Pope’s Final Angelus Address of 2023: ‘From Heaven Benedict XVI Blesses Us and Accompanies Us’

Pope Francis says Benedict XVI 'blesses us and accompanies us' from heaven | Catholic News AgencyLIEDL: In his final Angelus address of 2023, Pope Francis paid tribute to Pope Benedict XVI on the one-year anniversary of his predecessor’s death, saying that the late pontiff continues to bless and aid the Church from heaven. Speaking Dec. 31 from the window of the Apostolic Palace and following a longer discourse on the Holy Family’s secret to enduring hardships, Francis said that Benedict XVI “lovingly and wisely” served the Church.

What St. Francis de Sales said about the New Year

St. Francis de Sales on the New Year | Charlotte was BothWELBORN: Some thoughts that might help us direct our thoughts and wills towards God’s will…instead of our own for the coming year. Before we get to Francis, though, let’s hear from St. Jane de Chantal on New Year’s Resolutions, which she approves, saying that we must make strong and absolute resolutions, that if Our Lord gives us the coming year, we will make better use of it than of those that are past. Let us walk with a new step in His Divine service and to our perfection...

Dorothy Day on the True Joys of Christmas

Dorothy Day on the True Joys of Christmas| National Catholic RegisterMILLS: Dorothy Day didn’t get real excited at Christmas — surprising for someone who so loved the Incarnation. She didn’t write about it much. Most of the Christmas Day entries in her diary merely note that she went to Mass, which she did every day anyway. I think I know why she didn’t get real excited about Christmas, and it’s to her credit. Most Christians, and a lot of secular people too, love Christmas because it tells a lovely story that speaks to our best sentiments...

Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie ties his shift on gay marriage to Vatican ruling on same-sex blessings

Chris Christie ties his shift on gay marriage to Vatican ruling on same-sex blessings | Catholic News Agency: Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie, once an opponent of same-sex marriage, said Thursday his views on the matter have shifted, citing the Vatican’s recent document on same-sex blessings as evidence that “even the Church is changing.” Christie was the governor of New Jersey from January 2010 to January 2018. When running for governor in 2009, he supported civil unions in New Jersey but said he would veto any bill legalizing gay marriage.

Rift widens over gay blessings as Hungarian bishops reject them but Indian cardinal says yes

Rift widens over gay blessings as Hungarian bishops reject them but Indian cardinal says yes - Catholic Herald: India’s most senior cardinal has defended Fiducia Supplicans – the controversial new Vatican text approving non-liturgical blessings for same-sex unions – as a rebellion by bishops against the document spreads into Europe. Cardinal Oswald Gracias of Mumbai (pictured with Pope Francis) said that in Indian culture, asking for and giving blessings is a widely accepted custom, a “natural” for his country, calling it “an affirmation of our spirituality and a gift”.

Sandinistas Continue Crackdown on Church in Nicaragua, Arrest Two Senior Priests for Praying for Imprisoned Bishop Rolando Álvarez

Ortega arrests two senior priests in continued crackdown on Nicaraguan clergy - Catholic Herald: Police in Nicaragua have arrested two more Catholic priests after they prayed in public for a bishop jailed for life when he refused to go into exile. The arrests of Fr Carlos Aviles and Fr Hector Treminio raise the numbers of priests arrested by the regime of President Daniel Ortega to six in the past week alone. A total of nine priests are said to be in jail, accusing of crimes against the state.

Bronwen McShea’s book “La Duchesse” is drawing much attention in Catholic circles. I highly recommend it...

Supremacy and Survival: The English Reformation: Book Review: "La Duchesse" by Bronwen McSheaMANN: If Marie de Vignerot did not "shape the fate of France", she was certainly alive at an exciting time in French history: the reigns of Kings Louis XIII and XIV, with motherly Regents to both young kings (Marie de Medici and Anne of Austria respectively), the chief ministries of Richelieu and Mazarin, the Thirty Years War, the Fronde revolution, the Jansenist controversy, even the English Civil War, as Henrietta Maria returned to France after King Charles I was imprisoned...

God wants us to be in a state of growing anticipation, not sinking disappointment. So, let’s give him what he likes, like the Holy Family did...

This%20Sunday%2C%20a%20Brief%20Take%20on%20the%20Long%20Waits%20God%20Commands%20for%20Your%20Family%20%u2013%20Benedictine%20College%20Media%20%26%20CultureHOOPES: We wait and wait and wait and then, finally, it happens! The big reveal, the Good News, the grand conclusion to our waiting. What we learn is: We have to wait some more. A lot more. We see a lot of people who are models of that on the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, Year B. This is always the way with God. He wants us to be in a state of growing anticipation, not sinking disappointment. He likes anticipation better than waning interest...

Sandinista Regime in Nicaragua Arrests 4 Priests in 2 Days; Whereabouts Still Unknown

UPDATE: 4 priests arrested in 2 days by Nicaraguan dictatorship | Catholic News Agency: A total of four priests have now been arrested in just two days in Nicaragua. From Dec. 28–29, the Sandinista regime, headed by Daniel Ortega, abducted the priests, whose whereabouts are still unknown. Silvio José Báez, the auxiliary bishop of Managua living in exile in the United States due to persecution from the Ortega regime, denounced Dec. 28 on X the abduction of three of these priests.

Papal Biographer Peter Seewald: ‘Benedict Trusted Francis. But He Was Bitterly Disappointed Several Times’

x: Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger would have been a figure to be remembered in the history of the Church even if he had not been elected to the papal throne. In 2005, however, the Lord called one of the greatest living theologians, the man to whom Saint John Paul II entrusted the custody of Catholic orthodoxy for 23 years, to become Pope. Benedict XVI's pontificate ended, traumatically, more than a decade ago as his earthly life ended a year ago...

The Catholic Way of the Habsburgs: 7 Lessons From an Imperial Family

The Catholic Way: Lessons from an Imperial FamilySTAUDT: Catholics have long held that all genuine authority derives from God. Any public official, whether elected or hereditary, carries a duty to act for the good of others rather than pursuing personal interests. Because we often view authority as deriving from the people directly, not from God, we act like we can establish any law or take any action that furthers our interests as we perceive them, apart from any set or established order.

When difficult Christmases lead us into the beautiful

When difficult Christmases lead us into the beautifulBONACCI: You know how they say the first Christmas after the death of a loved one is the hardest? Well, apparently, we eventually reach an age where that covers a lot of Christmases. Christmas 2021 was the first without my mother. The next year, 2022, was supposed to be the nice refreshing “got through that” holiday. But my Dad fell on Christmas Day, beginning the decline that ended in his death four weeks later. So now we’re at the first Christmas after his death. And then, just to make it a two-fer, my uncle passed away this past weekend.

Long-lost personal belongings of Servant of God Joseph Dutton, who worked with Father Damien of Molokai, discovered in Wisconsin rectory coal chute

Lost%20Brother%20Dutton%20keepsakes%20found%20%u2013%20Madison%20Catholic%20Herald: After more than 20 years, Steve Skelly of Janesville found long-lost letters, photos, and other personal belongings of Servant of God Joseph Dutton, also known as “Brother Dutton”. They were found in the basement of the St. Jude Parish rectory in Beloit. Skelly, who has been interested in Dutton for more than 40 years, is elated that what he found may help further the cause for Dutton’s canonization.

Taking the 'Sin' Out of Sincerity: How to Overcome Scrupulosity in Religious Life

Taking the 'Sin' Out of Sincerity: Overcoming Scrupulosity in Religious Life - SpiritualDirection.comBEATTIE: If there is one thing aspirants to religious life are today, it is sincere. Gone are the days of “automatic vocations” that every large Catholic family was expected to provide. Now we have young people who, oftentimes despite confusion or even derision from family, want to live totally for Christ and give up things commonly seen as necessities. This desire for Christian perfection is obviously a good thing...

Some medical experts are trying to redefine ‘infertility’ to conform to LGBT ideology. Here are 4 things wrong with that...

Infertility Is a Cross, Not a Sexual Identity | FrMatthewLCSCHNEIDER: Back in October, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) published a new definition of infertility. The definition changed from just trying for a kid and not having one to now also include sexual identities that are by nature not open to producing children. This will look at the new definition compared to the old and then offer some moral and spiritual analysis. In general and historically, infertility has been defined along the way the CDC still defines it...

