, God is there’

Pope Francis: Even in times of darkness, God is there: When caught in difficult moments or trials, turn your heart to God, who is near even when you do not search for him, Pope Francis said in his Angelus address Sunday. “Having faith means, in the midst of the storm, keeping your heart turned to God, to his love, to his tenderness as a Father. Jesus wanted to teach this to Peter and his disciples, and also to us today, in moments of darkness, moments of storms,” the pope said Aug. 9.

Are brands our new creed? Why following a religion is actually a more cost-efficient way to live...

Are Brands Our New Religion? - TheStreet: A recent study has given new meaning to the phrase “brand worship.” According to a study published this month in Marketing Science, a research journal, consumers who don’t identify strongly with a religion are more likely to identify themselves with a brand instead and express some degree of brand loyalty.

Takeaways from the Vatican’s ‘Thursday Thunder’

Take-aways from the Vatican’s ‘Thursday Thunder’ALLEN: For the whole Catholic world, August 15 means the Feast of the Assumption. In Italy, it also means ferragosto, the traditional summer holiday that sees the whole country head to either the beach or the mountains, or both, roughly from the second week of August until early September. Pope Francis, famously the pontiff of the “staycation,” isn’t going anywhere, but a good chunk of his workforce will be...

Our culture is attempting suicide

Our culture is attempting suicide | Catholic CultureLAWLER: When I read the news headline it suddenly all seemed clear. The story reported that new positive COVID tests were attributed to “community spread.” Well of course! That’s how contagious diseases are contracted, right? They spread through the community. But this is the first time, in our long history of fighting diseases, that we have sought to stop the spread of a contagious disease by abolishing the community.

This Sunday, step out into the storm

This Sunday, Step Out Into the Storm | The Gregorian Institute at Benedictine CollegeHOOPES: The wind is raging, the waves are taller than the boat. The night seems never ending, and even Jesus isn’t calming the storm. Do you hunker down and go where the wind takes you? Do you grit your teeth and wait for the end? Or do you step out into the storm? That is the question the Gospel and readings ask us this Sunday, the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A.