Eleven Funerals for 12 People to Take Place at Uvalde’s Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Coming Weeks

Eleven funerals to take place at Uvalde's Catholic church in coming weeks | Catholic News Agency: Eleven of the Uvalde shooting victims were parishioners at the city’s Sacred Heart Catholic Church, and their funerals will be held there over the next two and a half weeks. Although there will be 11 funerals, 12 lives will be commemorated and prayed for, as Joe Garcia, the 50-year-old husband of one of the teachers who was killed, Irma Garcia, will share the same funeral Mass as his wife, a spokesperson for the Archdiocese of San Antonio, Jordan McMorrough, told CNA May 31.

Respect Life Radio: Laraine Bennett on playing the game of temperaments

Laraine Bennett: Playing the game of Temperaments: “Let’s just play a fun game and have people learn about themselves, and others, through that,” said Laraine Bennett, a writer, author and the creator of “Know Thyself! The Game of Temperaments” (Sophia Institute Press), a game for those ages 12 and up, played with 480 temperament cards. Among her books, including those co-written with husband Art, are “The Temperament God Gave You” and “The Temperament God Gave Your Spouse.”

What do those pesky ‘cookie preferences’ pop-ups really mean, and how should you handle them? We asked the engineer who invented cookies and here’s what he said...

What Do Those Pesky 'Cookie Preferences' Pop-Ups Really Mean? | WIRED: You are not the only person irritated by those pesky cookie permissions boxes. If you click “Accept” by rote, you have no idea what you’re agreeing to. Or perhaps you don’t care? Many users think they have to accept all cookies to access the website, but that’s not always the case. Another option is to manage your cookies, but what does that even mean? To find out, we spoke to Lou Montulli, the engineer who invented cookies at age 23.

How to rescue the world’s biggest cargo ships when disaster strikes at sea

How to rescue the world's biggest cargo ships - BBC Future: Rain lashed the windows. A violent sea pounded the steel hull of the ship and the wind roared with primeval power. It was the middle of the night in the summer of 2010. The Kota Kado, a 230m-long container ship, had run aground outside the port of Hong Kong. Her crew had evacuated but standing on the bridge in his life jacket, prepared for the worst, was salvage master Captain Nick Sloane. He beheld the force of the typhoon that now, in the darkness, raged over the stricken vessel.

How Pope Francis has remade the College of Cardinals

How Pope Francis has remade the College of CardinalsCONDON: Pope Francis on Sunday announced the creation of 16 new voting-age members of the College of Cardinals at a consistory to be held on Aug. 27. The list of names has caused feverish excitement within the Catholic world; Francis has not held a consistory since 2020. The English-speaking press has focused particularly on the surprise inclusion of Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego, with his appointment being widely interpreted as a pointed, albeit coded, response to the current debate in the Church in America over Archbishop Salvatore Codileone’s decision to bar House Speaker Nancy Pelosi from Communion in her home diocese; McElroy is an outspoken opponent of enforcing sacramental discipline on Catholic politicians.

The ’strong and clear message’ of McElroy’s red hat

The 'message' of McElroy's red hat - by JD FlynnJDFLYNN: The appointment came as a surprise, apparently even to McElroy, who said in a May 29 statement that he was “stunned and surprised” by the papal nod. Indeed, the cardinal-elect is not the metropolitan of a major archiepiscopal see, nor the prefect of a Vatican dicastery. Francis has previously appointed as cardinals the bishops of smaller sees, but every U.S. bishop to whom he has previously given a red hat has been an archbishop. And given that a growing number of American Catholics are Hispanic, many Vatican-watchers expected the next U.S. cardinal would also be Latino, even if it was not Los Angeles’ Archbishop Jose Gomez, whom the pope has now passed over several times.

Here’s a map of the most disproportionately popular job in every state of the US — what’s the most overrepresented job in your state?

Most Disproportionately Popular Job in Every State and DC: Not all jobs have the same concentration across the US. Take wellhead pumpers for instance. That may not be an occupation you're familiar with, unless you live in North Dakota and Texas where it's the most overrepresented job. In Massachusetts, the most disproportionately popular job are biochemists and biophysicists. That's based on location-specific data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). We only looked at jobs with at least 1,000 people employed in the state as of May 2021.

Who are we, and where are we going?

Who Are We? Where Are We Going? | Prime MattersJAMESSHEA: When freshmen come to the campus of the University of Mary for the first time to register for classes, I sometimes tell them an old legend of a rabbi from Capernaum of Galilee in Roman times. With apologies to all the real rabbis in the room who actually know how to tell stories, here’s my best attempt. Rabbi Akiva was walking alone at twilight one evening, reciting psalms and prayers as he went along. Such was his reverie that he turned by accident onto the Via Maris, the road running from Syria down to Egypt.

New cardinals make conclave handicapping easier … and much harder

New%20cardinals%20make%20conclave%20handicapping%20easier%20%u2026%20and%20much%20harder%20%7C%20CruxALLEN: Although cardinals of the Catholic Church have many responsibilities, nothing they’ll ever do is more important than electing the next pope. As a result, every time a sitting pope announces a new crop of cardinals, one key question is what impact the selections appear to have on the next conclave whenever it might come. With regard to the 21 new cardinals Pope Francis announced Sunday, including 16 under 80 and thus eligible to vote for the next pope, the question appears simultaneously easier and maddeningly more difficult to answer.

Don’t fret too much about the College of Cardinals. We are living in an era of “little men.” So laugh, have a gin and tonic, say your prayers, do your work, go to confession, and help each other out. It’ll be fine...

New members of the College of Cardinals | Fr. Z's BlogZUHLSDORF: I’ve been asked quite a few times today what I thought about the new “red hat” list for the College of Cardinals. I simply laughed. The ploy and play of the list is so obvious that it is hardly to be taken seriously anymore. We must all remember that generations of Catholic through many centuries had no idea even of who the Pope was, much less who was a Cardinal in Mongolia. They got along just fine, saying their prayers and living their lives, and going out of the way to help each other when they could and confess their sins when they had to.

A Memorial Day meditation on honor

A Memorial Day Meditation on Honor - Community in MissionPOPE: Back in 2014, I celebrated one of the most remarkable funerals of my 30+ years as a priest. With the body present, I sang a Requiem Mass for a man who died ten years before I was born. And his story speaks to the fallen soldiers we honor on this Memorial Day. On January 1, 1951, Private First Class Arthur Richardson of A Company, 1st Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division went north with his platoon into what is now North Korea. The platoon was overtaken by a much larger group of North Korean soldiers and he was taken prisoner. This was the last that was heard of Pfc. Arthur Richardson. It was reported to his wife later that month that he was missing in action. In 1954, he was declared Killed in Action, though his body was not recovered and no definitive word had been received about him. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star.

Some rivers suddenly change course, and we may finally know why

Why some rivers unexpectedly jump their banks | Popular Science: In August 2008, the Koshi River—typically meandering from the Himalayan foothills of Nepal down into the plain of the Ganges, waxing and waning with the yearly monsoon—abruptly shifted some 75 miles eastward. The river broke its banks and inundated hundreds of villages in Nepal and the Indian state of Bihar. A million people had to evacuate their homes.

How to turn your regular grill into a smoker in 5 easy steps

Turn Your Regular Grill Into a Smoker in 5 Easy Steps - InsideHook: Though the phrase “smoke ’em if you got ’em” usually refers to taking a cigarette break, it could actually easily be applied to Virgil’s Real Barbecue chef Glenn Rolnick‘s attitude toward most varieties of meat.

15-year-old captures clear shot of Saturn and its iconic rings with his backyard telescope

Teenager Captures Incredibly Clear Picture Of Saturn And Its Iconic Rings From His Backyard - Sci-Nature.com: A 15-year-old youngster used a telescope in his backyard to snap an image of Saturn that many experienced astronomers would be proud of.

Pope’s July Trip to Africa to Go Ahead Despite Health Issues — Vatican Releases Six-Day Itinerary With Visits to the Congo and South Sudan

Pope's July visit to Africa to go ahead despite health issues | Reuters: Pope Francis is set to make a gruelling trip to two African countries in July despite knee problems that have forced him to use a cane and wheelchair in recent weeks. The Vatican issued a full programme on Saturday for the July 2-7 trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. There had been speculation the pope's visit to Africa might be postponed, as was a trip to Lebanon scheduled for June. read more

“I Love Me,” Part 1 — Even after Uvalde, good police officers and pastors know that if you do the right thing, you might have to die

To Do the Right Thing, You Might Have to DieFRENCH: It’s been years since I’ve seen Americans so united by grief and fury. The grief is for the 19 children and 2 teachers murdered at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. The fury is against the police officers who waited—minute after agonizing minute—while the killer hid behind a locked classroom door. The facts are almost too painful to recount. According to the latest timelines, at 11:33 a.m. on Tuesday, May 24, the Uvalde mass shooter (I’ve adopted a practice of refusing to name spree killers) entered the school and began shooting into classroom 111 or 112. Two minutes later, at 11:35 a.m., three Uvalde officers arrived at the closed classroom door. Two were lightly wounded by gunfire from the shooter. Four more officers arrived.

What to know about Bishop Robert McElroy, who will soon be a cardinal

What to know about Bishop Robert McElroy, who will soon be a cardinal | Catholic News AgencyMCKEOWN: Born in San Francisco in 1954, Bishop McElroy grew up in San Mateo County. McElroy was ordained a priest in 1980 and served as an auxiliary bishop to San Francisco's Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone starting in 2010. In 2015, Pope Francis tapped him to lead the San Diego diocese, succeeding Bishop Cirilo Flores, who died of cancer in September 2014 just one year after assuming the position. McElroy underwent coronary bypass surgery late last year, which according to the diocese was successful. As a cardinal, at age 68, he is well within the maximum age of 80 to be able to vote in a future conclave.

“I Love Me,” Part 2 — Even after McCarrick and Maciel, clerics like McElroy and Vérgez know that if you do the wrong thing, you might get a promotion...

Pope Francis, McCarrick, Maciel - The American ConservativeDREHER: Pope Francis this morning announced the creation of 21 new cardinals, most of whom will be eligible to vote in the next papal conclave. One of them is Robert McElroy, the ultra-progressive bishop of San Diego. For Catholics who actually believe what the Catholic Church teaches, this is terrible news. And for Catholics who would like their Church to be run by men who can be trusted to do the right thing on sex abuse — well, Francis long ago showed (e.g., the Zanchetta affair) that he cannot be trusted. And here he goes again. Here’s a link to a 2016 letter that Richard Sipe, the (now-deceased) psychotherapist and foremost expert on the sexual habits of the Catholic clergy, sent to McElroy back in 2016...

