The People at the Passion: Pontius Pilate, the Roman soldiers, St. Simon of Cyrene, St. Veronica, and the women of Jerusalem

The People at the Passion (Part 2 of 3) | Parishable ItemsFELTES: Hopeful for the help of the Holy Spirit, I will share with you meditations about people personally present for Jesus’ Passion. In particular, I will reflect on those persons featured in the Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth Stations of the Cross; Simon of Cyrene, who helped carry Jesus’ Cross; Veronica, who wiped Jesus’ face with her veil; and the women of Jerusalem, who followed and openly wept for Jesus along the Way of the Cross.

Papal heli-skiing, a cardinal’s surprise, and the king of France

Papal heli-skiing, a cardinal's surprise, and the king of FranceCONDON: When I was a young child, my extended family would often decamp to the campus of a well-known Midwestern Catholic university (I’m not giving away a free commercial here) for the duration of Easter. The liturgies in the campus’ basilica were sufficiently high church, compared to our ordinary Chicago parish, that the majesty, if not the full catechetical import, of the season was impressed upon me from an early age, to the point that I understood that Holy Week was somehow much more important than Christmas...

Palm Sunday: The wild beauty of His flames will consume our daily dying into ashes

Palm%20Sunday%20%u2013%20Theology%20of%20HomeTRULL: There are those “first” days in our spiritual journey when the hosannas are new. The palms are green, fresh, supple. We are filled with hope and courage, and we lay down our praise so readily before the King, blissfully forgetting, in our joy, that the cross will be coming soon. Prayer is easy. We are filled with heady conversion. We make rash promises that we will follow him anywhere. We shout Hosanna and it feels grand and so noble of us to offer ourselves to His service so completely...

This Sunday: Jesus, Help Me To Act Like You, Not Them, When the Cross Comes

This Sunday: Jesus, Help Me To Act Like You, Not Them, When the Cross Comes | Benedictine College Media and MoreHOOPES: Lord Jesus, I want to be like you, not them, when I face the cross. As I hear the story of you and your friends on Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion, Year A, I am struck by the weakness they show and the clear example you give for me to imitate. But I am afraid that without your grace, without uniting with you in the Eucharist, I will be exactly like them.

Pope Francis leaves hospital room to visit pediatric oncology ward at Gemelli, baptizes newborn baby; Vatican says Saturday discharge is possible

Pope Francis visits pediatric oncology ward at hospital, baptizes newborn baby | Catholic News Agency: While staying at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital where he is undergoing treatment for bronchitis, Pope Francis paid a visit Friday to the pediatric oncology ward and baptized a newborn patient. The Holy See reported that the Holy Father spent about half an hour in the ward, where he distributed “rosaries, chocolate eggs, and copies of the book ‘Jesus Was Born in Bethlehem of Judah.’”

Anti-Christian Hate Crimes in Jerusalem Soaring This Year; Catholic, Orthodox, Armenians and Others Say Problem Much Worse Than Reported

Anti-Christian Hate Crimes in Jerusalem Soaring This Year - Israel News - Haaretz.com: Vandalism and assaults targeting Christians and Christian institutions in Jerusalem have risen sharply since the beginning of the year, something leaders of churches in the city link to the tone of the new government. Church sources say the police do not treat the situation seriously enough and refuse to identify the growing list of violent incidents as a trend.

When Easter arrives, will you feast or will you binge?

Will You Feast or Binge Next Sunday? - Exodus 90STAUDT: After intense periods of asceticism, the temptation is to binge: to go back to all of our old habits, even to excess. The Church points us, rather, to festivity: Christian feasting. We are not used to Christian festivity, as our culture inclines more to partying, having fun simply for its own sake or as a pleasurable distraction.

How baseball imitates the spiritual life

How Baseball Imitates the Spiritual Life| National Catholic RegisterCLARK: It seems that when we truly love things, our heart struggles to find similarities between those things. Perhaps that is why I am often struck by how much baseball resembles the Catholic spiritual life. I thought about this again recently when I saw an interview that confirmed my perspective. The interview was with Sean Casey, a former first-baseman for the Cincinnati Reds and my all-time favorite player...

In the life of the mind, self-defeating statements make you your own worst enemy

Knocking Yourself Out - Word on FireKACZOR: In one of Edward St. Aubyn’s novels, a man is asked if he was his own worst enemy. “I certainly hope so,” the man replies. “I dread to think what would happen if somebody else turned out to be better at it than me.” In the life of the mind, one way to be your own worst enemy is by means of self-defeating statements, such as, “I am not writing in English right now” or “I never, never, never use the word never.”

Make the long haul, like a tree

Making the Long Haul, like a Tree - LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: Discouragement is a primary even if oft-unnoticed enemy of the good life. Frankly, I often see it; and experience it. People with high ideals and fond hopes, both in what they want for themselves and their loved ones, get discouraged. This undermines intentionality and focus. It sucks energy and deflates resolve. Among diverse causes of discouragement, unreasonable expectations stand out...

Ratzinger: Grasping God’s plan as told in Sacred Scripture

Ratzinger%3A%20Grasping%20God%u2019s%20plan%20as%20told%20in%20Scripture%20%7C%20Catholic%20CultureMIRUS: Ignatius Press has recently published a new book by the late Pope Benedict XVI, a collection of six lectures he gave in 1985 while he was still, as Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. These lectures are one more example of Ratzinger’s unparalleled brilliance. Entitled The Divine Project, they are deeply rooted...

In good times and bad, “Coach K” (Mike Krzyzewski) has anchored his life in the Mass, the Rosary and his Catholic faith

Coach Mike Krzyzewski: Hoops and Faith - Relevant Radio: Recently on Relevant Radio®, John Morales and the Morning Air team welcomed one of the most decorated and legendary coaches in the history of basketball, Mike “Coach K” Krzyzewski, onto the air for a discussion about his upbringing, life as a basketball coach, and what role faith played in his career.

Half-eaten burrito ties suspect to firebombing of anti-abortion group’s Madison, Wisconsin, office

Half-eaten burrito ties suspect to firebombing of anti-abortion group's Madison office: NDA gleaned from a half-eaten burrito led to the arrest in Boston Tuesday of a Madison man charged with the May 2022 firebombing of the Madison headquarters of anti-abortion group Wisconsin Family Action. Hridindu Sankar Roychowdhury, 29, was arrested at Boston Logan International Airport with a one-way ticket to Guatemala City, according to Timothy M. O’Shea, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin. Roychowdhury was charged with attempting to cause damage by means of an explosive.

Pope Francis understands Christianity better than Jordan Peterson does

David Mills: Pope Francis understands Christianity better than Jordan Peterson | Pittsburgh Post-GazetteMILLS: Observing the tenth anniversary of Pope Francis’s election, the man the New York Times’ David Brooks called “the most influential public intellectual in the Western world right now” decided to sneer at him. Francis believes (in journalist Peter Laffin’s accurate summary) that “authentic social justice is not antithetical to Christianity,” which seems the equivalent of a doctor telling older people to eat more fiber. But Jordan Peterson wasn’t having it...

Cardinal Roche to German bishops: ‘Nein’ to regular lay baptisms and preaching at Mass

Cardinal%20Roche%20to%20German%20bishops%3A%20%u2018Nein%u2019%20to%20regular%20lay%20baptisms%20and%20preaching%20at%20MassCOPPEN: The prefect for the Vatican’s Dicastery for Divine Worship has objected to plans for regular lay baptisms and lay preaching at Masses endorsed by Germany’s controversial “synodal way.” Cardinal Arthur Roche made his objections known in a letter to German bishops’ conference chairman Bishop Georg Bätzing, the official news website of the Catholic Church in Germany reported March 30.

What’s the problem with Freemasonry, anyway?

What%u2019s%20the%20problem%20with%20Freemasonry%2C%20anyway%3F: The Catholic bishops of the Philippines reminded Catholics last week that the Church prohibits its members from becoming members of Masonic lodges. The bishops’ “clarification” was issued March 24 by the Episcopal Commission for Doctrine of the Faith of the country’s bishops’ conference. It followed reports that a growing number of Freemasons have been participating in local Catholic liturgies and events, including the parish and diocesan phases of the global synodal process, held in the country last year.

Prayer is not a thought crime...

Prayer As Thought Crime | Elyssa Koren | First ThingsKOREN: Stop and pray on the street in front of an abortion facility in England or Wales and you could find yourself under arrest. Never mind if your thoughts were lifted to God silently. Clause 11 of the Public Order Bill, recently adopted by the Parliament of the United Kingdom, bans “influencing” of any sort, including prayer, in a 150-meter zone around abortion facilities nationwide. An amendment to exempt silent prayer and consensual conversation from the ban failed...

Update: Pope Francis ‘Rested Well Overnight,’ Will Stay at Gemelli Hospital to Treat Respiratory Infection

Update: Pope Francis rested well, continuing treatment in hospital, Vatican says | Catholic News AgencyBROCKHAUS: Pope Francis will continue to receive treatment after being hospitalized for a respiratory infection on Wednesday, a Vatican spokesman said Thursday. “His Holiness Pope Francis rested well overnight. The clinical picture is progressively improving and he is continuing his planned treatment,” Holy See Press Office Director Matteo Bruni said in a brief statement issued just after 12:30 p.m. local time on March 30.

Pope Francis to Be Hospitalized for ‘Some Days’ With a Respiratory Infection, Vatican Says

Pope Francis hospitalized with a respiratory infection, Vatican says | Catholic News AgencyMCKEOWN: Pope Francis will be hospitalized for “some days” after being diagnosed with a respiratory infection, the Vatican said Wednesday. Gemelli is the same hospital where Pope Francis was hospitalized in July 2021 when he underwent surgery on his colon for diverticulitis, or inflammation of the intestinal wall.

The woman who attacked a Christian school in Nashville wrote a “manifesto” — and PR-minded LGBTQ groups are fighting its release

Audrey Hale Manifesto Release Raises Major Concerns From LGBTQ Groups: Calls for police to release the "manifesto" that authorities say was written ahead of Monday's Nashville school shooting has prompted concern among LGBTQ groups, who caution against the publication of such a document.

Why do heretics remain in the Church they’re attacking? Father Joseph Ratzinger had an interesting and unexpected answer to this question...

Why Do Heretics Remain in the Church? - Crisis MagazineBRYSON: Fifty years ago, then-Fr. Joseph Ratzinger and Ida Friederike Görres were watching their era’s equivalent of a livestream of the implosion of the Church in Europe. And they were asking the same questions about the “reformers” in the Church that many of us are asking today: Why are they so optimistic about their efforts that are patently leading to a decline in the Church? And why do these people remain in a Church they so clearly despise? And, daring to utter the s-word, when will the powers that be finally pull out a red card and declare, “schism”?