Papal Christmas Deadline Over Syro-Malabar Rift Is Met, but Indian Archdiocese Simmers

Papal Christmas deadline over Syro-Malabar rift is met, but Indian archdiocese simmers | Catholic News Agency: While most of the approximately 350 parishes and churches in the Archdiocese of Ernakulam in India complied with Pope Francis’ demand that they celebrate a “unified” Mass by Christmas, the simmering liturgical dispute that has split the Syro-Malabar Church has come out into the open.

Have fewer Masses on Christmas Eve. Let Christmas be Christmas — and the Lord’s Day be the Lord’s Day.

Letting%20Christmas%20Be%20Christmas%20%u2014%20and%20the%20Lord%u2019s%20Day%20Be%20the%20Lord%u2019s%20Day%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterDESOUZA: That was quite a foofaraw. Christmas on a Monday! Mass on Sunday (or Saturday) for the Fourth Sunday of Advent and then Mass again(!), on Sunday (or Monday) for Christmas. It seemed to create a lot of bother. And it will happen again for the octave of Christmas, Jan. 1, 2024, the solemn feast of Mary, Mother of God. That too, like Christmas, is a holy day of obligation and it is a Monday, so all of the same considerations apply. Or not.

From Scrooge to George Bailey to the Grinch, conversions are at the heart of the best Christmas stories

Christmas Conversions in Film and Literature - Episode 31 - The Coming Home Network: Ebenezer Scrooge, George Bailey, the Grinch… so many of the most iconic Christmas stories in film and literature hinge upon the idea of a conversion of some kind. Matt Swaim is joined by Joseph Pearce and JonMarc Grodi to look at why Christmas is so often associated with a change of heart, and connect the concepts of memory, charity and truth back to their source: Jesus, whose birth is the occasion for all the celebration.

The Temple of Jerusalem was God’s house — but it’s also an image of the family of God, the Church

Our%20True%20Home%3A%20Scott%20Hahn%20Reflects%20on%20the%20Feast%20of%20the%20Holy%20Family%20%u2013%20St.%20Paul%20CenterHAHN: Why did Jesus choose to become a baby born of a mother and father and to spend all but His last years living in an ordinary human family? In part, to reveal God’s plan to make all people live as one “holy family” in His Church (see 2 Corinthians 6:16–18). In the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, God reveals our true home. We’re to live as His children, “chosen ones, holy and beloved,” as the First Reading puts it...

Will Walsingham become the nucleus for the re-Christianization of England?

Walsingham: Nucleus for the Reconversion of England?| National Catholic RegisterPENTIN: Since medieval times, England’s national shrine, set deep in the beautiful north Norfolk countryside, has been regarded as a great center of Catholic faith, a beacon of light and hope through the nation’s long and tumultuous history. That is no less the case today. As the country becomes ever more secular and “post-Christian,” so the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham is drawing individuals and families to the town to live out their faith and devotion to the Blessed Mother.

The One Ingredient That Makes French Toast 100 Times Better

The One Ingredient That Makes French Toast 100 Times Better | The Kitchn: As mornings get darker and colder, the promise of a good breakfast is pretty much required to get me out of bed. Luckily, I think I’ve found the ultimate way to brighten even the coldest winter morning: Arlyn Osborne’s red bean French toast. With a two-ingredient filling featuring sweet red bean paste and cream cheese, this decadent breakfast looked like the perfect way to quell my winter blues.

15 Global Landmarks That Are Visible From Space

15%20Global%20Landmarks%20That%20Are%20Visible%20From%20Space%20%u2014%20Daily%20Passport: Contrary to popular belief, the Great Wall of China can NOT be seen by the naked eye from space, as recently confirmed by NASA. (The famous structure tends to blend into similarly-colored surroundings.) There are, however, many other landmarks around the world — both natural and human-made — that are visible from satellites and space stations orbiting our planet. Thanks to the NASA Earth Observatory, we can get an idea of how they look to astronauts, including those at the International Space Station...

Christian Villages in Nigeria Reeling After Christmas Attacks Leave Nearly 200 Dead

Christian villages in Nigeria reeling after Christmas attacks leave nearly 200 dead | Catholic News Agency: Catholic and Nigerian leaders are demanding government action as Christian villages in the central Nigerian state of Plateau are reeling from a series of Christmas weekend attacks that left nearly 200 Christian Nigerians dead. Photos obtained by CNA show victims of the attacks being buried in mass graves, underscoring the scale of the bloodshed.

Zelensky’s move against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is a step too far

Zelensky%u2019s%20move%20against%20the%20Ukrainian%20Orthodox%20Church%20is%20a%20step%20too%20far%20-%20Catholic%20Herald: They say that desperate times call for desperate measures, and right now the situation in Ukraine is getting increasingly desperate for President Volodmyr Zelensky and his administration. Despite its unquestionable valour, the Ukrainian Army remains locked in a grinding stalemate with Vladimir Putin’s Russian invaders. If this weren’t enough of a challenge, President Zelensky has also been forced into a number of significant changes to his ministry...

From Creation to This Cradle

From Creation to this Cradle | Parishable ItemsFELTES: Before all time’s beginning, before creation’s making, was our Lord, who is living. Omnipotent, all-knowing, unlimited, all-loving, the self-existent Being. This eternal deity was not solely unity, but divine community. Father and Son, self-giving, Spirit from both, proceeding, Trinity, ever-living. Though God could not be more great, goodness loves to propagate, so he opted to create.

Extend your Christmas celebration by singing carols and reading aloud

Caroling and Reading: To Continue Our Celebration - LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: Our celebration of Christmas is ongoing. This is not about ‘making a point’ or offering a corrective to others. It is a matter of taking the opportunity to express our joy and gratitude, as well as our resolve that the birth of Christ make a real difference in our life. We hope that our celebration comes naturally as a sort of spontaneous expression. At the same time, it is something we work on...

Become a Novelty By Extending Your Christmas Celebration

Become a Novelty By Extending Your Christmas Celebration| National Catholic RegisterFENELON: We are a novelty in our neighborhood and perhaps among our friends and acquaintances as well. Long after Christmas, New Year’s Day and Epiphany, our Christmas decorations — both inside and outside — remain up and lighted. We leave them up until the Presentation of the Lord, celebrated Feb. 2 each year. What’s more, we continue to celebrate Christmas and all its related feasts until then.

Pope’s General Audience on Feast of St. John the Apostle: ‘Never Dialogue With the Devil — He Is Smarter Than You and Will Make You Pay’

Pope Francis: One must never dialogue with the devil | Catholic News Agency: Pope Francis inaugurated a new catechetical series on vices and virtues during Wednesday’s general audience by opening with the story of Adam and Eve, which introduces “the dynamic of evil and temptation” and points toward the dangers of dialoguing with the devil.

Christmas 2023: ‘May Christmas Bring Peace to Our World and Turn Sorrow Into Joy’

Pope: May Christmas bring peace to our world and turn sorrow into joy - Vatican News: Greeting the crowds gathered in Saint Peter's Square from the central loggia of Saint Peter's Basilica, Pope Francis offered his traditional good wishes on this Christmas Day with a message followed by his solemn "Urbi et Orbi" blessing, to the city and the world. The Pope said we look to the birthplace of Jesus in Bethlehem during these times...

We’ve long heard there was “no room at the inn” — but what inn?

No%20Room%20in%20the%20Inn%20%u2014%20What%20Inn%3F%20%7E%20The%20Imaginative%20ConservativeLONGENECKER: The typical re-telling of the Christmas story has Joseph, Mary and the donkey arriving in Bethlehem on a cold, winter night looking for a place to stay. All the hotels have “No Vacancy” signs on display because so many people, like Mary and Joseph, have traveled to Bethlehem to register for the census. A grumpy innkeeper turns them away, but on second thought says if they want they can shelter in the stables. By now Mary is experiencing contractions and desperate for a place where she can give birth...

I have a confession to make: For 20 years I’ve been a keen fan of the Wiggles. No, I haven’t lost my senses. And yes, I am being serious...