The Ascension takes the training wheels off our faith

The Ascension Takes the Training Wheels Off Our Faith| National Catholic RegisterLANDRY: The celebration of the Ascension of the Lord is an annual opportunity for us not only to focus on heaven, where the Lord Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us (John 14:1-6) and on the joy that “eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor the human heart conceived,” which “God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9; Is 64:4), but also on the implications Jesus’ return to the Father means for each of his followers. Jesus could have stayed on earth until the end of time as the Good Shepherd, crisscrossing the globe after every lost sheep, saving them one by one. As he ascended, however, he placed his own mission in our hands, commanding us to “go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).

What a woman can do, and a man should see

What a Woman Can Do, and a Man Should See - LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: Giving birth is the natural complement and continuation of the marital act. Cultural practices informed by human selfishness have deeply marred the sexual act, often stripping it of its natural meaning, intimacy, and efficacy. Cultural practices can have a parallel effect in the practice of birthing. We might not think about the deep connection between these two kinds of intimacy between man and woman. But it is worth doing so.

With Cardinal Sodano’s passing, the Vatican’s old guard is down but hardly out

With%20Sodano%u2019s%20passing%2C%20the%20Vatican%u2019s%20old%20guard%20is%20down%20but%20hardly%20out%20%7C%20CruxALLEN: Given the death late Friday of Italian Cardinal Angelo Sodano, who was 94, what’s often described as the Vatican’s “old guard” has taken a significant blow. Sodano had been the Secretary of State to two popes and the former Dean of the College of Cardinals, and he remained massively influential in shaping the Vatican’s internal culture. With Sodano’s passing, the new de facto captain of the old guard arguably becomes 88-year-old Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Sodano’s successor as Dean of the College of Cardinals and, like Sodano, a product of the Secretariat of State, having served as an aide to the legendary Cardinal Giovanni Benelli when Benelli was the sostituto, or chief of staff, to Pope Paul VI.

Pope Francis Names 21 New Cardinals, Including Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego

Pope Francis names 21 new cardinals, including US Bishop McElroy | Catholic News Agency: Pope Francis said on Sunday that he will create 21 new cardinals, including San Diego Bishop Robert Walter McElroy, at a consistory on Aug. 27. The 85-year-old pope made the announcement from a window overlooking St. Peter’s Square after reciting the Regina Coeli prayer on May 29.

The future of women’s health and families depends on Christ-centered healthcare

undefinedGRANDON: For those in our pews who think it is impossible to accept and live by the Church’s teachings related to the transmission of human life — consider the healthcare professionals who, to maintain their practice, have been scorned, persecuted, threatened with “the necessity of learning how to perform abortions,” job loss and fear of lack of patients. Many of these faithful professionals had never heard what the Church taught while they were in medical school, but learned later.

Why did He have to go? Here are 10 reasons Our Lord ascended...

This Sunday, Why Did He Have to Go? 10 Reasons Jesus Ascended | Ex Corde at Benedictine CollegeHOOPES: The Ascension can seem like the strangest event in the life of Christ. Some great pieces of Ascension art emphasize that strangeness, picturing a pair of feet at the top of a picture with astonished Apostles looking up at the floating figure of Christ. But if you think about it, it would have been even stranger if he stayed. Here are 10 reasons I can count.

Summer Movies 2022: Coming to a Theater Near You

Summer Movies 2022: Coming to a Theater Near You| National Catholic Register: Summer is traditionally the season Hollywood releases its biggest blockbusters of the year. The thrill from the sights and sounds; the smell of movie-theater popcorn; the sense of solidarity with other moviegoers caught up in the adventure unfolding before them and returning out into the summer night transformed by the experience of going to the movies. But times have changed, and with more content available on streaming platforms, the very survival of movie theaters is in question. Summer 2022 will be a test for the future of Hollywood blockbusters — many of the new releases were completed before the COVID-19 pandemic and are now finally seeing the light of day on the big screen. Let’s take a look at some of the big movies coming this summer.

Angelo Cardinal Sodano, Former Vatican Secretary of State, Dies at 94

Cardinal Angelo Sodano, former Vatican secretary of state, dies at 94 | Catholic News Agency: Cardinal Angelo Sodano, former Vatican diplomat and retired secretary of state, died on Friday at the age of 94. The ex-dean of the College of Cardinals had contracted pneumonia after becoming ill with COVID-19; He had been hospitalized since May 9 at Rome’s Columbus Hospital. His funeral will be held in St. Peter’s Basilica on May 31.

Here’s what to get if you want the best ground-beef-to-fat ratio for a perfect burger

The Best Ground-Beef-To-Fat Ratio For A Perfect Burger | HuffPost Life: It turns out it’s all about the fat. And on this, experts concur — the most popular and flavorful ratio of lean to fat comes in at 80/20.

What NFL teams have the toughest fan bases when it comes to enduring bad weather?

A Look at NFL Fair-Weather Fans - Offers.Bet: Hardy, tough, gritty, strong. When you think about football players tackling each other on a field in the middle of a snowstorm, these words might come to mind. But do the same words come to mind when you think of the football fans in the stands?

Germany’s Bishop Bätzing Defends Promotion of Priest Accused of Sexual Harassment

Germany%u2019s%20Bishop%20B%E4tzing%20defends%20promotion%20of%20Catholic%20priest%20accused%20of%20sexual%20harassment%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: German Catholic Bishop Georg Bätzing has defended his decision to promote a priest accused of sexual harassment. The bishop of Limburg, western Germany, said on May 26 that if he was taking the decision today, he would send the case for review to a diocesan advisory board, reported CNA Deutsch, CNA’s German-language news partner. The board did not exist at the time that Bätzing appointed the unnamed priest to the post of district dean, although the bishop knew of the allegations and was in contact with both reported victims, the “Christ und Welt” supplement of the German newspaper Die Zeit said on May 25.

We owe it to God in justice to recover the virtue of Religion

What We Owe God: Recovering the Virtue of ReligionSTAUDT: We are not used to thinking about owing anything to God. In many ways, religion has become focused on “me,” going to Church therapeutically to feel good about oneself. In reality, we owe God everything. Religion, traditionally understood, sought to render to God the worship, homage and thanksgiving that was due to him as God, the one who made us, cares for us and saves us. In Catholic theology, this was understood as an expression of justice, rendering a debt unto God, which is fulfilled by the virtue of religion.

Why Obi-Wan Kenobi loved the Latin Mass

Why 'Obi-Wan Kenobi' loved the Latin Mass - Voyage ComicsKOSLOSKI: While actor Alec Guinness is most widely known for his foundational role as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the original trilogy of the Star Wars films, he was also a Catholic convert. In fact, by the time he portrayed Obi-Wan Kenobi, Guinness had been Catholic for around 20 years and would frequently make retreats at Catholic monasteries, witnessing the prayer lives of monks…possibly helping his portrayal of Obi-Wan as a wise, religious hermit.

10 clever uses for baby powder that don’t involve your baby

10 Uses for Baby Powder That Don't Involve Your Baby: It’s an unmistakable, comforting scent with familiar notes that harken back to your earliest memories. Baby powder (also called talcum powder) is a parenting medicine cabinet staple. But did you know its usefulness goes far beyond a baby’s bottom?

‘Pickleball is the Wild, Wild West’ — Inside the fight over the fastest-growing sport in America

Inside the fight over the fastest-growing sport: Pickleball - Sports Illustrated: In February 2021 an unholy tremor shook the seemingly carefree sport of pickleball: news that a second hall of fame was in the planning stages. The announcement, from USA Pickleball (heretofore USAP), incited a bevy of questions, such as: Wait, there’s a pickleball hall of fame? (Believe it or not.) Is anyone famous solely for playing pickleball? (Not yet.) Why stop at two? (Actually ...)

On Ascension Thursday, Vatican Announces Pope Francis Will Lead Rosary May 31 for Peace in Ukraine and End to Wars Worldwide

Pope to lead Rosary for peace in Ukraine & end to wars worldwide - Vatican News: Pope Francis will lead a Rosary for peace as a sign of hope for those suffering from the ongoing war in Ukraine and wars around the world. The news was announced on Ascension Thursday in a statement from the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization.

Everything we know about the murder of Deborah Samuel, a young Nigerian Christian who was stoned by her Muslim classmates

Everything We Know About the Murder of Deborah Samuel | Zikoko!: Deborah Samuel was a 19-year-old Christian from Tungan-Magajiya in the Rijau Local Government Area of Niger State. She was in her second year studying home economics at the Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto. Four days ago, Deborah was killed by a mob of her Muslim classmates who claimed she had blasphemed against the Prophet Muhammad. A video of this religious execution circulated online and sparked debates across the country on the limits of religious expression and why this murder was not being called a murder. Here’s everything we know so far.

“Think of a number.” How do math magicians know your number? Here’s how it’s done...

How Do Math Magicians Know Your Number? | Quanta Magazine: Math has a certain logic to it. If you use it to accurately describe a situation, sometimes you can predict the inevitable — for instance, the moment an eclipse will take place — centuries in advance. To those unfamiliar with the math behind the prediction, this outcome might seem like magic. Indeed, the science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke famously wrote, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”

Sicily’s Cathedral of Monreale is the most beautiful church in the world

The%20Most%20Beautiful%20Church%20in%20the%20World%3A%20Sicily%u2019s%20Cathedral%20of%20Monreale%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterLANDRY: Pope Benedict XVI has often said that the most effective apologetics for Christianity are the lives of the saints and the art that the Church has grown in her womb. For that reason, the Church must always take both seriously: forming disciples to be saints and creating a culture in which beauty is cultivated and appreciated. When and where the Church has thrived, both have normally come together, like the masterpieces in human life as well as in music, art and architecture that have come in monasteries or in Catholic countries in their zealous zenith. When the Church has grown lukewarm or cold, mediocrity can quickly set in with regard to expectations both for human virtue as well as for artistic expression. Beauty in life and art inspire; blandness or ugliness depress and deflate.