Exploring some little-known sites in the Holy Land — where the “flow of blood” ceased, boating in Galilee, the house of the Holy Family, and fish just like Jesus used to make...

Chapter%202%3A%20Exploring%20Little-Known%20Sites%20in%20the%20Holy%20Land%u2013Where%20the%20%u201CFlow%20of%20Blood%u201D%20Ceased%2C%20Boating%20in%20Galilee%2C%20House%20of%20the%20Holy%20Family%2C%20and%20Fish%20Just%20Like%20Jesus%20Used%20to%20Make%21%20%u2013%20%u0396%u03AE%u03C3%u03C4%u03B5%20%u03B6%u03B5%u03C3%u03C4%u03CC%u2026%20%22STAY%20HOT%22BEAUDOIN: After getting some good rest at a hotel for pilgrims attached to the parish Church of St. Peter in Tiberias, a parish established by the Crusaders in A.D. 1100! I set out on my first day exploring some of the little-known sights around the Sea of Galilee. The first site I went to was the site of Christ’s healing of the Hemorrhaging Woman, the tragic figure who had lived with a “flow of blood” for 12 years. This site has tragically largely been lost to the world for many years, but I’m doing what I can to increase awareness of it.

Contradicting Holy See Press Office, Vatican Sources Say Pope Francis Taken by Ambulance to Gemelli Hospital After Suffering Chest Pains Following General Audience

Pope Francis taken by ambulance to the hospital after chest pain | America Magazine: Pope Francis, 86, was taken to hospital in an ambulance around lunchtime today after he complained of chest pains, America has learned from senior Vatican sources who were not authorized to comment and Italian media. The Vatican press office had said earlier on Wednesday that Francis was taken to the hospital for previously scheduled tests.

Vatican: Pope Francis Taken to Gemelli Hospital in Rome for ‘Previously Scheduled Checkups’

Vatican: Pope Francis at Rome hospital to undergo checkups | Catholic News Agency: Pope Francis has been undergoing some medical checkups at one of Rome’s most prominent hospitals since Wednesday afternoon, according to a Vatican spokesman.

The Most Wonderful Day of the Year

The Most Wonderful Day of the YearDEAVEL: “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” written by Edward Pola and George Wyle and first recorded in 1963 by Andy Williams, is a Christmas song that brings delight. But much as the song is delightful, it’s not quite true theologically. The truly most wonderful time of the year in Christian tradition was Saturday, March 25, and it involves Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Abraham and Isaac, Gabriel, Mary, the Cross, and even Frodo Baggins the hobbit.

The Biblical Rainbow and the LGBT One. A Must-Read Letter From the Bishops of Scandinavia...

The%20Biblical%20Rainbow%20and%20the%20LGBT%20One.%20A%20Must-Read%20Letter%20From%20the%20Bishops%20of%20Scandinavia%20%u2013%20Settimo%20Cielo%20-%20Blog%20-%20L%u2019EspressoMAGISTER: The clash for and against the blessing of same-sex couples is providing public opinion with an image of the Church entirely mapped out according to the equally conflictual one of secular society. There are the German and Belgian bishops who approve and practice it. There are a few cardinals, like Gerhard Müller, he too a German, who for this reason brand them as heretics and want them to be subjected to canonical trial.

“Standers” — men and women abandoned by their spouses, still living out their vows — are today’s hidden martyrs of marriage

The Hidden Martyrs for Marriage | Catholic AnswersMILLER: The fourth Sunday of Lent is also known as Laetare Sunday – Rejoice Sunday – from the opening word in Latin of the Entrance Antiphon at Mass, a text from the prophet Isaiah, which begins, “Rejoice, Jerusalem, and all who love her.” Traditionally, Jerusalem, and especially the heavenly Jerusalem, has been seen as a type of the Church...

In this last stretch of Lent, learn better to find joy in your suffering

Find Joy in Your SufferingFOLEY: The fourth Sunday of Lent is also known as Laetare Sunday – Rejoice Sunday – from the opening word in Latin of the Entrance Antiphon at Mass, a text from the prophet Isaiah, which begins, “Rejoice, Jerusalem, and all who love her.” Traditionally, Jerusalem, and especially the heavenly Jerusalem, has been seen as a type of the Church – as pointing to the Church – and so on the fourth Sunday of Lent, Catholics who make up the Church are called to rejoice...

First Japanese in Europe: The incredible story of the Tenshō embassy, an 8-year-long voyage from Nagasaki to see kings and the pope

New%20Advent%3A%20First%20Japanese%20in%20Europe%3A%20The%20incredible%20story%20of%20the%20Tensh%u014D%20embassy%2C%20an%208-year-long%20voyage%20from%20Nagasaki%20to%20see%20kings%20and%20the%20pope: From MagellanTV...

Popular church architecture scholar Denis McNamara accused of ‘sexually inappropriate’ conduct with seminarians

Popular%20Church%20architecture%20scholar%20accused%20of%20%u2018sexually%20inappropriate%u2019%20conduct%20with%20seminarians: A prominent Catholic architectural historian, author, and professor has been accused of sexual misconduct involving adult seminarians, Chicago’s Mundelein Seminary notified seminarians Monday.

Police: Shooter at Nashville Christian School Was Former Student and Had ‘Manifesto’ But ‘We Do Not Know Why She Targeted That Church’

Police%3A%20Shooter%20at%20Nashville%20Christian%20School%20Was%20Former%20Student%20and%20Had%20%u2018Manifesto%u2019%7C%20National%20Catholic%20Register: A person who killed six people at a private Presbyterian Christian school in Nashville before being fatally shot by police wrote a manifesto that contained a map of the school and potential entry points, but a motive for the crime has yet to be determined, according to police. Police confirmed the shooter was 28-year-old Audrey Hale, who was a biological female who identified as transgender and had previously attended Covenant School as a child...

Around 90,000 ships are regularly crisscrossing the world’s oceans, and they’re taking on unusual stowaways — migrating birds who’ve discovered an easier way to travel

With Ships, Birds Find an Easier Way to Travel | Hakai Magazine: Last fall, hundreds of birders rushed to Bryher, a tiny island off the coast of Cornwall, England. They came to see a Blackburnian warbler, a bird with a flaming orange throat and a high-pitched, trilled song. Blackburnian warblers are hardly ever seen in the United Kingdom—their home is 4,800 kilometers away in the pine forests of North America. Though they’re adept fliers, these birds typically overwinter in South America. So how did the bird get to Bryher?

The actual texts of Vatican II, and the writings of John Paul II and Benedict XVI, can help us resist the spirit of the age

Revisiting%20the%20%u2018Spirit%20of%20Vatican%20II%u2019%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterCHAPP: The topic of “synodality,” which is much in the news these days, seems to mean very different things to different people. In many ways, it is a laudable attempt at increasing the participation of local bishops and their dioceses in the governing of the Church. But there are also those in the Church who are now inappropriately using synodality as a means for altering settled Church doctrines...

Catholic University of America professor pushes back against homosexual “reparative therapy” studies

Catholic%20University%20of%20America%20Professor%20Pushes%20Back%20Against%20%u2018Reparative%20Therapy%u2019%20Studies%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterDESMOND: Over the past two decades, as Americans who identify as “gay” and “lesbian” secured social acceptance, expanded legal protections and marriage rights, an acrimonious parallel debate has sprung up over claims that so-called “conversion therapy” for people dealing with unwanted same-sex attraction is unethical, harmful and should be prohibited.

Point Me to the Skies

Point%20Me%20to%20the%20Skies%20%u2013%20Hearth%20%26%20FieldESOLEN: Someday, I dearly hope, we will begin to ask what we can do to make our medicine more human. We might begin with the hospital. “Tommaso, Tommaso!” cried the old woman down the hall. She could speak nothing but Italian. “Voglio andare a casa!” she said, over and over, weeping, for at least an hour while the nurses tried to calm her down. She was terrified.

Boulder, Colorado, is famous for its liberal secularism. So why is the town producing so many priests and faithful Catholics? Here’s one big reason...

What's the St. Tom's secret to forming missionary disciples?: After interviewing three priests in January who were students at CU Boulder, we spoke to the men and women behind the ministry to figure out their “secret sauce.” What is the St. Thomas Aquinas Center doing to turn out great apostles? “It’s Boulder,” said Father Peter Mussett, pastor at St. Thomas Aquinas parish in Boulder.

The USCCB doctrinal note prohibiting transgender procedures is a welcome intervention

USCCB doctrinal note prohibiting transgender procedures is a welcome intervention - Catholic Herald: The Doctrinal Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) issued on 20 March a 14-page firm doctrinal note on the “Moral Limits to Technological Manipulation of the Human Body”. It sets out clearly the prohibition on “manipulating” or mutilating the bodies of people, especially young people, with the aim of changing sex, stating...

We spoke to the guy who created the viral AI image of the Pope that fooled the world

We Spoke To The Guy Behind The Viral AI Image Of The Pope: Over the weekend, a photo of Pope Francis looking dapper in a white puffer jacket went mega-viral on social media. The 86-year-old sitting pontiff, it appeared, has some serious drip. But there was just one problem: The image is not real. It was made using the AI art tool Midjourney.

Nicaraguans Respond to ‘Repugnant and Cynical’ Staged Prison Interview With Bishop Rolando Álvarez

Nicaraguans%20respond%20to%20%u2018staged%u2019%20prison%20interview%20with%20Bishop%20%C1lvarez%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: The auxiliary bishop of Managua, Silvio Báez, who lives in exile in the United States, called the Daniel Ortega dictatorship’s staging this weekend of a prison interview with Bishop Rolando Álvarez “repugnant and cynical.” Álvarez was sentenced to 26 years and four months in prison on Feb. 10 as a “traitor to the homeland.”

‘The Nuns Who Left Brooklyn’ — How many religious details did this NYTimes story need?

%27The%20Nuns%20Who%20Left%20Brooklyn%27%20--%20How%20many%20religious%20details%20did%20this%20Times%20story%20need%3F%20%u2014%20GetReligionMATTINGLY: The headline of this New York Times story was totally “religion story” — “The Nuns Who Left Brooklyn.” Thus, I heard from people who wanted to know what your GetReligionistas thought of this religion story. The content of this news feature was, quite frankly, totally “metro desk” (people who have worked in newsrooms will understand that term). This is, let me stress, not a complaint...

Your friend Jesus will weep when you die

This Sunday, Your Friend Jesus Will Weep When You Die | Benedictine College Media and MoreHOOPES: Friendship with Jesus was a favorite theme of Pope Benedict XVI, one he returned to many times. “Friendship means sharing in thought and will,” he said. It is never “a purely intellectual thing, but a sharing of sentiments and will, hence, also of actions … in an increasingly personal way, listening to him, living together with him, staying with him.”

