Pope Francis begins the Curia domino

MondayVatican%20%u2013%20Vatican%20%BB%20Pope%20Francis%20begins%20the%20Curia%20domino%20%7C%20MondayVaticanGAGLIARDUCCI: In one fell swoop, Pope Francis appoints prefect, secretary, and undersecretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. In this way, he will fill the position left by Cardinal Robert Sarah, whose resignation he accepted for reaching retirement age last February...

China abandons one-child policy, unveils three-child policy amid sharp drop in births

China unveils 3-child policy amid sharp drop in births: The Chinese government announced Monday that couples can have up to three children amid a sharp fall in the country’s birth rate. The May 31 announcement, described as a major policy shift, followed a meeting of the Politburo, the decision-making body of the Chinese Communist Party, chaired by President Xi Jinping.

Masterpiece Cakeshop owner Jack Phillips: How I became the face of ‘rights of conscience’ litigation in US

Masterpiece%20Cakeshop%20owner%20Jack%20Phillips%3A%20How%20I%20became%20the%20face%20of%20%u2018rights%20of%20conscience%u2019%20litigation%20in%20US%20%7C%20Fox%20News: Most of us never see the moment coming – one that changes life forever. Mine came the afternoon two gentlemen walked into our Masterpiece Cakeshop. Seeing that the rest of the staff was busy, I went out front to greet them and ask how I could be of service.

Praedicator Gratiae: Letter to the Master of the Order of Preachers for the 8th Centenary of the Death of St. Dominic

PGCOATOFARMS: Praedicator Gratiae: among the titles attributed to Saint Dominic, that of “Preacher of Grace” stands out for its consonance with the charism and mission of the Order he founded. In this year that marks the eight hundredth anniversary of Saint Dominic’s death, I gladly join the Friars Preachers in giving thanks for the spiritual fruitfulness of that charism and mission...

Three hard choices illustrate why the papacy can be no fun at all

Three hard choices illustrate why the papacy can be no fun at allALLEN: Whenever there’s a vacancy in the papacy, a few old saws about the process of choosing a pope shoot back into circulation. “He who enters a conclave a pope, exits a cardinal,” is a perennial, as is, “Those who talk don’t know, and those who know don’t talk.” Among the Italians, ever colorful, there’s also the saying...

Pope’s Sunday Angelus: “The mystery of the Trinity was revealed to us by Jesus himself”

Pope Francis: The Holy Trinity invites us to grow in unity as Christians: On the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, Pope Francis said unity is essential to Christian life because God is a communion of love. “This mystery of the Trinity was revealed to us by Jesus himself,” Pope Francis said in his Angelus address on May 30.

Cornelius Cardinal Sim, first native priest and cardinal in history of Brunei, dies at age 69

Cardinal Cornelius Sim has died at age 69: Cardinal Cornelius Sim, Brunei’s vicar apostolic and first Catholic priest, died Saturday in a hospital in Taiwan. A letter from the Apostolic Vicariate in Brunei said that Sim had been quarantined at the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital since his arrival in Taiwan on May 8 to receive medical treatment.

Pope Francis orders apostolic visitation of Cardinal Woelki’s archdiocese of Cologne

Pope%20Francis%20Orders%20Apostolic%20Visitation%20of%20Cardinal%20Woelki%u2019s%20Cologne%20Archdiocese%7C%20National%20Catholic%20Register: Pope Francis has ordered an apostolic visitation of Germany’s Cologne archdiocese amid fierce criticism of its handling of abuse cases. The archdiocese said in a May 28 statement that the Pope’s apostolic visitors would evaluate “possible mistakes” made by its leader, Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki.

Beware when Church leaders manipulate the language

Beware when Church leaders manipulate the language: Part II | Catholic CultureLAWLER: Yesterday I wrote about “the abuses of language…that I see in many recent pronouncements from our Church leadership,” with my focus on two recent Vatican announcements. Now let me turn to a few noteworthy American examples. Sometimes the misuse of language is downright Orwellian. When Chicago’s Cardinal Blase Cupich announced that unvaccinated Catholics must not be allowed inside churches without masks...

EWTN vs. ‘Friends’ — or, how the Holy Spirit subverts the culture

EWTN vs 'Friends', or, the Holy Spirit Subverts the Culture - Catholic HeraldWOLFGANG: It was the 1990s. The Catholic twenty-somethings like me who gathered around their TVs every Thursday night to watch Friends were too young to have ever heard of the Legion of Decency, which operated back when a Catholic organization could make or break a Hollywood movie. We wanted something entertaining, a story and characters we could enjoy and engage with...

Survey: Religiosity seems to be “buffer” against some pandemic stresses

Survey: Religiosity seems to be 'buffer' against some pandemic stresses - The Catholic Sun: The COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on participation in religious services just as it did on workplaces, but a new survey indicates strong emotional resilience from those who consider their faith vital to their existence.

Bless me, Father, for I have sinned…

Bless%20me%2C%20Father%2C%20for%20I%20have%20sinned%u2026%20%AB%20Neal%20Obstat%20Theological%20OpiningNEAL: I absolutely love the sacrament of Christ’s mercy, Confession. In my own Christian journey, it has saved me innumerable times from spiritual tepidity, rationalization, paralyzing guilt, moral imbecility, vocational peril. I have gone at least every month consistently, with some exceptions, since I began the practice back in 1987...

Francis, the legislator pope?

Francis, the legislator pope? - The PillarCONDON: Pope Francis is often noted for his off-hand criticism of legalists, lawyers, and “doctors of the law.” In the media, he is often painted as a pope who eschews the formality and flummery of the papacy, leading the Church as a priest, a pastor, rather than a lawgiver or a rulemaker.

President Biden eliminates Hyde Amendment from 2022 budget request

President Joe Biden eliminates Hyde Amendment from 2022 budget request: President Joe Biden on Friday did not include a 45 year-old pro-life policy in his final budget request to Congress for the 2022 fiscal year, thus allowing for funding of abortions. The Hyde Amendment, enacted into law since 1976, bars federal funding of most elective abortions in Medicaid.

Love and lament alike: A brief reflection for all who care about the Church

Love and Lament Alike - A Brief Reflection for All Who Care About the Church - Community in MissionPOPE: As a priest and pastor I work very closely with others: clergy, religious, laity who work for the Church, and laity who volunteer. We all work for the Church because we love her and her people. At times, though, there is disappointment, hurt, or even disillusionment. Perhaps these feelings result from issues in the wider Church...

This article on anti-abortion momentum, from a pro-abortion publication, should give pro-lifers cause for hope

How Bills Like Mississippi's 15 Week Ban Took Over the Anti-Abortion Movement | The New Republic: More than four years ago, I called a constitutional law professor to ask him to explain a wave of anti-abortion legislation that blatantly violated Roe v. Wade and was therefore destined to be swiftly struck down by the courts. Lawmakers in Indiana had just proposed an outright abortion ban, establishing that life begins at conception...

Embarrassed over the Church’s response to COVID?

Embarrassed%20over%20the%20Church%u2019s%20response%20to%20COVID%3F%20%7C%20Catholic%20CultureMIRUS: There is a fine line between moral prudence and moral cowardice. There is an even finer line between trusting and not trusting God. I admit that discerning these things can be difficult. But in praying with Ezra the other day, I discovered something all of us need to think about more often than we do. Ezra, as many readers will recall, was permitted by King Cyrus of Persia...

Why have there been so many no-hitters in 2021?

Why Have There Been So Many No-Hitters in 2021? - The New York Times: It had been less than 24 hours since Spencer Turnbull of the Detroit Tigers completed baseball’s fifth no-hitter of the 2021 season when Corey Kluber of the Yankees threw the sixth.

It took scientists 375 years to discover the eighth continent of the world, which has been hiding in plain sight all along. But mysteries still remain...

The missing continent it took 375 years to find - BBC Future: It was 1642 and Abel Tasman was on a mission. The experienced Dutch sailor, who sported a flamboyant moustache, bushy goatee and penchant for rough justice – he later tried to hang some of his crew on a drunken whim – was confident of the existence of a vast continent in the southern hemisphere, and determined to find it.

Yesterday’s slave ships were dank and brutal. Today’s abortion clinics are modern and polished. But the cruel and painful slaughter goes on...

Today's Slave Traders Get Botox | The StreamGRESS: The abortion debate is heating up again with the Supreme Court’s acceptance of the Mississippi case challenging Roe v. Wade. Already, the fever-pitched rhetoric that has been slung against pro-lifers for fifty years is being carted out ... again. “Women’s future will be over,” “Women will be saddled with children they don’t want,” “My body, my choice.” And on and on and on, while they brandish wire hangers...

Here’s when roads will be busiest for Memorial Day weekend. Plan accordingly...

Here's When Roads Will Be Busiest For Memorial Day Weekend - Digg: With more than 37 million people expected to travel this Memorial Day weekend, highways are bound to be busy — but you can avoid the rush if you plan ahead.

Notre Dame Cathedral wants to reopen by 2024. Is that possible?

Notre Dame Wants to Reopen by 2024. Is That Possible? - InsideHook: On April 15, 2019, Notre Dame de Paris caught fire. The spire and the roof of the 850-plus-year-old building burned for about four hours. While some of the structure was saved, much was destroyed or badly damaged, from the outer architecture to the art, statues and artifacts inside.

An open letter to the Catholic bishops of the world on the German Catholic Synodal Path [PDF]

Aquila letterAQUILA: To my brothers in the episcopate and most especially to the bishops of Germany, greetings in Christ Jesus. The Gospel according to Matthew reports that, at the end of Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount, “the crowds were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.” Jesus’s disciples would come to recognize that his unmatched authority stemmed from his identity as “the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

If American culture ever recovers its senses, a Catholic psychiatrist named Paul McHugh will be recognized as one of the great figures of our time

The Healer: Paul McHugh at 90 - Denver CatholicWEIGEL: One of the adornments of American Catholicism turned 90 on May 21: Dr. Paul R. McHugh, longtime head of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins and a healer after the heart of the Divine Physician. Few scientists have made greater contributions to unraveling the mysteries of our complex inner lives than Paul McHugh; few men of such eminence have suffered such calumnies from critics...

What happens in Germany will not stay in Germany

What Happens in Germany, Revisited | Francis X. Maier | First ThingsMAIER: Archbishop Charles Chaput recently cautioned that “What happens in Germany will not stay in Germany. History has already taught us that lesson once.” Exactly as predicted, confusion within the German Church has since metastasized to other key issues of Catholic belief like marriage, sexuality, priesthood, and the nature of the Church.

