Pope Francis highlights the issue of state power and evangelization

Pope Francis Highlights the Issue of State Power and Evangelization| National Catholic RegisterDESOUZA: To what degree should the Church, in obedience to the mission given to her to make disciples of all nations, cooperate with state power to that end? As the visit of Pope Francis continues in Canada, with his sincere apology to Indigenous peoples for the Church’s operation of residential schools generally well received, some of the discussion turned to the broader question of the Church’s presence in this hemisphere itself.

You can’t take it with you, but you can send it on ahead! Five teachings on wealth from today’s Gospel...

You%20Can%u2019t%20Take%20it%20with%20You%2C%20But%20You%20Can%20Send%20it%20on%20Ahead%21%20Five%20teachings%20on%20Wealth%20from%20the%20Gospel%20of%20the%2018th%20Sunday%20of%20the%20Year.%20-%20Community%20in%20MissionPOPE: The Gospel today is not merely a warning against greed, it is an instruction on income and wealth given by Jesus to help us root out greed. As the Gospel opens the problem of greed is presented, and then a prescribed perspective about wealth is offered. Lets take a look at both parts of this gospel.

In Airplane Press Conference Following Canada Trip, Pope Admits He Must Slow Down or Quit

Ageing pope admits he must slow down, or quit: Pope Francis admitted Saturday he needs to slow down, telling reporters after a six-day trip to Canada that he cannot maintain his pace of international travel — and may have to think about retiring. "I don't think I can go at the same pace as I used to travel," said the 85-year-old pope, who suffers pain in his knee that has seen him increasingly reliant on a wheelchair.

One woman’s journey from hippie communes to the Catholic Church

From Communes to Catholicism - The Coming Home Network: I was born on August 29, 1948, at Saint Joseph’s Hospital in Lancaster, PA. My parents were both Catholic. They were married in 1947, after my dad was discharged from the Army. My mom wanted 16 kids; she had 8. I was the first, followed by seven brothers. My father built the family a house next to his father’s house in Bainbridge, PA.

In Portland, the sexual revolution starts in kindergarten, and it’s even worse than you think...

In Portland, the Sexual Revolution Starts in KindergartenRUFO: Portland Public Schools has launched a war against the “gender binary” and adopted a radical new curriculum teaching students to subvert the sexuality of “white colonizers” and begin exploring “the infinite gender spectrum.” I have obtained a cache of documents from a source inside Portland Public Schools that exposes the nature of this curriculum. The lessons seek to turn the principles of academic queer theory into an identity-formation program for elementary school students; it has been adopted in many of the district’s K-5 classrooms.

Pope Warns of Secularization in Canada, Offers Catholics 3 Challenges to Help Shape Prayer Life

Pope Warns of Secularization in Canada, Offering Catholics 3 Challenges to Help Shape Prayer Life| National Catholic Register: Please find the full text and English translation of Pope Francis' homily as he presides over Vespers alongside bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated persons, seminarians and pastoral workers at the Cathedral of Notre Dame during his apostolic journey to Canada on July 28, 2022.

How many Catholics actually took part in the synod’s diocesan phase? Let’s crunch the numbers...

How%20many%20people%20took%20part%20in%20the%20synod%u2019s%20diocesan%20phase%3FCOPPEN: Pope Francis urged Catholics in Rome diocese last September to make sure that as many people as possible took part in the opening stage of the two-year global synodal process. “Wouldn’t it look bad if the pope’s own diocese was not committed to this?” Francis asked. “Yes, it would look bad, for the Pope, but also for you!” Later in his address, the Pope mentioned a specific percentage of Catholics that he wanted consultations to reach beyond.

Parallels between Pope Francis in Canada and John Paul II in Jerusalem

Parallels between Pope Francis in Canada and John Paul II in Jerusalem | CruxALLEN: Every papal trip is unique, but some are more alike than others. As Pope Francis moves through a five-day outing to Canada this week, interesting parallels have emerged to another historic voyage: Pope John Paul II’s March 2000 trip to the Holy Land, the highlight of which was the Polish pontiff leaving behind a note of apology in Jerusalem’s Western Wall for centuries of anti-Semitism. Then as now, it was important not only that a pope apologize, but that he do it in a specific place – the remains of the Jerusalem temple for John Paul, and the site of a former residential school in Canada for Francis.

Do vending machines really kill more Americans than sharks every year?

Sharks vs. vending machines: Which kills more people yearly?: Throughout the years, I’ve accumulated a few fun facts about sharks. They can detect electric fields. Their skeletons are composed not of bones but cartilage and connective tissue. Their fins are inhumanely harvested for shark fin soup. But the fact that lives rent-free in my mind is this one: Each year, more people are killed by vending machines than sharks. I’ve heard it from friends and experts alike. It’s even been cited in National Geographic and the Guardian.This fact has a clear purpose: It demonstrates that sharks are not as deadly as Jaws suggests—that really, you shouldn’t be afraid of sharks at all.

Two meteor showers will light up the night sky this week. Here’s how to watch...

Meteor showers in July: When and how to watch | CNN: Over these last few days of July, two meteor showers will light up the night sky. The first, the Delta Aquariids meteor shower, is predicted to peak around 6 a.m. ET (10 a.m. UTC) Friday, according to EarthSky. Its radiant – the point from which meteor paths appear to come from – rises in midevening, is highest around 2 a.m. local time and is low in the sky by dawn.

Looking beyond the polls to find Catholic news hooks in stories about 2022 midterms

Looking%20beyond%20the%20polls%20to%20find%20Catholic%20news%20hooks%20in%20stories%20about%202022%20midterms%20%u2014%20GetReligionLISI: Political news coverage is, in part, guided by polls. There are dozens of them that come out every few days in reporters’ email inboxes trying to gauge the temperature of the electorate on any given politician or policy decisions. This is especially true in a presidential election year. it’s also true during the midterms, which will arrive on Nov. 8. While mainstream pollsters took a hit for being inaccurate when Donald Trump won the White House in 2016, the polls roll on as the experts put them out, pundits dissect them and news coverage reports on what they mean.

Vatican asks Syro-Malabar archbishop to step down

Vatican asks Syro-Malabar archbishop to step down | Crux: The acting head of the leading archdiocese of the Syro-Malabar Church in India has reportedly agreed to step down after being presented with an ultimatum to resign by the pope’s representative to the country. Archbishop Antony Kariyil was appointed Archiepiscopal Vicar of the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly just three years ago, taking over administrative duties from Cardinal George Alencherry, the Major Archbishop of the archdiocese and head of the Syro-Malabar Church, an Eastern Rite Catholic Church based in India with 4.25 million members, more than half of whom are located in the Indian state of Kerala.

Smithsonian Magazine: These Photographs Capture the Indescribable Glory of Trains

These Photographs Capture the Indescribable Glory of Trains | Arts & Culture | Smithsonian Magazine: Is there any disputing the idea that Americans can get a little obsessed by trains? From a tot’s crayoned red caboose to the self-described train nerd’s bucket list (Alaska Railroad’s Denali Star? Check. Grand Canyon Railway? Yup. Napa Valley Wine Train? Cheers!), the romance of the rails exerts a pull only slightly less powerful than G.E.’s legendary 8,500-horsepower “Big Blow” locomotive.

How Leonardo da Vinci made a remarkably accurate “satellite” map in 1502

How%20Leonardo%20da%20Vinci%20Made%20a%20%u201CSatellite%u201D%20Map%20in%201502%20%BB%20TwistedSifter: Most of us have heard about Leonardo da Vinci, the renowned painter, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect who lived during the Renaissance. But did you know that he is also credited with modern map making methods? During the early 1500s, famous Italian politician Cesare Borgia brought Leonardo da Vinci to the city of Imola, Italy to help him learn the territory as a military engineer. Until this time, maps were usually drawn using hillside (or bird’s eye) views, and often included mythical creatures and other artistry. They lacked clarity and scale, but Da Vinci would change all of that with a surprisingly accurate feat of symbolic imagination.

Pope Francis Visits Quebec, Offers Mass at Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Basilica

Pope Francis holds mass outside Quebec City on 2nd day of visit to province | CBC News: After delivering a speech calling for unity and healing at Quebec City's Citadelle Wednesday evening, Pope Francis is holding mass in a basilica to an audience of 2,000 this morning. The mass, which began at 10 a.m., is being broadcast on large screens outside the Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Basilica and on the Plains of Abraham as well as in a number of movie theatres in the province.

Pope Francis Expresses ‘Deep Shame’ in Canada, Warns of New ‘Cancel Culture’

Pope%20Francis%20expresses%20%u2018deep%20shame%u2019%20in%20Canada%2C%20warns%20of%20new%20%u2018cancel%20culture%u2019%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: Pope Francis asked for forgiveness for the harm done to indigenous Canadians by Catholics in a Wednesday address before top government officials and representatives of the indigenous peoples in Canada. “I express my deep shame and sorrow, and, together with the bishops of this country, I renew my request for forgiveness for the wrong done by so many Christians to the indigenous peoples,” the 85-year-old pontiff said, citing the Catholic Church’s role in running many of the country’s government-sponsored residential schools for indigenous children. These residential schools, in place until the late 1990s, worked to stamp out aspects of native culture, language, and religious practice. Former students have described mistreatment and even abuse at the schools.

Extremism and repression can come in all sorts of attractive packaging — including the libertine, ‘progressive’ kind...

Strange New World: A Guide - The Catholic ThingMAIER: Yardley Borough, home to my family for the past eleven years, is a beautifully quaint old Pennsylvania community nestled along the Delaware River. By “old” I mean founded in 1682 by pious Quakers. If you walk just a few dozen yards from our back porch, you find yourself in the Slate Hill Cemetery. It’s tiny, rarely visited, and not always well-kept, but listed on the National Register of Historic Places, nonetheless. The graves date back to the late 17th century. Many of the gravestones are broken or stripped clean of names by the endless cycle of weather and time.

The German Synodal Path can’t defeat demographics

The Synodal Path can't defeat demographics - Catholic Herald: The Vatican came out swinging last week against the German Synodal Path. The Holy See issued a statement, warning that the movement – designed to give lay members a say in running the Church – lacks the authority to instruct bishops on doctrine or morality, and warned of the dangers of schism. The Synodal Path is a series of conferences of the German Catholic Church to discuss theological and organisational questions. It is divided into forums on separation of powers; succeeding relationships; priestly existence, and the role of women. A majority at a conference held in February, meanwhile, endorsed women’s ordination, same sex partnerships getting a public blessing, reforming teachings on sexual ethics, and allowing married priests.