From Eden to the Temple: Signs of Things to Come

From Eden to the Temple: Signs of Things to Come - AdoremusTSAKANIKAS: The greatest Father and Doctor of the East, St. Gregory Nazianzen, is clear that the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was a boundary that the immature were not to cross until they had been properly prepared: purified and enlightened as on the slopes of Mount Sinai. St. Gregory is in agreement with the Father and Doctor, St. Ephrem the Syrian, who observes that the Tree of Knowledge was the part of creation that participated in God’s presence...

You can’t cancel me, because I quit [WSJ paywall]

You%20Can%u2019t%20Cancel%20Me%2C%20I%20Quit%20-%20WSJEBERSTADT: I was scheduled to give a speech on Monday at Furman University about my recent book, “Primal Screams: How the Sexual Revolution Created Identity Politics.” I canceled it. Here’s why. In the spring of 2014—in retrospect, the dress rehearsal for cancel culture—some commencement speakers around the country were disinvited or withdrew themselves from consideration owing to left-wing protests. I wasn’t among them...

Thanks to data mining, detective work and diligent human outreach, this New Orleans parish will baptize 10 young people at the Easter Vigil

10 St. Joan of Arc, LaPlace, students set to enter church - Clarion Herald - New Orleans, LA: Chances are, the young people would have not been inspired to consider Catholicism were it not for the excellent formation they received during their St. Joan of Arc religion classes and at weekly school Masses. It is also likely that some of the catechumens might have fallen under the sacramental “radar” had not Linda Monistere, St. Joan of Arc Parish’s coordinator of religious education and sacramental preparation, made some extra efforts to get to know school families...

How to protect your kids from the dark side of technology

We need urgent action to protect kids from technologySTAUDT: A frightening trend emerged when I was working in Catholic school administration. The acceleration of problems related to sexuality for young kids was startling, beginning even as early as kindergarten. There was one common source: technology. Without a doubt, the fact that young children regularly use smartphones has led to frequent exposure to sexual images and messages that have made some kids question their own God-given identity.

Share the Vision: A School Choice Testimony From a Father of Seven Kids

Share the Vision: A School Choice Testimony | God-Haunted LunaticBECKER: My wife, Nancy, and I have been blessed with seven kids…so far. It’s not very likely God will send us any more, but he’s known for doing weird things, and we’re always open to the prospect, so who knows? If he does decide the world needs more Beckers in it, then you can bet they’ll end up in Catholic schools, although we didn’t begin there. Back in the day, we started off homeschooling...

God gave us cloistered nuns to remind us that, despite appearances, the purpose of our lives is not to be useful

A Sign of Uselessness ~ The Imaginative ConservativeBRANDELL: Liberalism cannot make sense of the cloistered nun. According to its anthropology, man is an individual rational actor seeking pleasure and utility. Cloistered nuns, who give up both pleasure and action, confound this schema. And precisely for this reason, as history shows, liberal regimes tend to simply get rid of them. Often enough, American Catholics still try to make sense of the nun within this framework...

Why is space cold if the sun is hot? It’s an excellent question, with a simple answer...

How cold is space? And how hot is the sun? | Popular Science: How cold is space? And how hot is the sun? These are both excellent questions. Unlike our mild habitat here on Earth, our solar system is full of temperature extremes. The sun is a bolus of gas and fire measuring around 27 million degrees Fahrenheit at its core and 10,000 degrees at its surface. Meanwhile, the cosmic background temperature—the temperature of space once you get far enough away to escape Earth’s balmy atmosphere—hovers at -455 F.

Amazing leaps are being made in drone technology, and amazing things are happening in Rwanda (watch all 21 minutes if you have time, or jump to the 2:10 mark if you don’t)

New Advent: This Drone Will Change Everything: From YouTube engineer guru Mark Rober...

The basic law of Catholic progressivism is this: Sex is now a “law-free zone”

The%20law-free%20zone%20of%20human%20sexuality%20and%20the%20Church%20today%20%u2013%20Catholic%20World%20ReportROURKE: Examining the various components of the philosophy driving the proponents of the sexual revolution, as well as many Catholic progressives, a good summary of their various proposals is simply this: the entire realm of human sexuality is not to be governed by law. Sex is, so to speak, a “law-free zone”. Although rarely advertised as such (it’s still too radical for most people), a thoughtful investigation of progressive thought...

Cardinal Robles caves: Church issues new baptismal certificate to “transgender” drag performer; Guadalajara archdiocesan newspaper pushes culture of death

Transgender%20ideology%20makes%20inroads%20in%20Archdiocese%20of%20Guadalajara%20%u2013%20Catholic%20World%20Report: A male-to-female “transgender” drag queen performer in the city of Guadalajara, Mexico has received a new baptismal certificate affirming his female self-identity, with the approval of an official of the city’s Catholic archdiocese. The issuance of the baptismal certificate in early February was followed weeks later by two articles affirming “transgender” ideology in the archdiocesan newspaper...

The problems with the Synodal Way — dodgy theology, intimidation tactics, disobedience — go far deeper than the bad proposals it’s advanced

The%20Anti-Synod%3A%20Flawed%20Theology%2C%20Intimidation%20Tactics%20and%20Downright%20Disobedience%20Define%20Germany%u2019s%20Synodal%20Way%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterLIEDL: From a distance, the main problems of the German Synodal Way seem clear enough. They take the form of the controversial resolutions the process, which concluded its initial phase March 9-11 with an assembly in Frankfurt, has advanced with overwhelming majorities: blessings for same-sex couples, incorporation of transgender ideology into Church practice, pushing the Vatican to allow for the attempted sacramental ordination of women, and so forth.

In ‘stunning interview,’ Vatican’s Archbishop Roche echoes SSPX’s Archbishop Lefebvre, says he thinks the purpose of the new Mass was to impose a new religion upon the Church

The Vatican Agrees with Radical Traditionalists | National ReviewDOUGHERTY: Cardinal Archbishop Arthur Roche, the man the Vatican has placed in charge of extinguishing the Traditional Latin Mass that Benedict XVI in 2007 had widely permitted, admitted in an interview with the BBC that Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre and his radical traditionalist followers are right — that the faith once delivered to the saints has been abolished and substituted by the Church in the 1960s.

‘Suddenly There Were More Hosts in the Ciborium’: Archdiocese of Hartford Investigating Possible Eucharistic Miracle at Connecticut Church

Priest reports possible eucharistic miracle at Connecticut church | Catholic News Agency: A local Connecticut television station reported that the Archdiocese of Hartford is investigating a possible eucharistic miracle that may have taken place during the celebration of the Mass at St. Thomas Catholic Church in Thomaston. On March 5 at the conclusion of Mass, Father Joseph Crowley announced that a eucharistic minister witnessed something unexplainable as he was distributing Communion.

Pope’s Angelus for Fifth Sunday of Lent: ‘Like Little Children Learning to Walk, Let God Take You by the Hand’

Pope at Angelus: Like little children learning to walk, let God take you by the hand - Vatican News: "Get up, get back on the path, regain confidence! ... I will take you by the hand, like when you were a child learning to take your first steps," Jesus tells us, insisted Pope Francis during his Sunday Angelus address to the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square. The Holy Father gave these words of comfort as he stressed the Lord's incredible power to restore us, even when all seems lost, as he offered his customary reflections on the day's Gospel, which, this fifth Sunday of Lent, presents us with the resurrection of Lazarus, the last of the miracles of Jesus narrated before Easter.

Pope Accepts ‘Resignation’ of Bishop Franz-Josef Bode, VP of German Bishops’ Conference and Key Figure in German Synodal Way

Pope%20Francis%20accepts%20resignation%20of%20vice%20president%20of%20German%20bishops%u2019%20conference%A0%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20AgencyWIMMER: Pope Francis accepted the resignation of a German bishop on Saturday who played a key role in the German Synodal Way and had come under pressure over his handling of clerical sexual abuse in his diocese. Bishop Franz-Josef Bode had previously refused to step down, despite an abuse report finding he had mishandled cases in his diocese in northwestern Germany. The Holy See announced March 25 that Pope Francis...

7 teachings on Hell from St. Thomas Aquinas

Seven Teachings on Hell From St. Thomas Aquinas - Community in MissionPOPE: The teachings of the Lord on Hell are difficult, especially in today’s climate. The most difficult questions that arise relate to its eternal nature and how to square its existence with a God who is loving and rich in mercy. First, does God love the souls in Hell? Yes. How could they continue to exist if He did not love them, sustain them, and continue to provide for them? God loves because He is love...

Does God change His mind when we pray?

Does God Change His Mind When We Pray?| National Catholic RegisterBRUGGER: I will take you through St. Thomas Aquinas’ answer to this puzzling question. Aquinas says that prayer is not about changing God’s mind, but about changing us to conform with God’s plan. We pray that we may obtain by intercession that which God has disposed from the beginning to be fulfilled by our prayers. Since God is outside of time, he knows from all eternity that for which we will pray...

The Catholic Church is truly “intersectional.” Abortion doulas and their supporters are not...

Intersectionality%3A%20The%20Abortion%20Doula%u2019s%20and%20the%20Catholic%20Church%u2019s%20-%20arcoftheuniversePHILPOTT: An abortion doula and a historian of transgenderism ardently advocated abortion rights Monday on a zoom panel here at the University of Notre Dame titled “Reproductive Justice: Scholarship for Solidarity and Social Change.” The freedom to have abortions intersects with women’s autonomy, racial justice, and transgenderism, they argued. Intersectionality is a popular concept now in academia.

German Bishop Heiner Wilmer, who may still be named prefect of the DDF, says “we need significant changes in sexual morality in the Catholic Church,”

Disconcerting%20quotations%20from%20Bishop%20Heiner%20Wilmer%20%u2013%20Catholic%20World%20ReportWEIGEL: Shortly before Christmas 2022, it seemed likely that Dr. Heiner Wilmer, SCJ, bishop of Hildesheim and a prominent proponent of the German “Synodal Way,” would be named prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith in succession to Cardinal Luis Ladaria Ferrer, SJ. Bishop Wilmer’s statements on a number of doctrinal and moral matters drew the concerned attention of senior churchmen in Rome and elsewhere...

The good news about Substack, Germany, and firing squads

The good news about Substack, Germany, and firing squadsCONDON: The Archdiocese of Milwaukee announced Wednesday that a priest has lost the faculty to hear confessions, after he argued in favor of a bill that would force priests to violate the seal. Fr. James Connell, who is retired from active ministry but previously served as vice-chancellor of the Milwaukee archdiocese, wrote an op-ed in a Delaware newspaper last week, arguing in favor of a state law to repeal the priest-penitent privilege.