Wishing You a Wiggly Christmas ~ The Imaginative ConservativePEARCE: Back in 2002, my wife and I were gifted with a son, Leo, who has Down syndrome and subsequently developed autism. One of the things that he enjoys is watching videos and one of the things that I enjoy is watching them with him. Since, however, he is easier to please than I am, I find myself losing patience with many of the DVDs produced for children. I find Barney simply banal, at best. Veggie Tales are good, of course, offering Christian entertainment with quirky humour. But my favourite DVDs are indubitably those by the Wiggles, which seem to retain their freshness, even after multiple viewings.

The Catholic Church is getting closer to getting her first samurai saint, Justus Ukon Takayama

Catholic Church reportedly closer to getting its first samurai saint | Catholic News AgencyBUKURAS: The Vatican is currently investigating miracles associated with the intercession of Blessed Justus Ukon Takayama that, if confirmed, could lead to the canonization of the Church’s first samurai saint. Japanese Cardinal Thomas Aquinas Manyo Maeda of Osaka revealed on Thursday that the Vatican’s investigation into the miracles is ongoing, according to reporting by CBCP News, the news arm of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.

Top Catholic prelate in Ukraine invokes canon law to declare that ‘Fiducia Supplicans’ applies only to the Latin Church

Top Ukraine prelate says Vat doc on same-sex blessings applies only to Latin church | Crux: Amid a broad spectrum of reactions unleashed by Fiducia Supplicans, a new Vatican document permitting non-liturgical blessings of same-sex couples, Ukraine’s Greek Catholic Church has become the first eastern communion to declare explicitly that the document does not apply outside the Latin Church.

Fiducia Supplicans and the defense of ritual purity

Fiducia Supplicans and the defense of ritual purity | Catholic CultureLAWLER: At my all-boys Catholic high school, one day’s religion class during senior year devolved into a discussion of an issue that was apparently on the mind of at least one student: “How many buttons can I undo on my girlfriend’s blouse before it’s a mortal sin?” Readers can make their own judgments about the prudence of the adult teacher who let that conversation take place in a classroom full of teenagers...

Bishops can turn the new “blessings text” into a virtue

Bishops%20can%20turn%20the%20new%20%u201Cblessings%20text%u201D%20into%20a%20virtue%20%7C%20Catholic%20CultureMIRUS: After writing my assessment on Monday of the new DDF text on blessings, Fiducia Supplicans, I’ve spent some time following the reactions. Nobody will be surprised that a few bishops have celebrated the DDF statement as, in effect, making the sky the limit, along with other LGBTQ+ advocates. That is not what the text says, but all serious observers expect it to precipitate precisely this sort of result...

Respect Life Radio: Maria Palma Smith explains the powerful surrender novena

Maria Palma Smith: Powerful Surrender Novena | Respect Life Radio: "We want quick fixes and The Surrender Novena encourages us to let Jesus take care of it,"said Maria Palma Smith, a certified Catholic life coach and Italian translator who recently finished the transition of Father Don Dolindo, the author of the Surrender Novena, which will be published next year. "We need to surrender our will to God and that's the hardest thing. Father Dolindo did that and shows us how to surrender because he lived out struggles, poor health and rejection from the Church he loved."

Why Navajo is one of the most difficult languages on Earth

Why Navajo is one of the most difficult languages on Earth - Big Think: According to many linguists, the most difficult language in the world isn’t Mandarin or Basque or Hungarian or Xhosa, spoken in South Africa, but Navajo. Concentrated in Arizona and New Mexico, the Navajo are one of the largest Native American groups in the United States. Consisting of up to 400,000 tribal members...

Cardinal Fernández Discusses ‘Fiducia Supplicans’ in Exclusive New Interview, Says Same-Sex Blessing ‘Does Not Validate or Justify Anything’

Cardinal%20Fern%E1ndez%3A%20Same-sex%20blessing%20%u2018does%20not%20validate%20or%20justify%20anything%u2019BELTRAN: Church leaders have been in the grip of sharp debate this week, after the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith published on Monday Fiducia supplicans, a declaration which offered a framework for clerical blessings of same-sex couples, and others living in relationships outside of marriage.

The ambiguity of ‘Fiducia Supplicans’ makes way for multiplying misinterpretations

Ambiguity%20of%20%u2018Fiducia%20Supplicans%u2019%20Makes%20Way%20for%20Multiplying%20Misinterpretations%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterDESOUZA: In the “declaration” Fiducia Supplicans from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, the prefect, Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, has exceeded even his own innovative capacities by endorsing “pastoral blessings” for couples, including those of the same sex, in extramarital conjugal unions. John Bursch in these pages quickly insisted that...

Israeli envoy accuses Latin Patriarch of ‘blood libel’ for blaming Gaza parish shooting on IDF sniper

Israel accuses Latin Patriarch of 'blood libel' in row over sniper shootings of Gaza civilians - Catholic Herald: Days after two women were killed at the Catholic parish in Gaza, with local church authorities pinning blame on IDF forces, Israel’s Vatican ambassador has denied any intentional wrongdoing and has hit back against allegations of inflicting wilful harm. On Dec. 16 mother and daughter Nahida and Samar were shot and killed on the grounds of Holy Family parish in Gaza, and the convent belonging to the Missionaries of Charity attached to the parish was also hit...

The oceans contain 3 million shipwrecks, with $60 billion worth of treasure, and fewer than 1% of the wrecks have been explored...

There are an estimated 3 million shipwrecks in the ocean. | Interesting Facts: The average person can probably name a couple of the more famous shipwrecks — maybe the Titanic or Queen Anne's Revenge — but there are many, many more that have sunk from sight and public recollection. Altogether, it's believed that at least 3 million such wrecks dot the ocean floors.

Archbishop Chaput on ‘Fiducia Supplicans’: ‘Deliberate or Persistent Ambiguity ... Is Not of God’

The%20Cost%20of%20%u201CMaking%20a%20Mess%u201D%20%7C%20Charles%20J.%20Chaput%20%7C%20First%20ThingsCHAPUT: One of the standards the Church uses to measure the quality of her leaders is a simple line from Scripture: “God is not the author of confusion but of peace” (1 Cor. 14:33). So it was for Paul. So it is now. So it is for local pastors and bishops, including the bishop of Rome. Confusion among the faithful can often be a matter of innocent individuals who hear but fail to understand the Word. Confused teaching, however, is another matter...

The Civil War started and ended on the same person’s property...

The%20Civil%20War%20started%20and%20ended%20on%20the%20same%20person%u2019s%20property.%20%u2014%20History%20Facts: The 1860s brought war to the doorsteps of many Americans, but none as literally as Wilmer McLean, who witnessed the beginning and end of the Civil War from his own home. McLean and his wife, Virginia Mason, moved to Manassas, Virginia, in 1853, shortly after their wedding. A few years later, the couple was surprised when Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard commandeered their property to serve as his headquarters ahead of the first major land battle of the Civil War...

The British Association of Priests, with 500 members, expresses grave concern about ‘Fiducia Supplicans’

British%20Association%20of%20Priests%20Expresses%20Grave%20Concern%20About%20%u2018Fiducia%20Supplicans%u2019%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterPENTIN: Members of a group of British priests and deacons have expressed their opposition to Pope Francis’ new declaration allowing the blessing of same-sex couples and others living in “irregular” relationships, saying they consider such blessings to be “pastorally and practically inadmissible.” In a statement issued Dec. 21, the British Confraternity of Catholic Clergy, which has 500 members, said the declaration...

What if the 'false narrative' narrative is a false narrative?

Is the 'false narrative' narrative a false narrative?JDFLYNN: It took fewer than 48 hours after the publication of Fiducia supplicans for a Vatican declaration on blessings to become probably the most controversial text in 10 years of a controversial papacy. The text, which offers a framework and guidelines for clerical blessings of same-sex couples, has prompted sharp division among the world’s bishops, and widespread disagreement among Catholics...

Nowhere has ‘Fiducia Supplicans’ generated less enthusiasm than in Africa...