With his apology to indigenous Canadians, Pope Francis seeks to heal the heart of the Church

With His Apology to Indigenous Canadians, Pope Francis Seeks to Heal the Heart of the Church| National Catholic RegisterDESOUZA: Pope Francis made his apology in Canada an explicitly ecclesial act, namely an act of the Church which is called to be an instrument of reconciliation. After 30 years of apologies from the Catholic religious orders involved in Indigenous residential schools — and notably from Pope Benedict XVI in 2009 at the Vatican — the framework of apologies, from both churches and the state, evolved into a rather bureaucratic policy framework. Apologies were negotiated as part of settlement agreements or demanded by commissions of inquiry, with certain conditions to be met.

Luxembourg’s synod report calls for change on homosexuality, priestly celibacy

Luxembourg%u2019s%20synod%20report%20calls%20for%20change%20on%20homosexuality%2C%20priestly%20celibacyCOPPEN: Participants in the diocesan phase of the synod on synodality in Luxembourg have called for a change in Church teaching on homosexuality and the abolition of mandatory priestly celibacy. Their appeal was cited in a 16-page report following a consultation process involving 4,590 Catholics in the Archdiocese of Luxembourg, which is led by Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich.

Selling the mansions: It’s a very good start

Selling the mansions: It's a very good start - Our Sunday VisitorSCALIA: It seemed to fly under the radar of both secular and most Catholic media, but recently some heartening news came out of the Diocese of Belleville, Illinois, when Bishop Michael McGovern announced that he would be selling the 13-bedroom manor that has been the home of Belleville’s shepherds for over 150 years. In a splendid example of the Church putting its money where its mouth is, Bishop McGovern’s office said that selling the valuable property is meant to “generate resources that can be used for a maternity fund for expectant mothers as well as in support of Catholic education, youth ministry and evangelization.”

The task of a disciple is to be spiritually vigilant. Jesus demands it...

The task of a disciple is to be Spiritually Vigilant; Jesus demands it. | Knowing Is DoingTORRE: My Catholic high school accounting professor once shared a story about a homeless man he would often pass by on his way home from school. He described him in vivid detail as a man who had weathered many storms both physical and spiritual, mainly spiritual as his hazelnut-colored eyes cold barley hide his spiritually weathered appearance. Every time my professor would encounter the homeless man, he would offer to buy him a meal which was on average twice a week and he would also leave a couple of extra dollars, no questions asked.

Priest Who Offered Mass on Inflatable Lounge Chair in Sea: ‘I Was Perhaps Imprudent’

Priest%20who%20offered%20Mass%20on%20inflatable%20lounge%20chair%20in%20sea%3A%20%u2018I%20was%20perhaps%20imprudent%u2019%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20AgencyMARES: After photos of a shirtless Italian priest celebrating Mass in the sea using an inflatable lounge chair went viral this week, the local Catholic archdiocese has called for liturgical decorum and respect. Father Mattia Bernasconi, a priest of the archdiocese of Milan, publicly acknowledged in an interview on July 26 that his liturgical choice to swap out his vestments for swim trunks was “perhaps imprudent” and said that he would not do it again.

‘They look almost human made’ — NOAA finds weird lines of holes in Mid-Atlantic floor...

%u2018They%20look%20almost%20human%20made.%u2019%20NOAA%20finds%20weird%20lines%20of%20holes%20in%20Mid-Atlantic%20floor: Scientists exploring a submerged mountain range in the Mid-Atlantic stumbled onto something they can’t explain: An organized series of holes punched in the floor of the Atlantic Ocean. The discovery was made Saturday, July 23, and photos show the dots connect into nearly straight lines ... or trails ... or designs. NOAA Ocean Exploration isn’t yet sure how to explain it.

Enjoy being a loser, Christian

Enjoy being a loser, Christian - Our Sunday VisitorMILLS: Even if you think everything is collapsing, ran a meme that recently went round, “nothing is collapsing at all, because God doesn’t lose battles.” It was intended to comfort and encourage, and many people obviously felt it did. It seems to me that it can’t truly comfort because it’s not true. It’s an example of a popular type of Christian meme and slogan. This type slides our eschatological hope into this world in a way that erases our experience of life in this world.

Pope Francis Blesses the Water and Pilgrims at the Famous Pilgrimage Site of Lac Ste. Anne in Canada

Pope Francis blesses the water and pilgrims at the famous pilgrimage site of Lac Ste. Anne in Canada | Catholic News Agency: Pope Francis concluded his second full day in Canada with a visit to Lac Ste. Anne, the site of one of Canada’s most famous Catholic pilgrimages and a place of spiritual significance for the nation’s indigenous people. The pope celebrated a Liturgy of the Word at the Shrine of Ste. Anne, with a crowd of mostly indigenous people in attendance, estimated at around 10,000.

How hot is too hot for the human body?

How Hot Is Too Hot for the Human Body? - Scientific American: To answer the question of “how hot is too hot?” we brought young, healthy men and women into the Noll Laboratory at Penn State University to experience heat stress in a controlled environment. These experiments provide insight into which combinations of temperature and humidity begin to become harmful for even the healthiest humans.

The Parable of the Midnight Visitor

The Parable of the Midnight Visitor | Parishable ItemsFELTES: Imagine a visitor arrives at your home. He’s hungry but you have nothing to feed him. Suppose it’s so late at night that all the stores are closed. So you go down the road to the house of your friend and knock on his door. You rap gently and quietly at first, but then beat more firmly and loudly. It’s midnight, and your friend won’t answer the door. So you call out, “Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him!” But your annoyed friend replies from within, “Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.”

Ranked: The 20 countries with the fastest declining populations

Visualizing Population Decline by Country: Since the mid-1900s, the global population has followed a steep upwards trajectory. While much of this growth has been concentrated in China and India, researchers expect the next wave of growth to occur in Africa. As of 2019, for example, the average woman in Niger is having over six children in her lifetime. At the opposite end of this spectrum are a number of countries that appear to be shrinking from a population perspective. To shed some light on this somewhat surprising trend, we’ve visualized the top 20 countries by population decline.

Synodality, Anglican style: Lambeth Conference issues statement saying marriage is ‘between a man and a woman,’ but says individual bishops can teach otherwise

Justin Welby forced to allow Anglican bishops to reject statement on sexuality | Anglicanism | The Guardian: The archbishop of Canterbury has been forced to allow Anglican bishops from all over the world the option of rejecting a statement on sexuality when they meet in Canterbury this week for the Lambeth conference. The U-turn from Justin Welby, the leader of the global Anglican communion and the conference president, came late on Monday night, hours before 650 delegates began arriving for the 12-day meeting. It followed an outcry from liberal Anglicans and gay rights campaigners over a declaration

Pope Apologizes for ‘Deplorable Evil’ of Canadian Indigenous Schools

Pope apologizes for 'deplorable evil' of Canadian indigenous schools | Reuters: Pope Francis apologized on Monday to Canada's native people on their land for the Church's role in schools where indigenous children were abused, calling their forced cultural assimilation a "deplorable evil" and "disastrous error." Speaking near the site of two former schools in Maskwacis, Alberta, Francis apologized for Christian support of the "colonizing mentality" of the times and called for a "serious" investigation of the schools to help survivors and descendants heal.

The papal penance pilgrimage, and more on the Syro-Malabar liturgy war

The papal penance pilgrimage, and JD's on vacationJDFLYNN: Pope Francis is in Canada this week, on a “penitential pilgrimage” among Indigenous people across Canada. This is not the very model of a modern papal pilgrimage — Francis is not focused on meeting with heads of state, or celebrating stadia Masses. There will be some of that. But most of the trip is focused on meeting with the leaders of Indigenous Canadian communities, to whom the pontiff has expressed contrition for the Church’s complicity in the residential school system, by which Canadian government policies forcibly separated Indigenous kids from their families, and stripped them - often - of their language and culture.

These 10 car features took absolutely forever to die

These 10 car features took absolutely forever to die | Driving: Vehicle technology wasn’t always as good as it is now—over 100 years of innovation have gone into making cars what they are today. In that time, many different trends have come and gone, and while some died hard, others kept breathing until their last breath.

Charlie McKinney: How Catholics can find the wisdom for these times

Charlie McKinney: How Catholics can find the wisdom for these times: “The most important thing for any Catholic — right now and frankly, at any time in history — is to focus on your spiritual life. That is what's going to give us the wisdom to deal with the culture and all the problems that beset us. It's going to give us the understanding, the knowledge, the counsel and the piety that we need today,” said Charlie McKinney, president of Sophia Institute Press for the past decade. “We really focus on producing books and producing content that helps people to deepen their spiritual life.”

18 Reasons Why Astrology is Nonsense

18 Reasons Why Astrology is Nonsense| National Catholic RegisterSTAGNARO: Carl Sagan famously wrote in his 1995 The Demon-Haunted World that an obese obstetrician standing next to a delivering mother exerts more gravitational force on the newborn than the entire planet of Jupiter. Stars even further afield exert noticeably less. Therefore, astrology is just so much hooey. In the view of the Catholic Church, astrology is not only worthless — it is indeed sinful and dangerous because it tries to “circumvent” and usurp God who alone determines our fate. Aside from this, astrology is also anti-science and worthless as a means of understanding the universe and ourselves. The following are some reasons why you should avoid astrology:

St. James the Greater, pray for us!

St.%20James%20the%20Greater%20%u2013%20July%2025%20%7C%20Charlotte%20was%20BothWELBORN: Since it is very hot today, I want to be brief and to mention here only two of these occasions. James was able to take part, together with Peter and John, in Jesus’ Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane and in the event of Jesus’ Transfiguration. Thus, it is a question of situations very different from each other: in one case, James, together with the other two Apostles, experiences the Lord’s glory and sees him talking to Moses and Elijah, he sees the divine splendour shining out in Jesus.

Pope Francis Travels to Maskwacis, Alberta, to Visit Former Residential School

Pope Francis travels to Maskwacis to visit former residential school | Edmonton Journal: Pope Francis arrived Monday at the site of a former Indigenous residential school to deliver long-awaited apology for the Catholic Church’s role in Canada’s policy of forcibly assimilating Native peoples into Christian society that led to generations of trauma and abuse.