Suspect in Murder of LA Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell Pleads Not Guilty

Suspect%20in%20Bishop%20O%u2019Connell%20murder%20pleads%20not%20guilty: The man suspected of killing Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell in his Hacienda Heights home pleaded not guilty at an arraignment hearing Wednesday. Carlos Medina, 61, has been charged with one felony count of murder and a special allegation that he used a firearm. During the arraignment at Foltz Criminal Justice Center in downtown LA, Superior Court Judge Armenui Amy Ashvanian ordered that Medina remain in jail in lieu of $2 million bail...

You think your bacon is crispy, but I’m here to tell you: It could be even crispier. Here’s the trick...

A Pro Tip for Crispier, Better Bacon | Bon Appetit: While I was hunting for the simplest possible recipes for my new cookbook, Simply Genius, I stumbled on a trick used by the third-generation stewards of Joe’s Bakery, established in 1962 in Austin. It’s so effective that their customers assume their bacon has been fried, state fair style.

Imagine going to school every day in Narnia...

Homeschooling%20in%20Narnia%20%u2013%20Theology%20of%20HomeGRESS: Mary in Ohio has done just that. The mom of two created a homeschooling classroom inspired by the wonder and joy of the hidden world found in C.S. Lewis's classic collection of fiction, The Chronicles of Narnia. Mary, her husband, and their two daughters moved into a new home just under a year ago. Mary has added her own touches to every room. I was able to visit this delightful room on a recent trip to Ohio and was completely charmed...

There’s nothing like sharing insights with a friend. So why is it so difficult?

Friendship and the Conversations that Really Matter - LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: One of the great paradoxes of our day is that with seemingly limitless outlets for ‘sharing’ thoughts, so little deep sharing actually happens. We are often stifled, cut off, and isolated. In the cacophony of words, it is difficult to say the things we want to say. We are beginning to realize that the tools billed as making connections have in fact undermined them, with devastating consequences even in our close relationships.

As Tensions in Holy Land Increase, Two Jewish Terrorists Attack Jerusalem’s Tomb of Mary, Possible Site of Her Assumption

Jews%20Attack%20the%20Church%20of%20Mary%u2019s%20Tomb%20in%20Jerusalem%20-%20ZENIT%20-%20English: The Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem and Primate Theophilus III, together with the Synod, all the clergy and faithful, “condemn the atrocious terrorist attack,” which took place on Thursday morning, March 19, during Sunday’s Liturgy, at the hands of two Israeli extremists.” Thus read the note of the leaders of the Christian community of the Holy Land...

“Dad jokes? That’s the way eye roll”: Why this much-maligned art form is actually good for kids...

%27Dad%20jokes%3F%20That%u2019s%20the%20way%20eye%20roll%u2026%u2019%20%7C%20BPS: A duck walks into a pharmacy and says, ‘Give me some lip balm – and put it on my bill’. Whether you laughed or not – and I have my doubts – this is, at least technically, a joke. Specifically, it’s what has come to be known as a Dad Joke. In 2019, the term dad joke made it into Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary as ‘a wholesome joke of the type said to be told by fathers with a punchline that is often an obvious or predictable pun or play on words...

“100 percent the worst pain ever”: Australian authorities warn hikers of venomous stinging tree that’s sending people to the hospital

Gympie-Gympie stinging tree causing hospitalisations in Far North Queensland - ABC News: Naomi Lewis has given birth to four children, but nothing prepared her for the excruciating and long-lasting pain of an encounter with a venomous stinging tree in Queensland's far north. She was mountain biking at Smithfield, near her Cairns home, when she came off her bike, left the trail and hurtled down an embankment, sliding into a stinging tree, known colloquially as a Gympie-Gympie plant.

Naaman, the Nazarenes, and the Germans

Naaman, the Nazarenes, and the GermansWEIGEL: To vary Oscar Wilde, the Church’s liturgical life often imitates art by being strikingly appropriate to a particular moment. That was certainly true on Monday of the Third Week of Lent, 2023 — a day when the Scriptures of the Eucharistic liturgy invite us to ponder the greatest of the capital sins, pride, through the story of Naaman, the Syrian general, and Jesus’s confrontation with his fellow-Nazarenes...

These days, “accompaniment” has become just another buzzword, but here’s how it looked in the early Church

What Authentic Accompaniment Looks Like - Catholic Missionary Disciples - College Station, TXLEJEUNE: If we made a list of commonly used Catholic buzzwords, then we have to put “accompaniment” near the top. It is used in a lot of different ways and many uses are rather nebulous. I hope to dig a bit deeper in this blog about what the term is really supposed to mean for us as Catholic evangelists and leaders. The term accompaniment was made popular by Pope Francis...

William Shakespeare Was a Defiant Catholic to the Last

William Shakespeare Was a Defiant Catholic to the Last| National Catholic RegisterPEARCE: The 2018 film, All is True, starring Kenneth Branagh as William Shakespeare and Ian McKellen as Shakespeare’s patron, the Earl of Southampton, purports to be a depiction of the Bard’s final years in Stratford following his retirement from the London stage. Making no effort to remain true to the known facts of Shakespeare’s life, preferring instead to follow the path of pride and anti-Catholic prejudice, All is True reinvents him in the image of our own deplorable epoch.

German Prosecutors Drop Case of Alleged ‘Cover Up’ Against Benedict XVI

Prosecutors%20drop%20case%20of%20alleged%20%u2018cover%20up%u2019%20against%20Benedict%20XVI%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: A potential legal case against Pope Benedict XVI over his handling of abuse during his time as archbishop of Munich has been dropped. The public prosecutor’s office in Munich said on Tuesday it had “discontinued its investigations” against Cardinals Joseph Ratzinger and Friedrich Wetter, reported CNA Deutsch, CNA’s German-language news partner.

Oxford University scientists warn women of new research “nobody wants to hear”: The Pill causes breast cancer

The Pill causes breast cancer, says Oxford study - Catholic Herald: Every type of hormonal contraception dramatically increases a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer, a new study has found. Scientists have previously linked the combined contraceptive Pill – which is made up of oestrogen and progestogen – to a 20 per cent increase in developing the disease, while similarly high rates have been identified in the coil and contraceptive implants.

“It is the Devil”: Exorcist warns of dangerous an deceptive board game sold on Amazon

"It is the Devil": Exorcist Warns of Dangerous & Deceptive Board Game Sold on Amazon: An exorcist gave a dire warning about a board game sold on Amazon. Beyond appearances, it is extremely dangerous. Father Ernesto María Caro shared a video on the YouTube channel “Digital Evangelization” in which he warns about the “Holy Spirit Board.” It is a game claiming to communicate with God, but “it is a disguised ouija.”

Do not fear: The confessional seal will always remain inviolable...

The confessional seal will remain inviolable. | Catholic CultureMIRUS: Unless you’ve been living in your crawl space, you know that the sacramental seal of the confessional has been increasingly under attack in recent years, especially amid the growing recognition of child sexual abuse throughout our society, including among Catholic clergy. One may well be astonished at the modern world’s inability to connect the dots between disordered sexuality generally and child sexual abuse in particular...

A spirit of laxity is eroding the life of billions of Christians. This spirit will depart the Church only by our prayer and fasting...

Is%20There%20an%20End%20to%20Laxity%3F%20%u2013%20Building%20Catholic%20CultureSTAUDT: Laxism is a moral position that in a position of doubt tends to the easiest or least demanding alternative. Christians certainly suffer from this position, but I want to focus rather an the general laxity of the practice of penance, which continues to wear thin with almost nothing expected of Catholics any longer...

Don’t blast the media. Engage!

Conservatives Should Engage With Media, Not Complain | National ReviewLOPEZ: As I write, I’m about to speak for the second time in a week about the media. Both invitations, at two very different conferences, I almost turned down, because I don’t think much about the media. I obviously work in it. I’m tremendously grateful to have platforms to highlight the good and to work through contentious issues. But early on in my life as an opinion journalist...

I’m breaking up with Barnes and Noble

I'm Breaking Up With Barnes And NobleGRESS: I can’t remember the first time I stepped into a Barnes and Noble, but it must have been when I was in college decades ago. I was charmed by the rows and rows of books, the coffee bar, and the comfortable chairs and tables situated around the store. Growing up in the very liberal Eugene, Oregon, I was used to bookstores that featured crystals, metaphysics sections, astrology chart reading, and instructions about witchcraft...

Should the Moon have its own time zone?

Should the moon have its own time zone?: Pacific Time, Eastern Time, Greenwich Mean Time — and one day, perhaps, Moon Time? With dozens of lunar missions planned for the years ahead — including ones to build bases and other habitats on the moon — it may be time for some synchronicity, according to the European Space Agency. Time in space is usually calculated based on the time on Earth, but as different nations plan to operate on and around the moon, it may require a universal method for lunar timekeeping.

Pope Francis Invites Catholics to Renew Consecration to Immaculate Heart of Mary on March 25

Pope Francis invites Catholics to renew consecration to Immaculate Heart of Mary on March 25 | Catholic News AgencyMARES: Pope Francis has invited Catholics to annually renew an act of consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on March 25. The solemnity of the Annunciation on Saturday marks one year since Pope Francis consecrated Russia and Ukraine to the Blessed Virgin Mary in St. Peter’s Basilica with a prayer asking for peace in the world...

Here’s how to define “wokeness”

How%20to%20define%20%u201Cwokeness%u201D%20%u2013%20Catholic%20World%20ReportFESER: A common talking point among the woke is the claim that “woke” is just a term of abuse that has no clear meaning. Whether many of them really believe this or are just obfuscating is not clear, but in any event it isn’t true. I would suggest that what critics of wokeness have in mind is pretty obviously captured in the following definition: Wokeness is a paranoid delusional hyper-egalitarian mindset that tends to see oppression and injustice where they do not exist or greatly to exaggerate them where they do exist.

Mary Eberstadt is right: The “new intolerance” around sex is not an accident...

The New Intolerance | Francis X. Maier | First ThingsMAIER: Very early in her new book, Mary Eberstadt notes that a new kind of intolerance is “strangling open discussion across the West.” And as she argues in her text, this new brand of intolerance is linked closely with the sexual revolution. Now, at first hearing, that just doesn’t sound plausible. The sexual revolution was about an end to repressive moralizing. But here’s the catch...

Fry pizza, add Marmite to roast potatoes: 27 eye-opening and invaluable tips from top chefs

Fry pizza, add Marmite to roast potatoes: 27 eye-opening and invaluable tips from top chefs | Food | The Guardian: If you have ever tried to re-create a restaurant dish at home, you will almost certainly have been perplexed by the experience. No matter how much care and attention you give to your version, something seems to be missing when you tuck in. What are chefs doing differently? Here, 27 professionals divulge their favourite kitchen trick – the one unexpected riff that keeps them ahead of the pack.

How dangerous is turbulence on airplanes? Here’s what you need to know...