A short consideration of the sequence hymn for Pentecost

A Short Consideration of the Sequence Hymn for Pentecost - Community in MissionPOPE: Seeking not to leave behind Pentecost so soon, I propose here to briefly consider the sequence hymn for Pentecost and the purpose and history of such hymns in the liturgy. There are several feasts of the Church during which a “sequence” hymn may be sung. The sequence hymn is sung just before the Alleluia (Gospel Acclamation). The feasts with sequence hymns are these...

Pope appoints Archbishop Arthur Roche as successor to Cardinal Sarah at Congregation for Divine Worship

Pope Francis appoints successor to Cardinal Robert Sarah, he names Archbishop Arthur Roche in the Vatican: Pope Francis appointed Archbishop Arthur Roche on Thursday as the prefect of the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. Roche, the current secretary for the congregation, succeeds Cardinal Robert Sarah, who served as its prefect for six years until the pope accepted his resignation in February at the age of 75.

Theft of Mary Queen of Scots’ rosary from Arundel Castle a ‘tragic loss’ for Catholic history

Theft%20of%20Mary%20Queen%20of%20Scots%u2019%20rosary%20a%20%u2018tragic%20loss%u2019%20for%20Catholic%20history: The theft of the gold rosary that Mary, Queen of Scots took to her execution is a “very tragic loss” for Catholic history, a curator has said. Jan Graffius, the curator of the Stonyhurst Collections, made the comment after police reported that thieves broke into Arundel Castle in West Sussex, southern England, on May 21, stealing the rosary and other items worth more than $1.4 million.

Long slide looms for world population, with sweeping ramifications that are hard to fathom [NYTimes paywall]

Long Slide Looms for World Population, With Sweeping Ramifications - The New York Times: All over the world, countries are confronting population stagnation and a fertility bust, a dizzying reversal unmatched in recorded history that will make first-birthday parties a rarer sight than funerals, and empty homes a common eyesore.

Beware of bad news

New Advent: Beware of bad newsSTEFANICK: Ever notice how your brain gets sucked in sometimes to really negative passing news? It's called clickbait. I’m going to talk to you about why it’s so important to avoid letting that overcome your brain and how to break free. Notice the clickbait is always bad news. A kid saved a puppy from a well? That’s never going to be clickbait...

Practical tips for being charitable with others

Practical%20Tips%20for%20Being%20Charitable%20with%20Others%20%u2013%20Jimmy%20AkinAKIN: There are multiple reasons that favor a charitable approach, and by keeping these factors in mind and putting them into practice, the discipline of taking a charitable approach becomes a habit and second nature, though (especially with certain individuals) it can be a challenge and there can be lapses. Of course, all this deals primarily with how one says something rather than what one says.

“No child is hopeless”: The 5 big myths about fallen-away Catholics

"No Child is Hopeless": The 5 Big Myths About Fallen-Away Catholics |VOGT: “My son is totally gone,” Dianne explained. “I love him, and I really hope he’ll see the light one day, but there’s absolutely no way he’ll ever come back to the Church. It’s hopeless.” Many parents feel this borderline despair. They look at how far their children have drifted, and they can’t see any possible way they would return to the Church...

Pope moves youth seminary out of Vatican amid abuse trial

Pope moves youth seminary out of Vatican amid abuse trial: Pope Francis has decided to move a youth seminary outside Vatican City, taking action before the Vatican’s criminal tribunal renders a verdict in a sex abuse trial involving a former seminarian and an ex-rector. The Vatican made no mention of the ongoing trial in its announcement Tuesday that the St. Pius X pre-seminary would relocate somewhere in Rome starting in September.

Holy Communion, the Bread of Life, is for defenders of life who live in God’s grace

Holy%20Communion%2C%20the%20Bread%20of%20Life%2C%20Is%20for%20Defenders%20of%20Life%20Who%20Live%20in%20God%u2019s%20Grace%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterLANDRY: Next week the Church will celebrate the Solemnity of Corpus Christi. It is a time for us, as St. Thomas Aquinas wrote in 1263 for the first celebration of the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus, to “dare to do all we can” to express our gratitude at the res mirabilis...

The Vatican issued a postage stamp featuring edgy street art instead of a classic painting. Now they’re getting sued for it...

Vatican issues a street art stamp, ends up getting sued: One night in early 2019, Rome street artist Alessia Babrow glued a stylized image of Christ she had made onto a bridge near the Vatican. A year later, she was shocked to learn that the Vatican had apparently used a reproduction of her image, which featured her hallmark heart emblazoned across Christ’s chest, as its 2020 Easter postage stamp.

Pope Francis hints at imminent changes in the Roman Curia

Pope Francis Hints at Imminent Changes in the Roman Curia| National Catholic RegisterGAGLIARDUCCI: Multiple sources have told CNA that Pope Francis told the Italian bishops that there will soon be a new prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship, and that the appointment might come out as early as May 25. Pope Francis met the Italian bishops as they are gathering in their 74th general assembly.

Cardinals Gregory, Cupich, O’Malley and 60+ bishops press Archbishop Gomez to halt USCCB Communion debate

Bishops press Gomez to halt Communion debate - The Pillar: A group of more than 60 bishops has written to Archbishop Jose Gomez this month, pressing for the U.S. bishops’ conference leadership to suspend discussion of the subject of Eucharistic coherence ahead of the USCCB’s June meeting, despite a recent letter from the Vatican’s doctrinal office counseling the bishops to continue discussing the matter...

Altman blames “pansy babies” for dispute with bishop, raises $160,000

Updated%3A%20Altman%20blames%20%u2018pansy%20babies%u2019%20for%20dispute%20with%20bishop%2C%20raises%20%24160k%20-%20The%20Pillar: A controversial Wisconsin priest has raised more than $160,000 since Sunday morning, which he says will pay to mount a canonical defense against his diocesan bishop’s efforts to remove him from his ministry as a parish pastor. But while the Diocese of La Crosse says it will undertake a canonical process to remove Fr. James Altman from his office as a pastor...

La Crosse bishop asks Father James Altman to resign over “divisive and ineffective” leadership

UPDATED: La Crosse bishop asks Father Altman to resign amid controversies | Local News | lacrossetribune.com: The leader of the Diocese of La Crosse has asked Catholic priest Father James Altman to resign amid continued controversial rhetoric over politics and the pandemic, Altman says.

Cardinal Cupich reinstates Pfleger after review board finds “insufficient reason to suspect” he abused boys in 1970s

Cardinal reinstates Pfleger, says 'no reason to suspect' he abused boys in 1970s - Chicago Tribune: Cardinal Blase Cupich is reinstating the Rev. Michael Pfleger as senior pastor at St. Sabina Parish after the archdiocesan board that investigates sexual abuse claims found “there is insufficient reason to suspect” the iconic South Side priest is guilty of allegations of abuse dating back decades, according to a letter released to parishioners Monday.

Bob Dylan turns 80: Ballad of the paradoxical poet

Bob Dylan Turns 80: Ballad of the Paradoxical Poet| National Catholic RegisterTURLEY: It has always been easier to say what the artist known as “Bob Dylan” was, than to answer who he is. Songwriter, folk artist, protester, rock star, country singer, Christian, Jew — trying to define him has been a movable feast. Or is it that these changing contexts simply denote someone who has had to keep moving on account of the target on his back?

Democratic Senators warn of court-packing if Roe v. Wade is altered by Supreme Court

Democratic Senators warn of court-packing if Roe is altered by Supreme Court: Democratic senators have argued that overturning or otherwise limiting Roe v. Wade would pave the way to change the size or structure of the high court, The Hill reported Monday.

4 qualities the Apostles manifest just after Pentecost

Four Qualities Manifest By The Apostles Just After Pentecost - Community in Mission: The Apostles were dramatically changed at Pentecost and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit for mission that took place there. Prior to this, even after seeing the risen Lord, they were timid and most uncertain about what to do. Peter even went back to fishing. But after Pentecost, all this changes. They are bold, courageous and quite certain of all Jesus taught.

Bob Dylan turns 80, while Dylanologists keep arguing about signs of faith in his art

Bob%20Dylan%20turns%2080%2C%20while%20Dylanologists%20keep%20arguing%20about%20signs%20of%20faith%20in%20his%20art%20%u2014%20GetReligionMATTINGLY: Night after night, Bob Dylan's 1979 Gospel concerts at San Francisco's Warfield Theatre made news for all the wrong reasons, according to angry fans. The November 11th show opened with Dylan roaring into "Gotta Serve Somebody" from "Slow Train Coming," the first of what Dylanologists called his "born-again" albums.

The absolute best way to cook a hot dog, according to so many tests

The Absolute Best Way to Cook a Hot Dog, According to So Many Tests: In Absolute Best Tests, writer Ella Quittner destroys the sanctity of her home kitchen in the name of truth. She's mashed dozens of potatoes, seared more porterhouse steaks than she cares to recall, and tasted enough types of bacon to concern a cardiologist. Today, she tackles hot dogs.

If you want your kids to stay Catholic, here are 4 things that matter most

If%20you%20want%20your%20kids%20to%20stay%20Catholic%2C%20here%u2019s%20what%20matters%20most: There’s no good way to say it: We are in a crisis of Catholics leaving the Church. Somehow, somewhere, along the way, handing down the faith to the next generation is failing, on a mass scale. Catholics are abandoning the faith of their parents and grandparents at a record rate:

Why some medieval churches would leave a hole in the roof

Why some medieval churches would leave a hole in the roofKOSLOSKI: One interesting bit of church architecture is known as the “Holy Ghost Hole.” It consists of a large opening purposely left in the ceiling. This was most commonly done in medieval churches throughout Europe, but has been repeated in other places throughout the world. The tradition was meant to remind the faithful of the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost...

Why Mother Teresa is a saint and not a “cult leader,” as a recent NYTimes opinion piece called her

In defense of Mother Teresa: Why she is a saint and not a cult leader: Historical figures are going through a reckoning. They have been for some time. Some with good reason. Christopher Columbus? Understandable given what was unleashed by his arrival from Europe. Thomas Jefferson? A paradox that’s worth examining given his ability to pen the Declaration of Independence and also own slaves. In some cases, he fathered children with them.

Cardinal Pell eyes a Vatican scandal he suspected long ago

Cardinal Pell eyes a Vatican scandal he suspected long agoWINFIELD: Cardinal George Pell is enjoying his first Roman spring since being exonerated of sex abuse charges in his native Australia: He receives visitors to his Vatican flat, sips midday Aperol Spritz’s at the outdoor cafe downstairs and keeps up religiously with news of a Holy See financial scandal that he suspected years ago.