African%20bishops%20v.%20%u2018Fiducia%20supplicans%u2019COPPEN: Nowhere has this week’s Vatican declaration on “the possibility of blessing couples in irregular situations and same-sex couples” generated less enthusiasm than in Africa. There have, of course, been negative responses to the document Fiducia supplicans in other continents. Bishops in Kazakhstan have rejected it, while prelates in Ukraine have made pointed criticisms of the text.

A prayer, an observation, and a list

A prayer, an observation, and a listCONDON: The bishops of the world seem to be urgently falling out of step, not to say communion, with one another. A declaration from the Vatican is being, it seems, rejected both by those who insist it is beyond the pale and those who say it doesn’t go far enough. And I see little inclination from Rome to act as the rock on which the Church can rest firm; on the contrary.

The “Fiducia Supplicans” bombshell has the whole Church talking. Here’s what 8 Catholic Answers associates think about it...

Blessing Same-Sex Couples: a CA Roundtable | Catholic Answers Magazine: This week, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) published the declaration Fiducia Supplicans (FS), which reflects on the theology of blessing and, for the first time, sanctions clerical blessings of same-sex couples and mixed-sex couples in irregular unions. This has sparked no little controversy, particularly since that same dicastery ruled out, with the pope’s approval, the possibility of any such blessings just two years ago...

Why you age slower on an airplane (and other incredibly strange effects of relativity)

Why you age slower on a plane (and other incredibly strange effects of relativity): One of my favourite scientific experiments involved flying four clocks twice around the world. In 1971, physicists Joseph Hafele and Richard Keating took atomic clocks – capable of losing no more than one second every 30 million years – on a commercial jet, flying first west and then east around the globe before returning to their laboratory in Washington, DC...

This Sunday, Advent Warns Us to Avoid These Four Christmas Mistakes

This%20Sunday%2C%20Advent%20Warns%20Us%20to%20Avoid%20These%20Four%20Christmas%20Mistakes%20%u2013%20Benedictine%20College%20Media%20%26%20CultureHOOPES: We tend to make a few basic mistakes about Christ in our lives. This Sunday, by celebrating the Fourth Sunday of Advent on Christmas Eve, we have a great chance to correct them. We see these mistakes in our personal spiritual lives, our attitudes toward politics, our attitude toward our families, and our attitude the Church — especially when we don’t understand or disagree with the Church...

The storm of grief eventually hits every person. Jesus Christ alone can dispel the darkness...

The Winters of Spiritual and Biological Grief - SpiritualDirection.comOHEARN: I will never forget driving home from work for months as tears would fall on my steering wheel. For the first time in my life, I was upset with God. I was angry at my situation, because as a father I dreamed of having ten children. And that dream was fading quickly. Thanks to God’s grace, I never turned my back on Him. I never stopped praying. I never stopped attending Holy Mass. But deep down inside, I sometimes doubted whether God was truly generous with me and whether my desires for a large family would ever come to fruition...

What’s the fastest fish in the sea? Here’s a video speed comparison...

New%20Advent%3A%20What%u2019s%20the%20fastest%20fish%20in%20the%20sea%3F%20Here%u2019s%20a%20video%20speed%20comparison...: Created by Red Side using Blender, Cinema 4D, and Unreal Engine 5...

Learn these driving techniques to stay safe on snow-covered roads...

Here's How To Drive In Snow | The Drive: So you want to be a rally driver? Wait, that’s not the question you asked, but it does somewhat touch on the subject of how one safely drives through snow. As most aren’t trained World Rally Championship racecar drivers, no matter how awesome your car may be, learning the proper methods of driving in snow can help avoid accidents, ditches, and the odd deer.

During the French Revolution, most of the country did not speak French...

During%20the%20French%20Revolution%2C%20most%20of%20the%20country%20did%20not%20speak%20French.%20%u2014%20History%20Facts: In the early years of the French Revolution, a revolutionary named Henri Grégoire conducted a survey of language throughout the fledgling republic and discovered a concerning truth: Most people living in France at the time didn’t actually speak French. On June 4, 1794, Grégoire reported the results of his survey to the revolutionary assembly, stating that there were no more than 3 million French speakers...

There is no blessing, public or private, for sinful living conditions that objectively contradict God's holy will...

M%FCller%20-%20%u2018Fiducia%20supplicans%u2019%20is%20%u2018self-contradictory%u2019MUELLER: With the Declaration Fiducia supplicans (FS) on the Pastoral Significance of Blessings, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) has made an affirmation that has no precedent in the teaching of the Catholic Church. In fact, this document affirms that it is possible for a priest to bless (not liturgically, but privately) couples who live in a sexual relationship outside of marriage, including same-sex couples...

Dissenting Priests in Syro-Malabar Church Protest Pope Francis’ Christmas Deadline

Dissenting%20Priests%20in%20Syro-Malabar%20Church%20Protest%20Pope%20Francis%u2019%20Christmas%20Deadline%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterAKKARA: Tensions are rising within the Syro-Malabar Church in the Indian state of Kerala as the Vatican’s Dec. 25 deadline for priests to implement a “universal” liturgy or face possible excommunication fast approaches. Ahead of the deadline, a number of priests have publicly protested a mandate to institute a uniform Mass and have urged the Vatican to take into account the way they have celebrated the liturgy for the past 60 years.

‘We Are Deeply Sorry’: Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana, Reverses Decision to Admit ‘Transgender’ Men

Indiana%20Catholic%20women%u2019s%20college%20reverses%20transgender%20admissions%20policy%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: Saint Mary’s College — a Catholic women’s school in Notre Dame, Indiana — is reversing its controversial transgender admissions policy, the school’s president revealed in an email on Thursday. President Katie Conboy had last month confirmed a new transgender-friendly admissions policy for the college, stating that the institution would consider not just women but any students who “consistently live and identify as women.”

Beyond the usual suspects, a growing chorus is questioning papal power

Beyond the usual suspects, a growing chorus is questioning papal power | CruxALLEN: A great deal of commentary has been unleashed by the recent denouement of the Vatican’s “Trial of the Century,” which ended with convictions for nine of ten defendants, including five years and six months in prison for Italian Cardinal Angelo Becciu. Amid the torrent of reaction, one of the more interesting voices belongs to Cataldo Intrieri, the lawyer who represented Fabrizio Tirabassi, a former official of the Vatican’s Secretariat of State who was sentenced...

On the Public Meaning of Priestly Blessings

On the Public Meaning of Priestly Blessings - The Catholic ThingPAKALUK: The U.S. Bishops issued a statement earlier this week on the Declaration Fiducia supplicans, reassuring the faithful that “The Church’s teaching on marriage has not changed.” But to say this is to miss the point, wildly. More pertinent is whether the Church’s teaching on non-procreative sex acts has changed; also, whether by the Declaration the Church now wishes to recognize a distinct type of relationship, which it regards as good – call it “spousal friendship between members of the same sex.”

‘Accommodation’ or ‘evangelization?’ What accounts for regional differences on 'Fiducia supplicans'?

%u2018Accommodation%u2019%20or%20%u2018evangelization%3F%u2019%20What%20accounts%20for%20regional%20differences%20on%20%27Fiducia%20supplicans%27%3FHODGE: The Vatican’s Monday publication of Fiducia supplicans has revealed what appear to be significant divisions within the Church and its bishops, many of which have come to the fore in recent days. The divisions point to differing regional approaches to engagement with modernity and secular culture — and it is possible those differences are rooted in the histories and religious demographics of the Church around the world.

Pope Delivers Annual Christmas Address to Roman Curia, Says ‘Rigid Ideological Positions ... Prevent Us From Moving Forward’

Pope%20Francis%20to%20Roman%20Curia%3A%20%u2018Rigid%20ideological%20positions%u2019%20prevent%20us%20from%20moving%20forward%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: Pope Francis warned the Roman Curia on Thursday that “rigid ideological positions” can be an obstacle to “moving forward.” In his annual Christmas address to the cardinals who work in Vatican offices on Dec. 21, the pope underlined that it is important to “keep faring forward, to keep searching and growing in our understanding of the truth, overcoming the temptation to stand still.”

