St. John Bosco reminds us that the soul must be both nurtured and nourished toward a relationship with Jesus Christ

St. John Bosco reminds us that the soul must be both nurtured and nourished toward a relationship with Jesus Christ | Knowing Is DoingTORRE: The evangelist St. John the Baptist introduces us to the drama that affects every human being when he reminds both Jews and Gentiles to repent and believe in the Gospel. The battle of good and evil we inherit at birth reveals the Baptist’s initial message to the entire world, focused on the need to renounce sin and make a profession of faith to God the Father. The message to repent reflects the need to nurture the soul, and the message to believe in the Word of God reflects the need to nourish the soul.

New podcast: Exploring the Catechism of the Council of Trent (in less than a year)

New Podcast Announcement: Exploring The Catechism of the Council of Trent (in less than a year) | Classical Catholic EducationLANGLEY: Friends, I have long been interested in exploring The Catechism of The Council of Trent on lionandox. Inspired by the popular Fr. Mike Schmitz and his podcasts The Bible in a Year, and now The Catechism in a Year, it seemed to me (as imitation is the highest form of flattery), that we could do no better than Exploring The Catechism of the Council of Trent, intending that we also would complete the project in a year!

Bosco, a “polarization” warning, and running aground

Bosco, a 'polarization' warning, and running agroundJDFLYNN: Pope Francis departed this morning on a trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo, and to South Sudan. The pontiff was supposed to take this trip last year, but he couldn’t, because of his health. But he’s off now, and a lot of local Catholics have high hopes for the papal journey — in fact, in South Sudan, one priest organizer said recently that...

How the CIA helped subsidize the work of the “Rosary Priest,” Venerable Patrick Peyton

The CIA and the Rosary Priest: Venerable Patrick Peyton, CSC | Church Life Journal | University of Notre Dame: There was a time when Fr. Patrick Peyton was a household name. It was a time when he regularly spoke to crowds of over a million, when souls lined up to be saved and hardened hearts were transformed by grace everywhere he went. And then Rome told him to back off. And he did. He did not start a schism. He did not complain to the press. Rome had spoken. Case closed. Fr. Peyton’s covert million-dollar deal with the CIA was off.

Independent commission report: Jean Vanier’s L’Arche was an unwitting cover for “L’Eau Vive,” an abusive “mystical-sexual” sect

r: Two years after abuse allegations against L’Arche’s late founder Jean Vanier were made public, an investigation shows the secret was “carefully maintained for decades.” From the famous Christian community he developed in Trosly-Breuil, France, the Catholic theologian and leader perpetuated a hidden “mystical-sexual” sect. Over a nearly 70-year period, Vanier violated at least 25 women—all of them adults without disabilities—during prayer and spiritual devotion.

What happened when a Baptist preacher’s kid discovered the healing power of Confession

The Healing Power of Confession - Lauren De Witt - The Coming Home Network: As a Baptist preacher’s kid, Lauren De Witt struggled with the idea of “once saved, always saved,” because she constantly wondered if her patterns of sin meant she was never saved in the first place. Her experience of professional therapy was extremely helpful to her in sorting out the practical details of how to address questions of mental health, but when she discovered the Sacrament of Confession in the Catholic Church...

Father John Hollowell, of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, says he was healed of a brain tumor while visiting Lourdes, France

Priest With Brain Tumor Says He Was Healed While Visiting Lourdes: "I'm Very Excited": Fr. John Hollowell of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis announced on Jan. 30 that he was healed of a brain tumor while visiting Lourdes, France. The pastor of Annunciation Catholic Church in Brazil, Indiana was first diagnosed with a brain tumor in early 2020. He decided to offer all of his suffering for the victims of clergy abuse.

Marie Kondo is my hero because she’s courageously showing people that you can change how you act and still be yourself. In fact, you have to...

Marie Kondo and the life-changing magic of being yourself - Our Sunday Visitor: As a lifelong untidy person, Marie Kondo is my hero. I have never read her book, “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” or seen her Netflix shows. I have no plans to stop being untidy. But I want to be just like her. Let me back up a bit. When Marie Kondo first made her tasteful splash on the homemaker scene, many of my mom friends swooned at the idea of becoming entirely new people...

Concerning Pope Francis, hockey, Pride night and putting “scare quotes” around “beliefs”

Concerning%20Pope%20Francis%2C%20hockey%2C%20Pride%20night%20and%20putting%20%27scare%20quotes%27%20around%20%27beliefs%27%20%u2014%20GetReligionMATTINGLY: I have no idea if Pope Francis follows professional hockey — but that really isn’t what this post is about. This post starts with some fascinating “scare quotes” in a headline with a Reuters report about another Pride Night controversy in the National Hockey League. The use of “scare quotes” is a topic that, to put it mildly, consistently pushes buttons for GetReligion readers. Once again, here is a Merriam-Website definition of that term...

Cardinal McElroy’s call to downplay chastity, in the wake of the sex abuse crisis, is jaw-dropping. Don’t fall for it...

Cardinal Screwtape - The American Conservative: This essay in the Jesuit magazine America, by Cardinal Robert McElroy of San Diego, brings the dubious insights of Critical Theory to the life of the Catholic Church. It is an astonishing document that lays bare the agenda of Pope Francis — who made McElroy a cardinal — and his supporters to radicalize Catholicism. This is something we all should pay attention to, even non-Catholics. The woke are storming the citadel of Western religion.

Jury Acquits Mark Houck of FACE Act Charges in Rebuke to ‘Outrageous’ FBI Raid, ‘Abusive’ DOJ Prosecution

UPDATE%3A%20Mark%20Houck%20cleared%20of%20FACE%20Act%20charges%20in%20rebuke%20to%20Justice%20Department%u2019s%20aggressive%20prosecution%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: Pro-life activist Mark Houck was found not guilty Monday on federal assault charges stemming from a shoving incident outside a Philadelphia abortion clinic. Supporters of the Catholic father of seven cried and hugged one another after the verdict was read in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia. Following his acquittal, Houck told reporters outside the courthouse that “it’s a relief,” adding that he feels “overjoyed” and “blessed.”

A terrible unity: Tyre Nichols cries out and the nation hears

A terrible unity: Tyre Nichols cries out and the nation hearsSCALIA: The call, the voices — they come like distant echoes, and always when I am least expecting it. Often, they resound through my memory in those shadowed minutes before sleep comes. “Mama!” The small piping voice of a little one, excitedly seeking my attention to share a new discovery. “Mom!” The panicked holler for assistance because the adolescent has done something unwise, as adolescents do. “Ma!” The collegiate-cool bark of a young man who has decided that “Mom” (or “Mommy”) sounded wrong riding on basso profundo air.

Julia Greeley — former slave, Catholic convert, Servant of God, Secret Angel to the Poor

Julia%20Greeley%3A%20Secret%20Angel%20to%20the%20Poor%20%u2013%20EpicPewJESSICAMCAFEE: In a world of picture books that are mostly hot topics and all about self, instead of others, this book was a breath of fresh air. Packed with simple, but deep lessons to take in and begin applying just as the characters in the book find themselves doing as they interact with the selfless Julia Greeley, Secret Angel to the Poor. Julia Greeley makes those who don’t really know her a little uncomfortable...

Pope Francis Names Bishop Robert Prevost — Chicago Native, Peru Missionary — Head of Vatican’s Dicastery for Bishops

Pope%20Francis%20names%20Chicago%20native%20head%20of%20Vatican%20Bishops%u2019%20department: Pope Francis has named Bishop Robert Francis Prevost O.S.A. to lead the Dicastery for Bishops, the Vatican announced on Monday, ending months of speculation about who would succeed Cardinal Marc Ouellet as head of the department which oversees episcopal nominations and discipline.

Letter From Benedict XVI Reveals ‘Central Motive’ for His Resignation Was Chronic Insomnia, Says Biographer Peter Seewald

Letter%20from%20Benedict%20XVI%20reveals%20the%20%u2018central%20motive%u2019%20for%20his%20resignation%2C%20biographer%20says%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: According to papal biographer Peter Seewald, chronic insomnia ultimately led to Pope Benedict XVI’s decision to resign in 2013. In his last letter to the biographer — dated Oct. 28, 2022 — Benedict wrote the “central motive” for his resignation from office was “insomnia,” Seewald said according to a Jan. 27 report by CNA Deutsch, CNA’s German-language news partner.

We need a more complete vision of Catholic conservatism

Seeking%20Genuine%20Catholic%20Conservatism%20%u2013%20Building%20Catholic%20CultureSTAUDT: The modern ideal of conservatism arose as a rejection of Enlightenment principles and their instantiation in political revolution, particularly the French Revolution. Conservatives such as Burke and de Maistre defended the centrality of religion, family, land, and morality in bolstering society. Today, the word has lost much of its meaning as it’s largely become the name of the opposition party against liberal progressivism...

The next pope’s dilemma — and ours

The%20next%20pope%u2019s%20dilemma%u2014and%20ours%20%7C%20Catholic%20CultureMIRUS: If you are looking forward to the next papal election, you are not alone—but you are overwhelmingly likely to be a Catholic who accepts everything the Church teaches. If this describes you, you may also be worrying about whether Pope Francis has changed the complexion of the College of Cardinals sufficiently to elect a clone, which may cloud your expectations. But on that score, at least, you needn’t worry. Papal elections have never been predictable in the same way that political elections are.

“Cooks with Collars” offers a delicious counter-narrative about Catholicism

%u201CCooks%20with%20Collars%u201D%20offers%20a%20delicious%20counter-narrative%20about%20Catholicism%20%7C%20CruxALLEN: A recent US News and World Report global survey asked respondents to rank countries in terms of which one has the best food. Though it’s obviously a subjective enterprise, here are the results. For our purposes, here’s the main take-away: Six of the top ten nations in terms of deliciousness are historically Catholic cultures, including all of the top three.

60 Minutes visits Lourdes and asks (some) very good questions about miracles

Podcast%3A%2060%20Minutes%20visits%20Lourdes%20and%20asks%20%28some%29%20very%20good%20questions%20about%20%27miracles%27%20%u2014%20GetReligionMATTINGLY: Back in the 1980s, I wrote a profile of a remarkable Episcopal priest in Colorado who was approaching his 100th birthday. He had been raised in pre-World War II Japan — the son of a samurai. As a young man he became terribly ill and slipped into a coma. At one point, doctors said he flatlined — but they were able to restart his heart. When he awakened, he reported having a near-death experience in which a man in white robes told him that he would live and that there was much work for him to do.

The prophet Zephaniah and the Beatitudes are telling us to convert...

Zephaniah & the Beatitudes Call to Conversion | Parishable ItemsFELTES: The words of Jesus and Zephaniah and the stories of their people should give us pause today, for “near is the great day of the Lord” always. How are we using our great riches? Which desires do we feed? Do we mourn the evils that we see in the world? Unless we hunger and thirst for righteousness, we will never be satisfied. We might not worship golden idols or swear by pagan gods...