Vatican labor protest highlights any pope’s management dilemma

Vatican labor protest highlights any pope's management dilemmaALLEN: The fact that the Vatican’s worker bees recently sent a petition to Pope Francis asking him to meet to discuss his recent decision to cut salaries, complaining that lay managers in the Vatican sometimes get exorbitant salaries while the compensation of front-line workers languishes, shouldn’t be terribly surprising.

Here are some weird things I witnessed at my freshman orientation — and it’s happening nationwide

Freshman Orientation: An Introduction to Monolithic Higher Education - Public DiscourseFOLMAR: At the College of William & Mary, freshman orientation is a celebratory experience. Before classes begin, freshmen spend three or four days bonding with others in their residence halls, hearing from speakers, and taking part in training sessions on topics like diversity and sexual consent.

A review of ‘A Quiet Place Part II’ (Rotten Tomatoes 93%)

SDG%20Reviews%20%u2018A%20Quiet%20Place%20Part%20II%u2019%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterGREYDANUS: There are day-to-day crises and traumas that are somehow absorbed into the continuity of our lives, and then there are inexorable turning points that divide our lives into “before” and “after.” Such moments come to both individuals and families, like the death of a parent or a spouse; they also occur on larger scales, to communities, to nations and even on a global scale.

The Holy Spirit comes bringing peace — but the peace that comes from victory in battle, not from truce...

This Sunday, the Consoler We Desperately Need Right Now | The Gregorian Institute at Benedictine CollegeHOOPES: This Sunday is Pentecost Sunday, the day God comes to us not just as the one we learn from and follow, but as the one who recreates us from within, forming us into Jesus Christ himself. This Pentecost comes as the pandemic’s restrictions are lifting in many places and as the fear, anxiety and division that the pandemic brought to so many of our lives is starting to loosen its grip at last.

“I have come to cast a fire on the earth” — A homily for Pentecost Sunday

I Have Come to Cast A Fire on the Earth - A Homily for Pentecost Sunday - Community in MissionPOPE: What a wondrous and challenging feast we celebrate at Pentecost! A feast like this challenges us because it puts to the lie a lazy, sleepy, hidden, and tepid Christian life. The Lord Jesus said to the apostles, I have come to cast a fire on the earth (Luke 12:49). This is a feast about fire, a transformative, refining, purifying fire that the Lord wants to kindle in us...

France to mark 150th anniversary of anti-Catholic Paris Commune — an event that shocked the world and still echoes today

France to mark 150th anniversary of anti-religious Paris Commune - Catholic News Service: On Paris’ Rue Haxo, a white-brick church commemorates dozens of Catholic clergy who fell victim to one of modern Europe’s bloodiest uprisings. Its 150th anniversary will be marked in the last week of May with a series of commemorative events.

As your soul moves your body, so the Holy Spirit moves the Church to achieve God’s good works and purposes...

You are Called to Service | Parishable ItemsFELTES: You have hands and arms, feet and legs, eyes and ears, a mouth and a nose. They are all valuable parts of your body. But without the presence of your animating soul extending throughout them, these parts would just lie around, inactive, achieving nothing. God has likewise created his Church as the Body of Christ with an animating Spirit.

Pope Francis on Pentecost: “Open your heart to the Holy Spirit”

Pope%20Francis%3A%20%u2018Open%20your%20heart%20to%20the%20Holy%20Spirit%u2019: Pope Francis on Sunday urged those who feel trapped by loneliness, despair, and pain to open themselves to the Holy Spirit. Celebrating Pentecost Sunday Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica May 23, the pope said that people could find true consolation by invoking the third Person of the Holy Trinity.

Full text of the homily for Pentecost Sunday

Full%20text%3A%20Pope%20Francis%u2019%20homily%20on%20Pentecost%20SundayCOATOFARMS: “When the Paraclete comes, whom I will send to you from the Father...” (Jn 15:26). With these words, Jesus promises to send his disciples the Holy Spirit, the ultimate gift, the gift of gifts. He uses an unusual and mysterious word to describe the Spirit: Paraclete. Today let us reflect on this word, which is not easy to translate, for it has a number of meanings. Essentially, it means two things: Comforter and Advocate.

After Sunday Regina Caeli, Pope asks for prayers for the Catholics in China “whom I hold deep in my heart”

VATICAN - CHINA Pope: Let us pray for the Catholics in China 'whom I hold deep in my heart': Pope Francis’s invitation for the Chinese faithful, on the occasion of the feast of Our Lady of Sheshan and the World Day of Prayer for the Church in China. "The Holy Spirit is like a strong and free wind". He "connects different people by realizing the unity and universality of the Church". “In the Church there are small groups that are always seeking division, to detach themselves from others”.

Bishop, 7 priests and 10 seminarians arrested in Chinese city of Xinxiang; police search house to house for other seminarians and signs of Catholic faith

CHINA - VATICAN Xinxiang, the bishop, seven priests and 10 seminarians arrested: In the space of just two days, almost all the ecclesiastical personnel of the apostolic prefecture of Xinxiang were wiped out with an operation by the police forces of the province of Hebei. Yesterday 21 May the bishop Msgr. Zhang Weizhu; the day before, seven priests and 10 seminarians were arrested...

A primer on botanical names

A%20Primer%20on%20Botanical%20Names%20%u2013%20Hearth%20%26%20FieldSTOREY: You don’t need to know the botanical names of plants to be quite successful with gardening. Many a gardener has happily gardened for decades on end, never knowing the difference between an Acer and an Althaea, and yet never mistaking a maple tree for a hollyhock. But there does often come a time in a gardener’s life when botanical names become not only interesting but useful, and it is in preparation for that possible moment in your life that we offer the following primer on botanical names.

Pope Francis advances causes of China missionary, sister killed by Maoist guerrillas

Pope Francis advances causes of China missionary, sister killed by Maoist guerrillas: Pope Francis on Saturday advanced the causes of seven people, including a missionary to China and a sister killed by Maoist guerrillas. The pope authorized the Vatican Congregation for the Causes of Saints to issue seven new decrees during a May 22 meeting with the congregation’s prefect, Cardinal Marcello Semeraro.

Benedict XVI to minor seminary: “What has withered in Germany still blossoms in Poland”

Benedict XVI to minor seminary: What has withered in Germany still blossoms in Poland: Pope emeritus Benedict XVI has written to a minor seminary in Poland, saying that he is delighted to see “how in Poland still blossoms what in Germany has withered.”

Watch this 94-year-old Army Ranger push a walker away to stand and receive the Medal of Honor

94-Year-Old Ranger Pushes Walker Away to Stand for Medal of Honor: When retired US Army Col. Ralph Puckett Jr., 94, received the Medal of Honor on Friday, he stood on his own, pushing away a walker offered to him for support.

The most important lesson you will ever teach

The Most Important Lesson You Will Ever Teach - Seton MagazineCLARK: Several years ago, I wrote an article for the National Catholic Register about Saint Dismas, the good thief who converted while he hung on his cross next to Jesus. A few days after the article appeared, an acquaintance came up to me while I was writing, and very kindly told me how much she had liked the column. I casually thanked her and then went back to writing...

To an inquirer: Why I am a Catholic

To an Inquirer: Why I am a Catholic | Fr. Dwight LongeneckerLONGENECKER: I had a request yesterday to be interviewed by some folks for a podcast they do discussing big questions. She said she was an Evangelical Protestant. The other two interviewers were to be a “religious agnostic” and an atheist. They wanted to ask why I am Catholic. The best answer if that the Catholic Church is One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic...

5 reasons Catholics fail to evangelize modern people

5 Reasons Catholics Fail to Evangelize Modern People - Catholic Missionary Disciples - College Station, TXLEJEUNE: I don’t understand relativism and that means that whenever I talk with someone who is a relativist, even in small parts, it is hard for us to connect. I realized this many years ago and had to switch my tactic in order to be more effective in my evangelization. More on that later. Maybe you have had a similar issue in conversation with those in our modern culture...

Permanent synodal Church — A progressive Jesuit cardinal’s “dream” come true

Permanent%20Synodal%20Church%20%u2014%20A%20Progressive%20Jesuit%20Cardinal%u2019s%20%u2018Dream%u2019%20Come%20True%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterPENTIN: The Vatican’s announcement today that Pope Francis has changed his plans for the next Synod of Bishops and made it into a multi-phase process over three years comes closer to fulfilling a “dream” of the late progressive Jesuit Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini. The former cardinal archbishop of Milan, a favorite of those pushing for heterodox reforms in the Church...

Catholic News Agency looks at GetReligion (including why Catholics still care about news)

Catholic%20News%20Agency%20looks%20at%20GetReligion%20%28including%20why%20Catholics%20still%20care%20about%20news%29%20%u2014%20GetReligionMATTINGLY: There is no “Crossroads” post this week, in part because various people — including me — are engaged in long-awaited in what I think used to be called “vacations.” In my case, I will be trading the lovely mountains of East Tennessee for my old stomping grounds — the Rocky Mountains in Colorado...

A Russian doll synod, an incoherent senator, and the madness of Hank Windsor

A Russian doll synod, an incoherent senator, and the madness of Hank Windsor - The PillarCONDON: Yesterday, the Vatican circulated to bishops its plans for the forthcoming “synod on synodality.” It’s due to begin in Rome in October, spread itself across the globe, and return to Rome in 2023. Before the concluding session of the Synod of Bishops, at the Vatican in 2023, there will be periods of local, regional, and then continental synodal processes.

Federal judge rules College of the Ozarks must let biological men share showers with women; Christian school faces six-figure fines if it violates Biden administration’s order

Federal Judge Sides With Biden, Rules Christian College Must Allow Biological Men to Share Showers With Women | The StreamCATENACCI: A federal judge ruled Wednesday that students of the opposite biological sex must be allowed to share shower spaces and dorms at a Christian college in Missouri. Judge Roseann Ketchmark of the District Court of Western Missouri ruled against the College of the Ozarks...

“Marvel is in this very moment”: Scott Hahn’s son to be ordained a priest in Steubenville

Scott Hahn's Son to be Ordained a Priest, Shares Soul-Stirring Testament: "Marvel is in This Very Moment" |: Theologian Dr. Scott Hahn shared in a May 17 announcement that his son, Jeremiah Hahn, will be ordained into the priesthood on Fri., May 21. He published a beautiful and soul-stirring testament about this important moment in his son’s life.

Becket Fund’s Luke Goodrich: “Traditional Catholic beliefs ... are now increasingly viewed as a threat to modern culture”

Luke Goodrich: Fighting the good fight for religious liberty: “Traditional Catholic beliefs about life and about marriage and human sexuality — whereas they were at least uncontroversial decades ago, if not widely held — are now increasingly viewed as a threat to modern culture,” said Luke Goodrich, vice president and senior counsel at The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. Goodrich is also the author of “Free to Believe: The Battle Over Religious Liberty in America.” Follow him @LukeWGoodrich on Twitter.