How dangerous is turbulence on airplanes? Here's what you need to know : NPR: Over the past week, significant turbulence caused one death and one hospitalization on a business jet and seven hospitalizations on a commercial flight. Turbulence usually just causes a bumpy ride, but it varies widely in severity and can cause damage to the plane and injuries to the passengers and crew on board — not to mention serious fear and anxiety among flyers.

This epic NASA map shows where you can see two US solar eclipses in 2023 and 2024

This epic NASA map shows where to see US solar eclipses in 2023 and 2024 (photos) | Space: Skywatchers in the United States looking to observe solar eclipses over the next two years will be delighted with a super-detailed new map released by NASA. Based on data collected by several NASA missions the map shows the moon's shadow as it will cross the U.S. during the annular "ring of fire" solar eclipse on Oct. 14, 2023, and the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024.

How to ‘Put the Devil on the Run’ as Cultural Interest in the Occult Grows

How%20to%20%u2018Put%20the%20Devil%20on%20the%20Run%u2019%20as%20Cultural%20Interest%20in%20the%20Occult%20Grows%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterMYLER: When he was a child, Stephen Adubato asked his parents for a Ouija board. Several of his relatives dabbled in magic, and he had become interested in experimenting with occult practices. Adubato’s family bought him the Ouija board, and he began communicating with spirits who presented themselves as his relatives. Experiences like Adubato’s are becoming more common, as interest in occultism

The news, the glory of God, and St. Benedict’s holy death

The news, the glory of God, and St. Benedict's holy deathJDFLYNN: First, some good news — we have almost made it to the end of Lent! Soon, in early April, we’ll celebrate Palm Sunday, Holy Week, and then the gift of Easter itself. If you’ve been living an especially penitential Lent, you might have something of a countdown clock to Easter already going, with full knowledge of how many seconds more you’ll need to keep up your Lenten penances before it’s Easter somewhere...

It’s World Down Syndrome Day, and I’d like you to meet my brother Gabriel

It%u2019s%20World%20Down%20Syndrome%20Day%2C%20and%20I%u2019d%20Like%20You%20to%20Meet%20My%20Brother%20Gabriel%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterJACINTAHAMILTON: March 21 marks the observance of World Down Syndrome Day — a celebration of the countless individuals who bless our world with this condition. But the fight to recognize the value of all life continues, and the statistics are staggering. In Ireland, 95% of babies with Down syndrome are reportedly aborted. Iceland claims to have “eliminated” Down syndrome by killing 100% of babies with Down syndrome by abortion. In the U.S., approximately 74% of expectant parents abort a child with Down syndrome.

Vatican Largely Silent as China Forces Catholics to ‘Adapt to Socialist Society’

Vatican%20Largely%20Silent%20as%20China%20Forces%20Catholics%20to%20%u2018Adapt%20to%20Socialist%20Society%u2019%7C%20National%20Catholic%20Register: As the Chinese Communist Party continues to enforce its Sinicization program, placing ever tighter controls on religions and co-opting them to promote Marxist doctrine, the Vatican remains largely silent publicly despite the program’s total incompatibility with the Catholic faith. In an address on March 5 to open China’s National People’s Congress, outgoing Chinese Premier Li Keqiang boasted of how much the Sinicization of religions...

Aids to perception: Three long and three short books

Aids to perception: Three long and three short books | Catholic CultureMIRUS: It’s been one of those weeks. The morning after switching our family cell phones from a major carrier to a budget carrier, my own phone stopped working. The current status is that whenever I dial any number, no matter when or what, the call is answered by the new carrier’s technical support department! A couple of hours of trouble-shooting with the support team were terminated suddenly when the technician reported...

My Struggle Session at Stanford Law School [WSJ Paywall]

My Struggle Session at Stanford Law School - WSJ: Stanford Law School’s website touts its “collegial culture” in which “collaboration and the open exchange of ideas are essential to life and learning.” Then there’s the culture I experienced when I visited Stanford last week. I had been invited by the student chapter of the Federalist Society to discuss the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, on which I’ve served since 2018...

A view from Germany: The Synodal Way abuses the Catholic Faith

A%20view%20from%20Germany%3A%20The%20Synodal%20Way%20abuses%20the%20Catholic%20Faith%20%u2013%20Catholic%20World%20ReportDIOUF: The consequences of the Synodal Way cannot be gauged yet. Much was decided: The dioceses in Germany are to enable the blessing of homosexual couples. They are to allow lay people to preach at Mass. They are to propagate an image of man that complies with gender ideology and ask the Pope to lift the obligation to celibacy and to examine whether women can be admitted into the ministry after all.

Wyoming Becomes First State to Ban Abortion Pills as Texas Judge Considers Nationwide Decision

Abortion pills banned in Wyoming as Texas judge considers nationwide decision - BBC News: Wyoming has become the first US state to ban abortion pills after its governor signed a bill that made prescribing or selling them illegal. Violating it is punishable by up to six months in jail and a $9,000 fine. Women "upon whom a chemical abortion is performed or attempted" will not be prosecuted. As Mark Gordon signed the bill on Friday, a Texas judge was considering a lawsuit that could effectively ban a common abortion pill nationwide.

At Sunday Angelus, Pope Speaks on Man Born Blind; Urges Prayers for Ecuador Earthquake Victims, Ukrainian People and Fathers on St. Joseph’s Day

Pope: Open your eyes and be surprised by God's gifts - Vatican News: Welcoming pilgrims to Saint Peter's Sqaure for the midday Angelus, Pope Francis offered his customary reflections on the day's Gospel before leading the recitation of the Angelus prayer. Recalling how Jesus gives sight to a man blind from birth, the Pope described how this miracle brought about a variety of reactions in people. The Pope added that we should all read this episode in the Gospel of John recounting this miracle of Jesus...

Francis’ pontificate of power has proved, in great matters, strangely impotent

A Pontificate of Power| National Catholic RegisterDESOUZA: Papal courtier Austen Ivereigh has written two very useful biographies of the Holy Father and another book together with him. It would be churlish to deny him a measure of celebration of Pope Francis on his 10th anniversary. Yet the occasion does not require questionable claims to be made, and, regrettably, Ivereigh has done just that, in writing that Pope Francis has “sought a transformation of the internal life and culture of the Catholic Church, at the heart of which is a conversion of power.”

Blessed Marcel Callo struggled from depression — here’s how he recovered his joy

Blessed%20Marcel%20Callo%20Struggled%20From%20Depression%20%u2014%20Until%20He%20Found%20Friendship%20in%20Christ%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterGRAVES: Blessed Marcel Callo (1921-45) was born in France, the second of nine children. He was active in scouting, and as a teenager was apprenticed to a printer. He joined the Young Christian Worker Movement and was elected president. His hobbies included playing cards and ping-pong. He was devoted to the Blessed Mother, and made a pilgrimage to Lourdes. Distressed by the vulgar conversations of his co-workers...

Fourth Sunday of Lent: The Healing of the Man Born Blind

Fourth Sunday of Lent: Healing of the Man Born Blind| National Catholic RegisterGRONDELSKI: As noted last week, the Gospels of the Third, Fourth and Fifth Sundays of Lent can vary, but priests can always use the “scrutiny readings” — which also happen to be the readings prescribed for this year in the Lectionary — that are intended to prepare catechumens for Baptism at Easter. Last week’s focused on the “living water” of grace Jesus promised the Samaritan Woman. This week focuses on Jesus as “the light of the world”...

This Sunday, we were all born blind

This Sunday, We Were All Born Blind | Benedictine College Media and MoreHOOPES: The Gospel begins, “As Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth.” His disciples asked him why the man was blind: Did he sin, or did his parents sin? Neither, says Jesus. As St. Augustine put it, “The blind man here is the human race. Blindness came upon the first man by reason of sin: and from him we all derive it.” Jesus says he is the light of the world. We are all born blind to that light — sinners, enemies of God, ready to serve ourselves via the world, the flesh and the devil, instead of our creator.

‘The Neighbors Hate the Church’: Sacred Heart Church in Bordeaux, France, Vandalized With Satanic and Anarchist Graffiti

French church vandalized with satanic and anarchist graffiti | Catholic News Agency: The walls of Sacred Heart Church, located in downtown Bordeaux, France, were vandalized with satanic graffiti and communist and anarchist symbols the night of March 12-13. In addition, the vandals burned trash on the church’s esplanade. The news was confirmed on March 13 by Constance Pluviaud, head of communications for the Archdiocese of Bordeaux.

Pope Francis’ Decade of Division

Pope%20Francis%u2019%20Decade%20of%20Division%20%7C%20American%20Enterprise%20Institute%20-%20AEIDOUTHAT: Lent is with us, and so is the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’ ascent to the papal throne — an appropriate conjunction, since these are days of tribulation for his papacy. There is the two-front war that Rome finds itself fighting on doctrine and liturgy, trying to squash the church’s Latin Mass traditionalists while more gently restraining the liberal German bishops from forcing a schism on Catholicism’s leftward flank...

Endless filth needs transparency, truth, tiers and tears

Endless filth needs transparency, truth, tiers and tearsSCALIA: It was terrible to learn that Jean Vanier — whom so many Catholics had looked up to as the saintly, heroic founder of L’Arche — had been manipulating and abusing women who came to him seeking spiritual direction. We needed to learn about it, though, and that we have is due to the admirably full-on, deep investigation that L’Arche undertook when informed of the abuse, and its transparent release of findings...

The Fathers of the Desert went out in the desert to “escape the pop songs.” We too must learn to guard our hearts...

Learning Discernment & Consistency From the Desert Fathers ~ The Imaginative ConservativeDEAVEL: The hardest part of Lent is the consistency. It takes what the Desert Fathers, those famous old monks of the Egyptian desert starting around the third century, liked to call “discernment” or “discretion.” In a modern Catholic context, “discernment” often means determining whether God wants you to be a priest, a deacon, or a religious...

The Story of the Chinese Farmer

The Story of the Chinese Farmer - Word on FireKACZOR: Long ago, there was a widowed Chinese farmer. The farmer and his only son labored through the cold winds of winter and scorching rays of summer with their last remaining horse. One day, the son didn’t lock the gate of the stable properly, and the horse bolted away. When neighbors learned what happened, they came to the farmer and said...

The Softest Hot Cross Buns You’ll Ever Make

The Softest Hot Cross Buns You'll Ever Make - by Edd Kimber: How do you feel about calendar based foods, recipes that are made just for special occasions, traditional foods you can look forward to on their annual arrival? I am, of course, talking about hot cross buns, ‘tis the season after all. Supermarkets love to stretch the traditional period these glorious buns are available, but when you go to bakeries and to home kitchens...

Have you ever known someone who was facing a loss, and struggled with what to say to them? Here’s how you can “co-suffer” with those who suffer...