Google Maps lets you blur your home for privacy reasons. Here’s how to do it...

Google Maps Lets You Blur Your Home. Here's Why You Should: If you've ever used the Street View feature in Google Maps, you know that you can enter pretty much any address and check out a recent image of that location, whether it's a business, government building or residence. It's useful for knowing what building or landmark to look for when you arrive, but Street View also makes it easier for stalkers or criminals to plan their way inside your home.

How donkeys changed the course of human history

How donkeys changed the course of human history - BBC Future: They are best known for their remarkable ability to carry heavy loads and a tenacious – almost stoic – approach to toil. In some parts of the world, the donkey has become associated, perhaps unfairly, with terms of insult or mockery. But in a French village around 174 miles (280km) east of Paris, archaeologists have made a discovery that is helping to rewrite much of what we know about these under-appreciated beasts of burden.

We live in a world so transformed by the beatitudes that people don’t even realize how Christian they are...

This%20Sunday%2C%20Popular%20Historian%u2019s%20Book%20Shows%20How%20the%20Beatitudes%20Changed%20the%20World%20%7C%20Ex%20Corde%20at%20Benedictine%20CollegeHOOPES: With a few words spoken on a Galilean mountain to ordinary people in the ancient world, Jesus Christ set world history on an entirely new path. Though Tom Holland’s new book Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World never mentions the Beatitudes at all, that I can find, his research shows how the whole world has been shaped by the Gospel

This Asteroid Launcher website lets you simulate how different asteroid strikes would affect your hometown

Asteroid Launcher app lets you simulate an impact on your hometown | Mashable: Ever wondered what it would be like if the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs struck your neighborhood? Unfortunately, the recently released Asteroid Launcher(Opens in a new window) web app can't answer that question (since it doesn't let you choose an asteroid big enough), but you can still get an idea of how nasty these space rocks are. Created by programmer Neal Agarwal(Opens in a new window), Asteroid Launcher is simple to use. Just click on a point of impact, then choose the type of asteroid, its size, its impact speed, and its impact angle.

I usually wake up just ahead of my alarm. What's up with that?

A sleep mystery: What's behind 'precision waking' : Shots - Health News : NPR: Maybe this happens to you sometimes, too: You go to bed with some morning obligation on your mind, maybe a flight to catch or an important meeting. The next morning, you wake up on your own and discover you've beat your alarm clock by just a minute or two. What's going on here? Is it pure luck? Or perhaps you possess some uncanny ability to wake up precisely on time without help?

Pope Asks Faithful for Prayers as He Prepares to Depart Tuesday for Six-Day Journey to South Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo

Pope%20urges%20prayers%20for%20%u2018pilgrimage%20of%20peace%u2019%20to%20South%20Sudan%20%26%20DRC%20-%20Vatican%20News: Pope Francis sets off on Tuesday as a “pilgrim of peace” to the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan on 31 January – 5 February. Ahead of his 40th Apostolic Journey abroad, the Pope read out a message to the people of the two African nations during his Sunday Angelus address. He thanked the civil authorities and Bishops of both countries for their invitations and the preparations they have made for his visit.

Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Shrine in Philadelphia Elevated to Status of Basilica

Miraculous Medal Shrine in Philadelphia elevated to basilica | Catholic News AgencyARNOLD: The Vatican recognized the Miraculous Medal Shrine, located in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia, as the city’s second basilica, elevating its status to a minor basilica this week. The shrine, created by the Vincentians in 1927 under the leadership of Father Joseph Skelly, is now known as the Basilica Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal...

How can you become a better catechist? St. Augustine of Hippo told us how more than 1,600 years ago...

How to Catechize | Charlotte was BothWELBORN: In honor of Catholic Schools Week, which I guess is next week? Or was it this week? This is, joyfully, not my problem anymore, so I don’t keep track. Anyway, in honor of it, whenever it is, some thoughts from St. Augustine, specifically his First Catechetical Instruction. The genesis of the work is simple and pastoral. A deacon wrote to Augustine seeking help on catechesis – specifically, the stage of catechesis offered to potential catechumens. That is, if you assented to everything you were taught in this stage...

Is technology discreetly, but thoroughly, rendering parents expendable?

Is technology discreetly, but thoroughly, rendering parents expendable? - TheCatholicSpirit.com : TheCatholicSpirit.comSCALIA: I wasn’t surprised that he could be thoughtful — he often is — but this time his thought seemed momentous to me: “Parents don’t get to teach their children anymore. When I was little,” he explained, “if I wanted to know almost anything, my first instinct was to go to you or Dad about it: ‘What’s a bowline knot? Why does everything get dusty? What is a shillelagh?’ We would always talk it through. Now, if I’m curious about something I just go to Google. Younger kids don’t even develop the habit of going to their parents for answers...

Benedict’s book, McElroy’s McDonald’s, and the cost of doing business

Benedict%u2019s%20book%2C%20McElroy%u2019s%20McDonald%u2019s%2C%20and%20the%20cost%20of%20doing%20businessCONDON: There’s a lot bubbling up around the Vatican these days. From Archbishop Gänswein to Cardinal Müller, and including Pell and Benedict, there are a lot of books and articles coming out these days, all of them feeding a feeling that we’re living in a strange moment — even if no one can quite put their finger on why, exactly. There’s hard news happening too...

Woman Arrested in Fargo, North Dakota, for Smashing ‘Christ in Death’ Statue at St. Mary’s Cathedral

Woman%20arrested%20at%20Fargo%20cathedral%20for%20smashing%20%u2018Christ%20in%20Death%u2019%20statue%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: A woman was arrested after allegedly causing serious damage to a statue of Jesus at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Fargo, North Dakota, on Monday evening, possibly while she was under the influence of drugs. “We were saddened to see the damage done to a very old statue at our cathedral, and we hope the person responsible gets the help they need,” Paul Braun, communications director for the Diocese of Fargo, told CNA Jan. 26. “We are praying for that person as well.”

Cardinal McElroy’s attack on Church teachings on sexuality is a pastoral disaster

Cardinal%20McElroy%u2019s%20Attack%20on%20Church%20Teachings%20on%20Sexuality%20Is%20a%20Pastoral%20Disaster%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterDESOUZA: That a cardinal wishes to change the Church’s teaching on the morality of same-sex sexual acts is not new. But there is a new one advocating just that, and one of the newest in the college at that. Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, created a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2019 and appointed relator general of the synodal process on synodality for a synodal Church...

“Even now,” says St. John, “there are many Antichrists.” Knowing that fact is the first step toward treating Ordinary Time as conversion time

My Kind of Antichrist - The Catholic ThingMAIER: Robert Hugh Benson wrote Lord of the World in 1907, just four years after the Wright brothers invented the airplane and seven years before the bloodbath of the Great War. I first read it more than 60 years ago. I’ve reread it every decade since. Pope Francis has read and publicly mentioned it several times, and the novel has always had an avid, if cultish, following. Set in the near future, it’s a story of the rise of the Antichrist, the climactic battle between good and evil, and the end of the world.

Attacks against our churches are bigotry, pure and simple

Attacks against our churches are bigotry, pure and simple - Our Sunday VisitorBRISCOE: Last summer, I received a startling early morning text message from a Dominican brother. He shared a photo of the wall of one of our churches that had been tagged by graffiti. The vandal(s) had written the grotesque message, “abort the church.” That was not long after the pregnancy resource center on Capitol Hill was vandalized. Located just a mile away from the U.S. Capitol, attackers threw red paint on the door...

Did you know that iPhones have a hidden white noise feature that can help you sleep? Here’s how to use it...

iPhone%27s%20White%20Noise%20Feature%20Can%20Help%20You%20Sleep%u2014Here%27s%20How: This just in: there's another iPhone feature you didn't know about, and this hack can help you get some refreshing shut-eye. If you’re a devoted iPhone user, you probably thought you knew about every useful feature packed into your iOS. However, there’s a hidden iPhone hack flooding the Internet that you may have never heard of...

Suspect in Machete Attacks at Catholic Churches in Southern Spain Was Facing Deportation to Morocco, Say Authorities

Spain church attacks: Suspect was facing deportation - BBC News: A man who allegedly killed a church caretaker and injured a priest in southern Spain had been facing deportation, the authorities say. The incident happened on Wednesday when a man armed with a machete entered two churches in the city of Algeciras. A 25-year-old Moroccan man was disarmed and arrested soon after. The suspect, who is thought to have acted alone, was expected to be sent to the capital Madrid and appear before the High Court on terrorism charges.

In Father Isaac Achi’s final moments before attackers overran his rectory and burned him to death, he and a brother priest paused to hear each other’s confessions...

Revealed: Fr. Isaac Achi's Final Moments Before He Was Burned to Death in NigeriaBURKEPILE: On Sun. Jan. 15, 2023, Nigerian priest Father Isaac Achi was burned to death in an attack on his parish. Another Nigerian priest recently revealed a shocking testimony of Father Achi’s final actions just before his assassination. That Sunday morning, a group of bandits attacked the parish residence of St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Kafin-Koro...

“The end of all things is at hand. Therefore, be serious and sober for prayers.” This has always come true (for each of us). Someday, this will again come true (for all of us)...

What%20Peter%20Meant%20by%20%u2018The%20End%20of%20All%20Things%20is%20at%20Hand%u2019%20%u2013%20The%20Five%20BeastsTURNER: One of the things critics of Christianity like to claim as false prophecy or grave error was the teaching by some of the apostles that Christ’s return was imminent and would occur during their lifetime or soon after. There are several passages in the New Testament they point to, including this one from the first epistle of St. Peter...

Bikes and Beards and Bibles: Preach the Gospel always. If necessary, use a Harley...

Bikes and Beards and Bibles| National Catholic Register: It’s always refreshing when a public figure speaks openly about his faith. That’s the case with 36-year-old Sean Kerr — founder of the Bikes and Beards YouTube channel, which has more than 1.5 million subscribers. Each episode of the motorcycle-oriented channel gets hundreds of thousands of views. The “Trying to Steal Our UN-STEAL-able Motorcycle” episode has racked almost 5 million views. In the video, one of the Bikes and Beards team members tries out the newest motorcycle anti-theft devices. As the “would-be thief” tries to cut through one of the anti-theft gadgets from the back tire of a Suzuki GSX-R600, a Bible passage pops us on screen

Leading expert John Finnis reassure faithful Catholics: Despite assaults on doctrine, Church teaching on contraception is ‘certainly true’

John%20Finnis%20to%20Pontifical%20Academy%20for%20Life%3A%20Church%u2019s%20Infallible%20Teaching%20Against%20Contraception%20Is%20%u2018Certainly%20True%u2019%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterPENTIN: One of the world’s leading professors of the natural law has given a robust defense of the infallibility of the Church’s teaching on contraception, saying it should always be regarded by all Catholics as “certainly true,” even though “the episcopal unity that guaranteed that judgment as irreversible has subsequently shattered.”