Roman Notebook: Papal apologies, Opus Dei, and Italy’s dragons

Roman%20Notebook%3A%20Papal%20apologies%2C%20Opus%20Dei%20and%20Italy%u2019s%20dragons%20%7C%20CruxALLEN: Pope Francis leaves today for a five-day outing to Canada, where he’s expected to deliver not one but several apologies to representatives of the country’s Indigenous peoples for abuses suffered at church-run residential schools. For an overview of the trip and its complexities, Elise Allen’s Crux piece yesterday is invaluable: Canadian Indigenous welcome pope, but object to process, say it’s only a start.

We know the Our Father so well, we can forget what it means. Here’s what it means, one line at a time...

This%20Sunday%2C%20the%20%u2018Our%20Father%u2019%20Is%20a%20Powerful%20Call%20to%20Personal%20Change%20%7C%20Ex%20Corde%20at%20Benedictine%20CollegeHOOPES: This Sunday, the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Jesus teaches his disciples the Our Father, and it gives us a chance to look at the prayer more carefully. What we find is that it’s not just a prayer for us to receive graces from the Father. It’s a challenge for us to live in a totally different way. In answer to a request to learn how to pray, Jesus gives his disciples the Lord’s Prayer, stated a little differently in Luke.

Here are 7 different methods to make hard-boiled eggs. Tested side by side, the winner is clear...

The Best Hard-Boiled Egg Method: Hard-boiled eggs are one of those kitchen staples I always have in the fridge. They’re great for out-of-hand snacking, they instantly add a protein boost to salads, they form the basis of a super-speedy breakfast, and — with just a little extra effort — they become deviled eggs, the perfect cocktail snack.

Here’s how to receive a plenary indulgence July 24 on the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly

Here%u2019s%20how%20to%20receive%20a%20plenary%20indulgence%20July%2024%20on%20the%20World%20Day%20for%20Grandparents%20and%20the%20Elderly%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: On July 24, the Catholic Church celebrates its second annual World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. This special observance, held on the fourth Sunday of July each year, is timed to roughly coincide with the July 26 feast day of Sts. Anne and Joachim, Mary’s mother and father and Jesus’ grandparents.

Pope Departs for Canada Trip, Says He Has ‘Great Desire’ to Visit Kyiv

Pope, starting Canada trip, says he has 'great desire' to visit Kiev | Reuters: Pope Francis said on Sunday he yearned to visit Ukraine, in his efforts to try and bring an end to a five-month-old war that he has repeatedly decried. “I have a great desire to go to Kyiv,” the pope said when asked about a possible future trip to Ukraine. He was speaking on the papal plane to journalists travelling with him from Rome to Canada.

‘Psychic medium’ Robert Righi tells big stories of exorcisms, psychic abilities, and Ted Bundy. Let’s take a closer look...

New%20Advent%3A%20%u2018Psychic%20medium%u2019%20Robert%20Righi%20tells%20big%20stories%20of%20exorcisms%2C%20psychic%20abilities%2C%20and%20Ted%20Bundy.%20Let%u2019s%20take%20a%20closer%20look...AKIN: Psychic medium Robert Righi has a dramatic life story, including psychic abilities as a small child and helping in Catholic exorcisms as an adult. On this episode of ‘Jimmy Akin’s Mysterious World’ we welcome Kenny Biddle to examine Righi’s claims and reveal the results of our investigation...

Inside my visit to St. Bernadette’s incorrupt relics — a powerful spiritual experience

Inside My Visit to St. Bernadette's Incorrupt Relics: A Powerful Spiritual ExperienceBURKEPILE: Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve always loved the amazing story of St. Bernadette. My mother introduced my siblings and me to her story through Catholic children’s cartoons. The stories of both St. Bernadette and Our Lady of Fatima particularly resonated with me. When I first heard that St. Bernadette’s incorrupt relics would tour the United States, I was ecstatic. It’s been a dream of mine to visit Lourdes and the healing spring.

Questions raised by Pope Francis’ document on the liturgy

Questions%20raised%20by%20Pope%20Francis%u2019%20document%20on%20the%20liturgy%20%7C%20Catholic%20CultureMIRUS: Pope Francis’ Apostolic Letter on the Liturgy, Desiderio desideravi, officially promulgated on June 29, 2022, is a remarkably rich document, and one which all those who comment on the liturgy today must read if they wish to be taken seriously. It is also true that its insights and claims raise questions which any committed Catholic ought to consider seriously as time goes on. Let me clear away one potential obstacle at the outset. Anyone who has followed Pope Francis’ public comments and interviews, on the one hand, while reading the official texts he promulgates, on the other, recognizes that Pope Francis does not write these texts himself. He clearly relies heavily on scholars he admires.

A less compact Europe on Ukraine could spell new pressure on the Pope

A less compact Europe on Ukraine could spell new pressure on the Pope | CruxALLEN: It’s just possible that what Russian President Vladimir Putin so far has failed to obtain on the battlefield in Ukraine, he may get by default as a result of Europe’s fractured and, arguably, dysfunctional political system. To date, Putin’s advances into Ukraine have been limited, in part as a result of a surprisingly resolute Europe pushing through an aggressive sanctions package and rushing to arm Ukraine to defend itself. Now, however, that determination may be on the verge of weakening.

This is the key to reading Scripture right

The Key to Reading Scripture Right | Catholic AnswersKELLMEYER: “We need to read Scripture the way God intended it to be read,” said one of my friends from amid piles of concordances, grammar books, and Greek and Hebrew dictionaries. “Hey, why are you laughing?” He didn’t see the incongruity. While the tools he has at his disposal are useful, they weren’t at Augustine’s elbow, nor at Paul’s. Scripture does not describe Jesus whipping out a grammar book on the road to Emmaus. We don’t need to be ancient language scholars in order to read Scripture as Jesus and the apostles did; we need only a good translation and an ear for the four-fold sense.

Our bodies place limits upon us. We can’t do or be whatever we wish. People hate to be reminded of that fact...

The Myth of the Modern Self | Carl R. Trueman | First ThingsTRUEMAN: The sheer rage that has greeted the Dobbs decision demands reflection. The rhetoric regarding victims of incest and rape is powerful but hardly explains the anger, given that such cases are comparatively rare and exceptional. They make good material for emotional appeal to the populace, but are neither foundational to the philosophy of the pro-abortion cause nor the real source of the outrage we are witnessing. Nor do they explain the violence and vindictiveness now being directed at Catholic churches and crisis pregnancy centers, still less the weirdly passionate response of people in other countries whose laws are often no more liberal than the Mississippi legislation that drove the Dobbs case.

Do you have any Kansas connections? Act now to help save countless unborn lives...

Kansas Countdown: Take Steps Now to Save Countless Unborn Lives | Ex Corde at Benedictine CollegeHOOPES: Anyone with Kansas connections can act now to help save countless lives. Students from Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, are knocking on doors to promote the right to life in advance of an Aug. 2 vote in Kansas, but there are practical steps every Catholic can take. On Aug. 2 Kansas pro-lifers plan to vote Yes on the Value Them Both constitutional amendment which would clarify that “the constitution of the state of Kansas does not require government funding of abortion and does not create or secure a right to abortion,” and “elected state representatives and state senators, may pass laws regarding abortion.”

Understanding Pope Francis’ Historic Voyage of Reconciliation to Canada’s Indigenous People

Understanding%20Pope%20Francis%u2019%20Historic%20Voyage%20of%20Reconciliation%20to%20Canada%u2019s%20Indigenous%20People%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterDESOUZA: On Sunday, Pope Francis will begin a papal trip utterly unique in the nearly 50 years of overseas papal travel. It will be a pilgrimage not to the entire Church in Canada, but tightly focused on Indigenous peoples. It will have a “penitential” character, as the Holy Father characterized it at the Angelus address last Sunday. And while most papal trips have multiple themes — history, family, youth, evangelization, justice, etc. — this one is exclusively intended to foster “reconciliation” as that term has come to be understood in Canadian politics.

Cardinal Gregory restricts Traditional Latin Mass to three chapels in Washington, DC, effective Sept. 21

Cardinal%20Gregory%20issues%20decree%20to%20implement%20Pope%20Francis%u2019%20Traditionis%20Custodes%20-%20Archdiocese%20of%20Washington: Cardinal Wilton Gregory today released a decree with the Liturgical Norms for the implementation in The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington of Traditionis Custodes, an apostolic letter issued moto proprio (“on his own impulse”) by Pope Francis in July 2021. Traditionis Custodes, which means “Guardians of the Tradition,” contains a set of norms for the celebration of what is popularly known as the Traditional Latin Mass. The decree from Cardinal Gregory states that, effective September 21, 2022, three non-parochial churches are designated as locations where the Mass according to the 1962 Roman Missal may be celebrated on Sundays.

‘Astonished’ German leaders take issue with Holy See’s latest warning about the ‘Synodal Way’

'Astonished' German leaders take issue with Holy See's latest warning about the 'Synodal Way' | Catholic News AgencyWIMMER: The latest warning by the Holy See about the risk of a new schism from Germany arising from the “Synodal Way” has been rejected and met with “astonishment” by its organizers, who in turn accused Rome of not acting like a synodal Church. However, at least one German bishop and a reform group welcomed the new intervention from the Vatican, reported CNA Deutsch, CNA’s German-language news partner.

Pope Issues Motu Proprio ‘Ad Charisma Tuendum,’ Making Changes to Opus Dei

Motu%20Proprio%20%u201CAd%20charisma%20tuendum%u201D%3A%20Questions%20and%20Answers%20-%20Opus%20Dei: The Motu Proprio Ad charisma tuendum (“For the protection of the charism”) develops and concretizes the change brought about by the Apostolic Constitution Praedicate Evangelium in transferring the competencies regarding personal prelatures from the Dicastery for Bishops to the Dicastery for the Clergy. Both the title and the introduction convey the Holy Father’s determination that this change be carried out while fully respecting the charism of Opus Dei.

The Extraordinary Form in Washington, changes for Opus Dei, and a big conversation to be had

The Extraordinary Form in Washington, changes for Opus Dei, and a big conversation to be hadCONDON: Happy Friday friends, And a very happy feast of St. Mary Magdalene. Disputed traditions identifying her as the penitent woman who anointed Christ’s feet to one side, Mary was among the women who came to the empty tomb on the first Easter. And she was the first to see the risen Lord. I have occasionally heard Mary Magdalene described as “the first Catholic journalist” because she brought the news about Christ to the disciples. This is, of course, nonsense. By this definition of “Catholic journalism” St. John the Baptist wins by some years.