Ireland’s Diocese of Clogher to Rely on Laity to Preside Over Funerals Amid Shortage of Priests

Irish diocese to rely on laity to preside over funerals amid shortage of priests | Catholic News Agency: More than 40 laymen and laywomen in the Diocese of Clogher in the north of Ireland will soon begin presiding over funeral liturgies amid a shortage of priests. A major vocation crisis could result in fewer than 10 active priests in the diocese in less than 20 years, according to the local ordinary, Bishop Larry Duffy.

Urban V's icy decree, and a big news week

Urban V's icy decree, and a big news weekJDFLYNN: Well. There’s a lot to talk about today, isn’t there? Let’s start with Blessed Pope Urban V, whose memorial we celebrate, and who led the Church as pope just a decade before the great “Western Schism” of the 13th and 14th century. Born Guillaume de Grimoard, he was a Benedictine monk who became a brilliant canon lawyer in the 1300s, and eventually became a critical part of the pope’s diplomatic corps, helping to negotiate the place of the Church in the fractured Italian peninsula.

Papal Power and the Obedience of the Faithful [Must Read]

Papal Power and the Obedience of the FaithfulCHAPUT: For Niccolò Machiavelli, Pope Julius II was the model Renaissance prince. He was highly intelligent. He was skilled at diplomacy, politics, and war. And he was a visionary patron of the arts. Julius was also, according to those who served him, intensely vindictive. He was moody, humorless, and coarse, with a violent temper. He had a gift for making enemies and alienating the less worldly and more committed Christian faithful. And the result was predictable.

Who’s saying what about ‘Fiducia supplicans’?

%u2018Fiducia%20supplicans%u2019%3A%20Who%u2019s%20saying%20what%3FCOPPEN: Reactions are emerging around the world to Monday’s declaration from the Vatican’s doctrine office on “the possibility of blessing couples in irregular situations and same-sex couples.” The 5,000-word document Fiducia supplicans caused immediate controversy when it was issued Dec. 18 because it gave the green light, with caveats, to the “spontaneous” blessing of couples in unions other than marriage. Here’s a brief guide to who’s saying what, by country...

“Worthy of Stalin”: Corrupt Hong Kong government stages show trial of Catholic entrepreneur Jimmy Lai

%u2018Stalinesque%20Show%20Trial%u2019%20of%20Jimmy%20Lai%20Opens%20in%20Hong%20Kong%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterPENTIN: Hong Kong’s Beijing-backed authorities have been accused of staging a show trial “worthy of Stalin,” as Catholic entrepreneur Jimmy Lai went on trial Monday on charges of breaching national security and colluding with foreign forces. Lai, 76, arrived at a Hong Kong court on Dec. 18 amid a heavy security presence and dozens of supporters for a trial expected to last several months.

The Nativity Scene of St. Francis of Assisi Reminds Us That the Word Became Flesh (and Food) at Christmas

The%20Nativity%20Scene%20of%20St.%20Francis%20Reminds%20Us%20That%20the%20Word%20Became%20Flesh%20%u2014%20and%20Food%20%u2014%20at%20Christmas%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterDESOUZA: Pope Francis marked his 87th birthday on Sunday with a party and cake for children before he kept his weekly appointment for the Sunday Angelus. The children got special attention there too, as many of them had brought the Christ Child figures from their Nativity scenes for the Holy Father to bless. St. John Paul II began the custom of blessing on Gaudete Sunday (Third Sunday of Advent) the Baby Jesus figurines that will be placed in crèche scenes at Christmas. Both Benedict XVI and Francis have continued the custom, and it has also spread around the world.

U.S. Bishops on Fiducia Supplicans: ‘The Church’s Teaching on Marriage Has Not Changed’

U.S. bishops: Vatican declaration does not change Church teaching on marriage | Catholic News AgencyARNOLD: A Vatican-issued declaration on blessing “same-sex couples” and couples in other “irregular situations” does not change the Catholic Church’s teaching that marriage is between a man and a woman, according to a statement issued by the United States bishops.

The experiences of Catholic converts, for good and for ill, are gifts to help build the entire Church

Some Gifts of Being a Convert ~ The Imaginative ConservativeDEAVEL: As an adult convert to the Catholic faith of long standing (I came into the Church in 1997 at the tender age of 23), I am very grateful for the completion of the faith first given to me in baptism in a Christian Reformed Church in 1978. For most of my life as a Catholic I have experienced both love and admiration from cradle Catholics. While I’m happy to take the love, sometimes the admiration makes me a bit nervous.

In Fiducia Supplicans there is the appearance of reason, but also a great deal of jargon, sophistry, and deceit...

God%u2019s%20Blessings%20and%20Magisterial%20Teaching%20-%20The%20Catholic%20ThingWEINANDY: Yesterday, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect for the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, published a Declaration, with the signed approval of Pope Francis, entitled Fiducia Supplicans, “On the Pastoral Meaning of Blessings.” This Declaration articulated the importance of blessings in Biblical, historical, and ecclesial perspectives. The Declaration states that it “remains firm on the traditional doctrine of the Church about marriage...

Listen to the wisdom of St. Sharbel: “All security is an illusion without the peace of Christ”

St. Sharbel: Untie the Ropes! - SpiritualDirection.com: I recently read some sermons from St. Sharbel (1828-1898). I was blown away by his depth of spirituality and practical human wisdom. Drawing from his experience of monastic life, his pastoral ministry, and his final 23 years if life as a hermit, he came to understand the human heart at a deep level. Now in heaven, he seems to be one of those chosen miracle workers who (in designs known only to God) has become a “go-to” Saint in time of need.

Is the Vatican trial finally over? In a phrase, ‘Not so fast’

Is%20the%20Vatican%20trial%20finally%20over%3F%20In%20a%20phrase%2C%20%u2018Not%20so%20fast%u2019%20%7C%20CruxALLEN: After a staggering total of 30 months, 85 hearings stretching over some 600 courtroom hours, 69 witnesses and almost 150,000 pages of documentation, the Vatican’s “Trial of the Century” reached a crescendo Saturday night with guilty verdicts against Cardinal Angelo Becciu and eight of the other nine defendants. In a sense, the results marked an early birthday present for Pope Francis, who today turns 87, and who set this whole thing in motion in April 2021 by amending the law of the Vatican City State to allow its civil tribunal to judge the cases of cardinals and bishops who work in the Vatican.

What does ‘Fiducia supplicans’ actually say? And how much weight does it have?

%u2018Fiducia%20supplicans%u2019%3A%20What%20does%20it%20say%3FCOPPEN: The Vatican’s doctrinal office issued a declaration Monday addressing “the possibility of blessing couples in irregular situations and same-sex couples.” In a preamble to the 5,000-word document Fiducia supplicans, issued Dec. 18, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández said that the text marked “a specific and innovative contribution to the pastoral meaning of blessings”...

Illinois backs down, says it won’t enforce law targeting pro-life pregnancy centers

Illinois won't enforce law targeting pro-life pregnancy centers | Politics News: Illinois will not enforce a law that targets the practices of pro-life pregnancy resource centers and seeks to prevent these organizations from engaging in what the state claims are “deceptive practices.” Attorney General Kwame Raoul agreed on Monday to a court order imposing a permanent injunction against Senate Bill 1909. Signed into law by Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker in July, the legislation claims that “limited service” pregnancy centers use "fraudulent" and "misleading" methods to dissuade women from having an abortion.

Pope Francis condemns reported Israeli sniper attack on Gaza Catholic church

Pope Francis condemns reported Israeli sniper attack on Gaza Catholic church | Catholic News Agency: In the latest sign of escalating strain between the Holy See and Israel over the mounting civilian death toll in the Israel-Hamas war, Pope Francis after his Angelus address on Sunday sharply condemned the reported killing of two women outside a Catholic church in Gaza City, allegedly by an Israeli sniper.

Church of England blesses same-sex couples for the first time on Sunday

Church of England blesses same-sex couples for the first time, but they still can't wed in church | AP News: Church of England priests offered officially sanctioned blessings of same-sex partnerships for the first time on Sunday, though a ban on church weddings for gay couples remains in place amid deep divisions within global Anglicanism over marriage and sexuality.