Co-suffering with those who sufferBONACCI: Have you ever known someone who was facing a truly huge loss, and struggled with what to say to them? It hit close to home lately. A friend lost someone close to him to suicide. It has completely rocked his world. At the funeral, I spoke to several people who really just didn’t know what to say. “Saying ‘I’m sorry’ just seems so inadequate.” Yesterday, I picked up the beautiful book Cry of the Heart, taken from talks given by my late, brilliant professor and friend, Msgr. Lorenzo Albacete...

The problem with the “new allegations” against St. John Paul II

The problem with the 'new allegations' against St John Paul II - Catholic Herald: As a child in Poland in the 1950s, my mother lived squeezed into a single room in the centre of Krakow, with her father, brother, aunt, uncle, cousins and grandparents, down the corridor from a communist party member who would inform on his neighbours. At the other end of the corridor lived a young man who one afternoon was found by the children dead, hanging from his curtain pole...

Have German bishops committed the crime of schism? Will the Holy See declare it?

Has Bishop Bode committed schism?: The deputy chairman of the German bishops’ conference on Thursday invited Catholics in his diocese to contact parishes for liturgical blessings of their same-sex partnerships and other relationships regarded as morally illicit in the Catholic Church. The move comes after the “synodal way”...

More Than 70% of US Bishops Allowing Meat on St. Patrick’s Day; Here Are the Rules in Your Diocese...

More%20About%20the%20Meat%20of%20the%20Matter%3A%20More%20Than%2070%25%20of%20US%20Bishops%20Allowing%20Meat%20on%20St.%20Patrick%u2019s%20Day%7C%20National%20Catholic%20Register: More than 70% of U.S. diocesan bishops are allowing Catholics to eat meat on St. Patrick’s Day this year, even though it’s a Friday during Lent. With a week to go, 125 of the 176 dioceses in the country are providing a dispensation from the ordinary rules of Lent or a commutation offering Catholics another option to make up for celebrating the occasion by eating the flesh of a warm-blooded animal.

The Spirit of the St. Patrick’s Battalion

The%20Spirit%20of%20the%20St.%20Patrick%u2019s%20Battalion%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterMILLS: The order to hang them came as they saw their hopes crushed, when the victorious Americans raised the flag above the battle site. They were the second group to die. The first had already been whipped, branded and then hanged for the offense of fighting against the United States. The Irish Catholic soldiers of El Batallón de San Patricio had left the American army to fight for Mexico in the Mexican-American War — a war of, shall we say, dubious justification. Which is to say, pretty much none.

German Bishops Announce Plans to Bless Same-Sex Unions, Allow Laypeople to Baptize and Preach at Mass

German Catholic bishops plan to bless same-sex unions, allow laypeople to baptize and preach at Mass | Catholic News AgencyWIMMER: Following the conclusion of the German Synodal Way, several bishops have announced plans to put into practice resolutions passed by the process, including liturgical blessings of same-sex unions in their churches. The Synodal Way, which concluded in Frankfurt on March 11, “give[s] us the tailwind we need for concrete changes in our diocese,” Bishop Franz-Josef Bode of Osnabrück said March 14.

St. Patrick’s Day, saving face, and seeing things

St.%20Patrick%u2019s%20Day%2C%20saving%20face%2C%20and%20seeing%20thingsCONDON: I’m going to be honest with you, I’ve come full circle on Paddy’s Day. As a kid in Chicago, I thought the whole dying-the-river-green-thing was cool, and my parish and school dripped with the kind of lucky charms schlock you’d expect. I loved it. I actually rode on a float in the Chicago parade once. When I got older, and moved to the U.K., I came to see St. Patrick’s Day...

Where are the songs about St. Patrick for St. Patrick’s Day?

Where%20Are%20the%20St.%20Patrick%20Songs%3F%20%u2013%20That%20Catholic%20Song%20Guy: You have to wonder what St. Patrick thinks about the way we celebrate his feast day. I’m not talking about the drinking. I always raise a glass or two in his honor. Well, not THIS year. This year, I’ve gone the whole nine yards, not just giving up alcohol for lent (which I’ve done before) but also refusing my traditional self-dispensation for March 17, known affectionately to me as the “Irish Mardi Gras Indulgence.” What I do wonder is what St. Patrick thinks about our focus on Irish-ness rather than on the fact that he, by the grace of God, converted Ireland, putting me and my ancestors on the road to our real home of Heaven.

Lenten fish sandwiches, by the numbers. And the taste...

Lenten fish sandwiches, by the numbers. And the tasteHODGE: It’s Lent, and that means that the nation’s fast food chains have rolled out their seasonal fish sandwich offerings, to compete for the business of hungry Catholics on the go. But while many fast food chains do offer a fish sandwich option this time of year, how do those products stack up against their everyday staples of hamburgers and chicken sandwiches?

Not monsters, but “undeniably spooky”: The myth and mystery of mountain lions

The%20mystery%20of%20mountain%20lions%20%28Chasing%20Ghosts%29%20%u2014%20High%20Country%20News%20%u2013%20Know%20the%20West: Last winter, I went walking on a gray afternoon between storms. Meltwater pattered the snow around the ponderosas. Fog wound through overhanging boughs. My dog, Taiga, strained at her leash. We turned up a ravine, climbing toward an outcrop above our home where we could watch clouds river down the narrow Methow Valley, on the east slope of Washington’s North Cascades.

Homosexual behavior in the priesthood has no claim to “privacy.” Enough is enough...

Enough Is Enough - The Catholic ThingMAIER: Anumber of lessons can be drawn from a recent Washington Post story. On March 9, the Post published a nearly 4,000-word story on the work of Catholic Laity and Clergy for Renewal (CLCR), a nonprofit based in Colorado. CLCR meticulously – and legally – collected publicly available data on clergy usage of Grindr and other hetero and same-sex hookup dating apps...

What makes home a home

What Makes Home a Home - LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: The words ‘home at last’ are uniquely powerful. The desire to be at home is so deeply rooted in us that we don’t question it. If we see these words on a tombstone we scarcely notice; or we smile and think, of course. In the end where else would one want to be? It is striking that this remains the case...

Why the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’ election was more somber than festive

A somber anniversaryWEIGEL: March 13 ought to have been a happy day in Rome. But the mood in and around Vatican City before, during and after the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’s election was more somber than festive — and not because the anniversary fell during Lent. Rather, the melancholy reflected the current atmosphere in the Holy See, which has gone unremarked for too long and deserves candid description.

St. Patrick’s Day: Can You Eat Meat on This Friday of Lent? Here Are the Rules in Your Diocese...

The%20Meat%20of%20the%20Matter%3A%20St.%20Patrick%u2019s%20Day%20and%20the%20Lenten%20Fast%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterMATTHEWMCDONALD: St. Patrick died during Lent. Which year isn’t certain. But for one of the leading candidates (A.D. 461), March 17 was a Friday. And while Easter is a moveable feast, St. Patrick’s Day is always during Lent — and sometimes on a Friday. Like this year, for instance. That means trouble, for Friday is also a day of abstinence for Catholics, especially during Lent. Something’s got to give...

Fasting, Civilization Collapse and the Holy Eucharist

Fasting, Civilization Collapse and the Holy Eucharist| National Catholic RegisterCRAIG: When it’s time for fasting, food is removed from your lips — but it seems like it gets placed on your mind. When fasting, I think about food more. The pangs in my body remind me of it. My natural desire for the pleasure of food is aroused during the denial. My nursing wife and kids — who are not fasting — make me think of eating when they’re testing out new seasoning on the ground portion of our freshly slaughtered pig...

A laicized, ex-con New Hampshire priest who stole $300,000 is now heading two New York City nonprofits with city contracts

Defrocked, ex-con priest who stole $300K heads NYC nonprofits with city contracts: A defrocked, ex-con priest who was a diocesan spin doctor at the height of the Catholic church’s sex abuse scandal now heads a pair of New York City nonprofits which have raked in millions in taxpayer cash. Edward Bolognini, who used to be a high-ranking New Hampshire holy man named Edward Arsenault, pled guilty in 2014 to stealing some $300,000 from a Catholic hospital, his diocese and a dead priest’s estate.

Facing Hundreds of Sex Abuse Lawsuits, Albany Diocese to Declare Bankruptcy

Facing hundreds of sex abuse lawsuits, Albany Diocese to declare bankruptcy | Catholic News Agency: The Catholic Diocese of Albany has decided to file for bankruptcy, saying a financial reorganization will help provide some compensation for the hundreds of sex abuse victims who have filed lawsuits.

The Worst Day of Someone’s Life

%u2026the%20worst%20day%20of%20someone%u2019s%20life%20%7C%20Charlotte%20was%20BothWELBORN: One of the regular features of New York magazine is a section called “The Cut.” Right in the middle, between the features and the pop culture reviews, it’s a spread of photographs with a few quotes of people who are…somewhere. Sometimes it’s a fashion-centric event, but quite often it’s not. So with this issue, it was EMT training.

I know exactly what Critical Race Theory is, and I’m against it

I%20Know%20Exactly%20What%20Critical%20Race%20Theory%20Is%2C%20and%20I%u2019m%20Against%20It%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterDANTUONO: I once saw a social media post making fun of people opposed to Critical Race Theory (CRT). It read, “I don’t know what Critical Race Theory is, but I’m against it.” The truth of the matter is that CRT is difficult to sum up, and so it has been hard for most people to understand what it says and doesn’t say. Parents, educators, politicians and the American Public found themselves hearing ideas without having the resources to evaluate their truth or even their true meaning...

It’s time all Catholics (and Americans) examine the role of the news media in today’s society

It%u2019s%20time%20Catholics%20%28and%20all%20Americans%29%20examine%20the%20role%20of%20the%20news%20media%20in%20today%27s%20societyLISI: Journalism today is very different from the one many grew up with just a few decades ago. As recently as the 1990s, in a pre-internet world, you would have received the majority of your news from your local newspaper each morning. If you didn't get it there, you watched the evening news after dinner. That was it. Today, there are thousands of news outlets and a dozen social media channels to tell us what is happening. The rise of the web changed the way we get news.

Placatory proselytism? Obscuring the challenge of Faith

Placatory proselytism? Obscuring the challenge of Faith | Catholic CultureMIRUS: In some periods of history, when the Church was a socially dominant institution, there has been a temptation to “triumphalism”, a kind of cockiness about the prerogatives of the Church and an almost belligerent expectation that these prerogatives are to be acknowledged, admired and praised by all parties. The temptation to triumphalism is a byproduct of worldly success, or of the remembrance of past worldly success...

Cardinal Parolin says he’s opposed to the German bishops’ same-sex blessings. That’s good. But the reasons he gave are troubling...

The%20Vatican%u2019s%20irresolute%20response%20to%20the%20threat%20of%20German%20schism%20%7C%20Catholic%20CultureLAWLER: The German bishops (the majority, at least) have done what they have no right to do. How will the Vatican react? To date the statements from Rome—including this statement by Cardinal Parolin—have been cautious, measured, obviously designed to avoid a confrontation. But the German bishops have ignored the counsels of caution and pressed the issue. Cardinal Walter Kasper...