Pope Francis Decries German Synodal Way as ‘Ideological’ and ‘Not Serious’ — Says ‘the German Experience Does Not Help’ Rome’s Synod on Synodality

Pope%20Francis%20decries%20German%20Synodal%20Way%20as%20%u2018neither%20helpful%20nor%20serious%u2019%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20AgencyWIMMER: In an interview published Wednesday, Pope Francis decried the German Synodal Way as elitist, unhelpful, and running the risk of bringing ideological harm to Church processes. “The German experience does not help,” the pontiff told Associated Press when asked about the controversial process, explaining that dialogue should involve “all the people of God.” The Pope contrasted the German event...

Why does ‘ad orientem’ worship have to be so controversial?

Why is Ad Orientem worship so controversial?STAUDT: Until the 1960s, Catholics worshipped ad orientem, with priest and congregation facing the East during Mass. Originally Christians celebrated Mass before daybreak Sunday morning with the rising sun serving as a symbol of Christ’s resurrection (testified by Pliny the Younger’s letter to the Emperor Trajan in 112 A.D.). The common liturgical direction toward the East honored the resurrection...

The History of How School Buses Became Yellow

The History of How School Buses Became Yellow | History| Smithsonian Magazine: In a 1939 issue of American Childhood, the lyrics to the song, “The Wheels on the Bus,” made their first public appearance. Songwriter Verna Hills composed verses that celebrated the routine of traveling on a bus, closing each with the phrase, “over the city streets.” Likely unbeknownst to her, at that same time 80 years ago, school transportation officials from each and every state gathered in New York to decide what that bus...

Terrible things happen, and being a victim is real. But beware ‘victimhood’ — it’s a fashionable mental trap that corrodes the soul

Victimhood%u2019s%20Badge%20of%20Honor%20%u2013%20Theology%20of%20HomeGRESS: I’ll never forget her face. It was objectively beautiful, but hardly perceptible, masked by contortions of anger and revenge. We met on the sidewalk outside the local abortion clinic. I can’t remember her name, but I will never forget her face and her rage. She was pregnant with a baby conceived by a faithless father. How could she possibly carry this baby? And what better revenge upon him than to kill his child, she explained to me...

St. Francis De Sales reminds us that the heart speaks to the heart. But how?

St. Francis De Sales reminds us that the Heart Speaks to the Heart. But how? | Knowing Is DoingTORRE: A consistent question I have been asked over the course of my ministry is how important is the use of one’s personal experience in the proclamation of the kerygma and the teaching of Catholic doctrine? This is a critical question because it reveals the intimate relationship between how the person chooses to engage the Word of God and Catholic doctrine in their own personal way...

Jack Rigert: Defending your kids and family amid a spiritual war

Jack Rigert: Defending your kids and family amid a spiritual war | Respect Life Radio: "There is no grand leader or political force that's going to ride in on the great white stallion to rescue humanity or to rescue your family. You have to be the hero. I don't care if you feel like it or not. God will give you the courage and the grace to be able to do that...," said Jack Rigert, co-founder of the John Paul II Renewal Center...

Silly secularism keeps coming back like a monster in a horror movie who just won’t die...

Science, faith, and answering life's biggest questionsMILLS: “The first thing to realize, if you wish to become a philosopher,” wrote one of the 20th century’s major philosophers, “is that most people go through life with a whole world of beliefs that have no sort of rational justification.” That was Bertrand Russell, in a book called “The Art of Philosophizing and Other Essays,” published in 1942, when he was 70. He was one of those super-smart people who become celebrities treated as all-purpose experts...

Sailors not of the ocean, but they’re on the ocean, subject to its storms and currents. Christians are not of the world, but we’re in the world, subject to its storms and currents...

Not of the world, but the world matters - Trenton Monitor | Online News Site of the Diocese of Trenton, N.J.MILLS: Most of us Catholics are too worldly, as we know from every examination of conscience -- and yet in another sense we’re not worldly enough. We live in the world, but as Jesus says, we’re not of it. But what does that mean in real life? It can mean “worldly” as in “a man of the world.” It can mean someone who lives entirely by the world’s standards, or someone who knows how the world works and how to make his way safely through it.

Why my kids are in the front rows at Mass

Why My Kids are in the Front Rows at Mass - Thy Geekdom ComeMICAHMURPHY: Screams. Giggles. Delighted shouts and whispered questions. Yes, the 8am Mass my family normally attends often sounds as much a petting zoo as a place of contemplation. (Fittingly, not without a Lamb … and more than a few goats.) Yet every Sunday, countless churchgoers expect Mass to proceed in silence. For those who’ve reduced the Mass to entertainment, with upbeat music and a priestly jester on a stage...

Need is the hidden key to wealth

Need: The Hidden Key to Wealth - LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: While Socrates was not destitute, the value of his estate was relatively low. Yet he expresses gratitude for his financial situation. He assures his friend Critobulus—a very wealthy man—that he prefers the condition of his own household to that of Critobulus’s. Though Socrates did not have very much, he deemed himself to have all that he needed.

That timely AP interview: What, precisely, did Pope Francis say about homosexual sin?

That%20timely%20AP%20interview%3A%20What%2C%20precisely%2C%20did%20Pope%20Francis%20say%20about%20homosexual%20%27sin%27%3F%20%u2014%20GetReligionMATTINGLY: Let’s say that Pope Francis decides to sit down for an Associated Press interview, thus guaranteeing coverage that will appear in the maximum number of mainstream publications around the world. The basic headline is generic, but points to newsworthy topics: “Pope discusses his health, critics and future papacy.” As you would expect, editors just love a papal interview addressing the potential...

My dinner with two ‘white-martyr’ cardinals: Cardinal Zen and Cardinal Pell

The%20White-Martyr%20Cardinals%u2019%20DinnerWEIGEL: On the night of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s funeral, Cardinal George Pell hosted a dinner in his apartment for a group of like-minded mourners, and all present were delighted that the heroic Cardinal Joseph Zen of Hong Kong, who had been permitted to attend the Requiem by Hong’s Kong’s thugocracy, agreed to join the party. The company assembled at #1, Piazza della Città Leonina, could thus marvel at being in the presence of two contemporary “white-martyrs:” men who had suffered greatly for the faith but had remained unbroken and full of the joy of the Lord.

Frank Pavone was accused of ‘sexual misconduct’ and grooming behavior before laicization

Pavone was accused of 'sexual misconduct' before laicization: Laicized priest Frank Pavone was accused before his laicization of sexual harassment, grooming behavior, and coercive physical contact with young women, several sources close to the allegations have told The Pillar. The Pillar has learned that at least two reports of misconduct were sent to the Diocese of Amarillo during or before 2010, with additional complaints also likely filed, sources said. Reports involved allegedly inappropriate behavior toward interns and junior employees of Priests for Life, the non-profit organization Pavone has headed since 1993.

In New AP Interview, Pope Francis Says Homosexual Acts Are ‘Sins,’ But Not ‘Crimes;’ Says Bishops Who Support Anti-Sodomy Laws Need ‘Process of Conversion’

The AP Interview: Pope says homosexuality not a crime | AP News: Pope Francis criticized laws that criminalize homosexuality as “unjust,” saying God loves all his children just as they are and called on Catholic bishops who support the laws to welcome LGBTQ people into the Church. “Being homosexual isn’t a crime,” Francis said during an exclusive interview Tuesday with The Associated Press.

Facing declines in people and money, Archdiocese of Seattle is launching a parish consolidation push

Facing declines in people and money, Seattle launches parish consolidation push | CruxLAVENBURG: Citing a decline in both practicing Catholics and available resources, the Archdiocese of Seattle has become the latest U.S. diocese to announce that it will embark on a years-long parish consolidation initiative. Titled “Partners in the Gospel,” the process will follow a model used in other parish consolidation initiatives around the country, where two or more parishes will come together to create a new parish family under the leadership of one pastor and one or more parochial vicars.

Going Dutch, Das Deutsch, and De Sales

Going Dutch, Das Deutsch, and De SalesJDFLYNN: We bring you this morning, first, the story of Radboud University, a Dutch college which is, in fact, Catholic, but which is not permitted to call itself Catholic. How come? Well, for the past few decades, the university has been at odds with the bishops’ conference of the Netherlands, over issues related to governance, Catholic identity, and fidelity to Catholic doctrine...

St. Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor, Pray For Us!

St. Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor, Pray For Us| National Catholic RegisterGRONDELSKI: I’m featuring St. Francis de Sales (1567-1622) among this month’s “Saints in Art” because Dec. 28 was the 400th anniversary of his death. (I have yet to understand why his feast falls on Jan. 24, except that Dec. 28 is preempted by the older Feast of the Holy Innocents). So, why bother with somebody who died 400 years ago? What does he have to say to people today? A lot.

Irish teacher sacked by school over use of pronouns for transgender pupil

Irish teacher sacked by school over use of pronouns for transgender pupil - Catholic Herald: It was announced on Friday that Irish schoolteacher, Enoch Burke, was sacked from his job at Wilson Hospital School, a private Church of Ireland school in Co. Westmeath, Ireland. The dismissal followed a protracted and very public disagreement from when Mr Burke was initially suspended on full pay from his role for refusing to address a pupil as “they/them”. Following this suspension...

Vatican Pushes Back Against German Catholics, Weighs In on German Plan for Governing ‘Council’ of Laity and Bishops

Vatican weighs in on German plan for governing 'council' of laity and bishops: Senior Vatican officials have notified the bishops of Germany that they are not empowered to create a proposed legislative body made up of clergy and laity, which would act as a governing body for the whole Church in the country. “We wish to make it clear that neither the Synodal Path, nor any body established by it, nor any Episcopal Conference has the competence to establish the ‘Synodal Council’ at the national, diocesan or parish level,” a Jan. 16 letter sent to the German bishops explained, which has been obtained by The Pillar.

Sources: Pope Considering Heterodox German Bishop Heiner Wilmer as Next Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith

This%20Controversial%20German%20Bishop%20May%20Soon%20Be%20Vatican%u2019s%20Doctrinal%20Head%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterLIEDL: Just weeks ago, the appointment of a controversial German bishop to the influential role of prefect of the Dicastery of the Doctrine of the Faith was reportedly blocked by concerned cardinals, who urged Pope Francis against the appointment, Now, Bishop Heiner Wilmer is once again reported to be the Holy Father’s pick to head the Vatican’s office for doctrine.

A newly-available guide on ‘sexual diversity’ in the Diocese of Limburg, Germany, is a sharp contrast to Catholic teaching and prior Vatican texts

German%20diocese%20guide%20on%20%u2018sexual%20diversity%u2019%20is%20sharp%20contrast%20to%20Vatican%20texts: Bishop Georg Bätzing of Limburg, Germany, issued last year a pastoral guide on sexual education in his diocese, which calls for the acceptance and blessing of same-sex couples, and stands in stark contrast to recent Vatican guidance on the same subjects The Limburg guide is dated May 17, 2022, but was made public this week.