The one-word answer to what’s wrong with Christianity

The%20One-Word%20Answer%20to%20What%u2019s%20Wrong%20With%20Christianity%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterMILLS: “Something as old, as big, as complex as the Catholic Church, and with its history, is going always to be compromised,” I’d written in an article on Dorothy Day’s understanding of the Church. My anonymous hard-core Calvinist critic, the one who made the snarky remark about Lent I’ve written about, didn’t like the line. He quoted it in a tweet and then remarked “how apologists enable abusers and deceivers. imagine if a Protestant said that about not becoming Roman Catholic.”

The Vatican megaphone was once something to be reckoned with. In the case of Cardinal Zen and Jimmy Lai, its power is fading from disuse...

The cardinal and JimmyWEIGEL: Tertullian, the first major Christian theologian to write in Latin, is thought to have coined the maxim Semen est sanguis Christianorum, typically (and rather freely) translated as “the blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church.” Martyrs, we usually think, are those who shed their blood “in hatred of the faith”: the definition of martyrdom used by the Vatican’s Congregation for the Causes of Saints. But an ancient Christian tradition, likely as old as Tertullian, considers those who suffer severe persecution for Christ as martyrs or, more precisely, “martyr-confessors.”

A very Pelosi newsletter (and some other stuff too)

A very Pelosi newsletter (and some other stuff too)JDFLYNN: You know, or most of you do, that on Friday Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone announced that Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi may not be admitted to Holy Communion in the Archdiocese of San Francisco. We emailed you about that on Friday, and lot of you read our report already, but in case you didn’t, here’s our initial report on that announcement. The archbishop’s move was an application of canon 915 of the Code of Canon Law, which says that Catholic “obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin should not be admitted to Holy Communion.”

An asteroid as wide as 10 football fields is going to fly past Earth on Friday — close enough to be seen through a good backyard telescope

Asteroid as wide as 10 football fields to fly past Earth on Friday: A giant asteroid with a diameter estimated to be as wide as 10 American football fields laid end to end is set to sweep past Earth on Friday. But the huge space rock, officially called Asteroid 7335 (1989 JA), will not present any danger to our planet. Its closest approach will be at 14:26 UTC (10:26 a.m. ET) on May 27, and it will be about 2.5 million miles away from the Earth’s surface — or nearly 10 times the average distance between Earth and the moon, according to EarthSky.

What we know about mass school shootings in the United States — and the gunmen who carry them out

What%20we%20know%20about%20mass%20school%20shootings%20in%20the%20US%20%u2013%20and%20the%20gunmen%20who%20carry%20them%20out: When the Columbine High School massacre took place in 1999 it was seen as a watershed moment in the United States – the worst mass shooting at a school in the country’s history. Now, it ranks fourth. The three school shootings to surpass its death toll of 13 – 12 students, one teacher – have all taken place within the last decade: 2012’s Sandy Hook Elementary attack, in which a gunman killed 26 children and school staff; the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, which claimed the lives of 17 people; and now the Robb Elementary School assault in Uvalde, Texas, where on May 24, 2022, at least 19 children and two adults were murdered.

Priest-centric pastoral care is unsustainable in most parishes

Priest-centric Pastoral Care is Unsustainable in Most Parishes - Catholic Missionary Disciples - College Station, TXLEJEUNE: I know the title of this blog will get some people up in arms, but before you get the pitchforks out, bear with me a bit and I will try to make my argument. Before I get to the nitty-gritty, let’s examine a few facts. First, Jesus had active discipleship relationships with 12 men at a time (maximum), during his ministry. He spent a majority of his time with these men and taught them to do the same with others...

Pope says ‘Irish brought the whiskey, Italians brought the Mafia,’ referring to US immigrants

Pope%20says%20%u2018Irish%20brought%20the%20whiskey%2C%20Italians%20brought%20the%20Mafia%2C%u2019%20referring%20to%20US%20immigrants%20%7C%20CruxSANMARTIN: Speaking about the need to welcome, accompany, promote, and integrate migrants when they arrive in a new country, Pope Francis said that when it comes to the United States, “a people of migrants,” the Irish brought the whiskey and the Italians brought the mafia. To understand migrants today, the pope said, the only thing most people have to do is look to their own roots because “most of us are children or grandchildren of migrants,” himself included, as his parents arrived in Argentina from northern Italy.

‘Reading the Church Fathers’ tells the story of how the past shaped the Church we know today

%u2018Reading%20The%20Church%20Fathers%u2019%20Tells%20The%20Story%20Of%20How%20The%20Past%20Shaped%20The%20Church%20We%20Know%20TodayLISI: The faith Christians practice today has a long and enduring history. It is often something many either ignore or don’t think too much about. Emerging from a small sect within Judaism, early Christianity absorbed much of the religious, cultural and philosophical traditions of the Greco-Roman world at the time. The decades and centuries that followed the crucifixion of Jesus were ones of intense persecution, but Christianity would eventually flourish and become the state religion of the Roman Empire.

Pope’s Wednesday Audience: ‘My Heart Is Broken for the Massacre at the Elementary School in Texas’

Pope%20Francis%3A%20%u2018My%20heart%20is%20broken%u2019%20over%20Texas%20elementary%20school%20shooting%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: Pope Francis said on Wednesday that his heart was broken by the killing of at least 19 children and two adults at an elementary school in Texas. Speaking at the end of his general audience in St. Peter’s Square on May 25, he said: “My heart is broken for the massacre at the elementary school in Texas. I am praying for the children and the adults killed and their families.”

Fr. Thomas Joseph White on the universe: ‘Not turtles all the way down, but Persons all the way down’

Reverend Thomas Joseph White Remarks-2022 Commencement on Vimeo: This 2022 commencement address, delivered at the Catholic University of America by the rector of the Angelicum in Rome, is yet one more reason to love the Dominicans...

Nancy Pelosi received Holy Communion at church in Georgetown on Sunday, says Politico Playbook

Banned from Communion in San Francisco, Pelosi receives Eucharist in Washington: Two days after Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco announced he would bar her from receiving the Eucharist in her home city due to her stance on abortion rights, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reportedly received the sacrament at a Catholic church in the nation’s capital.

DC Archdiocesan Spokesman Hits ‘Send’ Button on Wrong Email, Mistakenly Gives Candid Response on Pelosi Communion Denial

DC archdiocese mistakenly gives candid response on Pelosi Communion denial | Catholic News Agency: The Archdiocese of Washington’s communications office erroneously told a reporter Monday that media requests related to Nancy Pelosi’s denial of Holy Communion by her bishop “will be ignored.” Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco, the local ordinary of U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, announced Friday that Pelosi may not be admitted to Holy Communion in the Archdiocese of San Francisco, nor should she present herself to receive the Eucharist, until she publicly repudiates her longstanding support for abortion.

Travel & Leisure says these are the most beautiful places in each of the 50 states — did they get it right for your state?

The Most Beautiful Places in the U.S. | Travel Leisure: Mother Nature wasn't modest with America, where her handiwork ranges from magical desert mesas to wooded river valleys to whisper-thin barrier islands. You might even say she was particularly heavy-handed when doling out American scenery.

Some think this generation is the first to get everything right. In 100 years another generation will laugh at them. But the Church, built upon rock, will endure...

Resolving Christian Controversy | Parishable ItemsFELTES: There was a serious religious controversy in the very early Church. The Acts of the Apostles records this story which contains important lessons for you and me and Christ’s one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church in every age. In the first century A.D., some Jewish Christians came down to Antioch and were telling the Christians there: “Unless you are circumcised according to the Mosaic practice, you cannot be saved.” Many of the Christians in Antioch were Gentile converts. As Gentiles they had not followed the many Jewish religious laws, including circumcision. Now they were being told they had no share in Jesus Christ’s New Covenant unless they kept the entire Mosaic Covenant.

When souls like Nancy Pelosi’s hang in the balance, pastors like Archbishop Cordileone have an obligation to act.

Pelosi%u2019s%20Abortion%20Stance%20Is%20Out%20of%20Communion%20-%20WSJJDFLYNN: San Francisco’s Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone said Friday he would bar House Speaker Nancy Pelosi from receiving communion in her home diocese. Mrs. Pelosi, a Catholic, has been at the center of a Democratic push to codify abortion protections in federal law after a draft Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade leaked this month. She has spent decades framing her political career as an expression of her faith, all the while working to expand abortion access in defiance of Catholic doctrine.

Flip the script to proclaim pro-life protections in the law and culture

Mary Szoch: Flip the script to proclaim pro-life protections in the law and culture: “We should be referring to the laws that are passing here as 'pro-life protections' — not abortion bans. What we're doing with these laws is protecting unborn children's lives. The goal here isn't to ban things; the goal is to protect. So we need to flip that language and not allow the pro-abortion movement to control this narrative, this idea that we're somehow taking away someone's rights. We're not taking away rights; we're saving lives. And saving women and men from heartbreak," said Mary Szoch, director of the Center for Human Dignity at Family Research Council.

State Farm Insurance Launches Program to Distribute LGBTQ Books to Kindergartners, ‘Empowering Conversations With Children Age 5+’

State Farm & GenderCool Project: State Farm Launches Program to Distribute LGBTQ Books to Kindergartners | National Review: State Farm, the household name insurance company, has launched a program that would enlist hundreds of staff volunteers across the country to distribute LGBTQ-themed books to teachers, community centers, and libraries, explicitly targeting children as young as kindergartners.

‘But only say the word’ — What every Catholic needs to know about receiving Holy Communion

%u2018But%20Only%20Say%20the%20Word%u2019%20%u2014%20What%20Every%20Catholic%20Needs%20to%20Know%20About%20Receiving%20Communion%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterWELBORN: Since the Eucharist and the proper disposition to receive it is in the news, let’s review. The present day encouragement for all to receive Communion, simply because they are Catholic, desire to receive, and judge, themselves, that they should and can based on that desire — well, that’s not consistent with Catholic practice from any point in its history. Throughout that history, when Catholics have been encouraged to revisit their practices and receive the Eucharist more frequently and regularly, it has never been in the context of a concern that individuals not feel excluded from the table or feel like “sinners.”

Without Mentioning Zen’s Arrest, Pope Francis Says He’s Praying for the Church in China

Without mentioning Zen's arrest, Pope Francis says he is praying for the Church in China | Catholic News Agency: Pope Francis on Sunday said he is praying for the Church in China and “attentively and actively following the often complex life and situations of the faithful and pastors” there. In brief remarks to pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square for the Regina Caeli prayer on May 22, the pope did not specifically mention the recent arrest of Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun in Hong Kong.