A most unfortunate Roman intervention

A most unfortunate Roman intervention - Denver CatholicWEIGEL: On May 7, Cardinal Luis Ladaria, SJ, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, sent a letter to Archbishop José Gomez, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. To all appearances, that letter was aimed at forestalling indefinitely a joint statement by the U.S. bishops on eucharistic coherence in the Church...

Catholics need more of the right kind of mess — because we already have too much of the other kind

Making the Wrong Kind of Mess | Charles J. Chaput | First ThingsCHAPUT: tarting in 2013 and variously thereafter, Pope Francis has called upon Catholics, especially young Catholics, to “make a mess.” In a way, this makes admirable sense. Reform and renewal always involve a kind of creative destruction. Disrupting old patterns of sin and purifying the spirit can be turbulent work.

New president of JPII Institute for Marriage and Family comes out in favor of homosexual blessing rite

Family%20Feud.%20On%20the%20Blessing%20of%20Homosexual%20Couples%20the%20Vatican%20Has%20an%20Enemy%20in%20the%20House%20-%20Settimo%20Cielo%20-%20Blog%20-%20L%u2019EspressoMAGISTER: He will take office in Rome at the end of the summer. But Philippe Bordeyne, the new president of the John Paul II Pontifical Theological Institute for Marriage and Family Sciences, has already shown his cards in advance. And he has done so precisely on the most explosive issue in the Church today, that of the blessing of homosexual couples.

Vatican asks all Catholic dioceses to help prepare for 2023 synod on synodality

Vatican asks all Catholic dioceses to take part in synod on synodality: The Vatican announced Friday that the Synod of Bishops on synodality has been postponed to 2023, with a two-year consultative preparatory phase involving Catholic dioceses worldwide. The synod on synodality will officially open with a “diocesan phase”

John Ford’s ‘The Fugitive’ is a forgotten film every Catholic should see

John%20Ford%u2019s%20%u2018The%20Fugitive%u2019%20is%20a%20Forgotten%20Film%20Every%20Catholic%20Should%20See%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterDAY: John Ford, record five-time Oscar winner for Best Director and mastermind behind such classics as Stagecoach, The Grapes of Wrath, The Quiet Man, and The Searchers, considered the little-known The Fugitive as one of his favorite and most personal films. It is a hard film to track down these days, but it has been made available to rent on YouTube for a reasonable price.

3 secrets to true simplicity I learned from being a nurse

3 Secrets to True Simplicity I Learned From Being a Nurse| National Catholic RegisterBECKER: Thanks, graduates, for inviting me to address you on this momentous occasion. Congratulations, graduates, and Godspeed as you launch. All of you moms and dads, husbands and wives, son, daughters, other family, friends: Be proud of this crew. The fact they’re here means that we as a faculty have signed off on them as being ready to serve you — serve us all — as nurses.

‘Woke’ Catholic schools offer poison in place of the Gospel

%u2018Woke%u2019%20Catholic%20Schools%20Offer%20Poison%20in%20Place%20of%20the%20Gospel%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterMERING: A simmering cultural revolution is approaching its boiling point. This can bring a certain clarity and resolve as more people grasp what is happening. The stories of woke toxicity coming out of elite secular prep schools follow similar patterns: a top-down implementation of extreme “antiracism” and gender ideology in the curriculum, progressive parents speaking out in anonymity due to fear of reprisal, and students feeling pressured to affirm and parrot the new creed.

An interview with St. Francis de Sales about St. Joseph

An Interview With St. Francis de Sales About St. Joseph| National Catholic RegisterPRONECHEN: How we ought to embark on the sea of Divine Providence, without food, without oars, without sails, and, in short, without any sort of provisions; and thus leave all the care of ourselves and of the success of our affairs to our Lord, without reflection, or replies, or any fear whatever of what may happen to us. For the angel says merely...

On landmark anniversary, spare a thought for the Church’s “anonymous actors”

On%20landmark%20anniversary%2C%20spare%20a%20thought%20for%20Church%u2019s%20%u2018anonymous%20actors%u2019ALLEN: Though the Vatican has been a bit preoccupied touting the fifth anniversary of Pope Francis’s eco-encyclical Laudato Si’ – funnily enough, the current pope, the one who can make or break careers today, always seems to get more official love than his predecessors – last Saturday also marked the 130th anniversary of another landmark papal document, one that arguably made Laudato Si possible: Leo XIII’s 1891 encyclical Rerum novarum.

4 rules for effective leaders

Four Rules for Effective Leaders - Community in MissionPOPE: In modern bibles and in the breviary, Psalm 101 is often called the “Avowal of a Good Ruler.” In other words, it is a kind of oath a ruler takes pledging to promote virtue in the kingdom and to refute error and sin. One can imagine King David saying this himself.

Malta’s president: I would rather resign than sign abortion bill

Malta%u2019s%20president%3A%20I%20would%20rather%20resign%20than%20sign%20abortion%20bill: The president of Malta said this week that he would rather resign than sign a bill decriminalizing abortion. George Vella, a medical doctor who has served as the country’s president since 2019, made the comment to NETnews on May 17. “I will never sign a bill that involves the authorization of murder,” Vella said, according to the Times of Malta.

When you practice the works of mercy, you’re going to get conned sometimes

Sometimes You'll Get Conned - Catholic HeraldPEZZULO: Her name was Angel, a name that made me think of that verse about entertaining angels. She appeared in the local Buy Nothing group last November, asking for help. The Buy Nothing group is a Facebook page for our town here in Appalachia...

What is a UFO?

What is a UFO? | Fr. Dwight LongeneckerLONGENECKER: Have you ever seen a UFO? I did when I was a boy and this podcast of mine tells the story of how my sister and her husband saw one. Recently there has been a new rash of UFO sightings and with them the usual speculation about aliens and life forms from other planets. The mistake in thinking about UFOs is to treat the phenomenon with a purely materialistic and mechanistic mindset...

Don’t be obsequious. We can be friendly with many people, but we can be deep friends with only a few

Having No Real Friends | LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: It is our worst nightmare. Everyone else has real friends. But somehow I don’t, because I’m just not up to it, or people just aren’t interested. This is not Aristotle’s point, and it is simply not true. You are worthy of having friends. Indeed, we were made for it. We can have this kind of relationship that is at the center of human life. Yet the reality is that we often fail to do what we are capable of doing.

Pope’s Wednesday Audience: “Praying is not easy. Know, recognize and overcome the difficulties”

Pope%20Francis%20at%20the%20general%20audience%3A%20%u2018Praying%20is%20not%20easy%u2019Pope Francis acknowledged Wednesday that praying is hard, but suggested ways to overcome common obstacles. Speaking at the general audience May 19, the pope identified three enemies of prayer: distractions, spiritual aridity, and sloth. “Praying is not easy: many difficulties present themselves in prayer. It is necessary to know them, recognize them and overcome them,” he said.

Senator Tim Kaine’s unhappy debut as a theologian

Senator%20Kaine%u2019s%20unhappy%20debut%20as%20a%20theologian%20%7C%20Catholic%20CultureLAWLER: So now the American bishops face a tough decision: On the question of whether pro-abortion politicians should receive the Eucharist, should they follow the advice of Senator Kaine, or that of St. Paul, who wrote (1 Cor 11:27): “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread and drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the Body and Blood of the Lord”

‘Into the Deepak’: Vatican conference gives forum to Chelsea Clinton, Dr. Oz and Deepak Chopra

%u2018Into%20the%20Deepak%u2019%3A%20Vatican%20Conference%20Gives%20Forum%20to%20Chelsea%20Clinton%2C%20Dr.%20Oz%20and%20Jane%20Goodall%2C%20as%20Germany%u2019s%20Catholic%20Bishops%20Choose%20to%20Ignore%20Pope%20Francis%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterDESOUZA: The coordinated protest by priests in Germany last Monday, offering a “blessing for lovers,” which explicitly included same-sex couples, is just the latest indication that a sizable portion of Germany clergy, including bishops, is quite content to ignore directions from Rome. Pope Francis has indicted plainly himself, and repeatedly through various Curial congregations...

Catholics and Protestants share Communion at German ecumenical convention

Catholics and Protestants Share Communion at German Ecumenical Convention| National Catholic RegisterPENTIN: Protestant and Catholic worshippers in Germany defied Church teaching on Sunday by taking part in each other’s celebration of the Lord’s Supper at an Ecumenical Convention in Frankfurt. In four services in the city, Catholics were invited to take part in an Evangelical Supper with Protestants...

I’m a trauma surgeon in Israel. In my hospital, we are in this together — Jews, Muslims, Christians, Druze and others

Opinion%20%7C%20I%u2019m%20a%20Trauma%20Surgeon%20in%20Israel.%20In%20My%20Hospital%2C%20We%20Are%20in%20This%20Together.%20-%20The%20New%20York%20Times: Late in the evening on Tuesday, I was working in my office in Wolfson Medical Center, the hospital where I am the director of trauma surgery. The sun had set and suddenly the sirens started blaring from every corner of Tel Aviv, warning of rockets headed our way.

Dante Figueroa, an analyst at the Law Library of Congress, put together this great overview of the criminal law of the Vatican (especially money laundering)

Vatican Criminal Law and Recent Money Laundering Cases | In Custodia Legis: Law Librarians of Congress: In this post, I explain some of the key sources and aspects of the criminal law of the Vatican, particularly legislation related to money laundering and other financial crimes, as this area has been recently updated and strengthened. In addition, reference is made to a recent change in Vatican criminal procedural law concerning the prosecution of high-ranking officers.

A new bishop in Hong Kong, the investigation in Knoxville, and ‘St. Deo Gratias’

The news: Bishop in HK, investigation in Knoxville, and 'St. Deo Gratias' - The PillarJDFLYNN: Debate over pro-choice Catholic politicians and Holy Communion is ramping up as the U.S. bishops prepare for the June meeting of the USCCB. A letter last week from the Cardinal Luis Ladaria has piqued public curiosity about that debate. So to help you see the state of the question, we’ve begun compiling all the recent public episcopal statements on the question we can find.

You have a soul. Let me tell you 3 ways we know that’s true, and why it matters so much...

New%20Advent%3A%20You%20have%20a%20soul.%20Let%20me%20tell%20you%203%20ways%20we%20know%20that%u2019s%20true%2C%20and%20why%20it%20matters%20so%20much...STEFANICK: If you don't have a soul then you're just matter, and at the end of the day, you don't matter. In fact, the only real difference ontologically between you and this brick if you don't have a soul is that this brick doesn't go through its life under the delusion that it matters and that it's made for something more.