EWTN Hostess Cries Live On-Air While Reading Post About Babies Who Died From Abortion...

EWTN Host Cries Live On-Air While Reading Post About Babies Who Died From AbortionBURKEPILE: Cowden reads, “for all the wonder that was forever lost, (I’m not going to be able to read the whole thing, but I will do my best. “For the blocks that won’t get stacked, for the footsteps that won’t be taken, for the Legos that won’t be built, for the sun and its warmth that won’t be felt, for the swings that won’t swing, for the toy trains and trucks that won’t get pushed ...”

‘Highly Unusual Move’: Vatican Orders Investigation Into Allegations of a ‘Sex Party’ at the Catholic Cathedral in Newcastle, England

%u2018Sex%20party%u2019%20in%20Newcastle%20cathedral%20under%20investigation%20by%20Vatican%20%7C%20The%20Week%20UK: An investigation by the Vatican is underway into claims that a “sex party” took place at a Newcastle cathedral during lockdown. In what The Sunday Times described as “a highly unusual move”, the Vatican has ordered an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Robert Byrne’s resignation as the Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle in December. But there is “no suggestion the bishop attended the alleged party, inside a property adjoining St Mary’s Cathedral, Newcastle, during the Covid lockdown, or was aware of it”, the paper added.

Father Timothy Radcliffe, English Priest Notorious for Views on Homosexuality, Chosen to Lead October Bishops’ Retreat at Start of Synod

Controversial Dominican priest to lead October retreat for bishops at start of synod | Catholic News AgencyMARES: Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich announced Monday that the October 2023 session of the Synod of Bishops on synodality will begin with a three-day retreat led by a Dominican preacher whose statements on homosexuality have previously sparked controversy. Dominican Father Timothy Radcliffe will lead the Catholic bishops and participants in the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in a retreat near Rome from Oct. 1–3 at the invitation of Pope Francis, according to the cardinal.

11 photos of the best pro-life signs seen at this year’s March for Life

Great Post-Dobbs Signs at the March for Life | FrMatthewLCSCHNEIDER: I was not able to go up to DC to attend the March for Life as I have in past years. However, I searched Twitter for the best signs and want to share them with you. This has been a tradition I’ve done every year since 2016 (I link them at the end), sharing the best signs, usually focused on homemade creative signs. Most of them are thus embedded tweets. This is the first year since Roe v. Wade was overturned by Dobbs, so I can only imagine the atmosphere was different.

Isaiah predicted that precisely the people who most “walked in darkness” would see a great light. And they did...

This Sunday, a New Kingdom, a New Family, a New Light | Ex Corde at Benedictine CollegeHOOPES: John the Baptist gets thrown in jail and Jesus gives up on his hometown in the readings for the Third Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year A. This is the way the Kingdom of God (and the family of God) sees a new beginning on earth — a new light dawning in a dark world. There are three things happening at once in the beginning of Sunday’s Gospel passage from Matthew. First, personal tragedy strikes John the Baptist as the prophet of wide open spaces...

How could they follow him?

How Could They Follow Him? | Parishable ItemsFELTES: When I read the four Gospels for the first time, I naturally began with Matthew’s Gospel, and I remember being offended by today’s gospel reading. Matthew tells us Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee and saw two brothers, Simon and Andrew, with their fishing nets. He said, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” And they followed him...

You’re using your ice scraper all wrong. Hint: Those little ridges on one side of the blade are there for a reason...

You're Using Your Ice Scraper Wrong: I grew up in upstate New York without a garage, so I consider myself fairly skilled in the art of car de-icing—or so I thought. Ice storms have become more common in Portland since I moved here over a decade ago, and with each storm I get less confident in my ability to liberate my windshield. As it turns out, I wasn’t just out of practice; I was also using my ice scraper wrong.

7 wonders of the world to visit (or learn about) in 2023 — #1 is one of the greatest Catholic wonders, and #5 was the home of St. Basil, St. Gregory of Nyssa and St. Gregory Nazianzen

Seven Wonders of the World for 2023 | Conde Nast Traveler: Of the original Seven Wonders of the World, only one—the Great Pyramids of Giza—still exists. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Lighthouse of Alexandria, the Temple of Artemis, the Colossus of Rhodes, the Statue of Zeus at Olympia and the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus have all faded to dust and memory. These, instead, are seven new wonders for our time...

Pain is the price of wisdom. It’s the spiritual ‘money’ you’ll use to purchase your next good decision...

The Illegitimate Child of Mnemosyne: A Pop Quiz on AI and Plagiarism | Heights ForumYACECZKO: It was a Monday morning, the hour before lunch. My colleagues and I met in those last few days before the spring semester began to discuss the challenges of plagiarism. It was not simply that a student might present someone else’s work as his or her own: our problem was the new open AI chatbot called ChatGPT (which may some day soon replace Google). Our problem was that a student might ask ChatGPT to write his or her paper...

Pope Francis on Sunday of the Word of God: ‘The Word Is for Everyone, the Word Calls Everyone to Conversion, the Word Makes Us Heralds’

Pope: the Word of God calls to conversion, heals, raises up - Vatican News: Pope Francis presided over the Mass celebrating this year’s Sunday of the Word of God marking the theme from John’s Letter, “We proclaim to you what we have seen” (1 Jn 1:3). The celebration took place in St. Peter’s Basilica and included the conferral of the Ministries of Lector and Catechist on lay men and women from Italy, Congo, the Philippines, Mexico, and the UK. Pope Francis instituted the annual celebration in 2019, calling for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time to be devoted to the celebration, study, and dissemination of the Word of God.

New York Post: ‘Nancy Pelosi summons priests to exorcise home of evil spirits’ after hammer attack on husband

Nancy Pelosi summons priests to exorcise home of evil spirits: Former House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi summoned priests to rid her luxe San Francisco home of evil spirits after a man allegedly attacked her hubby there with a hammer. “I think that weighed really heavy on her soul. I think she felt really guilty,” said Pelosi’s daughter Alexandra, the New York Times reported Saturday.

In praise of my friend and hero, George Cardinal Pell

In%20praise%20of%20a%20Hero%20%u2013%20borromeoproject.org: His Eminence felt his mission at the Vatican was to change things. You can’t get from here to tomorrow in one giant leap, he used to tell me. Extraordinary things get done one step at a time and we must experiment and take risk by constantly generating small wins and by learning from mistakes and, despite persistent opposition and inevitable setbacks, we must demonstrate the courage to continue the journey.

Catholic journalist George Neumayr died Thursday of malaria in Africa. May his soul rest in peace...

Former%20CWR%20editor%20George%20Neumayr%20dies%20of%20malaria%20while%20working%20in%20Africa%20%u2013%20Catholic%20World%20ReportOLSON: The sad and shocking news broke this morning on social media that journalist and editor George Neumayr died of malaria while in Republic of Côte d’Ivoire (often referred to as Ivory Coast) in West Africa, where he had been visiting and reporting for The American Spectator. The Lepanto Institute tweeted...

Opening 50th Annual March for Life in Washington, Bishop Thanks Pro-Lifers But Warns of Tall Tasks Ahead

Opening March for Life, bishop thanks pro-lifers but warns of tall task ahead | Crux: Celebrating a Mass for the first National Prayer Vigil for Life in a post-Roe v. Wade nation, a senior U.S. prelate offered a message of gratitude for the efforts of pro-life advocates over the years but also a reminder of the tall task ahead.

Our rivals may not be as powerful as we think

Our rivals may not be as powerful as we think | Catholic CultureLAWLER: Sometime in my impressionable adolescent years, I saw a film clip from the Vatican, showing the procession of bishops entering a session (the opening session, maybe?) of Vatican II. My memory is of a solemn, stately march; I marveled at the precision with which it must have been organized. Now that I am older, closing in on the age when bishops are obliged to retire, I realize that my youthful memory has played tricks on me...

It is my conviction that the best way to honor the unborn is to be openly grateful for our children — and to speak of that gratitude to others often

The%20Wonder%20That%20Is%20Children%20%u2013%20Theology%20of%20Home: Thus begins the quiet time. January. The unsung month. God’s gracious gift. An unhurried, undistracted space reserved for traveling inward to unpack the abundant graces of Advent and Christmas; graces that tumbled forth in such God given abundance we hardly had time to capture the glorious goodness of it all. We may have found ourselves, like our Lady, tucking those graces away for later pondering. We turn them over in our minds, now, like treasures to warm our memories and release within our hearts a ready praise.

A ‘pigeon pope,’ groundhogs in Texas, and being pro-life in London

A%20%u2018pigeon%20pope%u2019%2C%20groundhogs%20in%20Texas%2C%20and%20being%20pro-life%20in%20LondonCONDON: For those of you who don’t know, Fabian was elected pope in January 236, in the days before conclaves and cardinals. Papal elections as we now think of them were brought in first by Pope Nicholas II in 1059 with the bull In nomine Domini, but back in Fabian’s day papal succession was a much more fluid process.

‘We have to be careful who gets their hands on it’

%u201CWe%20have%20to%20be%20careful%20who%20gets%20their%20hands%20on%20it%u201D%20%7C%20Charlotte%20was%20BothWELBORN: And what is it, you wonder? Why, the Catechism of the Catholic Church of course! Over the past few weeks, the Catechism has been trending here and there for a couple of reasons. First, Benedict XVI’s death, which prompted folks to recall the Catechism as part of his legacy. Secondly, the Catechism in a Year podcast, which is proving to be as popular as the Bible in a Year podcast...

Let us all take a note from St. Fabian, especially in these uncertain and uneasy times...

Pope%20St.%20Fabian%20and%20God%u2019s%20Unexpected%20Call%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterSEWELL: St. Fabian served the Church from Jan. 10, 236, to Jan. 20, 250, as our 20th pope, at a time when Christianity was still very much illegal. Despite that, he was able to get along with the imperial government relatively well, and was known for many good deeds — heck, he is a saint, after all. St. Cyprian of Carthage thought highly of him, he was known to have exchanged letters...

Looking back on my 25-year friendship with Cardinal Pell, I thank him for reminding me of what is most important

Remembering Cardinal George Pell: Personal Reflections| National Catholic RegisterDESOUZA: The death of Cardinal George Pell was a monumental loss for the Church and an immense personal sadness for me. On the occasion of his 80th birthday, I wrote about his legacy, but fully expected in June 2021 that his contributions would be continuing and essential. That he was in the last 18 months of his life had not entered my mind. I concluded that column: Ad multos annos, Cardinal Pell! Alas, there were not to be annos, let alone multos.

Dare we fear that most men be damned?