How Derek Jeter’s Catholic faith and loving family helped make him a baseball superstar

Inside%20Derek%20Jeter%u2019s%20Catholic%20Roots%3A%20How%20Faith%20And%20Family%20Made%20Him%20A%20Baseball%20SuperstarLISI: Yankee Stadium was packed to the rafters. The place was as loud as it typically would get when the New York Yankees played in a World Series game. But this wasn’t the World Series. This was a 2014 regular-season game. It was also Derek Jeter’s final home game. Jeter — in his final at-bat before a sellout crowd of 48,613 that Sept. 25 — hit a game-winning single. The Yankees defeated the Baltimore Orioles 6-5. While in the on-deck circle, Jeter said he prayed for one more big hit.

Watch this amazing timelapse of an acorn turning into a little oak tree in 196 days

New Advent: Watch this amazing timelapse of an acorn turning into a little oak tree in 196 days: Some acorns might require cold stratification before they will sprout. The main stem got stuck — that’s why it sprouted two new ones instead. And it got a bit stressed by the move from the water to the pot, but it started slowly recovering after a while. See more at Boxlapse...

U.S. House Passes ‘Right to Contraception Act’ 228-195 With Implications for Abortion, Religion

Right to Contraception Act: US House Passes Bill With Implications for Abortion, Religion| National Catholic RegisterYODER: The U.S. House of Representatives voted 228-195 to pass a bill Thursday that would establish a right to access, use and provide contraceptives in federal law. The move responds to the Supreme Court’s recent decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. The July 21 vote on the Right to Contraception Act, H.R. 8373, fell largely along party lines, with eight Republicans voting with all 220 Democrats. The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration.

Eating together is the cradle of civilization

Dinner at Home: The Key Ingredient - LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: I wonder how many children—and let’s talk about households with the father in it —have the kind of time and relationship with their father that they really need. We can speak about this frankly. No pointing fingers, blame game, or self-flagellation. It’s about the children. The fact is that even conscientious fathers find it difficult to make the time and the contexts for a rich relationship with their children. Many of us know this from both sides of the situation. While blame, regret and guilt are not the answer, neither is an implicit acceptance with a shrug of the shoulders. What can I do to improve—this is the question.

The Dallas Charter needs a redo after 20 years

The Dallas Charter Needs a Redo After 20 Years| National Catholic RegisterJANETSMITH: There are various metrics by which one can judge the progress of the U.S. bishops in handling sex-abuse cases since the Dallas Charter, 20 years ago. The most obvious one is the number of cases of abuse reported to law enforcement and the Church. That metric is not without value but also can be misleading. As we know, victims almost always wait decades before reporting (after all, they were threatened minors when abused) and by that time they may not be inclined to open old wounds.

Abortion reveals two types of men

Abortion%20Reveals%20Two%20Types%20of%20Men%20%u2013%20Theology%20of%20HomeMERING: As a group of us exited the Los Angeles Cathedral, he was standing there temporarily separated from his fellow post-Dobbs protesters, holding perhaps one of the more pathetic pro-abortion signs I can remember. There’s no shortage of embarrassing slogans and signs at any given abortion rally, from the absurd to the blasphemous. “Forced Pregnancy is a violation of human rights” is an example of the former. To my knowledge, no one is proposing a law that forces anyone to get pregnant. And if an entire class of human beings is denied the most fundamental of rights—the right to live—then your appeal to human rights is bankrupt.

You should read Robert Hugh Benson’s ‘Lord of the World’ at least once in your life. Here’s the book in a nutshell...

Lord of the World in a NutshellPEARCE: Robert Hugh Benson is best known for historical fiction. In novels such as The King’s Achievement, By What Authority? and Come Rack! Come Rope! he takes the reader into the dark and deadly heart of the Tudor Terror during the reigns of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I in the sixteenth century. In The History of Richard Raynal, Solitary, the reader is taken a century further back in time to the happier, merrier England of the early fifteenth century to meet the colorful character of “Master Richard,” a holy hermit on a God-given mission.

Whenever anxious thoughts gnaw at your mind, just do what the Desert Fathers did to battle worry...

Just%20don%u2019t%21%20%AB%20Neal%20Obstat%20Theological%20OpiningNEAL: Among the ancient Desert Fathers, there was a deep concern for addressing temptation or dark thoughts — what we might call now ‘negative ideation.’ And one of the ‘thought fields’ they were most concerned with was worry — over things like health, money, security, others’ opinions, the future. They knew that worry has the unique ability to steal the precious and limited energy we are given for the here and now and spend it elsewhere. On the past or the future, on imagined scenarios and exaggerated fears. Generally, on all things out of our control.

St. Lawrence of Brindisi, pray for us!

St.%20Lawrence%20of%20Brindisi%20%u2013%20July%2021%20%7C%20Charlotte%20was%20BothWELBORN: Today is the feast day of St. Lawrence of Brindisi, a Capuchin who lived in the Counter-Reformation period. His story offers the open-minded an opportunity to learn more about the course and form of the Church throughout the ages and the varied forms that sanctity takes. I think the life and proclaimed sanctity of St. Lawrence of Brindisi points out the inadequacy of some approaches to the Catholic questions and issues. It is easy, it seems, to read the Gospels and proclaim: Engaging with power is bad. War is bad. Simplicity is good. Tolerance is good. Embrace. Mercy. Welcome. But read this saint’s story carefully. A man who apparently found it not at contradictory to give himself to Christ, hold up St. Francis of Assisi as the emblematic disciple, devote himself to attempt to convert...

Why do some people get freckles? And why don’t babies have them? Here’s the fascinating science behind freckles...

The Fascinating Science Behind What Causes Freckles | Allure: I've had freckles for as long as I can remember. As a kid, I loved the way the little spots matched my hair and the specks of brown in my eyes. I missed them when they faded in the fall and winter and wondered why I didn’t have nearly as many as my mom and sister come summer. Other than that, though, I didn’t give them a whole lot of thought. Until, overnight it seemed, everyone wanted this thing I'd always had — there were freckle filters on Snapchat and TikTok, freckle henna kits, freckle tattoos (as in the needle kind). For the first time, I became fascinated by the scientific phenomenon of my newfound beauty currency. And I learned a thing or two (or eight).

Vatican Warning: Germany’s ‘Synodal Way’ Poses ‘Threat to the Unity of the Church’

Vatican%20warning%3A%20Germany%27s%20%u2018Synodal%20Way%u2019%20poses%20%u2018threat%20to%20the%20unity%20of%20the%20Church%u2019%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20AgencyWIMMER: The Vatican has issued another warning of a new schism from Germany coming out of the “Synodal Way." “The ‘Synodal Way’ in Germany does not have the power to compel bishops and the faithful to adopt new forms of governance and new orientations of doctrine and morals,” the Vatican said in an official statement published in Italian and German on Thursday. The Holy See said it seemed “necessary to clarify” this, in order to “safeguard the freedom of the People of God and the exercise of the episcopal ministry."

Russell Crowe to Star as Father Gabriele Amorth in Upcoming Film, ‘The Pope’s Exorcist’

Russell Crowe to star as Vatican's Exorcist Father Gabriele Amorth in new film | Catholic News Agency: Actor Russell Crowe will star as the late Father Gabriele Amorth, the Vatican’s former chief exorcist, in an upcoming movie, “The Pope’s Exorcist.” Amorth performed an estimated 100,000 exorcisms up until the time of his death at age 91 in 2016. He was perhaps the world’s best-known exorcist as the author of a number of books, including “An Exorcist Tells His Story,” which inspired the upcoming movie. He was also frequently in the news for his comments on the subject of demonic forces.

The little-known Syro-Malabar liturgy war has reached a boiling point, and no one is sure if the end is in sight

The%20Church%27s%20other%20%u2018liturgy%20war%u2019%20-%20by%20Luke%20CoppenCOPPEN: It is sometimes said that Pope Francis’ 2021 apostolic letter Traditionis custodes reignited the “liturgy wars” in the Catholic Church. But for decades a liturgical dispute has raged within one of the most dynamic parts of the Catholic world. Its partisans have come literally to blows in a struggle that makes the dispute over the Traditional Latin Mass seem mild. The conflict has drawn the attention of the pope. But outside the Vatican, it remains little known - much less understood - among Western Catholics. Naturally, Latin Rite Catholics will seek to make comparisons between their own battles and this dispute. But first, it’s worth trying to grasp the specifics of the liturgical conflict within the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church.

Kidnapped priest killed in Nigeria; another escapes

Kidnapped Priest Killed in Nigeria; Another Escapes| National Catholic RegisterMCKEOWN: Following the kidnapping of two Catholic priests in central Nigeria last week, the local diocese announced July 19 that one of the two priests had escaped, while the other was killed. Fathers John Mark Cheitnum and Denatus Cleopas were abducted at around 5:45pm on July 15 at the rectory of Christ the King Catholic Church, in the town of Lere in Nigeria’s northern Kaduna State. Father Cleopas escaped with his life, but Father Cheitnum was “brutally killed” by his abductors on the day of his kidnapping, a letter from the Diocese of Kafanchan says. His funeral Mass is scheduled for July 21 at Kafanchan’s Cathedral of St. Peter.

If Pope Francis visited Ukraine, would he be welcome?

If Pope Francis Visited Ukraine, Would He Be Welcome?| National Catholic RegisterDESOUZA: The Vatican’s “foreign minister,” Archbishop Paul Gallagher, said recently that Pope Francis “wants to and he feels he should go to Ukraine.” He suggested that it might happen as early as August. Will he be welcome there? Senior bishops in Ukraine have raised questions about that, and none too subtly. While stating loudly — ostentatiously loudly? — that a papal visit would be momentous and desired, some very clear markers are being laid down. Before any such visit can proceed with local enthusiasm, the Holy Father will have to clarify his position.

Will Pope Francis rewrite the rules of papal resignation?

The Pope Emeritus Puzzle: Will Pope Francis Rewrite the Rules of Resignation?| National Catholic RegisterGAGLIARDUCCI: With speculation running rife about whether Pope Francis could resign, and whether he might retire to a residence in the Vatican Gardens like Benedict XVI, it is worth analyzing what the Pope has actually said — and how this aligns with his wider project of a reform for the Roman Curia and the Catholic Church. Speaking with the Mexican television company Televisa, Pope Francis has made it known, once again, that he does not intend to give up the Petrine ministry. If and when he does, though, he would not take the title of pope emeritus. Instead, Francis would become bishop emeritus of Rome. He would hear confessions and dedicate himself to the poor.