These Catholic bishops support Archbishop Cordileone’s ban of Nancy Pelosi from Holy Communion

These Catholic bishops support Cordileone's Nancy Pelosi ban on Holy Communion | Catholic News Agency: So far only a small minority of U.S. bishops have come out publicly in support of Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone’s May 20 announcement that he is barring Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi from receiving Holy Communion in the Archdiocese of San Francisco, her home diocese, until she repudiates her longstanding advocacy of abortion.

Pope’s Sunday Regina Coeli: ‘Ask the Lord for the Spirit of Peace’

Pope at Regina Coeli: Ask the Lord for the Spirit of peace - Vatican News: Speaking to pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square, Pope Francis recalled the Gospel in today's liturgy when Jesus bid farewell to his disciples at the Last Supper, saying “Peace I leave with you,” and immediately adding “My peace I give to you.” These words express Jesus' affection and serenity, despite the moment being anything but serene, since Judas left to betray him, Peter is about to deny him and almost others will abandon him, the Pope observed, yet the Lord remains calm and kind to the end.

Pope Francis advances sainthood cause of Filipino bishop known for bilocation, levitation, healing miracles

Pope Francis advances sainthood cause of Filipino bishop known for bilocation | Catholic News Agency: Pope Francis has recognized the heroic virtue of a Filipino archbishop with a reputation for having the ability to bilocate. In a decree promulgated on May 21, the pope recognized a miracle attributed to the intercession of a Spanish woman and the heroic virtue of seven holy people, including Filipino Archbishop Teofilo Camomot.

‘The Dragon and the Beast’ — The Buffalo shooter, deep fakes and the Book of Revelation

"The Dragon and the Beast": the Buffalo Shooter, Deep Fakes and Revelation - The AnchoressSCALIA: I was nosing around through scripture last night and found myself looking at Revelation, a book that — thanks to the promptings of a dear old religious sister who was my spiritual advisor for a while — I have learned to love. I’d not read Chapters 12 or 13 in a while, and if you’re not familiar with them, this is where we get the bits about about the dragon and the beast — the dragon pursues The Woman, who flees into the wilderness, to a place prepared for her by God, and then Michael defeats the dragon. He is thrown down to earth along with his minions. In Chapter 13, we read that the dragon takes his stand on the seashore — perhaps one of those natural amphitheaters where the ancients would preach, and the dragon introduces the beasts (there are two). The first rises from the sea. The dragon introduces the beast, who has seven heads, one of which has seemingly been healed of a mortal head wound.

Your concept of atoms is all wrong. This is closer to what they really look like...

New%20Advent%3A%20Your%20concept%20of%20atoms%20is%20all%20wrong.%20Here%u2019s%20a%20better%20way%20to%20picture%20them...: This video is about using Bohmian trajectories to visualize the wavefunctions of hydrogen orbitals, rendered in 3D using custom python code in Blender...

Archbishop Cordileone teaches Pelosi and the world: If abortion is not wrong, then nothing is wrong

Cordileone Teaches Pelosi and the World: If Abortion Is Not Wrong, Then Nothing Is Wrong| National Catholic RegisterREGISMARTIN: When Lady Astor first went to the Soviet Union back in 1931 in the hope of meeting Josef Stalin, she committed a cardinal breach of protocol by asking the dictator, “When are you going to stop killing people?” A perilous question, one would think, to put to someone who already had enough blood on his hands to rival Attila the Hun. Her membership in the British Parliament, however, provided sufficient cover, which is doubtless why, unlike most people then living under Stalin, she was free to leave and return safely to England.

The most beautiful public gardens around the world, according to tourist reviews

The Most Beautiful Public Gardens Around The World, According To Tourists - Digg: HouseFresh senior writer G. John Cole looked at Tripadvisor's December 2021 data and used certain keywords to determine which gardens around the world were judged to be the most "beautiful."

Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Communion Ban: 5 Key Takeaways

Speaker%20Pelosi%u2019s%20Communion%20Ban%3A%205%20Key%20Takeaways%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterLIEDL: Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco has formally barred Speaker Nancy Pelosi from receiving Holy Communion “until such time as you publically [sic] repudiate your advocacy for the legitimacy of abortion and confess and receive absolution of this grave sin in the sacrament of Penance.” His decision was communicated not only via a direct letter to Speaker Pelosi, who resides in the archdiocese, but also in separate correspondences to the priests and laity of San Francisco.

San Francisco Archbishop Cordileone Bars Nancy Pelosi From Receiving Communion Over Her ‘Advocacy for the Legitimacy of Abortion’

BREAKING: Archbishop Cordileone bars Nancy Pelosi from receiving Communion until she ends support for abortion | Catholic News Agency: Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone announced on Friday that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi should not be admitted to Holy Communion in the Archdiocese of San Francisco, nor should she present herself to receive the Eucharist, until she publicly repudiates her support for abortion.

The reactions to Cardinal Zen’s arrest were notable — and for different reasons

Reactions%20to%20Cardinal%20Zen%u2019s%20Arrest%20Were%20Notable%20%u2014%20and%20for%20Different%20Reasons%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterDESOUZA: In the 10 days since Cardinal Joseph Zen was arrested in Hong Kong, interrogated for hours and then released on bail, pending charges, there have been a variety of reactions — on the global scale and my own. The Holy See Press Office noted the arrest of Cardinal Zen with “extreme attention.” The secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, pronounced himself “displeased” but was grateful that Cardinal Zen was “treated well” and hoped that the displeasing event did not disrupt the Vatican’s ongoing “dialogue” with China.

Goodbye (Hotel) Columbus — hello to Bill Gates’ Four Seasons chain?

Goodbye%20%28Hotel%29%20Columbus%20%u2014%20Hello%20to%20Bill%20Gates%u2019%20Four%20Seasons%20Chain%3F%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterPENTIN: The Order of the Holy Sepulchre has said it is still considering which company to choose to run a hotel in a renaissance-era building it owns just outside St. Peter’s Square, casting doubts over Italian media reports that it had decided to give the contract to a luxury hotel chain majority-owned by the American billionaire Bill Gates. Why it matters: Should the Order give the contract to the five-star luxury “Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts” group, it would reportedly be potentially embarrassing to the Order given Bill Gates’ pro-abortion and pro-contraceptive positions.

Sigrid Undset saw modern man’s false hope, and became a Catholic

Sigrid%20Undset%20Saw%20Modern%20Man%u2019s%20False%20Hope%2C%20and%20Became%20a%20Catholic%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterMILLS: It’s a “This, not that” kind of convert story. Sigrid Undset entered the Church in 1924, having already become famous for the novel Kristin Lavransdatter, a profoundly Catholic story set in medieval Norway. She received the Nobel Prize in literature four years later. She told the story in an essay titled “Beyond Human Limitations,” in which she made devastatingly clear what mistakes she rejected on the way to the Catholic Church.

Roe v. Wade was never a ‘law’ in the first place

Roe%20v.%20Wade%20Was%20Never%20A%20%u2018Law%u2019%20In%20The%20First%20Place%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterCLARK: “Roe v. Wade is the law of the land.” This phrase has been uttered millions of times since Jan. 22, 1973. Whether they want Roe upheld or struck down, Americans largely agree with that assertion. Problem is, the statement is 100% wrong. Roe was not law in 1973. It is not law now. Judge Harry Blackmun’s majority decision in Roe v. Wade was a court opinion, not a law. Blackmun wanted it to become law. He professed it should be law. He wrote the decision as if it were a law.

The men who wrote Roe v. Wade

The Men Who Wrote Roe v. Wade| National Catholic RegisterBROWDER: Several years ago, while doing some investigative reporting on the history of the feminist movement for my book Subverted, I traveled from California to the U.S. Library of Congress to read the Harry A. Blackmun Papers. During previous research, I’d discovered that a little-known book titled Abortion — containing many historical, social, legal and theological errors — had been used as a foundation upon which to build the arguments in the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton opinions, which legalized abortion in every state at any time during a woman’s pregnancy.

‘Brother Martin,’ Phony Monk With Large Twitter Following, Says He Won’t Heed Bishop’s Warning

'Br. Martin,' self-described monk with large Twitter following, says he won't heed bishop's warning | Catholic News Agency: A social media-savvy layman, who uses the title “Brother” and wears a habit, will not obey his bishop’s orders to cease presenting himself as a religious brother or member of a religious community. Nor will Martin Navarro — whose “Br. Martin” Twitter account has more than 11,000 followers — acquiesce to Bishop James Johnston’s demands to stop fundraising in the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph and cease building an unauthorized chapel.

We need a new Pentecost. Remember that. Give your lives to that...

Toward a New Pentecost | Charles J. Chaput | First ThingsCHAPUT: I’ve been retired now for two years. Retirement gives you a lot of time to think. And lately I’ve been thinking that if an Oscar were given each year for “Best Catholic Performance in the Role of a Reformation Protestant,” half the Catholics in Congress, not to mention the White House, would qualify. I’m overstating things, obviously. But maybe not by much. And even if it were true, frankly it would be good news. Protestants of the Reformation actually submitted their lives to their Christian beliefs. They often died for those beliefs. Early Calvinists, Lutherans, and Anabaptists, each in their own way, saw their baptism as the cornerstone of a godly life. And of course, Catholics serious about their faith felt the same.

The power of the new feminist fairytale is highly compelling, but it comes at a cost

The Pro-Choice Fairytale - Ethics & Public Policy CenterGRESS: Fairytales have been told across cultures and continents for millennia. More than simply an entertaining story, fairytales are a culture’s vehicle to share its values and underscore its most prized virtues. We know many of their familiar themes and patterns, having heard them since early childhood. One recurring fairytale plot is the evil queen or matriarch, as seen in “Cinderella,” “The Little Mermaid,” and “Snow White.” This woman is envious of a younger and prettier upstart and will go to any lengths necessary to get rid of the threat. As the story unfolds, we know implicitly who the good characters are as well as the villains. We know that the evil queen is not a victim, and her grasping at power and status makes her the purveyor of misery as she tries to destroy the life of the protagonist while she destroys her own.

Why it’s so difficult to figure out what the Vatican thinks about Ukraine

Why%20it%u2019s%20so%20difficult%20to%20figure%20out%20what%20the%20Vatican%20thinks%20about%20Ukraine%20%7C%20CruxALLEN: Next Tuesday will mark three months of war in Ukraine. Many things remain unclear about the conflict, perhaps chief among them what Russian President Vladimir Putin’s endgame may be. In Catholic terms, however, the great unknown at the three-month mark is what, exactly, Pope Francis and his Vatican team make of the situation.