Dare We Fear That Most Men Be Damned? - Crisis MagazineSAMMONS: I have always been an inclusivist at heart, even though I think being an exclusivist is the correct Catholic attitude. My natural inclination is to assume a heavenly destination for others, believing that they can’t be so bad that God would send them to Hell for all eternity. Yet I keep coming back to the fact that this attitude is in the extreme minority when it comes to Catholics over the centuries...

‘Grave Assault on the Judicial Process’: Supreme Court Marshal Hits Dead End in Efforts to Find Source of Leak of Dobbs Draft Opinion

Five takeaways from Supreme Court leak investigation - POLITICO: More than eight months after POLITICO published a draft Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe v. Wade, the court on Thursday announced the inconclusive results of its investigation into the unprecedented disclosure. The 20-page report prepared by Marshal Gail Curley was accompanied by a court statement sternly denouncing the leak and by a letter from former Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, attesting to the thoroughness of the court’s inquiry.

Will Christmas be transferred to Sundays?

Will Christmas Be Transferred to Sundays?| National Catholic RegisterCLARK: We Catholics live in this temporal world, but Jesus reminds us that we “are not of the world” (John 15:19). Holy days of obligation during the week illustrate our proper relation to the world, and our proper relation to God. It is our duty to remind those around us of our baptismal promises. Even prior to that, it is our duty to remind ourselves. Holy days of obligation illustrate that some feasts are so important that they need to be celebrated outside Sundays...

Cardinal Schönborn Calls Archbishop Gänswein Book ‘Unseemly Indiscretion,’ Confirms Key Detail of Benedict Papacy

Cardinal%20Sch%F6nborn%20Calls%20Archbishop%20G%E4nswein%20Book%20%u2018Unseemly%20Indiscretion%2C%u2019%20Confirms%20Key%20Detail%20of%20Benedict%20Papacy%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterWIMMER: Austrian Cardinal Christoph Schönborn on Wednesday confirmed he was the person who encouraged Joseph Ratzinger to accept the conclave’s decision — if elected — to become the successor to Pope John Paul II as supreme pontiff of the Catholic Church. Benedict’s longtime secretary, Archbishop Georg Gänswein, revealed Cardinal Schönborn’s identity in his book titled Nothing but the Truth (“Nient’altro che la verita”), which was published in Italy last week.

Philadelphia Flyers’ Ivan Provorov Sparks Media Firestorm With Refusal to Wear Rainbow ‘Pride Jersey’ at NHL Game

Philadelphia%20Flyers%u2019%20Ivan%20Provorov%20Sparks%20Media%20Firestorm%20With%20Refusal%20to%20Wear%20Rainbow%20%u2018Pride%20Jersey%u2019%7C%20National%20Catholic%20Register: In the car the other day, I was listening to two hosts on Toronto’s sports radio station. They were discussing the decision by Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov not to wear a rainbow warmup jersey during the pregame skate-around. The jersey was meant to show that the Flyers are “inclusive” of the LGBTQ community. It was a solution in search of a problem.

How steep is Poland’s drop in Mass attendance?

How%20steep%20is%20Poland%u2019s%20drop%20in%20Mass%20attendance%3FCOPPEN: Around 28% of Poland’s Catholics attended Mass in 2021, according to the latest official statistics. The new figures were said to indicate a “dramatic fall” in church attendance in one of Europe’s most Catholic countries. So, what does the new data say? How do researchers interpret it? And what is the Church doing in response to the decline? The Pillar takes a look.

Behind Bill W. and Alcoholics Anonymous there was a Catholic priest — Father Ed Dowling

Father Ed: Rediscovering a holy priest and founding father of Alcoholics Anonymous: On a cold night in November 1940 in New York, a meeting took place between two men. It would wind up affecting U.S. history and changing the lives of millions of people, most of them alcoholics. The meeting was between Bill Wilson, who a few years earlier had founded a group called Alcoholics Anonymous, and a Jesuit priest named Father Ed Dowling. Wilson’s cause of helping drunks get sober was the result of a religious experience that freed him of his addiction to booze.

The good news: Prince Harry would make a great Episcopalian. The bad news: Prince Harry would make a great Episcopalian...

Concerning%20Prince%20Harry%2C%20Episcopalians%20and%20the%20choices%20faced%20by%20millions%20of%20%27nones%27%20%u2014%20GetReligionMATTINGLY: If low-church Anglican evangelicals were active in the whole naming-saints thing, you know that the process would already be in motion to honor Queen Elizabeth II. The quiet dignity of her Christian faith was at the heart of her long life of service. This brings us to what I would argue is a valid religion-angle story linked to “Spare,” the tell-all confessional memoir Prince Harry has released...

Are younger Catholic priests growing more conservative?

Are younger Catholic priests growing more conservative?BRISCOE: In the wake of the deaths of Pope Benedict XVI and Australian Cardinal George Pell, media outlets — both Catholic and secular — have featured significant commentary about the political and theological divisions in the Catholic Church. One month ago, those themes were taken up in the Wall Street Journal. “American Catholic priests are becoming more conservative, even as their flocks are becoming more liberal,” wrote Francis Rocca on Dec. 18.

Diocese of Des Moines, Iowa, Bans Use of Puberty Blockers, Transgender ‘Preferred Pronouns’ in Schools and Parishes

Iowa Diocese Bans Use of Puberty Blockers, Transgender Pronouns in Schools and Parishes| National Catholic Register: The Diocese of Des Moines, Iowa, has banned the use of puberty-blocking drugs, transgender pronouns, and the use of bathrooms opposite of one’s biological sex as part of an effort to “welcome and minister to those coping with gender dysphoria while following Catholic Church teaching,” a diocesan representative told CNA.

Will the defense of marriage be the hill on which you die? If so, you will be sustained by a great and mighty cloud of witnesses...

A Hill On Which To Die - Crisis MagazineMARTIN: Will the defense of marriage be the hill on which we Catholics die? Of course, that rather depends on how willing we are to stake everything upon a truth that, however much we believe it to be grounded in divine revelation, is nevertheless rejected by almost everyone else, including great numbers of our fellow Catholics. Countless cafeteria Catholics, as it were, whose numbers, to judge by current approval ratings, appear to be legion...

She witnessed the worst excesses of Mao and his Communists. Now she has a warning for the world...

She%20Witnessed%20Mao%u2019s%20Worst%20Excesses.%20Now%20She%20Has%20a%20Warning%20for%20the%20World.%20%u2013%20DNyuz: Yuan-tsung Chen, an author, leaned forward in an oversize velvet chair to tell the story of the man so hungry that he ate himself. Once, that tale had seemed unbelievable to her. “I thought that was an exaggeration,” she said. But living in a village during the Great Leap Forward, Mao Zedong’s calamitous attempt to catapult China into communist plenty in the late 1950s, changed her view on what extreme hunger could drive people to actually do.

An age of discovery is upon us. These deep-sea discoveries and sightings of the past year are fascinating...

The deep sea discoveries and sightings of 2022 are fascinating | Mashable: Big vessels, carrying robust robotic explorers and sometimes submersibles piloted by humans, embark on deep sea expeditions each year. This lightless realm remains a largely mysterious place, and just around 25 percent of the seafloor is decently mapped. Deep ocean missions are often considered the new exploration of little-known — or just never-visited — places on Earth.

‘Disruptive’ science has plummeted in the past 50 years — and no one knows why

%u2018Disruptive%u2019%20science%20has%20declined%20%u2014%20and%20no%20one%20knows%20why: The number of science and technology research papers published has skyrocketed over the past few decades — but the ‘disruptiveness’ of those papers has dropped, according to an analysis of how radically papers depart from the previous literature1. Data from millions of manuscripts show that, compared with mid-twentieth-century research, that done in the 2000s was much more likely to push science forward incrementally than to veer off in a new direction...

It is a man’s place to cherish and protect his wife...

Something I Owe My Wife - LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: Our failure to see the natural roles of husband and wife has real consequences. This stands to reason. When we miss the difference and complementarity of man and woman, we likewise miss how each provides for the other in specific and irreplaceable ways. A crucial part of a man’s place is how he cherishes and protects his wife. Yet common ideology, which works into our subconscious thinking as well as our customary interactions...

We cannot have a cultural revival without a profound religious awakening. History knows no counterexample...

After%20the%20Storm%20%u2013%20Hearth%20%26%20FieldESOLEN: And Jesus did not say, but I can imagine that someone inspired by his words might have said, that there was a man with five silver oaks that the hurricane had blown down on his property, in four separate places barely missing the house and the power line, and he was out among them the next day, with a handsaw, trying to clear away some of the smaller limbs, though the trunks of the trees were three feet thick, and each of the trees weighed four thousand pounds.

Rise in middle-aged white ‘deaths of despair’ may be fueled by loss of religion, new research paper argues

Rise in middle-aged white 'deaths of despair' may be fueled by loss of religion, new research paper argues - MarketWatch: So-called deaths of despair such as from suicide or alcohol abuse have been skyrocketing for middle-aged white Americans. It’s been blamed on various phenomenon, including opioid abuse. But a new research paper finds a different culprit — declining religious practice. The working paper, from Tyler Giles of Wellesley College, Daniel Hungerman of the University of Notre Dame, and Tamar Oostrom of The Ohio State University, looked at the relationship between religiosity and mortality from deaths of despair. The paper was circulated by the National Bureau of Economic Research.

The world’s oldest person, 118-year-old Sister Andre, has died in France. She became a nun 79 years ago, during World War II...

World's oldest person, French nun Sister Andre, dies at 118 -retirement home | Reuters: French nun Sister Andre, the world's oldest person, passed away at 118 in France, her retirement home told Reuters on Tuesday. Lucile Randon, who took the name of Sister Andre when she joined a Catholic charitable order in 1944, had survived COVID last year. She was born on Feb. 11, 1904, and was the world's oldest living person according to the Gerontology Research Group's (GRG) World Supercentenarian Rankings List.

In New Court Filing, Theodore McCarrick’s Lawyers Say He’s Not Competent to Stand Trial

BREAKING%3A%20McCarrick%u2019s%20Lawyers%20Say%20He%u2019s%20Not%20Competent%20to%20Stand%20Trial%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterBUKURAS: Former cardinal Theodore McCarrick is in “significant” mental decline and may not be fit to stand trial for allegedly sexually abusing a 16-year-old boy, his attorneys say in a new court filing. The legal team for the 92-year-old ex-prelate said it plans to file a motion to dismiss the case, citing a neurological exam conducted by Dr. David Schretlen, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. The exam took place on Dec. 5, 2022, at a facility in Missouri where McCarrick is living.

George Cardinal Pell: Australia’s Christian Prince

Cardinal%20George%20Pell%3A%20Australia%u2019s%20Christian%20Prince%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterROWLAND: Cardinal George Pell was no doubt the most internationally high-profile Australian cleric in the country’s history. Within Australia, he was despised and even hated by the kinds of cultural Marxists who are dominant in the media and other switch points of cultural influence. He was hated because he was the most outspoken champion of orthodox Catholicism...