A key player just admitted Germany’s ‘Synodal Way’ seeks to be ‘a statement against the Catholic catechism, which reproaches homosexual activity as sin’

Official%3A%20German%20%u2018Synodal%20Way%u2019%20Is%20a%20%u2018Conscious%20Statement%20Against%20Catechism%u2019%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterWIMMER: The German “Synodal Way” is aiming to change the Church’s teaching on homosexuality by proposing “a conscious statement against the current Catholic catechism,” according to a leading protagonist of the controversial process. Marc Frings, the secretary-general of the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK), said the “Synodal Way” – sometimes referred to as “Synodal Path” — was “a conscious statement against the current Catholic catechism, which has been critical and disparaging of homosexuality since the mid-1970s and still reproaches homosexual activity as sin.”

Vatican Tells Diocese of Savannah to Eradicate All Traditional Latin Masses by May 2023, Says Bishop

Bishop: Vatican Instructs Savannah Diocese to End Traditional Latin Masses in May 2023| National Catholic RegisterMARES: Bishop Stephen Parkes of Savannah, Georgia, has announced that traditional Latin Masses in his Georgia diocese will cease in May 2023, at the request of the Vatican. The bishop said that he had requested permission from the Vatican Dicastery for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments for parishes in his diocese to offer Mass according to the 1962 Roman Missal and received a response from Rome that one parish can offer the Mass weekly and three parishes can offer the Mass monthly until May 20, 2023.

This isn’t the first time the Church has sailed into rocky waters, and it won’t be the last. Here are 12 proposals for Catholic renewal in our times

12 Proposals For Catholic Renewal In a Post-Institution Age - Catholic Missionary Disciples - College Station, TXLEJEUNE: There is a large and growing distrust with institutions in the US. In fact, it has reached record lows according to a new Gallup poll. Trust in “the church or organized religion” is at 31%, down from 37% a year ago. Read another way, 7 out of 10 Americans distrust organized religion, including the Catholic Church. But, other institutions lack the trust of the masses as well. Congress, news organizations, big businesses, the criminal justice system, the Presidency, banks, the Supreme Court, and public schools have even lower levels of trust than religion does. In general, Americans distrust institutions and this distrust is growing year after year. The Church is one of many casualties in this post-institution age.

When you choose to murmur against Christ or others, you do so at the risk of losing a soul...

When you choose to murmur against Christ or others, you do so at the risk of losing a soul. | Knowing Is DoingTORRE: It is not often that we encounter a prophet of God completely lose his senses when it comes to proclaiming God’s message to His people. However, such an incident did occur and it involved the prophet, Jeremiah. He delivers what one may describe as a holy tirade against the wickedness of a group of invaders who were allowed to conquer Israel due to Israel’s unwillingness to repent of their sins before God.

GianCarlo Canaparo: The Dobbs decision is a victory for U.S. democracy

GianCarlo Canaparo: Dobbs decision a victory for U.S. democracy: In the recent Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision that overturned Roe v. Wade and returned the abortion issue to the people in each state, the U.S. Supreme Court effectively said, “'We've got to play fair. We need to obey the terms of the Constitution and nobody gets an unfair judicial advantage in these policy fights,'” said GianCarlo Canaparo, senior legal fellow at The Heritage Foundation. “Dobbs is the most pro-democracy decision the Supreme Court has handed down in several generations.”

11 auto maintenance jobs every man can do himself

11 Auto Maintenance Jobs You Can Do In Your Garage: There was a time when nearly every man knew how to fiddle around and fix things on his car. Today, with automobiles having become more complex and technologized, the idea of working on your vehicle seems more intimidating, and most guys bring their ride into the shop whenever it has a problem or simply needs maintenance.

What was the most dangerous carnivorous dinosaur?

What Was the Most Dangerous Carnivorous Dinosaur? | Discover Magazine: Movies like the Jurassic Park franchise and TV shows like Jurassic Fight Club pit the Tyrannosaurus rex against the Velociraptor and invite us to ask, “Who would win?” But most paleontologists don’t ask this question — they’re usually more concerned about the bigger picture. How did these animals evolve and what roles did they play in their ecosystems? As researchers attempt to piece together the lives of animals that lived tens and even hundreds of millions of years ago, they unearth ever-more tantalizing clues about some of the largest, most powerful predators to walk the Earth.

There is no human explanation to account for the institution of the Catholic priesthood. What does it mean to be one of Christ’s priests?

What Does It Mean to Be a Priest of Jesus Christ?| National Catholic RegisterMARTIN: What does it mean to be a priest? Is there some distinguishing mark that separates those who are priests from others who are not? And since there are so few nowadays who choose to become one, what changes ought there to be in order to make the job more attractive? Should the Church abandon celibacy? Invite married men to apply? What about women? Why keep half the human race from joining the club?

Pheasant Island, located between France and Spain, bizarrely changes countries twice a year. But why?

Europe's island that swaps nationalities - BBC Travel: From the sublime viewpoints above San Sebastian in the Basque Country, a hiker can see one of the world's oldest, most romantic, most biblical of paths. The Camino de Santiago pilgrimage passes this way, and the Homerian traverse to Saint James' tomb in the far western corner of northern Spain is well-trodden, proselytising many and capturing minds for centuries. Each year, long-distance hikers and pilgrims come here in their hundreds of thousands, but I was not one of them. Instead of the cracked valleys winding towards churches, my destination was somewhere else entirely. A strange, uninhabited place called Pheasant Island.

God has revealed Jesus Christ as the doorway for intelligent creatures (humans and angels) to enter from time into eternity

A Catechesis for God ButchersTSAKANIKAS: Suffering is real and true and can become horrors. It can drive us to despair and hatred as it did the fictitious Gorr “The God Butcher” in the original backstory of the Thor comicbook. The recent Thor movie’s backstory of Gorr and his sufferings lacks some of the comicbook’s original heart-rending and dramatic synopsis which is more akin to the sufferings of Job. While the movie makes narcissistic false “gods” rightly hated, the comicbook hits upon the deeper sufferings which make real atheism appealing. The comicbook version is reminiscent of Vatican II’s reminder that atheism can result “from a violent protest against the evil in this world”...

Remembering Father Stu, the priest whose life inspired a movie...

Father Stu | Franciscan MagazineBECKER: By now, you’ve heard about Stuart Long and his big Hollywood debut. Long was the Montana boxer and ne’er-do-well who became a Catholic and then, against all odds, a priest. Father Stu had a rich and fruitful ministry, despite contracting a rare debilitating condition—inclusion body myositis—that cut his life short at age 50. The biopic came about after actor Mark Wahlberg determined that Long’s remarkable story should be better known. Father Stu, starring Wahlberg in the title role, opened in theaters during Holy Week. Whatever its merits, the film caused a stir among the Catholic faithful—not least due to its R rating and strong language.

Matrimony is ‘a Gospel in itself,’ and the Holy Eucharist models marriage done right

The Sacrament of the Bride and Bridegroom: The Eucharist Models Marriage Done Right - AdoremusMILLARE: In addition to the decline in the belief and understanding of the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist, there has been a decline in the number of sacramental marriages. There were 261,262 marriages in 2000 and 168,400 marriages in 2010. There were 97,200 marriages in 2021. There is no doubt that the recent pandemic has affected the number of marriages, but an alarming number of the faithful are not getting married in the Church (if at all). Similar to the crisis in belief in the Real Presence in the Eucharist, there is a lack of understanding in the significance of the meaning of marriage. Consequently, the hour is overdue to contemplate the mystery of marriage in relationship to the Holy Eucharist.

Pope Francis says he’d like to visit Russia before going to Ukraine — but this Ukrainian archbishop warns it would be a ‘disaster’

Ukraine%20bishop%20says%20it%20would%20be%20%u2018disaster%u2019%20if%20Pope%20visits%20Moscow%20before%20Kyiv%20%7C%20CruxSANMARTIN: Not only would it be a “disaster” if Pope Francis visits Russia before going to Ukraine, as the pontiff has said he’d like to do, but should that happen, Ukrainian borders actually could be closed to the pope, according to the Latin Archbishop of Lviv. “Not only the Greek Catholic faithful, but also we do not agree with all the gestures of the Holy Father towards Russia; but perhaps we do not understand his intentions and policy well,” said Archbishop Mieczysław Mokrzycki, who leads the 1.5-million Latin rite community in Ukraine.

This perfectly-timed photo of a lightning bolt under a double rainbow is spectacular

Perfect Timing: Spectacular Photo of a Lightning Bolt Under a Double Rainbow | PetaPixel: Thanks to his experience and special tools, photographer Jason Rinehart was able to position himself to capture a perfectly-timed photo of a bolt of lightning striking underneath a double rainbow.

The Prince of Peace, encyclical speculation, and keeping cool

The Prince of Peace, encyclical speculation, and keeping coolJDFLYNN: One year ago Saturday, Pope Francis promulgated Traditionis custodes, a policy that restricted significantly the celebration of the Mass and other sacraments using the liturgical books and rubrics which precede the Second Vatican Council. The move effectively reversed Benedict XVI’s broad 2007 permission for the use of those liturgical books. On its anniversary, Luke Coppen took a look at the implementation of Traditionis custodes, and spoke with people on all sides of the controversial document. This is probably the single best assessment to be published of the text and its impact on the life of the Church.

FSSP’s Father James Jackson Arrested in Kansas for Violating Terms of Pretrial Release

Father James Jackson Arrested in Kansas| National Catholic Register: Father James Jackson, a Rhode Island priest who was arrested on federal and state child pornography charges in October last year, has been arrested in Kansas for allegedly violating the conditions of his release. A court document from U.S. District Court for Kansas in Kansas City shows that Father Jackson was arrested on Friday, July 15. Danielle Thomas, a spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney’s office in Kansas, said that he was arrested in Kansas for allegedly violating the terms of his release. He is being transported to the U.S. District Court of Rhode Island to face charges there, she said.

Memo to Jordan Peterson and Dave Rubin: Mothers are irreplaceable

Memo to Jordan Peterson and Dave Rubin: Mothers Are Irreplaceable| National Catholic RegisterMORSE: I had a hard time watching Jordan Peterson’s conversation with Dave Rubin about gay parenting and transgenderism. I’m deeply disappointed in them. I’ll cut right to the chase. These men claim to be opposed to transgenderism. However, in their defense of Dave Rubin’s decision to become a father by artificial means, they concede one of the most offensive premises of transgenderism. They evidently believe that with enough money, medical technology and legal support from the state, a man can do anything a woman can do. They are literally erasing women, while congratulating themselves on how thoughtful and profound and conservative they are.