One of my forebears was at the Scopes Monkey Trial. He may have been wrong about faith and science, but his courageous conviction was refreshing

Bring Back ScopesPHILIPMARTIN: Nearly 100 years ago my great-great grandfather, T.T. Martin, descended upon Dayton, Tennessee, in the heat of July. Typically, his evangelical fame would have been enough to draw crowds in any Southern town he may have visited, but in this particular case, he was following the crowd. They needed his perspective...

“This isn’t about me”: New Hong Kong bishop talks religious freedom, diocesan unity in first press conference

%u2018This%20isn%u2019t%20about%20me%u2019%3A%20New%20Hong%20Kong%20bishop%20talks%20religious%20freedom%2C%20diocesan%20unity%20in%20first%20press%20conference%20-%20The%20Pillar: The Bishop-elect of Hong Kong, Fr. Stephen Chow, SJ, said the Church in Hong Kong needs to overcome internal divisions and preserve its religious freedom. Chow spoke Tuesday during a press conference, shortly after his appointment was announced by the Vatican on Monday.

Where is Mary, the Mother of God, buried? She is not buried anywhere. Instead, here is what happened...

Where Is Mary Buried?CLARK: Known as the Assumption of Mary, this is an official dogma of the Catholic Church, being solemnly proclaimed in 1950 by Pope Pius XII in an encyclical called Munificentissimus Deus. Though it is a required belief for Catholics, the teaching of the Assumption of Mary—like other Marian dogmas such as the Immaculate Conception and the Perpetual Virginity of Mary—has faced significant opposition for many years.

Why so long to pick a Hong Kong bishop? Maybe because they rejected Pick #1 (too anti-Beijing) and Pick #2 (too pro-Beijing), and Pick #3 (Stephen Chow) said No before he said Yes .

New%20Bishop%20of%20Hong%20Kong%20says%20%u2018no%u2019%20then%20%u2018yes%u2019%20to%20appointment%20-%20The%20Pillar: Pope Francis has appointed Stephen Chow Sau-yan, SJ, as the new Bishop of Hong Kong in a long-awaited appointment. Appointing a bishop to Hong Kong took more than two years, as Vatican officials searched for a candidate who could earn trust amid a complex and fractious political environment

Ending two-year vacancy, Pope picks Father Stephen Chow, Jesuit provincial of China, as next Bishop of Hong Kong

Pope Francis Appoints New Bishop of Hong Kong: Father Stephen Chow| National Catholic Register: Pope Francis has appointed Jesuit Father Stephen Chow as the next bishop of Hong Kong. Bishop-elect Chow, 61, has served as the provincial of the Jesuits’ Chinese Province since 2018. In that role, he led the Jesuit order in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China as the Vatican-China deal was first signed and during the crackdown on Hong Kong’s democracy protest movement.

Scottish First Minister condemns “vile anti-Catholic prejudice” of soccer fans

Scottish First Minister condemns 'vile' anti-Catholicism of soccer fansCOLLINS: Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says she is “utterly disgusted” by the behavior of soccer fans celebrating their league victory in Glasgow, including the fans’ “vile anti-Catholic prejudice.” Rangers F.C. defeated Aberdeen 4-0 on Saturday to boast an undefeated season. They clinched the title in March, but lifted the trophy for the 55th time in their history after the Aberdeen match.

Don’t dialogue with the devil, and never approach him with foolish curiosity (even during an exorcism)

Exorcist Diary: Don't Dialogue with the Devil - SpiritualDirection.comROSSETTI: Pope Francis has repeatedly warned people against talking to Satan. He said, “If you start talking to Satan you are lost, he is more intelligent than us.” Indeed, Satan is the Father of Lies and a master manipulator of the human psyche. Thus, the Pope admonishes us not to address Satan directly, except to tell him to leave.

Our Lord Jesus Christ is not a hypothesis

Christ is not a Hypothesis | Knowing Is DoingTORRE: The teacher was insistent that her students would not be able to understand the subject of Jesus Christ without viewing him as a friend or companion. She was insistent that the concept of Christ as Savior, the Incarnate Word or the second person of the Trinity are Catholic doctrines that were difficult to comprehend and would inhibit her freshmen students’ ability to relate to Christ as a friend...

Supreme Court to hear Mississippi abortion case challenging Roe v. Wade

Supreme%20Court%20Will%20Consider%20Mississippi%u2019s%2015-Week%20Abortion%20Ban%7C%20National%20Catholic%20Register: The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to consider a case involving a state 15-week abortion ban. The court will be taking up the case of Jackson Women’s Health Organization v. Dobbs, involving Mississippi’s ban on most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The high court agreed only to consider one question presented in the petition for certiorari, namely, “Whether all pre-viability prohibitions on elective abortions are unconstitutional?”

The Ascension of Jesus reveals that while our existence involves this present world, it does not end with this present world.

Refocusing%20on%20the%20Ascension%20of%20Christ%20%u2013%20Catholic%20World%20Report: Certain mysteries in the life of the Church and certain beliefs and practices can become obscure over time, for a variety of reasons. This is evident, I think, in the commemoration of the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord. One important factor behind this obscuring of the Ascension is how most dioceses in the United States have transferred this feast day from its traditional position on Thursday...

Catholic Social Doctrine linked by encyclicals Rerum Novarum and Quadragesimo Anno

Catholic Social Doctrine Linked by Encyclicals Rerum Novarum and Quadragesimo Anno| National Catholic Register: There is a temptation, perhaps unique to Catholics in the United States, to read Pope Leo XIII’s Rerum Novarum (On Capital and Labor), 130 years old today, through a kind of nostalgic haze. It evokes images of working people of Irish, Italian and Polish descent moving between factory floors, packed parishes...

Benedictine College raises the bar in fight against porn addiction

Benedictine College Raises the Bar in Fight Against Porn Addiction| National Catholic RegisterREILLY: Students at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., made national headlines in 2019, when they petitioned the university to block pornographic websites on the campus Wi-Fi network. The university administration readily agreed, joining the growing number of faithful Catholic colleges that realize just how damaging pornography use is for students...

Was Mary present at the Ascension of Jesus? The Bible doesn’t say exactly who was there, but it gives us some clues...

Was Mary present at the ascension of Jesus?KOSLOSKI: In more dioceses than not, the Feast of the Ascension is celebrated this Sunday. The liturgist in me regrets the move from Thursday, but here we are any way. Let’s ascend with the Lord, three days late! This marvelous feast is not merely about something that took place two thousand years ago...

Love Lifted Me: A homily for the Ascension of the Lord

Love Lifted Me: A Homily for the Ascension of the Lord - Community in MissionPOPE: In more dioceses than not, the Feast of the Ascension is celebrated this Sunday. The liturgist in me regrets the move from Thursday, but here we are any way. Let’s ascend with the Lord, three days late! This marvelous feast is not merely about something that took place two thousand years ago, for though Christ our head has ascended, we the members of His body are ascending with Him...

“Do not lose hope”: Pope Francis offers Mass for Myanmar’s beleaguered Catholics in St. Peter’s Basilica

%u2018Do%20not%20lose%20hope%u2019%3A%20Pope%20Francis%20offers%20Mass%20for%20Myanmar%u2019s%20Catholics%20in%20St.%20Peter%u2019s%20Basilica: Pope Francis celebrated Mass on Sunday for Burmese Catholics, urging them not to lose hope as their homeland is engulfed by violence. In his homily in St. Peter’s Basilica May 16, the pope encouraged people not to fall into despair as security forces in Burma repress protests following a military coup.

We want to think of ourselves as “saved” — but Jesus wants us to think of ourselves as “sent”

This Sunday, Sent Not Saved | The Gregorian Institute at Benedictine CollegeHOOPES: Oops. We thought Lent and Easter were the end of salvation history. Boy, were we wrong. This Sunday — Ascension Sunday or Seventh Sunday of Easter, depending on where you live — teaches us that God sees Lent and Easter in a totally different way from the way most of us do.

Sister Theresa Aletheia Noble in the NYTimes: “Everyone dies, their bodies rot, and every face becomes a skull”

Meet the Nun Who Wants You to Remember You Will Die - The New York Times: Before she entered the Daughters of St. Paul convent in 2010, Sister Theresa Aletheia Noble read a biography of the order’s founder, an Italian priest who was born in the 1880s. He kept a ceramic skull on his desk, as a reminder of the inevitability of death. Sister Aletheia, a punk fan as a teenager, thought the morbid curio was “super punk rock,” she recalled recently. She thought vaguely about acquiring a skull for herself someday.

Catholic contributions to U.S. independence are not a revolutionary notion

Catholic contributions to U.S. independence not a revolutionary notionLISI: As we approach another Fourth of July, interest and discussion around America’s founding becomes more commonplace. Debate continues to rage over whether 1619, and not 1776, should be considered the real origin of this nation by placing the consequences of slavery at the very center of our nation’s history.

As German bishops slip further from the faith, the election of a transgender ELCA bishop in the U.S. is a sign of the times

New%20podcast%3A%20Yes%2C%20election%20of%20first%20trans/queer/gender%20fluid%20ELCA%20bishop%20was%20a%20big%20story%20%u2014%20GetReligionMATTINGLY: Imagine that you are a pastor or a layperson in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod or one of the other conservative Lutheran bodies in the United States. So you sit down with your morning coffee and pop open your email and you see that friends and family...

The Pope’s visit Thursday with the pro-abortion president of Argentina was curious (and embarrassing) on many levels

Pope Francis and the Pro-Abortion President (of Argentina)| National Catholic RegisterDESOUZA: When Pope Francis thinks about Catholic politicians who promote abortion, it is likely that his first thought is about the president — not of the United States, but of his home country, Argentina. In a week where the duties of Catholic legislators regarding abortion was at the top of Vatican news...

For those with the eyes to see, the Bible is the Book of Normal

The Book of Normal | Catholic CulturePOKORSKY: Regardless of age, most of us have emotional maturity issues. How can we harness the insecurities of adolescence and the immaturities of young adulthood? How can we tame the neuroses of middle age and the eccentricities of old age? How can we become normal?

6 top intellectual approaches to help sway unbelievers to the Catholic Church

Top intellectual approaches to unbelievers | Catholic CultureMIRUS: Years ago I did a good deal of work in apologetics, or the rational defense of the Faith. I developed and taught a college level course in apologetics. I also edited and co-authored a basic book of apologetics which we published at Christendom College...

Our Lady of Fatima brought me back from dissent to the Catholic Church

Fatima Brought Me Back From Dissent to the Church - Catholic Herald: Hell is real. That is one of the key takeaways from the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima. It’s because of this part of the Fatima message I’m still Catholic. My Portuguese-American maternal grandmother taught me from the time I was a toddler to believe in Jesus and His Mother.