Pope’s Wednesday Audience: Ambition for “Promotion” in the Church Is “Pure Paganism”

General Audience of 15 March 2023 - Catechesis. The passion for evangelization: the apostolic zeal of the believer 7. The Second Vatican Council. 2. Being apostles in an apostolic Church | FrancisCOATOFARMS: Let us continue the catechesis on the passion of evangelizing: not only on “evangelizing”, the passion for evangelizing and, in the school of Vatican Council II, let us try to understand better what it means to be “apostles” today. The word “apostle” reminds us of the group of the Twelve disciples chosen by Jesus. At times we refer to some saint, or more generally the bishops...

Pope’s Wednesday Audience: ‘We Are All Called to Be Apostles’

Pope at Audience: We are all called to be apostles - Vatican News: At his Wednesday General Audience, Pope Francis continued with his series of catecheses on the “passion for evangelising”, stressing that Christ calls everyone - priest, religious, lay - to be an apostle. The Holy Father’s catechesis took the form of a reflection on several passages from the New Testament and from the documents of the Second Vatican Council, which together offer a vision of the universal call to mission.

What I’ve learned from the Pope’s “apostolate of the ear”

What%20I%u2019ve%20Learned%20From%20the%20Pope%u2019s%20%u2018Apostolate%20of%20the%20Ear%u2019%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterMILLS: Sometimes the guy just wants to talk, but sometimes he wants to seize the floor. Sometimes he just likes to argue, but sometimes he wants to condemn, or disparage, or insult, or exclude, or otherwise proclaim his own superiority. Anyone who has tried to have a serious conversation on social media has seen this, or been the victim.

The snakes have returned to Ireland and St. Patrick, their former nemesis, has been dragged into playing along...

The Snakes Have Returned to Ireland | John Duggan | First ThingsDUGGAN: St. Patrick’s Day is nearly upon us. Its approach recalls for me something that happened last year in Dublin involving the patron saint and the poster for a cabaret night. But first some context. The St. Patrick’s Festival of 2022 lasted four days and was billed as a global celebration of Irish arts, culture, and heritage. A “Festival Quarter” was established in the historic Collins Barracks...

Two Commentaries on the McElroy Controversies, From John Grondelski and Leila Lawler

Two Commentaries on the McElroy Controversies - The Catholic Thing: Among Cardinal Robert McElroy’s seemingly multiple objections to Catholic teaching is its sexual morality. For McElroy, besides being unwelcoming and off-putting, Catholic sexual ethics distorts Christian moral life as well as makes assumptions that he rejects, by misusing in this context the old category parvitas materiae (“lack of serious matter”). In plain English, he rejects the notion that sins against the Sixth Commandment by their nature are mortal sins...

When it comes to divorce and a lack of faith in the Real Presence, many Catholics are now as Protestant as the “Reformers”

The Heresy of Divorce for Remarriage:TSAKANIKAS: Through Jesus’ sacrifice and institution of his Body and Blood, participation into the true and heavenly sanctuary was re-established for all who believe on and in Jesus Christ. With the liturgical renovation that Jesus began in the Upper Room and completed on the Cross, something greater than what the Levites possessed was established. Jesus established a new priesthood that granted Christians daily entrance into God’s true dwelling...

Without the virtue of charity, holiness is nothing more than a moral charade

Without the virtue of charity, holiness is nothing more than a moral charade | Knowing Is DoingTORRE: Our ability to communicate with others often involves an interaction of the mind, heart, and body. All three modes of communication are essential when attempting to convey a thought or express an emotion to someone. I argue that the delivery of a message that involves these forms of direct human communication is far more effective and receptive than any current media platform...

This shocking incident at Stanford Law School last week is a stark warning about the future of the US

EXCLUSIVE: US Judge Kyle Duncan Interview: You will have heard by now about the shocking incident last week at Stanford Law School, one of the country’s top three, in which Kyle Duncan, an appellate judge on the federal Fifth Circuit, was shouted down and verbally abused by woke students who did not want to let him give a talk to students of the Federalist Society, which had invited him. The law school’s diversity dean...

The Promise of Pope Francis’ Papacy Partially Realized

The%20Promise%20of%20Pope%20Francis%u2019%20Papacy%20Partially%20Realized%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterDESOUZA: The promise of the pontificate of Pope Francis has its roots in a Christmas card of sorts. On Christmas Day 2005, Pope Benedict XVI signed Deus Caritas Est (God Is Love), his first encyclical. There, he defined the mission of the Church. When Pope Francis was elected 10 years ago, on March 13, 2013, he spoke of his dream of a “poor Church for the poor.” The providential promise of the pontificate became immediately evident.

Video: This mass start at a 100-year-old cross-country ski race in Sweden is wild to watch

VIDEO: This Mass Start Cross Country Race In Sweden Is Wild: Welcome to the world of Vasaloppet. A 100-year tradition that combines elite and recreational athletes ski together as they take on a 90km cross country course in the hills of Sweden. Couldn’t find an official tally of participants in this mass start but there is mention of 10,000 racers in total. Might have been in waves but this alone has gotta be in the thousands right?

“Diversity takes precedence over religion,” says head of UK’s NHS after Catholic chaplain was fired for his Catholic beliefs

'Diversity takes precedence over religion,' says NHS boss - Christian Concern: A Catholic chaplain and former professor of neurosciences is taking legal action against an NHS trust after he was ousted for answering a patient’s questions about the Church’s teaching on marriage. In a letter written in response to the patients’ subsequent complaint, the Acting Chief Executive of South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust, Vanessa Ford, stated that the Trust’s policy...

If you really want “inclusion,” I’ve got a list — the unborn, big families, the devout, police and immigrants are all “marginalized” too [WSJ paywall]

If%20You%20Want%20%u2018Inclusion%2C%u2019%20I%u2019ve%20Got%20a%20List%20-%20WSJDOLAN: I am proud that my country and my church are both committed to the noble ideal of inclusion. Everyone should feel loved and respected. All people must share in all rights. We couldn’t dare to claim to be “one nation under God” if it were otherwise. Yet society and the church are falling short of this noble ideal. By accepting one dominant cultural narrative that presumes to define...

Long-lost ship found in Lake Huron after 129 years of searching, confirming tragic story

Long-lost ship found in Lake Huron, confirming tragic story | AP News: Even for the Thunder Bay area, a perilous swath of northern Lake Huron off the Michigan coast that has devoured many a ship, the Ironton’s fate seems particularly cruel. The 191-foot (58-meter) cargo vessel collided with a grain hauler on a blustery night in September 1894, sinking both. The Ironton’s captain and six sailors clambered into a lifeboat but it was dragged to the bottom before they could detach it from the ship. Only two crewmen survived.

A 3D size comparison of 150+ animals, from smallest to biggest

New Advent: A 3D size comparison of 150 animals: Another great visualization by Global Data...

Bishop Barron brings it

Bishop Barron Brings It - arcoftheuniversePHILPOTT: “A Catholic university is one in which Christ holds the central integrating and organizing place among the circle of disciplines and activities at the university.” This was the thesis of Bishop Robert Barron in one of the best statements I have encountered about the purpose of the Catholic University, delivered to a packed ballroom here at the University of Notre Dame on March 2, 2003. Here is his address.

This is not a papal hot-take

This is not a papal hot-takeJDFLYNN: If you went to Mass today, or read the readings, you know that today’s Old Testament reading is a prayer of Azariah, also known as Abednego, who along with his friends Shadrach and Meshach was bound by ropes and thrown by King Nebuchadnezzar into a “fiery furnace,” because they refused to bow to an image of the king. The men survived the fire unscathed. The book of Daniel says that...

Vatican-China Deal ‘Not the Best Deal Possible,’ Top Holy See Diplomat Says

Vatican-China%20deal%20%u2018not%20the%20best%20deal%20possible%2C%u2019%20top%20Holy%20See%20diplomat%20says%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: The Vatican’s foreign minister has said that the Vatican-China deal was “not the best deal possible” and that negotiations are underway to make the deal “work better.” In an interview with Colm Flynn for EWTN News, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vatican secretary for Relations with States, said that Holy See diplomats are “negotiating improvements” to the Holy See’s provisional agreement with Beijing on the appointment of bishops...

St. Michael the Archangel defends us in battle. But how does he defend us? And what is the battle really about?

Michael the Archangel - SpiritualDirection.comSAKOWSKI: Scripture describes Michael casting Satan out of heaven (Revelation 12), battling with Satan over the body of Moses (Jude 9), or battling a spirit described as “the prince of Persia” (Daniel 12). If angels are spiritual and immortal beings, what does it even mean for them to “fight”? They cannot be wounded or killed – so how can there be any battle, any victory or defeat?

The Pillar’s Starting Seven: March 13, 2023

Starting Seven: March 13, 2023COPPEN: Welcome to Starting Seven, The Pillar’s daily newsletter. I’m Luke Coppen and I aim to guide you each weekday morning to the most interesting Catholic news and comment. Today’s stories: Pope Francis marked 10 years since his election with a Mass with cardinals at his residence. Also, the pope has given 10th anniversary interviews to Il Fatto Quotidiano, Infobae, La Nación, Perfil, RSI, and Vatican media...

After a dramatic decade in power, Pope Francis faces a Gorbachev dilemma

After a dramatic decade in power, Pope Francis faces a Gorbachev dilemma | CruxALLEN: By the time he marked a decade at the pinnacle of power, it was clear that under this maverick leader, nothing would ever be the same. His openness, his passion for reform, his electric sense of possibility, had captured the imagination of the world and propelled the institution he leads into uncharted waters. It was equally clear, however, that this mesmerizing leader may have let loose energies that ultimately he won’t be able to control.

Nicaragua Closes Vatican Embassy in Managua, Nicaraguan Embassy to Vatican

Nicaragua closes Vatican embassy in Managua, Nicaraguan embassy to Vatican | Reuters: Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega has ordered the closure of the Vatican Embassy in Managua and that of the Nicaraguan Embassy to the Vatican in Rome, a senior Vatican source said on Sunday. Nicaragua signalled that the move, which came a few days after Pope Francis compared the Nicaraguan government to a dictatorship, was "a suspension" of diplomatic relations.

The best way to mark Pope Francis’ 10th anniversary is to pray for him

Praying for Pope Francis| National Catholic RegisterLANDRY: Ten years ago this Monday, March 13, at 8:22pm Rome time, the 266th Peter walked out for the first time onto the Balcony of Blessing in the center of the façade of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. After greeting us, he led us in prayer for the recently retired Pope Benedict XVI. Before he gave us his customary first blessing as the new Bishop of Rome, he asked us a “favor.”