Two comparatively quiet deaths are the key to a deafening Catholic story

Two comparatively quiet deaths key to a deafening Catholic story | CruxALLEN: Recently the Catholic world has marked the death of two high-profile figures, Pope Benedict XVI and Australian Cardinal George Pell, each of whom leave behind a deep imprint on the history of their times. Both are loved and revered by admirers, but because both held leadership positions, both had what would conventionally be described as a conservative agenda...

St. Anthony the Abbot, a holy death, and a blubber bomb

St. Anthony the Abbot, a holy death, and a blubber bombJDFLYNN: The saint we celebrate today is remembered throughout the Church as the “father of monasticism,” or the “father of all monks,” — and really, he deserves that title. But Anthony is really the reluctant father of those monks, and that’s worth noting. Here’s what happened. Anthony was born in the third century, to a wealthy family of Christians in southern Egypt. When he was 20, his parents died suddenly...

In New Interview, Embattled Hong Kong Cardinal Joseph Zen Says He’s ‘Very Concerned’ About Synod on Synodality, Thanks Pope Francis for ‘Wonderful Meeting’ in Rome

Cardinal%20Zen%20%u2018very%20concerned%u2019%20about%20Synod%20on%20Synodality%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20AgencyMARES: Cardinal Joseph Zen has said that he is “very concerned” about what could happen with the ongoing Synod on Synodality and that he is praying that “our pope will have greater wisdom.” In an interview with the Italian newspaper Il Giornale published on Jan. 17, Zen said he hopes the synod will change from its current course.

The papacy returns to Rome and a great Renaissance pope is born

The papacy returns to Rome and a great Renaissance pope is bornSEWELL: Today in Papal History marks the official end of the Avignon Papacy – a 70-year exile in the 14th Century where the Successors of Peter holed up in the French enclave and was more or less beholden to the French crown during that time – as Pope Gregory XI returned to Rome. The pontiff retaking his rightful place in the Eternal City was thanks in no small part to a rather rousing letter written to him by the great St. Catherine of Siena

When is a person ready for a sacrament? It’s not simply about age, convention, or completing a program — it’s about preparing the soul...

Is he ready to receive Jesus? | Knowing Is DoingTORRE: The mother came into my office a bit disheveled; her eyes immediately fixated on me, hoping for a positive answer. She got to the point as she settled into her seat with her eight-year-old son in tow. “I need to have my son baptized, and I was told I should come to talk to you to get this done.” With that said, any initial entryway toward gauging the mother and son’s understanding of the Catholic faith...

This under-the-radar card gets you into a ton of US museums (and zoos, art galleries, planetariums and historical sites) for free

The North American Reciprocal Museum Association Is A Network Of Connected Museums That 'Share' Membership: Want an insider travel tip perfect for culture vultures? The North American Reciprocal Museum Association, or NARM, is a network of 1,261 different art museums, botanical gardens, hands-on children’s museums, zoos, planetariums and historical sites located all across the US and even some international spots. The basic premise is that you purchase a membership at a museum or site near you, and that membership then earns you free entry into every other facility in the network.

5 Basics of Christian Anthropology and How They Speak to Moral Issues of Our Day

Some Basics of Christian Anthropology and How They Speak to Moral Issues of our Day (Part 2) - Community in MissionPOPE: At its root, anthropology considers what human beings are and how they have interacted with one another and the world around them over time. While many think of anthropology as a secular study of cultures from ancient to modern day, I propose that there is also a Christian anthropology, one that considers who and what the human person is based on God’s revelation in His word and through our bodies. Indeed, our body is a revelation from God, and by and through it He teaches us.

Pope Francis Offers Condolences After 69 Die in Nepal Plane Crash

Pope Francis offers condolences after 69 die in Nepal plane crash | Catholic News AgencyMARES: Pope Francis offered his condolences after at least 69 people died in a plane crash in Nepal on Sunday. The pope sent a condolence telegram to Nepal’s President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Jan. 16 after Yeti Airlines flight 691 crashed as it was attempting to land in the Nepalese city of Pokhara. The plane was carrying 72 passengers from Kathmandu to Pokhara...

A farcical Friday at the Vatican trial captures the case for a separation of powers

A farcical Friday at Vatican trial captures case for separation of powers | CruxALLEN: Marx famously said that history repeats itself, first as tragedy and then as farce. The Vatican seemed to supply a classic for-instance Friday with a return performance by Francesca Immacolata Chaouqui, the femme fatale at the heart of the Vatileaks 2.0 scandal early in Francis’s papacy, who’s now back as a witness in the pontiff’s “Trial of the Century.”

Who is Jesus Christ? A homily for the 2nd Sunday of the Year

Who Is Jesus Christ? A Homily for the 2nd Sunday of the Year - Community in MissionPOPE: As Ordinary Time (tempus per annum) opens up, the lectionary continues to “introduce” Christ to us. The Christmas cycle now done, we must ask, “Who is Jesus Christ? Who is this savior who has been born for us?” In today’s Gospel, John the Baptist elaborates on this. John’s words are brief, but they are packed with Christological teaching. In this Gospel we learn at least five things about Jesus...

‘Ungodly and Inhumane’ — Father Isaac Achi, Pastor in Diocese of Minna, Burned to Death By Terrorists in Nigeria

BREAKING: Catholic Priest Burned to Death in Nigeria| National Catholic Register: A Catholic priest burned to death on Sunday after bandits set fire to his parish rectory in northern Nigeria. The body of Father Isaac Achi was found among the charred parish building of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church on Jan. 15, according to the Catholic Diocese of Minna, Nigeria. He died after armed bandits attacked the priest’s residence in the village of Kafin Koro at 3 a.m. Another priest at the rectory...

‘A Colossal Loss’ — Fire Destroys Seminary Buildings in Nigeria

%u2018A%20colossal%20loss%u2019%20-%20Fire%20destroys%20Nigerian%20seminary%20buildings: A fire in the northwestern Nigerian state of Kaduna engulfed several buildings in the St. Peter Minor Seminary complex on Tuesday, destroying more than $445,000 in property. The seminary had not been in use for two years — political insecurity and attacks on Christians had forced the Archdiocese of Kaduna to transfer its seminarians to a safer location.

The Long Shadow of Cardinal Pell

Cardinal%20Pell%u2019s%20long%20shadow%20%7C%20Catholic%20CultureLAWLER: About twenty years ago, in a series of email messages, the late Father Paul Mankowski and I exchanged arguments against the legal recognition of same-sex marriage. This was a private conversation, at first, and since we were old friends, accustomed to speaking freely, the language of the exchange was fairly colorful. Eventually, convinced that our ideas were worthy of a wider audience, we cleaned up that language, removing some of the saltier expressions, and published the result in Catholic World Report.

After all of the hoopla and anticipation, after the big reveal of Jesus, what follows? Crickets...

This Sunday, Jesus Came to Us; Now He Wants Us to Come to Him | Ex Corde at Benedictine CollegeHOOPES: In Advent, the Gospels focused on John the Baptist telling us to expect Jesus to come to us. Now, we are still listening to John the Baptist — only now, he is telling us that Jesus is expecting us to come to him. The order of events our Masses are covering goes like this: At the Baptism of Jesus, John said “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?” This Sunday’s Gospel passage starts on the very next day after Jesus was baptized...

5 Spots on the Planet Where You Can Be in Multiple Places at Once

5 Spots Where You Can Be in Multiple Places at Once | The Discoverer: You may have experienced the giddy feeling of standing in two different states at the same time. Or perhaps you’ve jumped between countries in destinations like Vatican City and Italy, posing for pictures in two places at once. There’s something intrinsically awe-inspiring about being in multiple places simultaneously, almost as if you’ve cracked the code on time travel. Cross off numerous bucket list destinations in half the time with these cool locations where you can set foot in multiple places at once.

Prayers and NFL life? That’s old news — but the Damar Hamlin drama was on live TV...

Podcast%3A%20Prayers%20and%20NFL%20life%3F%20That%27s%20old%20news%20--%20but%20the%20Damar%20Hamlin%20drama%20was%20on%20live%20TV%20%u2014%20GetReligionMATTINGLY: Hello, old folks who are National Football League fans. If you are a young reader and podcast listener, hang in there with me. I am going to work my way into a discussion of the fascinating and poignant explosion of public prayer and mass-media Godtalk that surrounded the stunning injury and recovery of defensive back Damar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills...

Professionalism has accelerated the decline of the Catholic Church in America. The mission of the Church can’t be made into a profession...

Professionalism Has Accelerated the Decline of The Catholic Church in the USA - Catholic Missionary Disciples - College Station, TXLEJEUNE: For several years I was part of a group of Catholic leaders who helped shape and lead a week-long ministry formation program every summer. We had funding from a large Catholic foundation and were officially a project of the US Bishops (USCCB). At the end of the week, we gave each participant a certificate stating they completed the formation program and then we encouraged them to go even further to become certified in their area of ministry. This meant they had to meet certain further standards, interviews, etc. before they got another certification.

Eucharist Revival through billboards? How the Church is spreading news of Our Lord with the people of Cleveland...

The Diocese of Cleveland is spreading the Eucharistic Revival on billboards: The Diocese of Cleveland is taking the U.S. bishops’ National Eucharistic Revival effort to the streets with 33 billboards that expound 33 faithful quotes from leading Catholics, from St. Jerome to Pope St. John Paul II, about the power of the sacrament.

For Italians, the disappearance of ‘Vatican girl’ Emanuela Orlandi remains the ‘mother of all mysteries’

For%20Italians%2C%20disappearance%20of%20%u2018Vatican%20girl%u2019%20remains%20%u2018mother%20of%20all%20mysteries%u2019%20%7C%20CruxALLEN: To judge by sensationalist newspaper headlines and breathless social media posts, one might assume that the open conflict in Catholicism unleashed by the death of Pope Benedict XVI and fanned by a series of tell-all revelations from his longtime aide, Archbishop Georg Gänswein, would be the talk of the town in Rome — which, after all, is where the drama is unfolding. In reality, it’s just not so...

Must-read: Archbishop Chaput on Benedict XVI, Cardinal Pell, Vatican II, Pope Francis, Jesuits, and the Synod

Chaput: 'Speaking the truth is polarizing': Archbishop Charles Chaput, OFM Cap., is the emeritus archbishop of Philadelphia, and a long-time leader among American bishops. The archbishop, 78, became in 1988 the second priest of Native American ancestry to become a diocesan bishop. After serving nine years as the Bishop of Rapid City, South Dakota, Chaput became in 1997 the Archbishop of Denver, and was appointed in July 2011 to lead the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

Amarillo chancery rebuts Frank Pavone and says he was notified of dismissal; Pavone now admits ‘they may have indeed sent something’

Pavone%3A%20It%u2019s%20possible%20I%20missed%20laicization%20notice%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: Frank Pavone, the national director of Priests for Life, was notified of his recent laicization, a diocesan official has told CNA, contradicting the ex-priest’s repeated claims that he has not received official notification of the Vatican’s decree dismissing him from the clerical state. An official with the Amarillo Diocese in Texas, who asked not to be identified by name, told CNA that...