Respect Life Radio: Mary Szoch looks at the first 100 days of the Biden Administration

Mary Szoch: The first 100 days of the Biden Administration gets a failing grade: President Biden has "shown in the first 100 days that the only people whose opinion he's taking into account — the only people whose desires for America that he's taking into account — are those on the radical left," said Mary Szoch, director of the Center for Human Dignity at the Family Research Council. Follow the Family Research Council @FRCdc on Twitter.

Decentralization, Absolutism, and the Papal States

Decentralization, Absolutism, and the Papal States | Mises WireMCMAKEN: Historian David Kertzer made a name for himself with his 1997 book The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara. The book covers the until then rarely mentioned case of an Italian Jewish boy who was illicitly baptized by the housekeeper and then kidnapped in 1858 by Papal State authorities on the grounds that Jews in the Papal States could not be permitted to raise a Christian child.

Pope Francis and U.S. climate envoy John Kerry meet at the Vatican

Pope Francis and John Kerry meet at the Vatican: Pope Francis met with U.S. President Joe Biden’s climate envoy John Kerry on Saturday. Kerry is in Europe to meet with government officials and business leaders ahead of the Nov. 1-12 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, the State Department said.

In memory of my baby daughter Margaret, who died last May 26, here are 11 things I want everyone to know about child loss, grief, still birth and Down syndrome

Life Lessons in Child Loss - Thy Geekdom ComeMICAHMURPHY: Eleven months ago today, my family suffered the unspeakable tragedy of losing our 6th child, Margaret, to Down Syndrome. What we expected to be the joyous birth of — by all accounts — our healthy baby girl was in an instant turned into the devastating, heart-wrenching pain of loss...

What is Iron Dome? Israel’s anti-rocket defense system explained...

What Is Iron Dome? Israel's Anti-Rocket Defense System Explained: The ongoing, increasingly deadly fighting between the Palestinian militant group Hamas and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has produced dramatic images and videos of Israel’s Iron Dome anti-rocket air defense system shooting down incoming enemy rockets.

An arrest in London, a catastrophe in India, and an HR policy in Rome

An arrest in London, a catastrophe in India, and an HR policy in Rome - The PillarCONDON: I want to start by thanking all of you for the dozens of kind notes, prayers, and most especially Mass intentions, which I received in response to last week’s newsletter. It was frankly unexpected, and deeply touching. We draw a fair bit of criticism for the work we are trying to do at The Pillar...

This is the world’s only moving mud puddle, and it’s confounding scientists and civil engineers alike

mud puddle: A visit to southern California’s mud spring to find out how a puddle became declared a natural disaster.

Pelosi says she’s “pleased” with Vatican letter to U.S. bishops on Holy Communion

Pelosi%20Says%20She%u2019s%20%u2018Pleased%u2019%20with%20Vatican%20Letter%20to%20U.S.%20Bishops%20on%20Communion%7C%20National%20Catholic%20Register: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., on Thursday said she was “pleased” with the Vatican’s recent letter to U.S. bishops on Communion for pro-abortion politicians.

Inside the secret conversion of Italy’s Christopher Hitchens

Inside the secret conversion of Italy's Christopher HitchensALLEN: If you’re an English-speaker who wasn’t living under a rock for the last fifty years, you know the name Christopher Hitchens. He was Anglophone culture’s most famous critic of religion, a brilliant and brazen wit who once had the audacity to try to steal Mother Teresa’s halo, and who not only was convinced God is dead but determined to keep polishing his obituary.

CDC says vaccinated people can go back to normal life, opening way to full-capacity churches

CDC Says Vaccinated People Can Go Back to Normal Life | Voice of America - English: Health officials are recommending lifting most COVID-19 restrictions for people who are fully vaccinated. That means no more masks or social distancing, indoors or outdoors, according to updated guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Using just his thoughts, paralyzed man texts at a record-breaking 16 words a minute

Using Just His Thoughts, Paralyzed Man Texts at a Record-Breaking 16 Words a Minute: For the first time ever, neuroscientists have translated the cognitive signals associated with handwriting into text, and in real time. The new technique is more than twice as fast than the previous method, allowing a paralyzed man to text at a rate of 90 characters per minute.

The problem with “virtual” education is that it is not education

The%20Reality%20of%20Education%20%26%20the%20Limits%20of%20Going%20%u201CVirtual%u201D%20%u2013%20Hearth%20%26%20FieldHANNING: At some point in the development of modern education parents and teachers began to accept the puzzling lie that content and its efficient delivery are the sole means of authentic education. Curriculum and instruction became less focused on the communal and reciprocal exchange between teacher and pupil...

Brewing beer, building culture: How beer, when seen with a sacramental view of life, is a fitting image for renewal

Brewing%20Beer%2C%20Building%20Culture%20%u2013%20Hearth%20%26%20FieldSTAUDT: With modern culture slipping into ever deeper decline, anyone would be justified by a feeling of discouragement at the prospects of renewal. Although it is difficult, though not impossible, to change large scale institutions and practices, culture can be formed in compelling ways in the home and in local communities...

We can’t simply drop the Ascension story, and here’s why

Can%20we%20simply%20drop%20the%20Ascension%20story%3F%20%u2013%20Catholic%20World%20ReportFITZPATRICK: The Ascension of Jesus Christ, related in the Gospels of Mark and Luke and referred to throughout the New Testament, can be taken as something of an awkward anecdote in the Catholic canon. There is something about the Ascension that is inconceivable, even for a miracle...

An interview with Bishop Robert Barron about the saints

New Advent: An interview with Bishop Robert Barron about the saintsNICKBECKER: Welcome back to “Fun Facts About Saints.” We have a very special guest with us in this episode, as we welcome Bishop Robert Barron from Los Angeles, California. Bishop Barron will tell us a little bit about himself and answer questions like, “What is your definition of a saint?” and “Why are the saints important?” He also reveals who some of his favorite saints are...

Cardinal at shrine of Our Lady of Fatima: World needs “spiritual restart” after pandemic

Cardinal%20at%20Fatima%20shrine%3A%20World%20needs%20%u2018spiritual%20restart%u2019%20after%20pandemic: A cardinal celebrating Mass at Portugal’s Fatima shrine on Thursday said that the world needs a “spiritual restart” as well as economic reconstruction after the pandemic. Preaching on the May 13 feast of Our Lady of Fatima, Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, archivist and librarian of the Holy Roman Church, said that a global financial recovery required an accompanying spiritual revival.

9 things to know and share about Our Lady of Fatima

9 Things to Know and Share About Fatima| National Catholic RegisterAKIN: A young shepherd girl, Lucia dos Santos, said that she experienced supernatural visitations as early as 1915, two years before the famous appearances of the Virgin Mary. In 1917, she and two of her cousins, Francisco and Jacinta Marto, were working as shepherds tending their families’ flocks...

10 facts about Our Lady of Fatima every Catholic should know

10 Facts About Fatima Every Catholic Should Know| National Catholic RegisterPRONECHEN: Fatima’s 104th anniversary gives us another chance to take the messages of Our Lady to heart and put them into practice. That is what Our Lady of Fatima called for. A good place to start is by learning these “10 must-know facts” about Our Lady of Fatima.

Missing Uyghur steals the show at embassy event on China's genocide

Missing Uyghur steals the show at embassy event on China's 'genocide'ALLEN: Without even logging in, a physician and human rights activist named Harri Uyghur managed to steal the show during an on-line event Tuesday sponsored by the US Embassy to the Holy See on the plight of Uyghur people in China, offering a powerful reminder of the human impact of repression...

The secrets behind John Paul II’s shooting 40 years ago

Patrick%20Novecosky%3A%20Pope%20John%20Paul%20II%20assassination%20attempt%20%u2013%20the%20secrets%20behind%20shooting%2040%20years%20ago%20%7C%20Fox%20NewsNOVECOSKY: Forty years ago on Thursday, the world reeled in horror as news broke that a gunman had shot Pope John Paul II at point-blank range in St. Peter’s Square. It was May 13, 1981. Cold War tensions were at their height. The shooting was even more shocking because only six weeks earlier...

If there are cases of justifiable killing, why not justifiable adultery?

If There Are Cases of Justifiable Killing, Why Not Justifiable Adultery?| National Catholic RegisterBRUGGER: It is hard today to communicate effectively the reasons why divorce and remarriage are always gravely immoral, including under heartbreaking circumstances such as the ones you envisage. We have grown accustomed to hearing spectacular examples of marital infidelity, tragic cases of love betrayed and then of hearing of happy endings with second unions.

Would you move thousands of miles to live in a Catholic community? These families are doing just that...

Would You Move Thousands of Miles to Live in a Catholic Community? These Families Are Doing Just That| National Catholic RegisterSCHIFFER: It’s sometimes tough to be a Catholic in America. In California, Governor Newsom’s rigorous and discriminatory limits on church attendance were only recently overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. In Oregon, rioters overtook part of downtown Portland, shattering glass doors at the entrance to Saint André Bessette Catholic Church in the city’s Old Town...

Cardinal Ladaria’s letter on the reception of Holy Communion: An explainer

Cardinal%20Ladaria%u2019s%20Letter%20on%20Reception%20of%20Communion%3A%20An%20Explainer%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterDESOUZA: As divisions heightened along the Pacific Coast Highway about pro-abortion Catholic politicians — President Joe Biden first among them — being denied Holy Communion, a bucket of water from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) arrived to cool things off.

Blessing same-sex couples is a “sacrilegious” and “diabolical” act, says priest

Blessing Same-Sex Couples a Diabolical and Sacrilegious Act, Priest Affirms| National Catholic Register: Fr. Hugo Valdemar, canon penitentiary of the Archdiocese of Mexico, said that the blessing that priests and pastoral workers gave May 10 to homosexual couples in Germany “is a truly sacrilegious act” and a “diabolical act of pride and immorality.” The blessing of homosexual couples in Germany...

Watch Season 2 of ‘The Chosen’ while there’s still time

Watch%20%u201CThe%20Chosen%u201D%20Season%202%20%7C%20Parishable%20ItemsFELTES: “The Chosen” is a truly excellent dramatized series about Jesus and his disciples now in its second season. Four new episodes have been released so far (with the most recent only available on YouTube until Wednesday evening). These episodes can also be seen through this free app.

Why parish boundaries matter, why parish registration doesn’t, and 5 reasons Catholic parishes are closing

New%20Advent%3A%20Why%20parish%20boundaries%20matter%2C%20why%20parish%20registration%20doesn%u2019t%2C%20and%205%20reasons%20Catholic%20parishes%20are%20closing: In this episode of The Catholic Talk Show, the guys are joined by Fr. Josh McCarty from Pastoral Parish to discuss major problems in the parish model and why so many parishes have closed or are on a path to closure...