Here is something about which a husband (and wife) can be intentional, to do marriage more fully...

Carrying My Spouse with Me - LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: There is a beautiful phenomenon especially noticeable in some couples. Upon seeing one spouse you immediately think of the other. Somehow, where there is one there is also the other. This calls for a closer consideration. There is an objective spousal bond constituted by the marriage vows. Once formed, this bond transcends how the spouses happen to feel or act at any given time. This is a ‘metaphysical’ reality that is at once obvious and mysterious.

A young Catholic discovers the power of the Church’s traditional sacred music

A Young Catholic Discovers the Power of Traditional Sacred Music| National Catholic RegisterLANG: I am a cradle Catholic. I was born after the Mass of St. Paul VI was already well established. I grew up familiar with hymns like On Eagle’s Wings and The King of Glory, and I enthusiastically sang along from my pew with all the hymns at Mass, because I wanted to participate actively, like I was told I should. Things began to change when I read a great article in my mid-20s that suggested characteristics of songs we should not sing at Mass. (This was about 15 years ago, and, sadly, I haven’t been able to find the article again.) Some of these were: Don’t sing songs that contain heresy or that talk more about me than about God; avoid songs that sound like they belong in a piano bar or a stage play. I began to be a little more reserved about what songs I would sing along with at Mass. And the people around me started to pay attention.

Pope Francis Changes Rules for Major Superiors of Religious Orders

Pope Francis Changes Rules for Major Superiors of Religious Orders| National Catholic Register: Pope Francis has changed the Church’s regulations to allow religious brothers who are not priests to lead their religious communities with Vatican permission. In a rescriptum ex audientia issued May 18, the Pope said that the Vatican congregation overseeing religious orders can, in individual cases and at its own discretion, grant permission for non-priest religious members to assume the role of major superior. The change includes the derogation of the second paragraph of Canon 588 in the Code of Canon Law, which says that clerical institutes are under the direction of ordained priests.

Pope Francis: ‘St. Charles De Foucauld’s Spirituality Helped Me Through a Crisis’

Pope%20Francis%3A%20St.%20Charles%20de%20Foucauld%u2019s%20spirituality%20helped%20me%20through%20a%20crisis%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: Pope Francis said on Wednesday that learning about St. Charles de Foucauld’s spirituality helped him during a period of crisis as a theology student.

Why Washington’s Rainier is one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the United States

Why Washington's Rainier is One of the Most Dangerous Volcanoes in the United States | Discover Magazine: A question I get asked a lot (and I mean a lot) is what I think the most dangerous volcano in the United States might be. Now, that is a loaded question in more ways than one. Even defining what we mean by "dangerous" is fraught with peril. Is a volcano more dangerous if it erupts frequently but smaller eruptions? Or maybe it only has infrequent large blasts and happens to be near a populated area? Could it be one that might be a hazard even when it is not erupting?

40 years before Fatima, Our Lady appeared in Poland

40 Years Before Fatima, Our Lady Appeared in Poland| National Catholic RegisterGRONDELSKI: The shrine of the Mother of God of Gietrzwałd (GIETCH-vald) is about 135 miles north of Warsaw. It marks the one site in Poland where the Church has approved an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Our Lady appeared in Gietrzwałd from June 27 to Sept. 16, 1877. Two Polish peasant girls testified to seeing her: 13-year-old Justyna Szafryńska, coming home from her pre-Communion examination and, three days later, 12-year-old Barbara Samulowska, while praying the Rosary. Samulowska experienced her vision at the foot of a maple tree in front of the church. She described Our Lady as seated on a throne among angels, with Jesus on her knee. When Samulowska asked who she was, she replied: “I am the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, the Immaculate Conception.” Asked what she demanded of them Our Lady replied that they pray the Rosary daily. Among other questions were two: “Whether the Church in the Kingdom of Poland would be freed and orphaned parishes in southern Warmia would have priests again?” Our Lady replied that, if people prayed fervently, the Church would not be persecuted and those parishes would regain priests.

Take a lesson from the early Christians: It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God

Learning from the Early Church: It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God. - Community in MissionPOPE: The first reading from Sunday Mass this week (5th Sunday of Easter) is very Catholic, and it’s too informative to just pass by. It presents a Church as rather highly organized and possessed of some the structures we know today in full form. Granted, some of these structures are in seminal (seed) form, but the are there. One can detect qualities of the original kerygma that are at variance with what some modern thinkers declare should be the methodology of the Church. The soft Christianity of many today, who remove the cross and replace it with a pillow and who insist upon inclusion and affirmation to the exclusion of all else, is strangely absent in this early setting.

What feminism got wrong — and how to make it right

Kelsey%20Bolar%3A%20What%20feminism%20got%20wrong%20%u2014%20and%20how%20to%20make%20it%20right: For so long, the feminist movement has pitted men and women against each other, instead of allowing men and women to naturally complement each other — and encouraging them to work together to solve challenges [facing] families, individuals and societies. Women and girls, in particular, have been a focus of the feminist movement for the past few decades and so we've got this girl-boss, rah-rah women culture. And, in the midst of that, men and boys were really forgotten.

Do not underestimate a person’s need for spiritual healing when proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ

Do%20not%20underestimate%20a%20person%u2019s%20need%20for%20Spiritual%20Healing%20when%20proclaiming%20the%20Gospel%20of%20Jesus%20Christ%20%7C%20Knowing%20Is%20DoingTORRE: The sincerity of his eyes offered a striking glimpse into the pain he had endured as a child. Left with spiritual scars and wounds that can only be described as demoralizing to any child who experiences a life of abuse regardless of the matter and form, there was still much left to address after I first met this particular gentleman. My initial encounter with this man was nothing extraordinary other than a conversation about how life can be filled with so much disappointment and the people who were supposed to protect you simply abandoned their responsibilities.

Prominent German Priest Andreas Sturm Becomes Latest to Leave Church to Join Liberal ‘Old Catholics’

Senior German priest Andreas Sturm leaves Catholic Church | Catholic News Agency: A senior German priest has announced that he is no longer Catholic, citing his disappointment over a lack of “reforms” in the Church and admitting to having broken his promise of celibacy. Andreas Sturm, the former vicar general of the Diocese of Speyer in southwestern Germany, made the announcement on May 13, reported CNA Deutsch, CNA’s German-language news partner.

Flipping icebergs, the news you need, and preaching Christ after Buffalo

Flipping icebergs, the news you need, and preaching Christ after BuffaloJDFLYNN: Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began almost three months ago, on February 24. A lot has changed in the country since then - and in the world: Sweden and Finland are aiming to join NATO, inflation is climbing, and the war is expected to cause major food shortages in the places dependent on Ukraine’s grain exports - especially Africa and the Middle East. Even as Ukrainian forces push back, and have liberated some parts of their country from Russian occupation already, the country will be changed for generations by the war.

Roe v. Wade: No Decision Today in Dobbs Abortion Case

Roe v. Wade: No decision today in Dobbs abortion case | Catholic News Agency: The Supreme Court’s first “opinion issuance day” since the leak of a draft opinion suggesting justices will overturn Roe v. Wade came and went Monday without a decision in a closely watched Mississippi abortion case.

Our Lord left us a legacy of His love. Lay hold of this treasure and let it transform your life...

The%20Legacy%20of%20Love%20%u2013%20A%20Homily%20for%20the%205th%20Week%20of%20Easter%20-%20Community%20in%20MissionPOPE: The title of this sermon uses the word legacy, which refers to something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor. Perhaps the most accessible image of this is money. If I receive 100 million dollars from a dying relative, I can the money to start living differently. My bills, which now seem overwhelming, can be paid with just the interest earned from my newfound wealth. I can start enjoying things I thought I could never afford in the past. In other words, a legacy can completely change the way I live and open up new possibilities.

7 things you should know about St. Titus Brandsma

7 Things to Know About Titus Brandsma| National Catholic RegisterSCHIFFER: The miracle for his canonization involved a fellow Carmelite. When Florida Carmelite Father Michael Driscoll received a diagnosis of stage-4 melanoma in 2004, he knew where to turn: He began praying for the intercession of Blessed Titus Brandsma, who had been martyred in the Nazi concentration camp at Dachau. A fellow priest gave Father Driscoll a second-class relic, a patch of black cloth from Brandsma’s tunic, which Father Driscoll held against his forehead each day as he prayed for healing. Father Driscoll had already undergone numerous surgeries to remove smaller skin cancers from his face, but this time, the cancer was widespread. Surgeons removed an advanced metastatic melanoma from his head and neck, as well as 84 lymph nodes and a salivary gland. According to doctors, he had little chance of recovery.

11 things you should know about Charles de Foucauld

11 Things to Know About Charles de Foucauld| National Catholic Register: Charles is mostly known for having lived as a hermit among the Tuareg people in the Sahara. He translated the Gospel in the Tuareg language and published the first bilingual Tuareg-French dictionary. He also reproduced thousands of lines of Tuareg poetry about their ancestral habits. These research works continue to have scientific value today.

In First Canonization Ceremony Since 2019, Pope Francis Raises 10 New Saints to the Altars

Pope Francis canonizes 10 new saints of the Catholic Church | Catholic News Agency: Pope Francis on Sunday recognized 10 new saints of the Catholic Church during a canonization Mass in St. Peter’s Square. It was the Church’s first canonization since that of St. John Henry Newman and four others in October 2019.

This Sunday, don’t fall for good feelings. Only real love will ‘make all things new’

This%20Sunday%2C%20Don%u2019t%20Fall%20for%20Good%20Feelings%3A%20Only%20Real%20Love%20Will%20%u2018Make%20All%20Things%20New%u2019%20%7C%20Ex%20Corde%20at%20Benedictine%20CollegeHOOPES: Jesus gives us a new commandment this Sunday, the Fifth Sunday of Easter Year C, but it is easy to get this new commandment wrong. It is the night before his death. Jesus washes his apostles’ feet — 12 apostles, 24 feet. Then he announces that one of them will betray him. It turns out to be Judas, who promptly walks out, dirtying the feet his best friend and Lord just cleaned. It is only then that Jesus says what we hear today — “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him” — and gives them the new commandment to love as he loves. St. Peter enthusiastically agrees to these new terms, saying he will lay down his life for Jesus. No you won’t, says Jesus. “The cock will not crow before you deny me three times.”