Swiss Bishops Issue Meek Call to Respect ‘Rules’ After Video Emerges of Woman Mimicking Mass Concelebration

Swiss%20bishops%20call%20for%20respect%20for%20%u2018rules%u2019%20after%20woman%20appears%20to%20concelebrate%20Mass%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: Only ordained priests may preside at Mass, and the liturgy should not be “a testing ground for personal projects,” three Swiss bishops have said. Their intervention follows internet controversy over a video of a laywoman who seemed to concelebrate Mass with priests.

Don’t misunderstand the rise of the Nones. What parishes need now is not new programs, but more lay people whose everyday lives are an attractive witness to the Catholic faith

Misunderstanding the Rise of the Nones | Church Life Journal | University of Notre Dame: By now it is well known that the Catholic Church in America, and organized religion more generally, must contend with the sudden growth of people who identify with “no religion.” Nearly 30 percent of Americans now check the box for “no religion,” including 40 percent of millennials. The Catholic Church has been hit especially hard: for each person who joins the Catholic Church, nearly seven leave. Many who become religious “Nones” claim they no longer affiliate with organized religion because of...

Every day, whether you know it or not, you are at war. Your enemy is a deadly monster with seven heads...

Our Battle Against the Seven-Headed Monster - St. John Vianney Lay DivisionFUERTE: There is a deadly seven-headed monster against which each one of us must battle our whole life. This monster is self-seeking (or selfish) self-love. Its seven heads are: pride, covetousness, lust, anger, envy, gluttony and sloth. Venerable Fulton Sheen called them “the seven pall-bearers of the soul” and gave them the following names: self-love, inordinate love of money, illicit sex, hate, jealousy, over-indulgence, and laziness. They are also known as the seven deadly or capital sins.

Pope Benedict’s life was marked by 4 notable symmetries

Pope Benedict: A Life Marked by 4 Salient Symmetries| National Catholic RegisterDESOUZA: The death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI on the last day of year, just after Christmas, on the feast of St. Sylvester, was suggestive of a life shaped by the sacred liturgy, given his birth on Holy Saturday. The death and funeral observances also offered rather remarkable symmetries that echoed aspects of Benedict’s life. There are four of them that bear noting.

What to read in Archbishop Gänswein’s ‘tell-all’ book

What%20to%20Read%20in%20Benedict%20XVI%u2019s%20Secretary%u2019s%20%u2018Tell-All%u2019%20Book%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterGAGLIARDUCCI: In the latest book by Archbishop Georg Gänswein, for 20 years personal secretary to Pope Benedict XVI, there is much more than bitterness at having been made a “halved prefect” by Pope Francis. Indeed, while the hype surrounding the publication has focused on that particular situation, the removal of Archbishop Gänswein as prefect of the Papal Household...

When will you be able to read the English edition of Archbishop Gänswein’s new book? Stand by...

When%20Will%20English%20Edition%20of%20Archbishop%20G%E4nswein%u2019s%20Book%20Be%20Released%3F%20Stand%20By.%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterLIEDL: A book detailing Benedict XVI’s papacy and his decade as pope emeritus, written by his longtime personal secretary, hits bookshelves in Italy today — but English-language readers will have to wait. Despite generating significant buzz across the Catholic world, there are no publicly available details of when Archbishop Georg Gänswein’s Nothing but the Truth — My Life Beside Benedict XVI will be available in English.

‘It Is Good’: 3 Messages to Take to Heart in the New Year

%u2018It%20is%20Good%u2019%3A%203%20messages%20to%20take%20to%20heart%20in%20the%20new%20year%20-%20OSV%20NewsSCALIA: At the start of each new year, many of us examine our lives and, based on what we know of ourselves and how we receive the overly harsh, ever-hectoring judgments of the world, make resolutions for our self-improvement. We make promises to ourselves — and sometimes to God and our families: We’re going to be thinner; we’re going to become patient; we’re going to embrace disciplines that will help us grow as human beings.

What next for Archbishop Georg Gänswein?

What next for Archbishop Gaenswein [news analysis] | News Headlines | Catholic CultureLAWLER: Oh, to have been a fly on the wall this morning, January 9, when Pope Francis met privately with Archbishop Georg Gänswein. Veteran Vatican-watchers immediately recognized the potential drama in the meeting. Archbishop Gänswein, the longtime personal secretary to Pope Benedict XVI, is now a man without a job. More important, he is the author of a forthcoming book, in which he promises to reveal...

Thinking about those sad, old Vatican II ‘fundamentalists’ — such as Pope Benedict XVI?

Thinking%20about%20those%20sad%2C%20old%20Vatican%20II%20%27fundamentalists%27%20--%20such%20as%20Pope%20Benedict%20XVI%3F%20%u2014%20GetReligionMATTINGLY: If religion-beat journalists looked carefully enough, they could see an interesting question lurking inside the rhetoric of the current Latin Mass wars. That question: What does it mean to be “pro-Vatican II”? If reporters flip that question around it turns into this: Who is “anti-Vatican II”? For example, see this language at the top of a Catholic News Agency report this past summer...

Researchers confirm written records about King David on the ‘Mesha Stele’ — a 2,900-year-old artifact now housed in the Louvre

Written records of biblical King David discovered by researchers - The Jerusalem Post: The Mesha Stele, also called the Moabite Stone, is a basalt stone slab that has provided historians and linguists with the largest source of the Moabite language to date. Researchers have only now been able to verify with a considerable degree of certainty that the stele contains explicit references to King David.

Catholic sex-ed textbooks discontinued in Canada following accusations that Catholic content is ‘homophobic,’ ‘transphobic’

Catholic sex-ed textbooks discontinued following accusations of 'homophobic,' 'transphobic' content | CBC News: The Canadian arm of an international textbook publishing company will discontinue some sex education books used by Catholic school boards in Ontario by March this year, following accusations they contain homophobic and transphobic content. Fully Alive, a series of textbooks and accompanying teachers' resources published by Pearson Canada, is aimed at teaching students in Grades 1 through 8 about sexuality, marriage and family through the lens of the Catholic faith.

‘We are not in a nightmare. We’re in a love story.’ — The Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ in 70 seconds...

New%20Advent%3A%20%u2018We%20are%20not%20in%20a%20nightmare.%20We%u2019re%20in%20a%20love%20story.%u2019%20%u2014%20Chris%20Stefanick%20powerfully%20sums%20up%20the%20Gospel%20of%20Our%20Lord%20Jesus%20Christ%20in%2070%20secondsSTEFANICK: We are made in the image and likeness of God. Now this love story takes a tragic turn when something’s made for one purpose and is used for something else. When my kids use the microwave as a fork warmer, what happens? Things get broken. We’re made by God, for God. We chose not God in the first pages of the Bible, so what happened? We got broken. But did he leave us there in our brokenness? No! Bbecause we are not in a nightmare — we’re in a love story. God the Father sent God the Son, Jesus Christ, to save us in the midst of our sin...

The Life, Death, Funeral and Legacy of Benedict XVI

The Life, Death, Funeral and Legacy of Benedict XVI| National Catholic RegisterLANDRY: Normally the death and funeral of a successor of St. Peter takes place within the context of a major distraction. The routine shock that comes even when death is expected, the grief that accompanies the realization that in this world we will never again hear the deceased pope’s shepherdly voice, the realization for Catholics of being in some sense spiritually orphaned...

Cardinal Pell’s surgery wasn’t done at the famous Gemelli Hospital — it was at Salvatori Mundi Hospital, 15 minutes down the road

George Pell dead: Mystery why cardinal didn't have hip operation at Gemelli, the 'pope's hospital' | Daily Mail Online: Cardinal George Pell died after suffering heart complications from a hip replacement surgery in a hospital less than 15 minutes away from an Italian health facility dubbed 'the third Vatican' and the 'pope's hospital' for its string of high-profile guests and its close ties to Catholic leaders. Cardinal Pell died in Rome at the age of 81, the Vatican confirmed on Wednesday, and was understood to be awake and appeared well after the surgery before going into sudden cardiac arrest.

Here’s the full text of Cardinal Pell’s memorandum that’s circulating among the cardinals

A%20Memorandum%20on%20the%20Next%20Conclave%20Is%20Circulating%20Among%20the%20Cardinals.%20Here%20It%20Is%20%u2013%20Settimo%20Cielo%20-%20Blog%20-%20L%u2019EspressoMAGISTER: Since the beginning of Lent the cardinals who will elect the future pope have been passing this memorandum around. Its author, who goes by the name of Demos, “people” in Greek, is unknown, but shows himself a thorough master of the subject. It cannot be ruled out that he himself is a cardinal.

‘Catastrophe’: Cardinal Pell’s Secret Memo Blasts Pope Francis as Vatican Prepares for Saturday Funeral Mass

x: Pope Francis will deliver a final send-off for Cardinal George Pell during a funeral Mass on Saturday, the Vatican said, as revelations emerge of the Australian prelate’s growing concern about what he considered the “disaster” and “catastrophe” of the papacy under Francis. The Vatican on Thursday said the dean of the college of cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re...

The Catholic Church must free herself from this ‘toxic nightmare’

The Catholic Church must free itself from this 'toxic nightmare' | The SpectatorPELL: The Catholic Synod of Bishops is now busy constructing what they think of as ‘God’s dream’ of synodality. Unfortunately this divine dream has developed into a toxic nightmare despite the bishops’ professed good intentions. They have produced a 45-page booklet which presents its account of the discussions of the first stage of ‘listening and discernment’, held in many parts of the world, and it is one of the most incoherent documents ever sent out from Rome...

It would be hard to find a place in the world more destitute than Malakal, South Sudan. But look at what the Holy Spirit is doing there...

A church at the margins of South Sudan | MercatorNet: In 1898, the nearby settlement of Fashoda (now called Kodok, just upriver from Malakal) was the site of a famous standoff between Lord Kitchener’s British forces and a plucky detachment of French troops under Captain Jean-Baptiste Marchand, who had embarked on an epic 14-month trek from West Africa to steal a march on the old enemy who were in the process of conquering all Sudan. It is strange to think that a dispute over this wilderness once came close to starting a great European war.

One day — within the next century — Benedict XVI will be declared a saint. Precisely how soon this will happen is uncertain, but it will happen....

The Future Sainthood of Benedict XVI | Catholic AnswersAKIN: During the pontificate of the John Paul II, I became aware of the writing of Joseph Ratzinger, later to become Pope Benedict XVI, and in time, I came to realize that it spoke to me even more than that of John Paul. John Paul II was a sold and creative defender of Catholic teaching, whose writings I very much valued. But I appreciated Benedict’s even more.