Pope’s Wednesday audience: “Prayer works miracles. Prayer is combat, and the Lord is always with us”

Pope%20Francis%20at%20the%20general%20audience%3A%20%u2018Prayer%20works%20miracles%u2019: Pope Francis said Wednesday that persistent prayer can lead to miracles “because prayer goes directly to the heart of the tenderness of God.” Speaking at his first general audience with members of the public for six months, the pope recounted the story of a father of a nine-year-old Argentine girl who was told that his hospitalized daughter would not survive the night.

God’s love for you is not just a theory. It is a flesh-and-blood reality that can be seen, heard, and touched

Love is Not About Abstractions - Community in MissionPOPE: Following up on Sunday’s Gospel and noting that in the Office of Readings during the sixth week of Easter, we read from the First Letter of John, We return to the connection of the Law and the keeping of the Commandments. The first letter of John emphasizes the Incarnation of Jesus and demands that we experience the Word becoming Flesh in a practical way in our own lives.

What the Catholic Church teaches about the morality of the COVID-19 vaccines

The Teaching of the Church on the Ethics of COVID Vaccines, The Anchor, May 14, 2021 - Catholic PreachingLANDRY: In the midst of many questions surrounding COVID-19 and vaccines, the Church has worked hard to provide clear, even if sophisticated and highly nuanced, answers. It is important for Catholics who think with the Church to put in the time to listen to the authentic voices and to study Church teaching so that we may radiate true light to others at a time of confusion...

May is graduation time — a time to learn how to say goodbye

Learning to Say Goodbye | LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: May is graduation time. So for many of us, it is a time for goodbyes. It is also a good time to reflect on the importance and even the gift of goodbyes, for all of us. We understandably dread goodbyes, especially with those we love most. Moments of parting can be among the most poignant of human experiences. And likewise, among the most important. We should thus do our best to get them right.

The heroic Capuchin friar who saved thousands of Jews during World War II

The Heroic Capuchin Friar Who Saved Thousands of Jews During World War II| National Catholic Register: Father Marie-Benoît, who was awarded the title of “Righteous Among the Nations,” helped save no less than 4,000 Jews from the Nazis thanks to a solid network between France and Italy, and with the financial support of Pope Pius XII. He was known as “the Father of the Jews” during his lifetime...

Stretching Out to Great Things: A Commencement Address for the University of St. Thomas in Houston

Stretching Out to Great Things: A Commencement Address for the University of St. Thomas - Word on FireBARRON: I have the very happy responsibility today of congratulating the University of St. Thomas class of 2021! And also to express my pride in becoming today a member of your class. I’m delighted to be in your company. I would also, of course, like to thank and congratulate your parents...

Can sin make you happy? No. Christ frees us from our sins so we can be joyful forever...

New Advent: Can sin make you happy? No. Christ frees us from our sins so we can be joyful forever...STEFANICK: I know a guy who was a heroin addict for 40 years. It’s a miracle he’s alive, and he described the process of leaving his drug as a leap of faith. It wasn’t easy, but he took that leap of faith, and he found joy on the other side. He also found himself in the process. That’s how it is with every bad behavior or addiction or sin or anything we leave behind...

CDF weighs in on pro-choice Communion debate, a catechesis on catechists, and hot chicken

The news: CDF weighs in on pro-choice Communion debate, a catechesis on catechists, and hot chicken - The PillarJDFLYNN: In the U.S. and most of the Anglophone West, we tend to think of “catechists” as instructors of religious education, perhaps parish DREs or high school religion teachers, and others who teach the faith in some similar institutional setting. But in many other parts of the world, especially those the Church deems missionary territory, the “catechist” is responsible for much more...

Pope Francis institutes lay ministry of catechist in new motu proprio ‘Antiquum Ministerium’

Pope Francis Institutes Lay Ministry of Catechist in New Motu Proprio| National Catholic RegisterPENTIN: Pope Francis has instituted a lay ministry of catechist along with a rite of institution in response to an “urgent need today to bring the Gospel to the contemporary world.” Making the announcement today in an apostolic letter issued motu proprio, Antiquum ministerium, the Pope said “recognition should be given to those lay men and women who feel called by virtue of their baptism to cooperate in the work of catechesis.”

In leaked letter, Vatican’s CDF prefect tells U.S. bishops to soften approach on Holy Communion for “pro-choice” politicians

Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Highlights Doctrinal Note on Catholics in Politics in Letter to US Bishops on Eucharistic Coherence| National Catholic Register: The prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) wrote Friday to the head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops regarding admission to Communion, affirming the centrality of the congregation’s 2002 note on Catholic’s participation in politics and the importance of safeguarding the rights of ordinaries in their local Churches.

How not to fight about words

How%20Not%20to%20Fight%20About%20Words%20%u2013%20Jimmy%20AkinAKIN: We shouldn’t be quarreling about words in the Christian community. We should recognize that a true belief can be expressed in more than one way, and the mode of expression is not what we should be concerned about. This is especially true in discussions among different groups of Christians.

Become a critical thinker to fight the spirit of the age

Steve Deace: Be a critical thinker to fight the spirit of the age: “Absent reason, faith will simply be based on emotion. We will never out-emote the pagan,” said Steve Deace, host of the “Steve Deace Show” on Blaze TV and author of “Faucian Bargain: The Most Powerful and Dangerous Bureaucrat in American History” (Post Hill Press). Follow him @SteveDeaceShow on Twitter.

What we choose or don’t choose, what we do or don’t do, does matter

Our Real Pandemic - The Catholic ThingMAIER: Michel Houellebecq is a very gifted French cynic. He’s also one of my favorite writers. His novels are very far from being Christian, but he has at least three redeeming qualities. He’s not “woke.” He enjoys needling the vanity of self-described progressives...

Carrie Gress and Noelle Mering (‘Theology of the Home’) want to share their happiness secrets with the world

These Women Want To Share Their Happiness Secrets With The World: On this episode of The Federalist Radio Hour, Carrie Gress and Noelle Mering of The Theology of Home join Executive Editor Joy Pullmann to discuss the importance of home life and share their secrets to flourishing.

6 reasons why children thrive without technology

Why%20Children%20Thrive%20Without%20Technology%20%u2014%20Common%20Sense%20Classical: Ah, technology - every educator and administrator’s favorite topic. Perhaps it’s a topic that your family has thought a good deal about as well. How much access should students have to computers? How much screen time is too much screen time? Why use pencil and paper anymore? Should schools really have an allocated “technology” budget?

French sister’s miracle astounds medical experts, becomes 70th official healing at Lourdes

French%20Sister%u2019s%20Miracle%20Astounds%20Medical%20Experts%2C%20Becomes%2070th%20Official%20Healing%20at%20Lourdes%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterDESMOND: Within days of her return from Lourdes, Sister Bernadette experienced a sudden cessation of pain and a complete healed of her body, or — as she calls it — a “re-creation.” Her twisted foot had been straightened, and her back was strong. She cast off her corset and walked freely.

Two baseballs collided in midair at an MLB game. How did that even happen? Let’s look at the fun physics and math behind it...

2 Baseballs Collided at an MLB Game. How Did That Even Happen? | WIRED: Sometimes crazy things happen — so crazy they don’t even seem real. Last week, Phillies right fielder Bryce Harper was warming up before a game with some practice bats. He hit a nice line drive, and then it collided with another ball in midair. That gives us some fun physics to unpack. Let's see how unlikely this event is.

Babushkas saved the faith from the ravages of Communism, and little Italian grandmothers make demons tremble...

Little Italian Grandmothers | Catholic CulturePOKORSKY: When I was in the seminary, a New York City priest familiar with the city’s ethnic neighborhoods delivered an unusually memorable homily. He introduced his remarks with a droll comment about “little Italian grandmothers” and their large families. The details escape my memory now. But his quip drew twitters of chuckles from the seminarians.

Why did St. Paul get arrested at Philippi?

Why Did St. Paul Get Arrested at Philippi? - Community in MissionPOPE: At daily Mass, we are reading the story of St. Paul’s arrival in Philippi and later of his arrest, beating, and imprisonment. It serves as a kind of metaphor for the radical nature of true Christianity and why it so perturbs many in this world. The Christian faith, its message, and the transformation it can effect can be very unsettling to a world that literally and figuratively “banks on” sin...

God is real. He made you to praise Him. And despite your sins and fears, He has come to bring you hope...

Beginning to Pray: The Remarkable Work of God in our TimesLILLES: The Lord God is a jealous God. He is concerned about those who cleave to medical science as their savior. He sees how fear of disease and death reigns in the hearts of those who He loves. Because they live in this fear instead of in Him, He is concerned over all the ways that they allow themselves to be manipulated...

German Catholics press ahead with plans to bless same-sex unions this week at 100 churches nationwide

German Catholics to bless gay unions despite Vatican ban: Germany’s powerful Catholic progressives are openly defying a recent Holy See pronouncement that priests cannot bless same-sex unions by offering such blessings at services in about 100 different churches all over the country this week.

The world’s highest everything, from freefall to belly flop

New%20Advent%3A%20The%20world%u2019s%20highest%20everything%2C%20from%20freefall%20to%20belly%20flop: Music by M83...

Is the one argument they can hear the one argument we can’t make?

This%20Sunday%2C%20Is%20the%20One%20Argument%20They%20Can%20Hear%20the%20One%20Argument%20We%20Can%u2019t%20Make%3F%20%7C%20The%20Gregorian%20Institute%20at%20Benedictine%20CollegeHOOPES: There is one argument that quiets objections to Christianity, impresses angry opponents, and subtly undermines all counter-arguments. It has propelled the Church forward every time the Church has used it, and it has left the Church in ruins every time we have forgotten it.

Benjamin Franklin’s curious and fascinating connection to a Marian apparition site

Benjamin%20Franklin%u2019s%20Curious%20Connection%20to%20a%20Marian%20Apparition%20Site%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterTURLEY: In the British Museum there lies a mysterious manuscript from the 15th century. The Book of Foundations is written in Middle English; but it is believed to be based upon an older document composed in Latin around the year 1180. The manuscript tells of the founding and history of St. Bartholomew’s Priory and Hospital, and also, intriguingly, of the only reported vision of Our Lady in London.