Catholic University Awards Honorary Degree to Imprisoned Human Rights Advocate Jimmy Lai

Catholic University awards honorary degree to imprisoned human rights advocate Jimmy Lai | Catholic News Agency: The Catholic University of America on Saturday awarded an honorary degree to imprisoned Hong Kong human rights advocate Jimmy Lai. His adult son, Sebastien Lai, accepted the award on his father’s behalf. The younger Lai spoke about the university’s recognition of his father in an interview with EWTN’s Raymond Arroyo earlier this week. “It really means a lot to have the support of all these great people,” he said on “The World Over” May 12.

A hostage, a resignation, and something completely different

A hostage, a resignation, and something completely differentCONDON: And a reminder on this feast of Our Lady of Fatima that the bishops of the United States have asked all Catholics to pray the rosary today, given the strong possibility that we could soon see the overturn of Roe v Wade. As we’ve discussed before, the prospect that real limits on abortion could soon be possible in many states would be a serious win for the cause of life in this country. Not only would it save individual lives in the immediate term, I am also convinced that the end of Roe (and Casey, for that matter), will be ultimately healthy for our national politics — though I accept it won’t be so in the very near future.

The President’s recent remarks about abortion were a new low for Joe

A New Low for Joe| National Catholic RegisterWARSAW: In the wake of the unconscionable leaking of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s draft decision that would overturn Roe v. Wade, the response from pro-abortion-rights politicians and their supporters has been deplorable. President Joe Biden’s words and actions have been particularly disturbing, given the office that our nation’s so-called “devout Catholic” president occupies and his frequent public claims to be deeply engaged with his Catholic faith.

A Catholic journalist is being canonized this weekend — Titus Brandsma, a new patron saint for Catholic journalism

A new patron saint for Catholic journalismWEIGEL: As of May 15, Catholic journalists around the world will be able to count one of their number among the saints, as Titus Brandsma, a Dutch Carmelite killed at the Dachau concentration camp in 1942, is canonized in St. Peter’s Square. At a moment when Catholic opinion journalism is in danger of falling victim to the ever-present dangers of trivialization, tribalism and hysteria-mongering in this age of Internet and social media demagogy, St. Titus Brandsma’s example of courage and fidelity under great pressure is well worth pondering.

Christ crucified in the modern world: The priest as sacrificial witness

Christ Crucified in the Modern World: The Priest as Sacrificial WitnessSTAUDT: The evils of the 20th century hold a strange fascination. We cannot help but read and reread accounts of totalitarian oppression, such as Elie Wiesel’s Night, Anne Frank’s Diary, Viktor Frankl’s profound Man’s Search for Meaning, and Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s Gulag Archipelago. Something about these experiences, primarily relating to the horrors of Naziism and Communism, speaks deeply to the resiliency of the human spirit that cannot be crushed even by the most brutal regimes. I also think we’re captivated by the brutality of those regimes because they epitomize in extreme form the inhumanity of our society, subject to the mass manipulation of our technologically saturated culture. They remind us that we live in an ever more dystopian world.

The fall of Roe v. Wade would right a terrible wrong — pray that God’s healing graces will wash over this land...

The Fall of Roe Can Bring HealingJANETSMITH: Ever since a draft copy of the Supreme Court decision regarding abortion has been leaked, social media has been awash with arguments and testimonies from both sides. It seems to me this is good for the pro-life movement. Whatever the political ramifications of the leaking of the possible Supreme Court decision about abortion, it presents an opportunity to try to educate the public about precisely what an abortion is; and, perhaps even more importantly, it is an opportunity to reach out to those who have had abortions and facilitated abortions.

A tiny fragment of the dinosaur-killing asteroid that hit Earth 66 million years ago may have been found encased in amber — a discovery even NASA calls ‘mind-blowing’

Fragment of the asteroid that killed off the dinosaurs may have been found in amber - CNN: It's one of several astounding finds at a unique fossil site in the Hell Creek Formation in North Dakota that has preserved remnants of the cataclysmic moment that ended the dinosaur era -- a turning point in the history of the planet. The fossils unearthed there include fish that sucked in debris blasted out during the strike, a turtle impaled with a stick and a leg that might have belonged to a dinosaur that witnessed the asteroid strike.

An imaginary second draft of Pope Francis’ speech on the Mass

A Second Draft of Pope Francis' Speech - by Tim ClarkTIMCLARK: This past weekend, Pope Francis gave a speech to the Pontifical Liturgical Institute of Sant’Anselmo in Rome. I read it and thought to myself, “What if this was a first draft? What could a second draft have looked like?” And so, if Pope Francis wants to hire me as his speechwriter, here’s my second draft...

One down, 39,136 to go — the explorers who walk every street in their city

One down, 39,136 to go: the explorers who walk every street in their city | Walking | The Guardian: here’s no better way to soothe the soul – and get to know a town – than striding through its streets. In my 20s, heartbroken after getting dumped, all I could do was march with the tide of London’s rush hour until the city grew quiet and dark, and I was too exhausted to feel in shock any more. A little lost in my early 30s, I spent a six-week cat-sitting stint in New York compulsively plodding around Brooklyn and Manhattan listening to Townes Van Zandt. It was a strange and lonely time, but moving through an endless montage of concentrated history and humanity felt beautiful and instructive.

Vatican Confirms Pope Francis Will Visit Canada July 24-29 for ‘Pilgrimage of Healing and Reconciliation’

Vatican confirms Pope Francis will visit 3 cities in Canada in July | Catholic News Agency: The Vatican confirmed on Friday that Pope Francis will visit three cities in Canada during the last week of July. The pope will travel to Edmonton, Quebec City, and Iqaluit on July 24-30, the Holy See press office said on May 13. The pope had announced last month that he planned to meet indigenous peoples in Canada this summer for the feast of St. Anne on July 26.

Bishops call for prayer over Roe protests, and a 'hard hitting' vocations story

Don't miss: Bishops call for prayer over Roe protests, and a 'hard hitting' vocations storyJDFLYNN: The U.S. bishops’ conference has announced a request that Catholics in the U.S. pray the Rosary this Friday, May 13, amid growing demonstrations over the possibility that Roe v. Wade will soon be overturned. The bishops asked that Catholics pray for the U.S., that Roe will be overturned, for “the conversion of the hearts and minds of those who advocate for abortion,” for a culture of life in Amerca, and for the guidance of the Blessed Virgin Mary, “as the Church continues to walk with mothers and families in need, and continues to promote alternatives to abortion, and seeks to create a culture of life.”

Converts from Protestantism share how they came around to the Catholic teaching on Mary

Converts Share Their Marian Breakthroughs - CHNetwork Presents, Episode 5 - The Coming Home Network: For many who are exploring Catholicism, the doctrinal arguments regarding Mary may make sense, but there can often still be a mental or spiritual hesitancy to actually living out what the Church teaches about her. Matt Swaim welcomes Matt Leonard and Denise Bossert to share how they wrestled with this issue on their own journeys, and the extraordinary experiences they had that helped completely change the way they thought about Mary.

What I saw when abortion enthusiasts blocked the front door of Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Lower Manhattan last Saturday

Abortion Enthusiasts Block the Front Door of Lower Manhattan Church Saturday Morning | National ReviewLOPEZ: “God killed his kid, why can’t I kill mine?” A woman in a white bathing suit, stuffed to simulate pregnancy, has a few baby dolls attached — they were the babies she was aborting, she told us. “Help me abort my babies.” After dancing and spinning on the grounds outside the church, she later complained, “My aborted babies are all wet.” (It was raining.)

How NOT to respond to a Roe reversal

How NOT to respond to a Roe reversal | Catholic CultureLAWLER: If the Supreme Court overturns the Roe v. Wade decision—as this week’s stunning leak suggests it will—here are some mistakes that pro-life advocates should avoid. First, do not accept the liberal narrative that the Court has thwarted the democratic process. That’s what happened in 1973, when the Roe ruling, in a staggering act of judicial arrogance, struck down laws that had been enacted by the people’s duly elected representatives in all 50 states. By reversing the Roe error, the Court has restored voters’ rights. If abortion advocates truly believe in the democratic process, they should not be worried. Laws restricting abortion will be enacted only if the people support them.

The most astonishing item in the Sermon on the Mount

The most astonishing item in the Sermon on the Mount | Catholic CultureMIRUS: We all associate the Sermon on the Mount with the Beatitudes, but these occupy just ten verses, whereas the whole sermon as recounted in Matthew’s Gospel is more than ten times that length. It occupies 111 verses spanning three chapters (5-7). We would all admit, I think, that Our Lord’s message throughout is deeply spiritual; it was certainly something very different from what His audience was used to hearing. But in rereading it this week, three verses struck me as the most impressive of all.

How to build a runway in Antarctica out of solid ice

How to build a runway out of solid ice | CNN Travel: Just about everything that supports human life on Antarctica must be brought in from elsewhere, usually by aircraft. And in order for that aircraft to have a place to land somebody has to construct a runway out of solid ice. That "somebody" is Luke Brauteseth and his team. Brauteseth spends part of the year in his native South Africa and the rest in Antarctica, where he and his team handle infrastucture for the upscale White Desert travel company, which has three camps on the world's southernmost continent.

Pope Francis Calls Low Birth Rate a ‘Social Emergency,’ Warns ‘the Beauty of a Family Full of Children Is in Danger of Becoming a Utopia’

Pope%20Francis%3A%20Low%20birth%20rate%20is%20a%20%u2018social%20emergency%u2019%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: Pope Francis decried the low birth rate in Western countries on Thursday, describing it as an urgent social emergency and a “new poverty.” “It is not immediately perceptible, like other problems that occupy the news, but it is very urgent: fewer and fewer children are being born, and this means impoverishing everyone’s future; Italy, Europe, and the West are impoverishing their futures,” Pope Francis said in a message to a May 12 event on the birth rate in Italy.

Making the times that matter

Making the Times that Matter - LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: Reading a Belloc essay aloud is one of my favorite things to do with students in my home—or in this case around a bonfire. Such readings were very formative for me when I was an undergraduate. They are a simple and profound way to spend rich time together. Such times of plenitude (as I like to call them) are the stuff of memory; more importantly, they are the stuff of life. In this essay Belloc relates the wonderful experience of returning to the home of his youth. “Whatever veil is thrown by a longing recollection had not intensified nor even made more mysterious the beauty of that happy ground; not in my very dreams of morning had I, in exile, seen it more beloved or more rare.”

A super-long blood moon is coming. Here’s how to see it...