You are anxious and worried about many things. Make personal prayer your priority...

The Priority of Personal Prayer - A Meditation on the Gospel of the 16th Sunday of the Year - Community in MissionPOPE: Today’s Gospel at Mass is the very familiar one of Martha and Mary. Martha is the anxious worker seeking to please the Lord with a good meal and hospitality. Mary sits quietly at his feet and listens. One has come to be the image of work, the other of prayer. Misinterpreted? In my fifty-two years I have heard many a sermon that interpreted this Gospel passage as a call for a proper balance between work and prayer. Some have gone on to state that we all need a little of Martha and Mary in us and that the Church needs both Marthas and Marys.

Love and thunder, signifying nothing? Religion and nihilism in recent Marvel movies...

Love%20and%20thunder%2C%20signifying%20nothing%3F%20Religion%20and%20nihilism%20in%20recent%20Marvel%20movies%20%u2013%20Catholic%20World%20ReportGREYDANUS: Although religion has historically had a low profile in the MCU, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam do exist. Captain America’s famous affirmation of monotheism in The Avengers (“There’s only one God, ma’am, and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t dress like that”) may be heavily qualified by the innumerable gods seen since then, but monotheistic religion is still around. For example, Captain America: The Winter Soldier prominently featured a church funeral, and Ultron alluded to Genesis and the Gospel of Matthew in Avengers: Age of Ultron (in which, like the villains in Doctor Strange, he used an empty church for his sinister plans). On the small screen, Moon Knight is Jewish and Ms. Marvel and her family are Muslim. The conspicuously Catholic hero of Netflix’s Daredevil is retroactively MCU canon, and a new Disney+ series is in the works.

Why did young people in the past look old? And why do so many older people look young today?

New Advent: Why did young people in the past look old? And why do so many older people look young today?: Here are some of the things that might explain the phenomenon of “restrospective aging”

Lost touch with someone? Reach out. A new study suggests your friend will appreciate it more than you think...

Lost%20touch%20with%20someone%3F%20Reach%20out%20%u2013%20your%20friend%20will%20likely%20appreciate%20it%20more%20than%20you%20think: The next time you wonder whether to reach out to a friend, family member, classmate or other person who’s been out of touch for a long time, go ahead and do it. According to our just-published research, it’s likely they’ll appreciate it more than you think. In a series of 13 experiments involving over 5,900 participants, we – along with colleagues SoYon Rim and Kate Min – wanted to investigate whether people accurately predict how much their social contacts appreciate being reached out to.

Can Baby get us out of our intractable abortion corner? Actress Jennifer Grey warns abortion is ‘such a grave decision. And it stays with you’

Jennifer Grey & Abortion: Can Baby Get Us Out of Our Intractable Abortion Corner? | National ReviewLOPEZ: The title of Jennifer Grey’s recent memoir, Out of the Corner, is a play on the famous line from the late Patrick Swayze’s character in the movie they are both best known for, Dirty Dancing. Her character was nicknamed “Baby,” and he said, “No one puts Baby in a corner” to her family, who did just that. Of course, if you are a Generation Xer or older, I may not have to tell you this. The soundtrack roped many of us in.

Vatican Confirms Ban on German Lay Group ‘Totus Tuus New Evangelization’ Linked to Medjugorje

Vatican confirms ban on German lay group linked to Medjugorje | Crux: Last week the Vatican backed the decision made in fall 2021 by Bishop Felix Genn of Münster to dissolve a lay association in his diocese, whose foundations are tied to the Marian apparitions in Medjugorje, and which was charged with alleged spiritual abuse. Recognized in 2004 by the Diocese of Münster as a private association of believers under diocesan law, the “Totus Tuus New Evangelization” group has roots going back to the 1980s and was founded by a German couple named Leon and Birgit Dolenec after the two said they experienced conversions in Medjugorje.

The Martyrdom of ‘the Most Beautiful Woman in Europe’

The%20Martyrdom%20of%20%u2018the%20Most%20Beautiful%20Woman%20in%20Europe%u2019%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterTURLEY: Described as “the most beautiful woman in Europe,” she was to marry a prince. And yet that same woman was to end her last days in the service of the sick and the poor, wearing only the plain garb of a nun, eventually, to die in an industrial wasteland as a martyr for her Christian faith. A journey that started for her on the Mount of Olives, and continued with the Cross being laid on her shoulders on a February day in 1905, was ended as she began an ascent of Calvary to make her final oblation in July 1918.

Exorcist warns witches that casting spells will come back to haunt them

Exorcist Warns Witches that Casting Spells Will Come Back to Haunt Them| National Catholic RegisterARMSTRONG: “What is it you need?” Father Patrick asked when he returned my call. Father Patrick (not his real name) is a parish priest who has been a diocesan exorcist for 7 years. He seems to be busy from morning to night so like many of our interviews, he squeezed me in on his way to an appointment. “I was hoping for your comments about a trend among young adult feminists to use witchcraft and cast spells,” I explained. “Feminists? That’s never easy to talk about because there are all different types, but I can tell you that casting spells is malicious. You are trying to control something. And what are the powers being called on? It’s not Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Anything called on is going to be tainted.”

Pondering the lack of a ‘loyal opposition’ in Pope Francis’ college of cardinals

Pondering%20the%20lack%20of%20a%20%u2018loyal%20opposition%u2019%20in%20Francis%u2019s%20College%20of%20Cardinals%20%7C%20CruxALLEN: At the time of Pope John Paul II’s death in April 2005, there were 117 cardinals under the age of 80 eligible to elect his successor. Two were unable to participate for health reasons, which meant that 115 cardinals filed into the Sistine Chapel when the conclave got underway. Since John Paul had reigned for almost 27 years, all but two of those 115 cardinals had been named by him – only Joseph Ratzinger of Germany and William Baum of the United States had been given their red hats by Pope Paul VI.

Abraham, Martha, and Our Lord

Abraham, Martha, and Our Lord | Parishable ItemsFELTES: In this Sunday’s readings, Abraham and Martha play host and hostess to our Lord. The Book of Genesis tells how “the Lord appeared to Abraham… as he sat in the entrance of his tent,” and that Abraham ran to offer his three visitors hospitality. Today’s gospel from Luke recounts how “Jesus entered a village where… Martha welcomed him.” Both Abraham and Martha served the Lord but Martha, unlike Abraham, receives a gentle correction from him. So in what ways did Martha and Abraham’s actions differ?

Pope’s Sunday Angelus: ‘Listen to Jesus — Everything Else Comes After’

Pope at Angelus: 'Listen to Jesus, everything else comes after' - Vatican News: Addressing the faithful gathered in St Peter's Square for the Sunday Angelus, Pope Francis described the day's liturgy, which presents us with the story of Martha and Mary, two sisters offering hospitality to Jesus in their home. The Pope recounts that Martha welcomes the guests whilst Mary sits at Jesus' feet to listen to him until Martha turns to him and asks him to tell Mary to help her. Martha's complaint does not seem out of place; indeed, we feel we are agreeing with her, said the Pope. Yet Jesus answers her: “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things, but few things are needed. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her”.

Signs may be pointing to a papal trip to Ukraine before the end of the summer

Signs may point to Ukraine papal trip before summer ends | CruxSANMARTIN: Although the idea of a papal visit to Ukraine was in the air even before the Feb. 24 Russian invasion, it wasn’t until this week that several figures in the know began speaking of a “realistic” possibility that Pope Francis may travel to Kyiv before the summer ends. In an interview published Monday on the Vix streaming channel of Noticias Univision 24/7, Pope Francis said that the visit “could be soon.” He also acknowledged that, despite having offered to go to Moscow, too, the Vatican has received no response from Russia.

‘Wear the brown scapular, pray the Rosary’ — Why Our Lady of Mount Carmel appeared at Fatima

Wear%20the%20Scapular%2C%20Pray%20the%20Rosary%20%u2014%20Why%20Our%20Lady%20of%20Mount%20Carmel%20Appeared%20at%20Fatima%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterPRONECHEN: “Yes, the Rosary and the scapular are inseparable,” Sister Lúcia said during an interview with two Carmelite priests, one a prior from New York, visiting with her in 1949. One Carmelite Father Donald O’Callaghan again asked if she “thought the scapular was a part of the Fatima message.” Lúcia answered, “Most definitely, the scapular and the Rosary are inseparable. The scapular is a sign of consecration to Our Lady.” Fittingly, this meeting took place on Sept. 13. Exactly 32 years earlier, Our Lady had appeared to the Fatima children on Sept. 13 and told them:

Losers and generosity — the uplifting story of Art Garfunkel and his friend Sandy

Losers and Generosity | Catholic CulturePOKORSKY: Losers come in many shapes and forms and emerge from unexpected places. The priests and Levites who avoided the wounded traveler in the Parable of the Prodigal Son were members of the Jewish elites, but they were selfish losers. The Samaritan was an apostate Jew. Moved with compassion, he alone sacrificed his time and money to care for the stranger. Jesus asks the “scholar of the law”: “Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?” The scholar—also one of the elite—must have felt a bit uncomfortable. He couldn’t even bring himself to pronounce “Samaritan.” So he responds, “The one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” Imagine that. Imitate an unbeliever.

Viewer beware: ‘Big Hero 6’ just lost its biggest hero

Viewer%20Caveat%3A%20%u2018Big%20Hero%206%u2019%20Just%20Lost%20Its%20Biggest%20Hero%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterCOTE: Big Hero 6 just lost its (literally) biggest hero to the “LGBTQ+” agenda within Disney. In the latest Disney+ series, Baymax! the big, beloved, cuddly Baymax is no longer a personal health-care assistant, but a catalyst for Disney’s “LGBTQ+” agenda. Big Hero 6, released in 2014, remains a remarkable family-friendly film, telling the powerful story of Hiro Hamada. After Hiro loses his older brother, Tadashi Hamada, in a fire, he slowly learns to heal and overcome this tragic loss — saving his entire city from an evil villain in the process with a team of heroes.

‘Greater than all the Milky Ways in the universe’ — God and NASA’s new James Webb Space Telescope images

%u2018Greater%20Than%20all%20The%20Milky%20Ways%20In%20The%20Universe%u2019%3A%20God%20and%20the%20New%20NASA%20Images%20%7C%20Ex%20Corde%20at%20Benedictine%20CollegeSHINGLEDECKER: The five spectacular images that have just been released by NASA’s new James Webb Space Telescope tell a story about the universe and reveal new, never before seen details that promise many more to come in the future. They also tell a story about human beings and God. On Christmas, 2021, a fragile cylinder of metal shot from the edge of an equatorial jungle and began to thread its way through the atmospheric gases of a terrestrial planet in the Sol system. As the cylinder broke free of the last lonely molecules of air tenuously held by the ever weakening gravity, it suddenly blossomed like a flower, revealing an even smaller, intricately folded device of gold and silver gossamer.