Pope Approves Landmark DDF Declaration ‘Fiducia Supplicans’ Allowing ‘Blessing Couples in Irregular Situations and Same-Sex Couples’

Doctrinal declaration opens possibility to bless couples in irregular situations - Vatican News: When two people request a blessing, even if their situation as a couple is “irregular,” it will be possible for the ordained minister to consent. However, this gesture of pastoral closeness must avoid any elements that remotely resemble a marriage rite. This is what is stated the Declaration “Fiducia supplicans” on the pastoral meaning of blessings, published by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and approved by Pope Francis.

The Long, Storied Controversy Over Cheese on Apple Pie

The Long, Storied Controversy Over Cheese on Apple Pie - Gastro Obscura: Apple pie is not an American invention. In the 14th century, farmers in England began wrapping apples into inedible containers known as “coffins,” a pie prototype. Only in 1697 did the concept reach the United States—through European immigrants. But the USA has laid claim to the iconic dessert, a process that was crystalized when a 1902 New York Times article lambasted an English writer for complaining that eating apple pie more than two times per week was excessive...

Cardinal Becciu Found Guilty in Vatican Trial, Sentenced to Five Years in Prison

Cardinal Becciu guilty: The long-running Vatican finance trial ended Saturday with a guilty verdict for Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu along with convictions for several other former Vatican officials, along with businessmen who worked with the Vatican.

A Random Catholic Blog Just Became The Most-Interacted With Site On Facebook

(4) The "Amen" spam conquered Facebook - by Ryan Broderick: We’ve been using Newswhip's real-time tracking data to analyze the top posts, links, and publishers on Facebook since April. It's usually a mix of known publishers, some viral videos, and the occasional Taylor Swift post. That is, until November, when all 10 of the most popular links on Facebook were from a blog called Catholic Fundamentalism.

Rejoice, love the mothers, and hate the meatballs

Rejoice, love the mothers, and hate the meatballsCONDON: Pope Francis gave a TV interview this week in which he discussed his wishes for his funeral and burial. While noting that he wanted to see a scaled-down funeral rite compared to previous popes (though probably not Benedict XVI, which was as pared-back as it gets), Francis also said he wanted to be buried in the Basilica of St. Mary Major — to which he’s shown a particular devotion for years.

Would You Rejoice If Christ Came Today?

This%20Sunday%2C%20Would%20You%20Rejoice%20If%20Christ%20Came%20Today%3F%20%u2013%20Benedictine%20College%20Media%20%26%20CultureHOOPES: Yes, we rejoice because Baby Jesus is coming at Christmas. But we also rejoice because Adult Jesus is here, now, and he wants us to turn off every distraction and spend real time with him now. And if the sun goes dark today, and the dead rise from their graves, and a booming voice retells the deeds of our lives as Christ the Judge stares into our souls, we should be able to rejoice even then...

‘Your confessional is ready’: A Denver Catholic high school started using restaurant buzzers to help coordinate confessions, and it’s actually working

%u2018Your%20confessional%20is%20ready%u2019%3A%20Buzzing%20into%20confession%20at%20Bishop: As you walk the halls of Bishop Machebeuf High School in Denver, you won’t find any lines for confession. Instead, students simply pick up a buzzer, like the ones you see at your neighborhood restaurant, and wait for it to light up. Father CJ Mast is the Chaplain at Bishop Machebeuf. He says, “At first, it was kind of a joke we were just laughing about it. But then I think it was our principal, Mr. Siegel. He said, ‘well, let’s just go for it. If it’s a flop, it’s a flop. But it could be a great thing, and it could work out, so let’s just go for it.’” 

Is Catholicism in Germany on the cutting edge, or on the brink?

German Catholicism: On the brink or at the cutting edge?WEIGEL: On November 10, a “Synodal Committee” created by the recently completed German “Synodal Way” met for the first time. The committee’s mandate is to prepare the foundations for a “Synodal Council” of laity, clergy, and bishops to govern the Catholic Church in Germany from 2026 on. The idea of such a “Synodal Council” has already been rejected by the Holy See...

Find Peace Amid the Holiday Hustle With This ‘O Antiphon’ Prayer Guide

Find Peace Amidst the Holiday Hustle with this 'O Antiphon': Advent can easily become a spiritual struggle when you have decorations, gifts, and Christmas preparations on your plate. But it doesn’t have to be that way. The Church helps us to intensify our efforts of prayer and spiritual preparation for Christmas starting on December 17. From December 17 to the 23, the Church offers us the “O Antiphons” — short prayers that attribute Old Testament titles to Jesus and point to how they find their fulfillment in him...

Vatican Shutting Down Loyola Community Co-Founded by Accused Abuser Father Marko Rupnik

BREAKING: Vatican closing down Loyola Community co-founded by Rupnik | Catholic News AgencyMARES: The Vatican has decided to shut down the religious community of sisters co-founded by accused abuser Father Marko Rupnik, the Slovenian Archdiocese of Ljubljana announced Friday. Sisters from the Loyola Community were presented with a decree on Dec. 14 from the Vatican Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life on the dissolution of their community “due to serious problems concerning the exercise of authority and the way of living together,” the archdiocese said.

Pope Francis Recognizes Miracle Attributed to Sister Ana De Jesús, St. Teresa of Ávila’s Spiritual Daughter

Pope%20Francis%20recognizes%20miracle%20attributed%20to%20St.%20Teresa%20of%20%C1vila%u2019s%20spiritual%20daughter%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20AgencyMARES: More than 400 years after her death, Pope Francis has recognized a miracle attributed to Carmelite Sister Ana de Jesús, a spiritual daughter of St. Teresa of Ávila and a friend to St. John of the Cross. In a decree signed on Dec. 14, Pope Francis authorized the beatification of Ana de Lobera y Torres (1545-1621), better known by her religious name Sister Ana de Jesús, who helped to expand the Discalced Carmelites to France and Belgium.

Pope Francis’ company at St. Mary Major captures contrasts, contradictions of papal history

Francis%u2019s%20company%20at%20St.%20Mary%20Major%20captures%20contrasts%2C%20contradictions%20of%20papal%20history%20%7C%20CruxALLEN: In a new interview released yesterday, Pope Francis revealed his intention to be buried at Rome’s Basilica of St. Mary Major, reflecting his intense personal devotion to Mary and the famed icon of Salus Populi Romani contained in its Borghese chapel. Francis thus will become the sixth pontiff to be interred in the basilica, joining Pius V, Sixtus V, Paul V, Clement IX and Clement XIII, all of whom reigned between the late 16th and late 18th centuries.

Why Has Pope Francis Never Visited His Homeland?

Why Has Pope Francis Never Visited His Homeland?| National Catholic RegisterDESOUZA: Pope Francis has demonstrated real physical courage on his papal visits. Next year he will have something of a new challenge when visiting his homeland, where a moral and political confrontation awaits him. Courage will be needed for a visit that is likely, but not yet scheduled. The inauguration of Argentina’s new president on Sunday has set the stage for something unusual in this pontificate, a visit to a hostile political environment...

5 Ways to Signal for Help if You’re Lost in the Wilderness

Ways to Signal for Help in the Wilderness | Field & Stream: I read recently of a hunter in my home state of Kentucky who slipped and fell from a short rock face. As he was falling, his boot got hung in the root of a tree, and he was then hanging upside down. Fortunately, he had a GPS locator beacon attached to him so he could signal for help in the wilderness. He was able to get search and rescue to his exact location quickly enough to save his life.

In New Interview, Pope Says He Wants to Be Buried in Rome’s Basilica of St. Mary Major Out of Devotion to Our Lady

Pope Francis says that he wants to be buried in Marian basilica in new interview | Catholic News Agency: Pope Francis has said that he wants to be buried in the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome because of his devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. In a new interview broadcast on the Mexican television program “N+” on Tuesday night, the pope revealed that he has already made plans for his funeral and burial.

A guide to the mainstream media’s failed attempts to report on Pope Francis-era scandals

Guide%20to%20the%20mainstream%20media%27s%20failed%20attempts%20to%20report%20on%20Pope%20Francis-era%20scandals%20%u2014%20GetReligionLISI: Another month, another scandal. That seems to be the case these days with former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden. It’s also the case when we talk about Vatican life in the tense era of Pope Francis. World without end. Amen. The most-recent drama in Rome involves Luca Casarini, who recently took part in the Synod on Synodality as a special nominee of Pope Francis. Here is the key for religion-news consumers: The problem isn’t that the mainstream press has done a poor job covering this case...