A super-long blood moon is coming. Here's how to see it.: Sky-watchers across the Americas and in parts of Europe and Africa will have front-row seats to a nighttime spectacle on May 15 and 16: a long-lasting total lunar eclipse. The large full moon will be totally eclipsed by Earth, bathing the lunar surface in shades of deep red. This phenomenon is why total lunar eclipses are commonly called blood moons, and this particular eclipse will be one of the longest of the decade.

Letters from the loneliest post office in the world: A story of Antarctic adventure seekers, stamp collectors, politics, and penguins

Letters from the Loneliest Post Office in the World - Atlas Obscura: Goudier Island is a windswept speck of dark rock located off the northwest coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. Two prefabricated wooden buildings and a metal Nissen hut, all painted black with red trim, stand near the waters of Port Lockroy. A Union Jack snaps on a flagpole and casts a shadow over dozens of squat gentoo penguins idling around the hut.

How to preserve your digital legacy (and why you should)

How to Preserve Your Digital Legacy (and Why You Should): Over the last few decades an increasing amount of our lives has been moved online. With the advent of social media and cloud storage, things that were once analog or physical have become digital. In most ways, this is terrific: we can share and communicate effortlessly, creation has become simpler and more powerful, and we can represent ourselves with a few mouse clicks or taps of our finger. The days of mailing out paper resumes on fancy paper are long gone, for example—nowadays we spend our time building awesome LinkedIn profiles and portfolio web sites.

Cardinal Zen’s arrest will test the Vatican’s agreement with Communist China

Cardinal%20Zen%u2019s%20Arrest%20Will%20Test%20the%20Vatican%u2019s%20Agreement%20With%20Communist%20China%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterPENTIN: The arrests of Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-Kiun and four pro-democracy activists Wednesday on charges of alleged “collusion with foreign forces” pose a direct challenge to the Holy See and the effectiveness of its recent controversial efforts to work more closely with Beijing. The Holy See issued a brief statement on Wednesday afternoon saying it had “learned with concern the news of Cardinal Zen’s arrest and is following the situation with great attention.”

‘You are our last hope’ — Pope Francis meets with the wives of two Ukrainian soldiers who are currently fighting to defend Mariupol

New%20Advent%3A%20%u2018You%20are%20our%20last%20hope%u2019%20%u2014%20Pope%20Francis%20meets%20with%20the%20wives%20of%20two%20Ukrainian%20soldiers%20who%20are%20currently%20fighting%20to%20defend%20Mariupol: Pope Francis met with the wives of two Ukrainian soldiers who are currently fighting to defend Mariupol. “You are our last hope. We hope that you can save their lives. Please don’t let them die,” Kateryna Prokopenko told the pope.

Cardinal Zen is on the road to martyrdom — will Pope Francis say something?

Cardinal%20Zen%20on%20the%20Road%20to%20Martyrdom%20%u2014%20Will%20Pope%20Francis%20Please%20Say%20Something%3F%20%7C%20National%20ReviewLOPEZ: Ninety-year old Cardinal Joseph Zen, emeritus bishop of Hong Kong, was arrested yesterday on trumped up national-security charges after Chinese media implied that something like this would happen. The Pillar this morning quotes some of the worst of the Holy See’s bureaucracy. Archbishop Paul Gallagher, a diplomat in the Secretariat of State there, said in the last year that, “Obviously Hong Kong is the object of concern for us. Lebanon is a place where we perceive that we can make a positive contribution. We do not perceive that in Hong Kong.”

‘Outrageous intimidation’ — The arrest of Cardinal Zen by Hong Kong authorities is prompting reactions around the world

Cardinal Zen arrest: A roundup of reactions | Catholic News AgencyBUKURAS: The Standard, a Hong Kong-based newspaper, reported that Zen was arrested on Wednesday evening local time, along with other trustees of the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund. The fund, which is no longer active, was created in 2019 to assist with the legal fees for pro-democracy protesters. The Standard, a Hong Kong-based newspaper, reported that Zen was arrested on Wednesday evening local time, along with other trustees of the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund. The fund, which is no longer active, was created in 2019 to assist with the legal fees for pro-democracy protesters.

90-Year-Old Cardinal Joseph Zen, Critic of Communist Regime, Arrested in Hong Kong on ‘National Security’ Charges

Cardinal Zen arrested in Hong Kong on national security charges: Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, SDB, has been arrested. The 90-year old emeritus Bishop of Hong Kong was detained by authorities on Wednesday evening, over charges related to a non-profit group of which Zen is a trustee. The cardinal’s arrest came months after state-owned Chinese media signaled that he would likely be targeted by government security forces for his pro-democracy advocacy.

In tiny Slovenia, big Catholic things come in a small package

In tiny Slovenia, big Catholic things come in a small package | CruxALLEN: Multum in parvo is a Latin phrase meaning “a lot in a small package.” I know it well because it’s the motto of the pug breed of dog, and I’ve had pugs since I was in the fifth grade. (I actually dispute that pugs are dogs, because dogs occur in nature while pugs definitely don’t, but that’s for another time.) Having just spent a week in the small central European nation of Slovenia – the entire country has a population of around 2.1 million people, which is roughly equivalent to the Kansas City metropolitan statistical area – I’ve concluded it would also be an apt slogan there, especially as it concerns Catholic affairs.

Do you fear the right thing? A meditation on the story of Chicken Little...

Do You Fear the Right Thing? A Meditation on the Story of Chicken Little - Community in MissionPOPE: In the wake of the COVID-19 explosion of fear, we do well to begin reflecting on fear. Fear is a complex passion. On the one hand, there are things that we ought to fear such as grave physical and spiritual dangers. The fear of being near the edge of a cliff might well save our life. The fear of serious sin and the punishment we might experience or the offense to God (who loves us) is both appropriate and holy. Sadly, more people lack this holy fear rooted in the possible loss of what is most precious to us: our eternal life with God.

Update on Unrest: Tabernacle Stolen, Catholic Church Defaced, Pregnancy Clinic Vandalized

Update on unrest: Tabernacle stolen, Catholic church defaced, pregnancy clinic vandalized | Catholic News Agency: More criminal acts targeting Catholic churches and pro-life advocates were reported Monday, after a Mother’s Day weekend marked by unrest in multiple locations in the U.S. tied to anger over a possible Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade. In one of the latest incidents, the pastor a Catholic church in Katy, Texas, reported on May 9 that its tabernacle had been stolen from the church overnight. It was not known whether the theft had any connection to a pro-abortion group’s recent threats to disrupt Catholic Masses on Sunday and burn the Eucharist.

About post-Roe politics and Biden’s evolving doctrines on choosing to ‘abort a child’

Podcast%3A%20About%20post-Roe%20politics%20and%20Biden%27s%20evolving%20doctrines%20on%20choosing%20to%20%27abort%20a%20child%27%20%u2014%20GetReligionMATTINGLY: Once upon a time, Sen. Joe Biden was almost a pro-life Catholic Democrat. This may be the reason — as journalists frequently note — that he seems uncomfortable saying “abortion” in public remarks. Then again, he may also have private polling numbers on the muddled state of public opinion in which millions of Americans, including lots of Democrats, (a) oppose the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, yet (b) are also in favor of European-style restrictions on abortion that have been blocked by U.S. courts because of legal logic built on Roe.

How can Mary be God’s mother?

How%20Can%20Mary%20Be%20God%u2019s%20Mother%3F%20%7C%20Catholic%20Answers: For many in the more traditional Protestant communities, believing Mary to be the Theotokos (Greek, “God-bearer“), or Mother of God, is an area of agreement with Catholics. If Jesus Christ is truly God, then Mary is truly the Mother of God. But millions of others in Fundamentalist and Evangelical communities would not join Catholics in celebrating the Mary as the Mother of God.

EXPLAINER: How 81-1 shot Rich Strike won the Kentucky Derby

EXPLAINER: How 81-1 shot Rich Strike won the Kentucky Derby | AP News: This doesn’t happen. Horses at odds of nearly 81-1 don’t win the Kentucky Derby. Jockeys who have never won any big stakes race of any kind don’t win the Kentucky Derby. Owners with fewer than 10 career wins don’t win the Kentucky Derby. Rich Strike and his connections disagree with those sentiments. One of the biggest upsets in racing history happened Saturday in the Kentucky Derby, when Rich Strike shocked the establishment by running past everyone and winning the first leg of this year’s Triple Crown series.

Goodwill sold a bust for $34.99. Turns out it’s actually a 2,000-year-old Roman relic...

Goodwill%20Sold%20a%20Bust%20for%20%2434.99.%20It%u2019s%20an%20Ancient%20Roman%20Relic.%20-%20The%20New%20York%20Times: Laura Young was browsing through a Goodwill store in Austin, Texas, in 2018 when she found a bust for sale. It was resting on the floor, under a table, and had a yellow price tag slapped on its cheek: $34.99. She bought it. Turns out, it wasn’t just another heavy stone curio suitable for plunking in the garden. It was an actual Roman bust from the late 1st century B.C. or early 1st century A.D., which had been part of a Bavarian king’s art collection from the 19th century until it was looted during World War II.

How to become a better listener (and more charitable and persuasive), according to science

How to become a better listener according to science: High-quality listening is an underrated ability. How well and frequently you listen to others is a better predictor of your leadership potential than your actual intelligence or personality. As a recent review shows, good listeners tend to perform better at work, and to report higher level of wellbeing, as well as more meaningful and fulfilling relationships. We tend to trust them more, and they tend to be seen as curious, empathetic and emotionally intelligent.

Pro-Abortion Protesters Disrupt Churches in Los Angeles, New York; Pro-Life Centers in Heartland Vandalized, Burned

Updates%20on%20Mother%u2019s%20Day%20Threats%3A%20New%20Incidents%20Reported%7C%20National%20Catholic%20Register: While the weekend proved mostly peaceful, there were incidents of violence, vandalism and aggression in some parts of the country. In Madison, Wisconsin, the headquarters of a pro-life organization — Wisconsin Family Action — was set ablaze in an apparent arson attack, police said Sunday. No one was hurt. Graffiti left outside the building said, “If abortions aren’t safe you aren’t either.” In Denton, Texas, a pro-life pregnancy center called Loreto House was defaced with graffiti that read, “Not a clinic,” and “Forced pregnancy is murder.” In a tweet, Bishop Michael Olson of Fort Worth said, "Please pray for the person who perpetrated this, for their interior healing and moral conversion."