How can stock trading (or any other job) be a path to sainthood?

How Can Stock Trading (or Any Other Job) Be a Path to Sainthood?| National Catholic RegisterBRUGGER: A stock is a small piece of ownership in a company purchased with hopes that the company’s value will increase over time and so produce a profit for the stockholder. Presuming a company is not involved in gravely immoral practices, and presuming the money one invests is not irresponsibly earmarked (i.e., should be spent caring for one’s prior duties, such as family, etc.), to purchase and trade a stock within the parameters set by the law is morally licit. And doing so using technical analysis tools to chart performance and predict future market behavior, all aimed at making a profit, is licit.

The War of the Conciliar Succession, continued

The War of the Conciliar Succession, continuedWEIGEL: While I’ve never been able to remember the details of the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714) and the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748), I’ve riffed on those monikers to denominate a major struggle over the meaning of the Second Vatican Council: the “War of the Conciliar Succession.” As I explained in my book, The Irony of Modern Catholic History, the War of the Conciliar Succession was not a brawl between stereotypical Catholic “traditionalists” and Catholic “liberals.” Rather, it was a battle within the ranks of the reformist theologians at Vatican II, which erupted while the Council was still underway. And it eventually split the reformist camp into hostile parties whose contrasting positions were honed and debated in two journals, Concilium and Communio.

Desiderio Desideravi: Connecting some papal dots

Desiderio Desideravi: Connecting Some Papal Dots| National Catholic RegisterCHAPP: With the issuance of the apostolic letter Desiderio Desideravi Pope Francis has once again, for better or for worse, stirred the liturgical pot. He has shown little interest in liturgy for most of his papacy, but over the past year, and beginning with Traditionis Custodes, he has shown increasing interest in the liturgical debates that have occupied so many in the Church for so long.

Does butter really need to be refrigerated?

Does Butter Really Need to Be Refrigerated?: You can tell a lot about a person by where they store their butter. In the refrigerator? They’re probably overly cautious about safe food practices and they don’t mind struggling with an uncooperative stick that needs to be mashed into toast. On the counter? They’re too busy to bother with spreading issues. They want something the consistency of yogurt.

House Approves Bills Supporting Abortion Nationwide, But Odds Dim for Passage in Senate

House votes to restore abortion rights, Senate odds dim | AP News: The House has voted to restore abortion rights nationwide in Democrats’ first legislative response to the Supreme Court’s landmark decision overturning Roe v. Wade. The bill has little chance of becoming law, with the necessary support lacking in the 50-50 Senate. Yet voting marks the beginning of a new era in the debate as lawmakers, governors and legislatures grapple with the impact of the court’s decision. The legislation passed 219-210. The House also passed a second bill to prohibit punishment for a woman or child who decides to travel to another state to get an abortion, 223-205.

If you think that merely empowering laity will bolster the Church, look at Italy’s turmoil, and think again...

Why%20Italy%u2019s%20turmoil%20may%20hold%20lessons%20for%20the%20lay%20role%20in%20the%20Church%20%7C%20CruxALLEN: In the abstract, one might think Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, nicknamed “Super Mario” in homage to the classic video game, today should be almost politically invulnerable. Draghi, 74, has been the strongest European leader on Ukraine, and, in the absence of Germany’s Angela Merkel, is now arguably the most respected leader in the European Union. He’s pushed through an ambitious COVID-19 recovery plan, and given Italy the stability it so often lacks.

This Sunday, Martha bested Mary in the end — and so can you

This%20Sunday%2C%20Martha%20Bested%20Mary%20In%20the%20End%20%u2014%20And%20So%20Can%20You%20%7C%20Ex%20Corde%20at%20Benedictine%20CollegeHOOPES: Jesus comes over for dinner at the house of friends in the Gospel for the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C, and one host, Mary, we are told, “sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak,” while her sister Martha “burdened with much serving, came to him and said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” Jesus’ reply to Martha has been used as a lesson ever since, but we often forget how thoroughly it changed one person’s life and legacy: Martha herself.

In defense of geocentrism, and other news

In defense of geocentrism, and other news - by Ed. CondonCONDON: If I am being honest, I have never been all that close to the Franciscan order — that’s not a comment on them, it’s just a fact. It simply wasn’t my good fortune to have had all that much contact with Franciscans, or their schools and other institutions growing up. The loss was mine. But I have always been deeply struck by the Francis-Bonaventure dynamic of their founding, and theirs is an example I often reference when talking about the life of the Church.

See the World War I Battle of Verdun recreated in stop-motion animation with Legos

New Advent: See the Battle of Verdun recreated in stop-motion animation with Legos: The Battle of Verdun was the longest and one of the bloodiest battles of World War I...

New Poll Finds Half of Catholic Likely Voters Believe in the Real Presence

Poll finds half of Catholic likely voters believe in the Real Presence | Catholic News AgencyBUNDERSON: A poll released this week found that of Catholic likely voters in the U.S., half believe in the Real Presence of the Eucharist, and 37% go to confession at least annually. RealClear Opinion Research conducted an online survey of 1,757 Catholic likely voters June 15-23. Conducted in English and Spanish, the poll carries a 95% credibility level of plus or minus 2.58 percentage points.

Turns out all this UFO alien talk, even in the New York Times, is coming from one tiny self-interested group

All This UFO Alien Talk Comes From One Tiny Self-Interested Group | Cracked.com: Based on headlines these last couple years, we're experiencing some kind of revolution in our quest for contact with aliens. But we aren't. Oh, every day's a good day for speculating about aliens—we at Cracked have been doing it all week—but this news about aliens has come in two forms, both of them misinterpreted and exaggerated.

Don’t be scared of the shooters...

David Mills: Don't be scared of the shooters | Pittsburgh Post-GazetteMILLS: She used to march in parades, but now she has two elementary school boys who’ve never even seen one. She worries that they might get shot. She feels bad about this, but she has no choice. “Gun violence is not just killing America's children,” Theresa Vargas writes, “but also American childhood experiences.” But it’s not. She’s preventing her children from having them. Writing in The Washington Post, Ms. Vargas explains...

When you work for the Church in some way, you need to set good boundaries (and stick to them) to be fruitful

You Need Boundaries To Be Fruitful in Ministry - Catholic Missionary Disciples - College Station, TXLEJEUNE: If you work in a parish, diocese, apostolate, or ministry, then you probably know what it is like to work long hours and feel the weight having to get things done. You probably have a heart for serving God and the Church. But, you may feel over-worked, under-appreciated, and stretched thin. It doesn't have to be that way.

Civil Claim Brought in Australian Court Against Cardinal Pell and Archdiocese of Melbourne

Civil claim brought against Cardinal Pell and Australian Archdiocese | Catholic News Agency: An Australian court on Thursday heard from the lawyer representing a man seeking legal action against the Catholic Church and Cardinal George Pell. The man is the father of a former choirboy, who prosecutors alleged had been abused by Pell. His son died from an accidental drug overdose in 2014, having never made a complaint against Pell.

Here are the world’s best airlines for 2022, ranked from 1 to 20

World's best airlines for 2022, ranked by AirlineRatings.com | CNN Travel: It’s been an unusual couple of years for the aviation industry. After months of pandemic-related groundings, travel's returned not with a bang, but with a bit of a whimper, as many global airlines and airports struggle with cancellations and delays. In the midst of this chaotic season of travel, Australia-based aviation safety and product rating agency AirlineRatings.com has released its annual round-up of the world's best airlines.

Now that Roe v. Wade is no more, the GOP is taking a fresh look at paid family leave

GOP takes a fresh look at paid family leave: Republicans are taking a renewed interest in paid family leave — traditionally a Democratic priority — in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade. Why it matters: Republicans urgently want to establish themselves as pro-woman and pro-family, as critics accuse the party of caring about children only before they're born. The big picture: The U.S. is one of only six countries that doesn't guarantee paid leave to new mothers. And of the states that have banned abortion in the wake of the Supreme Court's ruling, none have a leave policy.

Pope Francis considers it an ‘incoherence’ that President Biden, a Catholic, supports abortion — but says, ‘Let Biden talk to his pastor about it’

Pope%20Francis%20considers%20it%20an%20%u2018incoherence%u2019%20that%20President%20Biden%2C%20a%20Catholic%2C%20supports%20abortion%20rights%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: Pope Francis has described it as an "incoherence" that President Joe Biden, a Catholic, is in favor of legal abortion. During an interview with Univisión and Televisa broadcast July 12, Pope Francis spoke about abortion and Biden's position, after being asked about whether to admit politicians who promote legal abortion to Holy Communion. The Holy Father affirmed that there is scientific data that show that “a month after conception, the DNA of the fetus is already there and the organs are aligned. There is human life.”

Meet the 3 women that will help Pope Francis choose bishops in the Catholic Church

Meet the 3 women that would help Pope Francis choose bishops in the Catholic Church | Catholic News Agency: Pope Francis on Wednesday named three women to the Dicastery of Bishops, the Vatican office responsible for evaluating new members of the Catholic Church’s hierarchy. The two religious sisters and one consecrated virgin are the first women to ever be named members of the dicastery.

Pope Francis: ‘If I resign one day, I’ll hear confessions and visit the sick’

Pope%3A%20%u2018If%20I%20resign%20one%20day%2C%20I%u2019ll%20hear%20confessions%20and%20visit%20the%20sick%u2019%20%7C%20CruxSANMARTIN: In yet another wide-ranging interview, Pope Francis said Monday that he doesn’t plan to step down anytime soon, though he prays for the strength to do so when the time is right. If the day comes when he does resign, the pontiff said he would prefer to be considered the “bishop emeritus of Rome rather than pope emeritus” and to dedicate his time to the confession of the faithful, the practice of charity, and visiting the sick in some Italian parish.

A Heaven-sent hug: Spiritual openness, asking and listening and doing, is a skill to practice

A Heaven-Sent Hug | Parishable ItemsFELTES: Last month, a parishioner told me she looked forward to the great stories I would bring back from vacation. Today, I would like to tell you the best story from my time away. It’s actually a story of Tori, the wife of a former college roommate I visited. It is a God story which all involved are happy to share with others, and this story is entirely true. Tori worked ten years at a Christian school in Oregon with a much-beloved Bible teacher named Dave. He was like a father figure for her. Tori did not really know his wife, Marcy, but he often spoke of her in glowing terms. When Tori had left her teaching job and moved away, Dave was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer shortly after his retirement. Dave and Marcy helped keep their friends and family in the loop through their joint Facebook account until he passed in 2017.