“No greater love one has than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends”

%u201CNo%20Greater%20Love%20One%20Has%20Than%20This%2C%20to%20Lay%20Down%20One%u2019s%20Life%20for%20One%u2019s%20Friends%u201D%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterGRONDELSKI: Jesus is clear in today’s Gospel: “love” and “keeping my Father’s commandments” go together. We might keep the Commandments for the right reasons (because doing so expresses true love) or the less right ones (out of legalistic or formalistic motives). But that proposition does not mean that “love” can ever be disconnected from God’s Commandments...

Woman who was adopted as a baby seeks her birth mother — and discovers she was a star on one of her favorite TV shows

Woman learned birth mother is Lynne Moody, star on 'That's My Mama' - CNN: Lisa Wright always knew she was adopted, but had no idea her biological mother was a star on one of her favorite television shows. Now Wright is sharing the story of having been reunited with actress Lynne Moody after 50 years in what reads like the perfect Hollywood ending, according to NBC's "Today."

“As the Father loves me, so I also love you”

%u201CAs%20the%20Father%20Loves%20Me%2C%20so%20I%20Also%20Love%20You%u201D%20%7C%20Parishable%20ItemsFELTES: Who was the first person on earth to know you in your lifetime? Upon reflection, you realize it was your mother. Your mother knew you long before you knew her. And I would wager that she loved you as herself, even willing perhaps to lay down her life for you with the greatest love.

If you assume that people are going to like you, they usually will. You might even become friends...

Antisocial JusticeESOLEN: Which is better for your own sake, to think that most people will treat you well, even if that is not quite true, or to think that most people will treat you badly? If it is the former, then people who discourage you do not have your best interest in mind. Why would they do that? What is the benefit? But what would life be, without the fierce delights of enmity?

We see love, law and joy as opposed to each other. But Our Lord says they’re connected...

On the Paradoxical Connection Between Love, Law and Joy - A Homily for the 6th Sunday of Easter - Community in MissionPOPE: According to the modern world, a “loving” God has few or no rules. He merely affirms, encourages, accepts, and includes—or so goes the thinking. If someone is confronted by a moral truth that displeases them, their retort may be as simplistic as “God is love.” It implies that God does mind what we do since he is loving and merciful...

Rosario Livatino, Catholic judge killed by mafia in 1990, beatified in Sicily; honored by Pope at Sunday Regina Caeli as “martyr of justice and faith”

Rosario%20Livatino%20beatified%20in%20Sicily%2C%20honored%20as%20%u2018martyr%20of%20justice%20and%20faith%u2019: Blessed Rosario Livatino, a Catholic judge brutally killed by the mafia in 1990, was beatified Sunday in the Cathedral of Agrigento, Sicily. Pope Francis commended the beatification of the young judge, calling him a “martyr of justice and faith” at the end of his Regina Caeli address on May 9.

Just ‘do the next thing’: How one Colorado couple is raising four children with Down syndrome

Just 'do the next thing': How one Colorado couple is raising four children with Down syndrome: Many things in the McGarrity household start early, including preparations for Mother’s Day. Sonia McGarrity has eight children, ranging in age from three to 18, three of whom are adopted. Four kids, including McGarrity’s third oldest son and their three adopted daughters, have Down syndrome...

Why do Catholics and Orthodox celebrate Easter on different dates? Will a perpetually common Easter ever be possible? Here’s the fascinating science and theology behind it...

Astronomical Truth: Science Offers Common Easter Date for East and West| National Catholic RegisterJOSEPHOBRIEN: Deacon Jeffrey Mierzejewski and his family usually celebrate Easter on two Sundays each year. This year, the deacon and his wife, Kseniya, and their four children celebrated Easter on April 4, and a month later they celebrated it on May 2. Deacon Mierzejewski is a member of a Byzantine Catholic community...

Popes have taught infallibly on matters of faith — but what about matters of morals?

Popes%20Have%20Taught%20Infallibly%20on%20Matters%20of%20Faith%20%u2014%20But%20What%20About%20Matters%20of%20Morals%3F%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterBRUGGER: A strong argument can be made that all the absolute negative norms in the area of sexual ethics that have been held and taught since the apostolic period meet the conditions for an infallible exercise of the ordinary and universal magisterium; additionally, all condemnations of acts that violate the unity-procreation paradigm affirmed in Humanae Vitae; and finally, all newer expressions of Fifth Commandment violations.

Pope Francis urges action to save Lebanon

Pope Francis Urges Action to Save Lebanon| National Catholic RegisterPETERSMITH: Lebanon is weeks to months away from a full-blown collapse, according to some analysts, which would have ripple effects throughout the Middle East, especially harming Christianity’s indigenous presence in the region. And Pope Francis is working with Maronite Catholic Patriarch Bechara Rai to rally both internal and international support to save the country...

Vatican Conference 2021: Chelsea Clinton, Francis Collins speak on second day

Vatican Conference 2021: Chelsea Clinton, Francis Collins speak on second day: On the second day of an online Vatican conference on “exploring the mind, body, and soul,” Chelsea Clinton called for the regulation of “anti-vaccine content” on social media.

Religious wars over vaccines? They’re more complex than those headlines

New%20podcast%3A%20Religious%20wars%20over%20vaccines%3F%20They%27re%20more%20complex%20than%20those%20headlines%20%u2014%20GetReligionMATTINGLY: Once again, it’s time for some time travel on the religion beat — as we ponder the current state of news coverage about the COVID-19 mask-and-vaccine wars. Think back to Easter a year ago. Church leaders were wrestling with the real possibility that they would not be able to worship during Holy Week and on the holiest day on the Christian calendar.

Vatican gathers mix of Churchmen, New Agers, scientists and quacks for first day of health conference

Vatican Conference 2021: Anthony Fauci, Deepak Chopra Headline First Day| National Catholic RegisterPENTIN: At the first day of an online Vatican conference on “exploring the mind, body, and soul,” Dr. Anthony Fauci spoke about the evolution of the scientific community’s response to the novel coronavirus outbreak, and the difference between acting based on instinct and acting from data.

Understanding the weird Biden-Carter photo could help you take better selfies

Understanding the weird Biden-Carter photo could help you take better selfies | Popular Science: By now, you’ve probably seen the picture of the President and First Lady Biden hanging out with former President and First Lady Carter. It’s notable for its historic aspects, but it also looks plain weird. The Bidens dwarf the Carters, who are sitting in oversized armchairs. It almost seems Photoshopped.

Blood of St. Januarius miraculously liquifies after remaining solid in December — see the video here

Blood of St. Januarius Miraculously Liquifies After Remaining Solid in December - See the Video! |: The liquefaction miracle of St. Januarius’ blood typically occurs three times per year at the Cathedral of Naples in Italy: the first Saturday of May (the celebration of his relics arriving at the Cathedral) on the saint’s Sept. 19 feast, and on Dec. 16, the anniversary of Naples’ preservation from the 1631 Mount Vesuvius eruption.

Dad’s post-game press conference

New%20Advent%3A%20Dad%u2019s%20post-game%20press%20conference: From @DumbDadPod on Twitter...

As India buckles under crush of COVID-19, Pope sends message of “heartfelt solidarity”

Pope Francis prays for pandemic-stricken India: Pope Francis said Thursday that he is praying for the people of India as they face a devastating coronavirus outbreak. In a message dated May 6 to Cardinal Oswald Gracias of Bombay, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, the pope expressed his “heartfelt solidarity” with the country’s 1.3 billion population.

China’s ominous new regulations for religious personnel went into effect over the weekend

China's new oversight body fuels fears about religious freedom: Consisting of seven chapters containing 52 articles, the rules are applicable to all religious personnel — bishops, priests, Buddhist and Taoist monks, etc. — and require those holding any sort of religious function to be formally registered with the government. They also outline the rights and characteristics of religious work in China, and the obligations of those with religious roles.

Don’t underestimate the importance of last week’s news from Rome

This papal reform is a blockbuster | Catholic CultureLAWLER: The reforms that Pope Francis announced this week may be among the most significant—and best—moves of his pontificate. Early this week, in a a pair of essays, I argued that during his eight years in office, Pope Francis had made little if any headway in eliminating the financial corruption that plagues the Holy See...

David’s choice: Falling into the hand of God

David%u2019s%20choice%3A%20Falling%20into%20the%20hand%20of%20God%20%7C%20Catholic%20CultureMIRUS: Reflecting further on Phil Lawler’s book on the Church’s handling of COVID, I suddenly thought of the predicament King David faced after he took a census of Israel in order to determine the extent of his power. He did this through a significant sin of presumption, so the Lord told the prophet Gad to prepare the king for punishment.

Suspected Mission San Gabriel fire arsonist in custody

Suspected Mission San Gabriel fire arsonist in custody | Angelus News: Authorities announced charges against a suspected arsonist whom investigators believe ignited the overnight fire that gutted much of Mission San Gabriel last July. Fifty-seven-year-old John David Corey Jr. was arrested last year for another, “unrelated” arson attack in the San Gabriel Valley that took place days after the July 11, 2020 fire at the mission.

Here’s a photorealistic image of George Washington that shows how he might look if he lived in the present day

A Photorealistic Image of George Washington If He Lived in the Present Day TwistedSifter: An artist on Reddit recently shared this amazing photorealistic image of George Washington if he lived in the present day. To achieve this, the artist explained...

Belgian farmer ignores Deuteronomy 19:14 (look it up), moves border with France by mistake

Belgian farmer moves border with France by mistake | CNN Travel: A major diplomatic incident has been avoided in Europe after a Belgian farmer accidentally moved the border with France, making his home country about 1,000 square meters bigger. Luckily, local authorities saw the funny side.

6 ways to get parish renewal started

6 Ways to Get Parish Renewal Started - Catholic Missionary Disciples - College Station, TXLEJEUNE: The reality of most Catholic parishes — we are stuck in a culture of comfort, ease, status quo, and administration of the decline of our numbers — will not be easy to change. No program, event, new idea, tweaking of old ways, conference, gimmick, or online video series will change our parishes.

Vatican announces upcoming release of motu proprio ‘Antiquum Ministerium’ on the ministry of catechists

Pope Francis to Issue Apostolic Letter on Ministry of Catechist| National Catholic Register: Pope Francis will issue an apostolic letter next week on the ministry of catechist. The Holy See press office said May 5 that the papal letter, issued motu proprio (“on his own impulse”), would be presented at a press conference on May 11. It described the apostolic letter, Antiquum ministerium, as the means “by which the ministry of catechist is instituted.”

Is love the cause of hatred? The answer may surprise you...

Is Love the Cause of Hatred? The Answer May Surprise You - Community in MissionPOPE: There is an old saying that the opposite of love is not hate; it is indifference. Indeed, it’s pretty hard to hate or even to have a strong aversion to something or someone we don’t really care about. But when we do love, we care. And the stronger our love, the more intense our concern, anger, or even hatred for what is wrong.