Standing fast in our Christmas rituals, though difficult, can make our sufferings more bearable, meaningful, and fruitful...

Christmas Rituals in the Face of Personal Loss - LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: Those who have suffered much—especially in the loss of loved ones—often find that Christmas renews and even intensifies the suffering. The reason for this is plain. Yet, Hilaire Belloc suggests that Christmas rituals done well are precisely what can make our sufferings more bearable, meaningful, and fruitful. This is a bold claim that gives a powerful new perspective on the importance of how we celebrate Christmas...

Pope to Vatican Employees: Lure of Corruption Is Dangerous and ‘We Must Be Vigilant’

Pope%20to%20Vatican%20employees%3A%20Lure%20of%20corruption%20is%20dangerous%20and%20%u2018we%20must%20be%20vigilant%u2019%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: Pope Francis received in an audience on Monday the members of the Office of the Auditor General, a Vatican body established by the Holy Father to implement some financial reforms in continuity with the work already begun by Benedict XVI. The auditor general is in charge of auditing the accounts of the dicasteries of the Vatican Curia and the other institutions under the Holy See and the Vatican City State.

Your grandma’s propaganda is out of fashion

Your%20grandma%u2019s%20propaganda%20is%20out%20of%20fashion%20%7C%20Blaze%20MediaMERING: Popular women’s fashion brand Doen recently took to Instagram to broadcast its financial and moral support for Planned Parenthood. For Giving Tuesday, the company’s Instagram feed featured a black and white photo of the two attractive foundresses holding a banner that read, “Women’s Rights Are Human Rights.” That a women’s clothing brand might be politically progressive is hardly surprising. Unexpected was the volume of well-reasoned and unapologetic backlash the company received in the comments from its followers, who were mostly young mothers.

Nuestra Señora, the ‘New World’ and the Discipleship of Love

Nuestra senora, the 'new world' and the discipleship of loveJDFLYNN: From where I stand, there is very little that needs to be said about the Empress of the Americas. She is our queen and our patroness, the Church says, and the Lady who converted a continent, by revealing herself to St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin, and by giving him roses in winter. Because she is the “Patroness of the Americas,” she’s always been at the center of discussion surrounding the mission of the Church on our American continents...

Vatican Issues Novel Guidelines on Cremation, Says ‘Minimal Part’ of Ashes Can Be Kept in Personal Place in Certain Cases

Vatican: Small part of cremated ashes can be kept in personal place in certain cases | Catholic News Agency: Under certain circumstances, it may be permissible for a Catholic to keep a small portion of a deceased loved one’s ashes in a personal place of significance if some conditions are met, according to the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.

How deeply split are Germany’s bishops?

How%20deeply%20split%20are%20Germany%u2019s%20bishops%3FCOPPEN: In a recent address to members of Cologne’s archdiocesan council, Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki offered a bleak portrait of the Catholic Church in Germany. The country’s “synodal way,” he said, had proven to be far from synodal, at least as Pope Francis understands the term. Instead of listening respectfully to opposing opinions, participants literally held up red cards to speakers they disapproved of, making true dialogue impossible, he said.

Controversial TV producer Norman Lear was baptized Catholic last year at the age of 100, according to report

Controversial TV Producer Norman Lear Was a Catholic Convert at 100 - CatholicVote org: Though he was Jewish for most of his life and widely known as progressive, Lear converted to Catholicism last year, and was baptized by a priest from the Dominican House of Studies, according to a PJ Media article. “While some of his critics characterized Lear as a classic example of a Jewish agnostic, in 2022, in what might seem an unexpected move, Lear embraced the Catholic Faith,” the article said, adding that, “Lear was inspired by one of his daughters, who converted while at Harvard.”

Miracle? Something remarkable happened three weeks ago when Eastern Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew picked up a vial of St. Januarius’ blood...

Eucharistic%20miracle%20and%20ecumenical%20light%20in%20Naples%20%u2013%20Catholic%20World%20ReportMURZAKU: As the Church marked the beginning of Advent with the lighting of the Hope candle, a series of extraordinary events unfolded, capturing the attention of the Italian media, including the Orthodox Archdiocese of Italy. A particularly unforeseen event took place in Naples, Italy, during the visit of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I...

Fr. Stephen Gutgsell, Omaha priest stabbed to death in his rectory Sunday, was once busted for embezzlement, but it’s unclear whether it’s related to his murder...

Slain Omaha priest had troubled past: A suspect has been charged with murder after an Omaha priest was killed Sunday morning, but police have not yet released information about what may have motivated the stabbing death of Fr. Stephen Gutgsell. Gutgsell, 65, called 911 at about 5 a.m. on Dec. 10, telling police that it appeared someone was attempting to break into his parish rectory in Fort Calhoun, a village of roughly 1,100 people.

Supreme Courts in Three States Set to Hear Abortion Case Arguments This Week

Supreme Courts in three states set to hear abortion case arguments | Catholic News Agency: This week state Supreme Courts in Arizona, Wyoming, and New Mexico will hear oral arguments for litigation related to the states’ abortion laws. In all three cases, the pro-life side will be argued by lawyers at the conservative Alliance Defending Freedom.

Maybe Pope Francis is thinking of changing papal election rules, maybe he isn’t. But don’t say it hasn’t happened before...

Even%20if%20the%20Pope%20changes%20conclave%20rules%2C%20don%u2019t%20say%20it%20hasn%u2019t%20happened%20before%20%7C%20CruxALLEN: H.L. Mencken once famously quipped that love is like war, in that it’s easy to begin but very hard to stop. Had Mencken plied his journalistic trade in the Internet age, he might well have added rumors to that list, which are notoriously easy these days to put into circulation and virtually impossible to extinguish once they’re in the digital ether.

Archbishop Coyne’s suggestion to move the papacy out of Rome was made “half in jest,” but it raises a good question: Why did God establish Roman primacy in the first place?

A%20Bad%20Move%3F%20Theologians%20Critique%20Archbishop%u2019s%20Call%20to%20Relocate%20Church%u2019s%20Governance%20Out%20of%20Rome%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterLIEDL: A U.S. archbishop caused a stir recently when he suggested that the Catholic Church should relocate its governance away from Rome in order to be more efficient. However partially tongue-in-cheek Hartford co-adjutor Archbishop Christopher Coyne’s proposal was, what would that look like in reality? Theologians who spoke with the Register said that, while technically possible, decamping from Rome would be a bad move for the papacy — pope out of Rome — for both practical and theological reasons.

Grand conspiracies, false messiahs, and rock ’n’ roll

Grand%20conspiracies%2C%20false%20messiahs%2C%20and%20rock%u2019n%u2019rollCONDON: Today’s is a feast in which I positively revel. It confounds our Protestant brethren that we should have such devotion to Our Lady, though I am always perplexed at their skepticism of Marian theology. To suggest that God would not shield the mother of His son from original sin, and wouldn’t construct the whole of time and reality to accommodate an outpouring of the graces won by the Resurrection on to Mary before she or Christ were ever born seems, to me, to say you’d expect God to leave a job half done.

Many of us don’t really believe Christ will come again. But He absolutely will...

This%20Sunday%2C%20Many%20Of%20Us%20Don%u2019t%20Really%20Believe%20He%u2019ll%20Come%20Again.%20But%20He%20Absolutely%20Will.%20%u2013%20Benedictine%20College%20Media%20%26%20CultureHOOPES: We aren’t waiting for Christmas — not really. That already happened. What we wait for now is for Jesus to come again. Literally. From the sky. With angels. But do we really believe that after all these years? If you’re like me, you might think — maybe not. If you’re like me, you might suspect yourself of using Christianity as an emotional crutch to prop up your spirits rather than as a rod of truth pushing you to radical change, and accept that God loves you, a lot, in Christ while struggling with elements of it that sound fantastical.