Many African tribes use clicks in their language — here’s a great 3-minute explainer on what each of those sounds means

New%20Advent%3A%20Many%20African%20tribes%20use%20clicks%20in%20their%20language%20%u2014%20here%u2019s%20a%20great%203-minute%20explainer%20on%20what%20each%20of%20those%20sounds%20means: Many of the South African Tribes use click sounds in their language, this is a great Zulu click lesson with Sakhile from Safari and Surf Wilderness Adventures...

To know how the James Webb Space Telescope works, it helps to understand these 5 amazing “parking spaces of space”

New%20Advent%3A%20To%20learn%20how%20the%20James%20Webb%20Space%20Telescope%20works%2C%20it%20helps%20to%20understand%20the%20Lagrange%20points%2C%20%u201Cthe%20parking%20spaces%20of%20space%u201D: The Lagrange Points are places where the forces acting on an object are perfectly balanced so that its orbit does not change. The James Webb Space Telescope will be parked near the Earth’s L2 point. There are thousands of asteroids near Jupiter’s Lagrange points which are called the “trojans”.

Back to the Sixties? Pontifical Academy for Life Pushes for Departure from Catholic Doctrine on Contraception

Back to the Sixties? Pontifical Academy for Life Pushes for Departure from Doctrine on Contraceptive Sex| National Catholic RegisterLIEDL: Fifty-five years ago, St. Pope Paul VI promulgated Humanae Vitae, a papal encyclical that unequivocally clarified the Church’s perennial opposition to artificially contracepted sex. Although this teaching faced resistance from several theologians and even bishops at the time, it has been reaffirmed and further developed by subsequent papal teaching, from St. John Paul II’s Evangelium Vitae to the current version of the Catechism of the Catholic Church recently revised by Pope Francis, which describes the practice as “intrinsically evil.”

Pope Francis appoints Bishop Chad Zielinski of Fairbanks to lead Minnesota’s Diocese of New Ulm

Pope Francis appoints Fairbanks bishop Zielinski to lead Minnesota diocese | Catholic News Agency: Pope Francis on Tuesday appointed former Air Force chaplain and Fairbanks Bishop Chad Zielinski to lead the Diocese of New Ulm, Minnesota. The seat of the Diocese of New Ulm, which covers almost 10,000 square miles southwest of Minneapolis, has been vacant since August 2020, when Bishop John M. LeVoir resigned at age 74 for health reasons. Zielinski, 57, has been bishop of Fairbanks since 2014. He will be installed in the Diocese of New Ulm on Sept. 27.

‘The dawn of a new era in astronomy has begun’ as NASA unveils first Images from the James Webb Space Telescope

First Images from the James Webb Space Telescope | NASA: The dawn of a new era in astronomy has begun as the world gets its first look at the full capabilities of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, a partnership with ESA (European Space Agency) and CSA (Canadian Space Agency). The telescope’s first full-color images and spectroscopic data were released during a televised broadcast at 10:30 a.m. EDT (14:30 UTC) on Tuesday, July 12, 2022, from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. These listed targets below represent the first wave of full-color scientific images and spectra the observatory has gathered, and the official beginning of Webb’s general science operations. They were selected by an international committee of representatives from NASA, ESA, CSA, and the Space Telescope Science Institute.

Archbishop Alexander Sample: ‘If you’re a Catholic who supports abortion, I beg you, please repent and go to confession. If you don’t, you put your immortal soul at risk’

How to Answer 5 Key Questions About Abortion and the Catholic Church| National Catholic RegisterSAMPLE: If you’re a Catholic who openly advocates for and supports abortion, then you need to know that the Church is very clear. That is a very grave matter. And I have a real pastoral concern for you. I mean that. I beg you, please repent, go to confession, be reconciled to God. If you don’t, you put your immortal soul at risk. I beg you. Please don’t do that. Let Jesus change your heart. He can. Jesus changes everything.

On the balance of love and correction, according to St. Gregory

On the Balance of Love and Correction according to St. Gregory. - Community in MissionPOPE: Applying salutary discipline, and balancing it with necessary consolations and encouragement is never an easy task. It is possible that a parents can be too severe on their children, such that they become disheartened, and lack necessary self-esteem. But it is also possible that parents can be too lax such that their children become spoiled and lack proper self-discipline and humility. Hence Scripture seeking to balance teaching with encouragement says, Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord...

No, Benedict XVI is not dead

Breaking: Benedict XVI is not dead - by JD FlynnJDFLYNN: Last night an Italian schoolteacher named Tommaso De Benedetti created a moral panic online, with a hoax that seems to have been in the works for nearly a year. Back in August 2021, the guy created a Twitter account for Bishop Georg Bätzing, who is president of the German bishops’ conference. The account managed to amass thousands of followers. He didn’t use the account, but he built that following by strategically following the right people, and allowing the Twitter algorithms to do the rest. Then yesterday evening, he tweeted in German, English, and Spanish that Pope emeritus Benedict XVI had died.

Twitter Hoaxer Raises Alarm With False Report of Benedict XVI’s Passing

Twitter hoaxer raises alarm with false report of Benedict XVI's passing | Catholic News Agency: A bogus Twitter account using the name of Georg Bätzing, the head of the German Bishops’ Conference, tweeted a false report Monday that Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI had died. The account, using the handle @BischofBatzing, was later removed. Before disappearing, the same account posted that the false report on the passing of the still-living 95-year-old retired pope was the work of infamous Italian Twitter hoaxer Tommasso De Benedetti.

Dr. Ray Guarendi: How to master your anger and frustration

Dr. Ray Guarendi: How to master anger and frustration: Dr. Guarandi said, I realize that 90 percent of what I did that I regret would come from an emotional surge. ... Emotion doesn't last very long unless you feed it. If I can shut my mouth for 15 seconds and not say what I most had the urge to say, 15 seconds later the emotional surge will be probably cut in half. And then I will be able to control it...

Luke Skywalker wants you to fear the Joker — and these scare tactics and government attacks are from the pits of hell

Abortion Debate: Scare Tactics Not the Answer | National ReviewLOPEZ: Mark Hamill, best known for his Star Wars role, took to Twitter over Independence Day weekend to mock pro-lifers who are willing to adopt babies of women who choose adoption over abortion. He used cartoon villains, one of which he does the voiceover for, to add to what is already an unnecessary, overwrought climate of fear being fueled by celebrities, politicians, and the media in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade.

Are These the Two Women Pope Francis Will Soon Appoint to the Dicastery of Bishops?

Are these the two women Pope Francis will appoint to the Dicastery of Bishops? | Catholic News AgencyGAGLIARDUCCI: The two new female members of the Dicastery of Bishops are likely two religious sisters already well-known in the Vatican, a source has told Catholic News Agency. Pope Francis announced that he would soon appoint two women among the members of the Dicastery for Bishops in an interview with Reuters. Up until now, members of the dicastery were rarely non-bishops, and certainly never women, even if they are as experienced as the two likely to be announced.

Pope’s Sunday Angelus: ‘Pray to See Others as God Sees Them’

Pope Francis: Pray to see others as God sees them | Catholic News AgencyBROCKHAUS: Pray for the grace to see and treat others with the compassion of God, Pope Francis said on Sunday. In his message before the Angelus July 10, the pope spoke about the Parable of the Good Samaritan and the responsibility to help those in need. Rather than “pointing fingers at others” who do not help the poor, or blaming ourselves for our mistakes, “I would like to suggest another type of exercise to you all,” he said from a window overlooking St. Peter’s Square.

What does it mean when someone accuses others of ‘rejecting Vatican II?’

What Does it Mean to Reject Vatican II?STAUDT: Pope Francis has repeatedly called attention to what he views as a growing rejection of the Second Vatican Council. Speaking to editors of European Jesuit journals on May 19, he related this view: “It is very difficult to see spiritual renewal using old-fashioned criteria. We need to renew our way of seeing reality, of evaluating it … Restorationism has come to gag the Council. The number of groups of ‘restorers’ — for example, in the United States there are many — is significant ... They had never accepted the Council.” Commenting on these remarks, Ed Condon at The Pillar made an important clarification: “Vatican II is more of a feeling, or state of mind, than an historical event that produced tangible documents.” An outright rejection of the Council is rare, although many people have questioned the effectiveness of the pastoral and liturgical approach that sought to implement the Council’s vision. In the ongoing debate over Vatican II, I would identify three major areas that express the “idea” of the Council: liturgy, conscience, and synodality.

The lessons of Russian warmaking

The lessons of Russian warmakingWEIGEL: Four and a half months after Russia invaded Ukraine on the Orwellian pretext of displacing a “Nazi” regime — a regime that enjoys a democratic legitimacy absent from Russia for two decades — what have we learned about, and from, the Russian way of war? We have learned that the Russian way of war is inept strategically, tactically and logistically: an army using inferior equipment, bereft of competent non-commissioned officers, and replete with ill-trained draftees; an army that relies on brute force to bludgeon its way toward its objectives. We have learned that the Russian way of war willfully obliterates cities and deliberately destroys economic infrastructure.

The trilemma of C.S. Lewis: Is there evidence that Jesus ever lived?

The Trilemma of C. S. Lewis: Is There Evidence That Jesus Ever Lived?CLARK: Employing an argument popularized by C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity, Christian apologists often point out that there are only three basic possibilities about Jesus. In claiming He was God, Jesus was either: 1) a liar, 2) insane, or 3) God. This is sometimes referred to as “Lewis’s Trilemma.” Lewis’s observation is not only logical but universally applicable, meaning that anyone who claims to be God is either a liar, insane, or God. In this series of articles, we will investigate these possibilities. But before we arrive at those, we are going to address two possible prior arguments:

You aren’t the one being judged

You aren't the one being judged - by Tim ClarkTIMCLARK: Recently, I had a conversation with the mother of several young children. She relayed that she was hesitant to visit some of her extended family because of the negative opinions that are sometimes offered to her about her decision to have “so many” children. “I just don’t like being judged,” she said. I knew exactly what she meant, but I wanted to let her in on the secret to these judgements that I discovered for myself. So I told her, “They aren’t judging you; they’re judging themselves.”