Pope’s Angelus for Third Sunday of Lent: ‘The Lord Promises Us the Living Water of Eternal Life’

Pope at Angelus: The Lord promises us the living water of eternal life - Vatican News: Speaking to pilgrims in Saint Peter's Square for the Sunday Angelus, Pope Francis reflected on the day's Gospel reading, which recounts what he described as "one of the most beautiful and fascinating encounters" of Jesus when He meets the Samaritan woman at the well. Jesus asks her to give Him a drink, as He is thirsty and tired, with the hot, midday sun beating down.

There’s no Oscar for ‘Serving God and Mammon’ — we each must choose one or the other

There%u2019s%20No%20Oscar%20for%20%u2018Serving%20God%20and%20Mammon%u2019%20%u2014%20We%20Each%20Must%20Choose%20One%20or%20the%20Other%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterSIMONSON: There I was, a 24-year-old dressed in khakis and a polo shirt, standing in the halls of one of New York’s multiplex theaters. Two theaters, which just happened to be right next to each other, had been rented out for advanced screenings of a film. I was waiting for the doors to burst open. I was working for a marketing company.

Third Sunday of Lent: Jesus and the Samaritan Woman

Third Sunday of Lent: Jesus and the Samaritan Woman| National Catholic RegisterGRONDELSKI: The Gospels for the Third, Fourth and Fifth Sundays of Lent can vary (though not this year). Because Lent is the immediate period of preparation of catechumens for Baptism at the Easter Vigil, the Church always allows the use of the so-called “scrutiny readings”...

If Lent is working as it should, you will fall more deeply in love with God...

This Sunday, Refresh Your Lent: Brief Take-Aways From a Long Gospel | Benedictine College Media and MoreHOOPES: Now that we have been at it for 18 days, on the Third Sunday of Lent, Year A, Jesus comes to us to double check that our Lent is on the right track. Jesus helps the Samaritan Woman at the Well discover what Lent is for by taking her step by step through what he has to offer. Since the Gospel is long, here is a brief run-down of the major applications of her story to our Lent.

Desolation and Discernment

Desolation%20and%20Discernment%20%u2013%20Theology%20of%20HomeGRESS: Many years ago, my spiritual director advised me to avoid making major decisions during Lent. It is something my husband and I have held onto strongly over the last fifteen years of marriage. Often we've made major decisions the week before Lent, right up to Fat Tuesday, then waited to make bigger decisions until Easter arrived. Those well versed in Ignatian Spirituality know the reason why...

Please, not another “program” for evangelization

Please%2C%20not%20another%20%u2018program%u2019%20for%20evangelization%20%7C%20Catholic%20CultureLAWLER: At his Wednesday public audience this week, Pope Francis compared Vatican II with the first council of the young Church, the Council of Jerusalem. Both councils, the Pope remarked, issued a call to evangelize the world. Yes, but there is also a marked difference between the results of the two councils. After the Council of Jerusalem, the apostles quickly spread the Gospel message across the world. After Vatican II, the Church talked about evangelization.

The Cardinal’s Lament: A Reply to His Reply

The%20Cardinal%u2019s%20Lament%3A%20A%20Reply%20to%20His%20Reply%20%u2013%20Catholic%20World%20ReportBRUGGER: In his recent response to “critics on sexual sin, the Eucharist, and LGBT and divorced/remarried Catholics” Cardinal Robert W. McElroy defends the morality of some instances of sex between LGBT and divorced and remarried Catholics. I reply here to four problems with his defense: it proposes a misleading conception of conscience...

How St. John Henry Newman inspired the White Rose heroes to resist the Nazis in Germany

How Newman inspired the White Rose resistance in Nazi Germany: Eighty years ago, on February 18, 1943, Hans Scholl and his sister Sophie were caught distributing anti-Nazi leaflets in Munich University. Five days later they were tried and executed for high treason on Hitler’s direct orders. The Scholls belonged to a group of students who, using the nom de guerre of the White Rose, spoke out against National Socialism and circulated thousands of leaflets telling Germans of their moral duty to resist Hitler and his “atheistic war machine”...

God’s path of parenthood is painful, purifying, purgative — and perfectly designed to make us new and bring us (and those we love) home to Himself...

Parenting is a Purgative Way - SpiritualDirection.comDWYER: A few weeks ago, in a rare burst of organizational energy, I was cleaning out some files when I came across a folder that hadn’t been touched in ... I don’t know how long. Before we moved ten years ago, for sure, and probably long before that. The faded purple folder contained a stapled stack of papers, carefully typed. It was my attempt at creating a ‘rule of life’ for myself, as a young mother...

Going home, Chinese whispers, and cinematic star wars

Going home, Chinese whispers, and cinematic star warsCONDON: I’m at my own house this weekend for, I think, the first time in about six months. So I am looking forward to that. I was briefly in Chicago last weekend, which is always a joy. For those of you who don’t know, that’s where I’m actually from. Not “England” as JD insists, and certainly not New Jersey, as the Washington Post once libelously alleged of me. You never really forget where you’re from, I think, even if it all changes...

Want to read a really boring Associated Press news story?

Got%20news%3F%20Concerning%20a%20boring%20AP%20story%20that%20ignored%20info%20about%20controversial%20cardinal%20%u2014%20GetReligionMATTINGLY: You know, the kind of short hard-news, nothing-but-facts AP report in which an important person — Pope Francis, in this case — releases a list of appointees to some inside-baseball this or that, people who are either unknown or vaguely familiar to a dozen or so readers who are into that kind of thing? In this case, one ends up with a boring headline, sure to appear in a few newspapers, that reads like this...

The 9 Coolest Things to See at the Vatican

9 Coolest Things to See at the Vatican | The Discoverer: Visitors to the Italian capital of Rome can get a two-for-one deal — not only do they get to explore the ancient city, but the independent enclave of Vatican City is completely surrounded by Rome. This microstate falls under the jurisdiction of the Holy See and is the home of the Pope, as well as 800 additional citizens. It contains a plethora of historic, cultural, and religious sites, so don’t be in too much of a hurry...

63 U.S. National Parks Ranked

63 U.S. National Parks Ranked | The Discoverer: The words “For the Benefit and Enjoyment of the People” stretch across the northern entrance of our nation’s first national park, Yellowstone. According to the Department of Interior, the goal of the National Park Service is, and has always been, to keep our wild places protected and unimpaired for future generations. To that end, more than 400 areas and 84 million acres spanning all 50 states and several unincorporated territories of the United States, protect America’s greatest natural treasures.

What Michael Crichton’s false ‘Lost World’ gospel tells us about ourselves

What%20Michael%20Crichton%u2019s%20False%20%u2018Lost%20World%u2019%20Gospel%20Tells%20Us%20About%20Ourselves%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterMILLS: One of the “deep thoughts” Facebook pages recently posted a comment of Dr. Ian Malcolm’s from Michael Crichton’s book The Lost World. It’s the sequel to Jurassic Park, a secular book with the Christian message that things go wrong because mankind can’t be trusted with power, in this case the power genetic engineering gives us. Malcolm, the book’s wise man, keeps saying, “Life will find a way,” and it does, and that’s why things go so wrong.

Topol, the star of ‘Fiddler on the Roof,’ dies at 87

Topol%2C%20Star%20of%20%u2018Fiddler%20on%20the%20Roof%2C%u2019%20Dies%20at%2087%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterGRONDELSKI: Chaim Topol — an actor perhaps better known for the role he played, “Tevye” the milkman, in Fiddler on the Roof, died Thursday in Israel, age 87. As The New York Times’ obituary noted, some actors come to be identified with their roles: Yul Brynner as the King of Siam, Rex Harrison as Professor Henry Higgins, maybe even Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard. The same can be said of Tevye...

In our Eucharistic revival, we should think big. The Holy Eucharist can save civilization...

Can the Eucharist save civilization?STAUDT: We often repeat that the Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life. What happens when this source and summit has been rejected by a majority of Catholics? We received a wakeup call from the 2019 Pew survey on Eucharistic belief, or lack thereof, among Catholics (with only 31% affirming transubstantiation), and ever since we have been scrambling about what to do...

Some say the conditions necessary for mortal sin are hard to meet. They’re not. Here, for your reflection, is a list of mortal sins...

"Lists" of Mortal Sins - Community in MissionPOPE: One of the deceptions of our time is the notion that serious sin is only a remote possibility for most people and that such sins are only committed by truly wicked people. Too many people assess their moral standing with unhelpful platitudes such as these: “I’m basically a good person,” or “Well, I haven’t murdered anybody.” We must be more serious and mature in our discernment...

German Synodal Way Approves Same-Sex Blessings, Lay Preaching, and Reexamination of Priestly Celibacy

German Synodal Way approves same-sex blessings, lay preaching, and reexamination of priestly celibacy | Catholic News AgencyLIEDL: The German Synodal Way has voted to adopt “implementation texts” related to same-sex blessings, lay preaching during Mass, and a request for Pope Francis to reexamine the discipline of priestly celibacy in the Latin-rite Catholic Church. The votes took place during the first two days of the fifth synodal assembly in Frankfurt, Germany. The assembly, which has one day remaining, will conclude a three-year process...

Exploring little-known sites in the Holy Land: Jonah’s Beach, the Carmelite mother church, Crusader battlefields and spelunking in Galilee

Chapter%201%3A%20Exploring%20Little-Known%20Sites%20in%20The%20Holy%20Land%u2013Jonah%u2019s%20Beach%2C%20The%20Carmelite%20Mother%20Church%2C%20Spelunking%20in%20Galilee%2C%20and%20Crusader%20Battlefields%20%u2013%20%u0396%u03AE%u03C3%u03C4%u03B5%20%u03B6%u03B5%u03C3%u03C4%u03CC%u2026%20%22STAY%20HOT%22BEAUDOIN: Since returning back from an overseas assignment in July of 2012, I’ve immersed myself in research about the sites where Jesus lived and performed His mighty works. I’ve been fascinated with being able to see the places in the Gospels where our God made flesh walked and redeemed our world.

Pope Francis Discusses Revising Priestly Celibacy in New Interview With Argentine Journalist

Pope Francis discusses revising priestly celibacy in new interview | Catholic News Agency: In a new interview, Pope Francis has discussed the possibility of revising the Western discipline of priestly celibacy. “There is no contradiction for a priest to marry. Celibacy in the Western Church is a temporary prescription: I do not know if it is settled in one way or another, but it is temporary in this sense,” Pope Francis said in an interview published on March 10.

Working for Church Renewal

Working for Church Renewal | Jayd Henricks | First ThingsHENRICKS: In 2018, the scandal involving then-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick shocked the Catholic world. McCarrick had a global presence; he operated at the highest levels of the Church, and he enjoyed the highest esteem—both among Catholics and more broadly. But then it was revealed that he had been grooming and sexually abusing young men for decades.