Stop trying to become ‘the best version of yourself.’ This is not what you were created for. This is not why God became man...

The%20Problem%20with%20%u201CBecoming%20the%20Best%20Version%20of%20Yourself%u201D%20%u2013%20Building%20Catholic%20CultureSTAUDT: It is staggering how ubiquitous the phrase to be “the-best-version-of-yourself” has become in Catholic circles. My students regularly express it, and I hear it from the mouths of priests and even bishops. Matthew Kelly has popularized the phrase by making it his mantra, as he uses it ad nauseam, even in catechetical material for children. His books have become omnipresent in Catholic parishes due to their next to nothing per copy wholesale price...

Politico reporter Eric Geller exits after ‘inaccurate and offensive’ tweet slamming Benedict XVI

Politico Reporter Exits After Tweet Slamming Pope Benedict: Politico cybersecurity reporter Eric Geller exited the publication after a tweet blasting the late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI while sharing news of his death on social media. Geller wrote on Twitter, “Homophobic pedophile protector and Hitler Youth alumnus dead at 95,” while sharing a link to a news report on Pope Benedict’s death on December 31st.

A total amateur noticed something about cave paintings that archaeologists had missed. If his bombshell discovery is true, he may have just rewritten the history of human history...

A Total Amateur May Have Just Rewritten Human History With Bombshell Discovery: In what may be a major archaeological breakthrough, an independent researcher has suggested that the earliest writing in human history has been hiding in plain sight in prehistoric cave paintings in Europe, a discovery that would push the timeline of written language back by tens of thousands of years, reports a new study.

Who will step up to replace Cardinal Pell in defending the truth of the Catholic Faith?

Who Will Step Up to Replace Cardinal Pell in Defending Truth of the Catholic Faith?| National Catholic RegisterLIEDL: Immediate reflections following the shocking death of Cardinal George Pell have focused on the Australian prelate’s heroic endurance of false accusations of sexual abuse. And rightfully so. Cardinal Pell’s fortitude in the face of such ideologically motivated injustices, which included 404 days of solitary confinement in a Melbourne prison cell before the charges were quashed...

I pray for the repose of Cardinal Pell’s soul. And I also pray that we continue to learn from him...

George Pell, R.I.P. | National ReviewLOPEZ: I confess I went to sleep last night hoping it wasn’t true that Cardinal George Pell died. I had hoped we would see another book out of him, among other things. The Australian will always be remembered for being falsely accused and imprisoned, perhaps less known for identifying and implementing economic reforms in the Vatican. I remember him best as an encourager in the Christian life. I last saw him a little over a year ago in New York...

Make Beauty, Rediscover Humanity

Make Beauty, Rediscover Humanity - LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: This much is clear if we have eyes to see: beauty is a first principle in the formation of the world. We could even say it is the principle. The natural world and all its processes arrest us in their beauty, from the micro to the macro and everything in between. The veins of stones and banks of streams, the leaves of trees and berries of bushes, the gills of fish and antlers of deer, the rising of the sun and the shooting of stars. The birth of a baby and a child’s face.

In one of his last interviews Cardinal Pell said: ‘We are not masters of the apostolic tradition, but its defenders and servants’

In%20one%20of%20last%20interviews%20Cardinal%20Pell%20told%20OSV%20News%3A%20%u2018We%20are%20not%20masters%20of%20the%20apostolic%20tradition%2C%20but%20its%20defenders%20and%20servants%u2019%20-%20OSV%20NewsGUZIK: In what was one of his last on-the-record interviews, Australian Cardinal George Pell, former prefect of the Secretary for the Economy, told OSV News that with the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, the Catholic Church lost “a wonderful man. A very kind man.” Cardinal Pell, who himself was called that by many who met him, died unexpectedly Jan. 10 in Rome at age 81 due to complications from hip replacement surgery.

Why a Medieval Woman Had Lapis Lazuli Hidden in Her Teeth

Why a Medieval Woman Had Lapis Lazuli Hidden in Her Teeth: What Anita Radini noticed under the microscope was the blue—a brilliant blue that seemed so unnatural, so out of place in the 1,000-year-old dental tartar she was gently dissolving in weak acid. It was ultramarine, she would later learn, a pigment that a millennium ago could only have come from lapis lazuli originating in a single region of Afghanistan. This blue was once worth its weight in gold. It was used, most notably, to give the Virgin Mary’s robes their striking color...

4 Survival Myths That Could Get You Killed

Four Survival Myths That Could Get You Killed | Field & Stream: Spend enough time in the outdoors, and you’re bound to wonder how you would handle a true survival scenario. Could you gather and forage enough food? Could you build a strong survival shelter to keep you warm and dry? Could you start a fire ... in the pouring rain? These are the skills of a total outdoorsperson. But there are nearly as many survival myths out there as there are skills—and some of those myths could lead to disaster...

Did you get to hear the ancient Epiphany Proclamation at Mass last Sunday?

Did You Get to Hear the Ancient Epiphany Proclamation at Mass Last Sunday?| National Catholic RegisterSCHIFFER: Last Sunday, at many parishes in America and around the world, a special proclamation, the Noveritis, was chanted to mark the Solemnity of the Epiphany. Sung to the same tune as the Exsultet, the Noveritis — also called the “Epiphany Proclamation” or the “Announcement of Easter and the Movable Feasts” — is a ceremonial proclamation of the liturgical dates for the coming year...

The House is voting this week to protect babies born alive after abortion. Urge your representative to vote Yes...

Action Center: This Wednesday, the House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. Please act now to tell your representative to vote “Yes” on this bill. It is a horrific reality in this country that children who are fully born and living after a failed abortion can in many instances be left to die without medical attention and basic needs met...

Cardinal Pell was talking with nurses after successful hip operation; suddenly went into cardiac arrest and died at 8:50 p.m. Rome time (2:50 p.m. Eastern)

Cardinal George Pell dead at 81: Pell was born in Victoria on June 8, 1941. His father George was the manager of a gold mine and a fallen-away Anglican. His mother Margaret was a devout Catholic who raised him in the faith and emphasized frequent reception of the sacraments. As a boy, Pell was known for his athleticism. He was a football star at school and briefly played in the Victoria Football League reserves.

BREAKING: George Cardinal Pell Dies at 81 After Hip Surgery

BREAKING: Cardinal George Pell Dies at 81| National Catholic Register: Cardinal George Pell has died in Rome this evening at the age of 81. The Australian cardinal had been admitted to a Rome hospital for routine hip replacement surgery on Tuesday afternoon. The operation was successful, but he later suffered a suspected cardiac arrest, according to his personal secretary, Father James Hamilton.

Whether you agree or disagree with Jordan Peterson, the ongoing attempts to coerce his ‘re-education’ raise red flags for people who know their history...

Jordan Peterson and the "Re-education" of Canada | City Journal: Free speech is under increasing attack in Canada. Over the past decade, ideologically emboldened political leaders, activists, and professional regulators have narrowed the field of allowable discourse and sought to punish any expression that ventures outside it.

Church attendance in the U.S. has taken a big hit since the pandemic. A new AEI survey crunches the numbers...

In%20pandemic%u2019s%20wake%2C%20churchgoing%20takes%20a%20hit%2C%20survey%20indicates%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20AgencyKEVINJONES: The percentage of Americans who attend religious services is now “significantly lower” than before the COVID-19 pandemic, especially among young people and other groups identified as less likely to regularly attend, a new survey indicates. As of spring 2022, 33% of Americans said they never attend religious services, up from 25% before the World Health Organization declared a pandemic in March 2020. Religious affiliation, though, is largely unchanged, according to the survey.

40 Years After Disappearance of Emanuela Orlandi, Investigation Into ‘Vatican Girl’ Cold Case Reopened Amid Rekindled Public Interest

Investigation%20into%20%u2018Vatican%20Girl%u2019%20cold%20case%20reopened%20amid%20rekindled%20public%20interest%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20AgencyMCKEOWN: The Vatican promoter of justice announced Monday that the investigation into the vanishing of Emanuela Orlandi, a teenaged Vatican citizen whose disappearance in the 1980s has since spawned myriad conspiracy theories, will be reopened. In a brief statement posted to Vatican News, the Holy See Press Office director, Matteo Bruni, reported Monday that the decision to reopen the investigation was made partly in response to several requests made by Orlandi’s family.

Hot air, balloons, and (mostly) liturgy news

Hot air, balloons, and (mostly) liturgy newsJDFLYNN: But before we get started with the news, I thought you’d like to know about Jean Pierre Blanchard, and the first balloon flight in the United States, which took place 230 years ago yesterday, on Jan. 9, 1793. Blanchard was a French adventurer and inventor who had first distinguished himself across Europe by crossing the English channel in a hydrogen balloon in 1785. Before and after that flight...

A tattered old prayer book is a sign of perseverance, faith, dedication, love, and hope

If%20Prayer%20Books%20Could%20Talk%20%u2013%20Theology%20of%20HomeGRESS: For many years I carried a prayer book with me. I found it as a teenager among my father's things after he died and initially treasured it because it had been his. Later, when I started really using it, it soon took on a life of its own. A few years after I started praying with it, I began to notice slight discoloration of the pages where daily my fingers held the book open. I was a poignant reminder of the time that had passed and that my dedication was leaving a mark, even if sometimes it left like the only effect my prayers were having were just dingy thumb prints.

Dorothy Day says no to a communist Christmas

Dorothy Day says no to a communist ChristmasMILLS: They had gotten a telegram from the Communist Party’s newspaper just before Christmas asking for their help, Dorothy Day wrote in her column in the January 1937 issue of Catholic Worker. She took the chance to challenge their political mind with the Christian insight. The Daily Worker held the hard Marxist idea that political needs determine what is true and false. The political needs were mainly those of the Soviet Union...

Jesus claimed He was God, and every one of the martyrs claimed Jesus was God

The Trilemma Of C.S. Lewis, Part Five: Jesus Is GodCLARK: In the previous pieces for this series, we referenced C. S. Lewis’s Trilemma, essentially: in claiming He was God, Jesus was either a liar, insane, or God. We’ve addressed that Jesus actually lived and walked on earth, that He claimed divinity, that He was not a liar, and that He was not insane. And that leaves us with the same conclusion of the centurion in Mark’s Gospel...

What do Ebenezer Scrooge and Planned Parenthood have in common? Thomas Malthus, that’s what...

Humbug to Scrooge & Sanger: The Constitution & the "Surplus Population" ~ The Imaginative Conservative: The dangerous legacy of Thomas Malthus is an important problem for American thought. After all, we are not done seeing the political influence of Planned Parenthood, the socialist sympathies worked up over a misinterpretation of Bob Cratchit, and the environmentalist lobbies. What, then, is a modern American thinker to say in response to the spirit of Malthus that guides much of political economic proposals today?