For Mother’s Day, here are 12 Catholic quotes on the beauty of motherhood

Mother%u2019s%20Day%3A%2012%20Catholic%20Quotes%20on%20the%20Beauty%20of%20Motherhood%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: On Mother’s Day, Catholics recognize two important figures: our mother, and Mary, Mother of God. In celebration of all that mothers do, here are 12 quotes from saints and other Catholic figures on the beauty and significance of motherhood. Like this from St. Thérèse of Lisieux: “The loveliest masterpiece of the heart of God is the heart of a mother.”

Pope Francis and Justin Welby, Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury, to make joint visit to South Sudan as a ‘pilgrimage of peace’

Pope%20Francis%20and%20Archbishop%20of%20Canterbury%20say%20South%20Sudan%20trip%20will%20be%20a%20%u2018pilgrimage%20of%20peace%u2019%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: Pope Francis has said that he is looking forward to visiting South Sudan this summer together with the archbishop of Canterbury and the moderator of the Church of Scotland in a “pilgrimage of peace.” In a joint-statement published by the Vatican on May 7, the archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and the moderator of the Church of Scotland, Jim Wallace, joined the pope in urging leaders in South Sudan to follow the “way of forgiveness and freedom.”

Pope’s Regina Caeli: ‘Our Prayer, Our Affection, and Our Best Wishes for All Our Mothers’

Mother%u2019s%20Day%3A%20Pope%20Francis%20sends%20moms%20%u2018Our%20prayer%2C%20affection%2C%20best%20wishes%u2019%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: Pope Francis asked the faithful to celebrate their mothers in a special way on Sunday, for Mother’s Day, and urged continued prayers for peace in Ukraine. “Let us affectionately remember our mothers — a round of applause for our mothers — even those who are no longer with us down here, but who live in our hearts,” he said during his Regina Caeli address. “Our prayer, our affection, and our best wishes for all our mothers.” The 85-year-old pontiff spoke to the crowd gathered in St. Peter’s Square in Rome following the Regina Caeli, a Marian prayer said during the Easter season, on May 8. Thousands of faithful brightened the cloudy day with their banners and flags as they gathered to pray with the pontiff.

Why does it take so long to build and almost no time to destroy?

Why Does It Take So Long to Build and Almost No Time to Destroy? - Community in MissionPOPE: One of the questions I have asked God is, “Why does it always take so long to build something up while it only seems to take moment to tear it down or destroy it?” Destruction is always so much easier than construction. Decades, centuries, even a millennium of building a culture (e.g., Christendom) seems to have vanished overnight. All I get from God is, “Never mind, just keep working.” It would seem that God finds value in the work, not just in the results. Even so, my question (my frustration, actually) remains. However, I will do what He asks and keep on teaching, building, and working.

Pope Turns Up the Heat on Simmering TLM Debate, Calls Critics ‘Closed-Minded People’ Discussing ‘Outdated Issues’

Pope%20Francis%3A%20%u2018It%u2019s%20not%20possible%20to%20worship%20God%20while%20making%20the%20liturgy%20a%20battleground%u2019%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: Pope Francis said Saturday that the liturgy should not be “a battleground” for “outdated issues.” “I emphasize again that the liturgical life, and the study of it, should lead to greater Church unity, not division. When the liturgical life is a bit like a banner of division, there is the stench of the devil in there, the deceiver,” Pope Francis said at the Vatican on April 7. “It’s not possible to worship God while making the liturgy a battleground for issues that are not essential, indeed, outdated issues, and to take sides starting with the liturgy, with ideologies that divide the Church.”

Should Catholics worry about abortion protests disrupting Mother’s Day Mass?

Should%20Catholics%20worry%20about%20abortion%20protests%20disrupting%20Mother%u2019s%20Day%20Mass%3F%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: Mulitple reports and social media posts are warning that abortion activists will disrupt Mass on Sunday — Mother’s Day. Should Catholics take these threats seriously? Some Catholic churches and dioceses certainly are. And some Catholic and secular organizations are passionately responding.

Cardinal Pell Highlights ‘Somewhat Incomplete’ Account Given by Cardinal Becciu at Vatican Finance Trial

Cardinal Pell highlights 'somewhat incomplete' account given by Cardinal Becciu at Vatican finance trial | Catholic News Agency: Cardinal George Pell said Friday that the recent testimony of Cardinal Angelo Becciu at the Vatican finance trial “was somewhat incomplete.” He drew particular attention to a lack of evidence regarding payments of more than $1.6 million made to Neustar Australia, an information services firm, in 2017 and 2018.

Why we hunger for beauty

Why We Hunger for Beauty | Francis X. Maier | First ThingsMAIER: Back in my Jesuit high school days, when dinosaurs walked the earth—this was the 1960s—Bob R. was one of my best friends. I haven’t seen Bob in many years, but I still think of him with affection. We were both weird. We were book buddies and debate partners, we took Latin and Greek together, and we shared the experience of reading bits of Catullus and Virgil, Xenophon and Homer in the original. Bob had wonderful parents. His dad was a great guy, but his mother was extraordinary. She was a beautiful woman—in her early fifties, poised, trim, well-dressed, feminine. But that’s not what I meant then—or what I mean now—by the word “beautiful.” The beauty was in her face. It had character. It had the kind of grace and weathering that’s sculpted by a life well lived; the marks of joy, hard work, and suffering, but also confident goodness. And those qualities radiated out to fill Bob’s family home with a palpable spirit of welcome.

Pro-Abortion Activists Plan Invasion of Catholic Churches Across U.S. Starting Mother’s Day

Pro-Abortion Activists Plan Invasion of Catholic Churches Across U.S. Starting Mother's Day: Pray and fast for the protection of our churches! The pro-abortion activism group Ruth Sent Us is calling for invasions of Catholic churches from Sun., May 8 until Sat., May 14 in protest of the recent news about the Supreme Court’s draft allegedly overturning Roe vs. Wade. During their protest, the group dresses in what they call a handmaiden’s cloak, which represents women’s oppression.

In Roe v. Wade comments, Biden rows without both oars in the water, wades into error

In Roe v. Wade Comments, Biden Rows Without Both Oars in the Water, Wades Into Error| National Catholic RegisterARCHBOLD: President Joe Biden’s off-the-cuff remarks have become must-watch TV the way Evil Knievel’s stunts used to be — often with similar results. His impromptu speaking has made the Oval Office like a La Brea tar pit where vowels and consonants go to die. The American people have become used to this, but some days he says something so blatantly wrong and offensive that we must comment. In response to the news that the Supreme Court appears to be on the precipice of overturning Roe v. Wade, Biden was roused from his slumber and sent out to do two things: squint in a faux meaningful way, and say words that might be mistaken for a logical point by a fawning media.

Pope Francis Uses Wheelchair in Public for First Time Since Colon Surgery

Pope Francis uses wheelchair in public for first time since colon surgery | Catholic News Agency: Pope Francis used a wheelchair during a public meeting on Thursday, the first time he has done so publicly since leaving the hospital after colon surgery in July 2021. The 85-year-old pope has had difficulty walking due to a painful torn ligament in his knee. He was pushed in a wheelchair onto the stage of the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall on May 5, at the start of a meeting with participants in the plenary meeting of the International Union of Superiors General (UISG).

Ashley Judd was spotted wearing a green scapular at the Country Music Hall of Fame

Ashley Judd Spotted Wearing Green Scapular at Country Music Hall of Fame -: The scapular contains an image of Our Lady, as well as an oval around Our Lady’s heart with the inscription, “Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us now and at the hour of our death.” When Our Lady presented it to Sr. Justine Bisqueyburu in 1840, she heard interiorly that the scapular “should be shared with the world as an instrument in the conversion of souls.”

Don’t force your kids into the rat race or tech tumble. There are alternatives...

Don%u2019t%20Force%20Your%20Kids%20into%20the%20Rat%20Race%20or%20Tech%20Tumble.%20There%20Are%20AlternativesCRAIG: Your children have a thirst within them. They have received from you their whole life, and to a greater or lesser degree, one day recognize their life separate from yours as they gain the maturity that grows only by appropriate independence. I’m talking work, vocation, jobs, career, education, and so on. You love them dearly, so you are not necessarily excited for them to exit your home, but you also long for it because you know that for them to be fully alive, they need to enter their vocation and their maturity.

How parishes can move sacramental formation from forms and classes to relationship and conversion

Sacramental Formation - Moving From Forms and Classes to Relationship and Conversion - Catholic Missionary Disciples - College Station, TXLEJEUNE: A woman who wanted to ask some questions about baptism called her local parish. After she got off the phone, she sent me an email about what happened. The parish worker who answered the phone was blunt and unkind - NO! You can’t have your child baptized without being registered at the parish. There was no way around it. The woman was distraught. Her family had baptized children in the Catholic Church for generations. It was something they always did and wanted to talk about it with me.

Enthusiasm for abortion is from the depths of Hell

Enthusiasm For Abortion Is From The Depths Of Hell National ReviewLOPEZ: If you are a person who considers herself pro-choice because she knows a woman in a difficult situation, you are in the majority of those who describe themselves as pro-choice. I suspect we could find a lot of common ground in helping women and families. You’d be heartened by touring the many women’s pregnancy resource centers around the country. I would think we have more in common than you would with Gavin Newsom or Kathy Hochul or a lot of the other abortion enthusiasts we are hearing from in the wake of the Supreme Court leak in the Mississippi abortion case.

The scandal of Russian Orthodoxy, and our own scandals

The scandal of Russian Orthodoxy, and our own scandals | Catholic CultureMIRUS: One of the difficulties faced by the Orthodox churches is their territorial character which, considering Christ’s universal mission, does not effectively mirror the ultimate lines of authority established by our Redeemer. That problem is nowhere more evident at present than in the denunciation of the Moscow Patriarch by the Ecumenical Patriarch in Constantinople, who holds a primacy of honor among the Orthodox.

Painful changes for the 102-year-old Catholic News Service as domestic operations to close

Painful changes for Catholic News Service as domestic operations to close | Catholic News Agency: Catholic News Service, the news agency of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, will end domestic operations at the end of the year. The U.S. bishops’ conference characterized the changes and office closures as a “significant realignment.” “Catholic News Service offices in New York and Washington will be closed at the end of the year, as will the USCCB Publishing Office,” the U.S. bishops’ conference said in a May 4 statement sent to CNA. “These changes, although painful, will allow the remaining functions — including the Catholic News Service Rome Bureau and the Office of Public Affairs — a more sustainable foundation upon which to do their work.”