The Fearfulness and Faithfulness of Mary and Joseph

The Fearfulness & Faithfulness of Mary & Joseph | Parishable ItemsFELTES: After our first parents ate the forbidden fruit, when they heard the sound of God walking about in the Garden of Eden, they hid themselves among the trees. The Lord God called to Adam and asked him, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden; but I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid myself.” Did Blessed Mary the New Eve or St. Joseph her husband ever feel afraid? Indeed, Scripture records several such occasions...

How a Scottish Rugby Coach Made the Philadelphia Eagles Unstoppable

New Advent: How a Scottish Rugby Coach Made the Philadelphia Eagles Unstoppable: The line of scrimmage has become the line of scrummage with the famous ‘brotherly shove’

Atheism, the Evidence for God, and the Evidence for Ghosts

Atheism, the Evidence for God, and the Evidence for Ghosts| National Catholic RegisterMILLS: He seems very smart, but not always someone who thinks very well. “Atheism does not require an argument,” the man declared in a Facebook post I saw. “My method is to believe only in things for which there is adequate evidence. There is no evidence for God.” There being no evidence, he doesn’t need to make a case for his atheism. Simple as that. He was responding to a quote from C.S. Lewis he’d picked up somewhere...

FBI Investigation of Catholics, and Advent Reflections From a Former Muslim

FBI Investigation of Catholics, and Advent Reflections From a Former Muslim (Dec. 9)| National Catholic RegisterDEMELO: A new report released this week details the extent of the FBI’s weaponization of law enforcement against traditional Catholics. Catholic News Agency staff writer Joe Bukuras brings us the latest about how far the FBI went in looking for possible domestic terrorists within traditional churches. Also, we hear the conversion story of Register blogger Zubair Simonson who wrote, ‘Advent Thoughts About Gaza and Israel, From a Muslim Who Became Catholic.’

King Charles III, no stranger to Coptic Christianity, expresses “greatest admiration for the Coptic community” during visit to Hertfordshire church

King%20Charles%20III%20visits%20Britain%u2019s%20Coptic%20Orthodox%20Christian%20community%20%7C%20CruxCOLLINS: King Charles III expressed his “greatest admiration for the Coptic community” during a visit to the Coptic Orthodox Church Centre in Hertfordshire, England, on Tuesday. The Coptic Orthodox Church is a member of the Oriental Orthodox family, which broke with what are now the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches as early as the fifth century, when they rejected the definitions of the Council of Chalcedon in 451.

8 Things You Need to Know About the Immaculate Conception

8 Things You Need to Know About the Immaculate Conception| National Catholic RegisterAKIN: December 8th marks the feast of the Immaculate Conception. It celebrates an important point of Catholic teaching, and it is a holy day of obligation. Here are 8 things you need to know about the teaching and the way we celebrate it. First, who does the Immaculate Conception refer to? There's a popular idea that it refers to Jesus' conception by the Virgin Mary. It doesn't. Instead, it refers to the special way in which the Virgin Mary herself was conceived...

Bishop Strickland Says He Has Been Advised to Leave Diocese of Tyler But Hasn’t Been Told He Can’t Say Mass There

Bishop%20Strickland%20Says%20He%20Has%20Been%20Advised%20to%20Leave%20Diocese%20of%20Tyler%20But%20Hasn%u2019t%20Been%20Told%20He%20Can%u2019t%20Say%20Mass%20There%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterMCDONALD: Retired Bishop Joseph Strickland has been advised to leave his former Diocese of Tyler, Texas, but has not been told he can’t say Mass publicly there, he told the Register. “I have received no such instruction,” Bishop Strickland said by text Thursday night, responding to a report that he has been barred from saying Mass in the diocese. Pope Francis removed Bishop Strickland, a critic of the Pope, as head of the Diocese of Tyler in East Texas almost four weeks ago, on Nov. 11. The Pope named Bishop Joe Vasquez, the bishop of nearby Austin, the temporary administrator of the Diocese of Tyler until a new bishop is appointed.

The art of speaking truth: Lessons from the prophet Nathan

The art of speaking truth: Lessons from the prophet NathanMILLS: He was speaking truth to power and speaking it to a powerful man with a record of killing people who got in his way. But he didn’t walk into the room and condemn the man for his sins, perhaps because the powerful man would have reacted and not repented. He told the man a story about a rich man who stole from a poor man, and I’m guessing he knew the powerful man well enough that he expected the story to enrage him...

Why did the USCCB pull their Native American pastoral text last month? Turns out some bishops thought its wording could get their dioceses sued...

USCCB pulled Native American pastoral text over language: A new pastoral document for the pastoral care of indigenous peoples was withdrawn during last month's meeting of the U.S. bishops, with concern that the document could have created liability issues for the Church among the motivating factors. Why did the USCCB suddenly and mysteriously withdraw a a new Native American pastoral text last month?

Church lockdown closures caused widespread mental and physical harm, says survey

Church lockdown closures caused widespread mental and physical harm, says survey - Catholic HeraldCALDWELL: The closure of Catholic churches during the 2020 lockdown contributed to widespread mental and physical suffering, according to the results of a new study. The survey carried out by the Catholic Union found 62 per cent of people reporting that their mental and physical wellbeing were adversely effected directly as a result of not being able to go to church.

The Vatican trial, now ending, is a remembrance of things we thought were past

Vatican trial, now ending, a remembrance of things we thought were past | CruxALLEN: In the galaxy of Italian Catholicism, Alberto Melloni and Sandro Magister may not quite be matter and anti-matter, but they’re definitely not on the same planet. Melloni is a progressive historian and essayist, an exponent of the “Bologna School” and its liberal reading of Vatican II, while Magister, an influential journalist, is a voice for the church’s conservative and traditional wing. When Melloni and Magister agree on something, therefore, you can be reasonably sure it’s beyond politics...

Straighten the Path: A Reflection on the Second Sunday of Advent

Straighten%20the%20Path%3A%20Scott%20Hahn%20Reflects%20on%20the%20Second%20Sunday%20of%20Advent%20%u2013%20St.%20Paul%20CenterHAHN: Our God is coming. The time of exile—the long separation of humankind from God due to sin—is about to end. This is the good news proclaimed in today’s liturgy. Isaiah in today’s First Reading promises Israel’s future release and return from captivity and exile. But as today’s Gospel shows, Israel’s historic deliverance was meant to herald an even greater saving act by God—the coming of Jesus to set Israel and all nations free from bondage to sin, to gather them up and carry them back to God.

4 Ways Life is Like a Pig Slaughter

Four Ways Life is Like a Pig Slaughter - LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: It might sound like a jaded exclamation. In fact I am in complete earnest. And I rejoice that more people are having this experience once again. As commonly enacted until just a couple of generations ago, a pig slaughter can bring into focus key aspects of human life itself. Here are four things that are true of both an old-time pig slaughter–done on a homestead–and life.

The good Magi and evil King Herod give us much to think about...

The Magi & King Herod | Parishable ItemsFELTES: This is how the second chapter of St. Matthew’s Gospel introduces us to the noble Magi and the infamous King Herod. Their good and bad examples in the story of Christmas present much for us to learn from and reflect on. The gospel tells us the Magi were astrologers from the East who saw a celestial sign which firmly convinced them the heir to the Jewish throne was born. The Magi were so convinced by this sign that they packed up valuable gifts and traveled...

In Bethlehem, These Modern-Day Shepherds Are Tending a Flock of Children Who Need God’s Mercy — and Your Help

Holy Child Program in Bethlehem Brightens West Bank With Help and Hope| National Catholic RegisterPRONECHEN: Amid the turmoil and war between Israel and Hamas, the Holy Child Program in the West Bank stands out as a model of help for both Christian and Muslim children and their families. Slightly less than 2 miles from Bethlehem and 6 miles from Jerusalem, the program in Beit Sahour was founded by the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist — who are based 5,613 miles away in Meriden, Connecticut — to help children who suffer from untreated complex mental-health issues and experiences of intergenerational trauma...

It’s not hard to see why Disney’s terrible new “Wish” movie has bombed so badly at the box office

Disney%u2019s%20%u2018Wish%u2019%20Unfulfillment%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterNICOLOSI: How is it possible to make scores of animated movies — including some of the greatest cartoon stories ever produced — and then churn out one of the worst films ever made? In the case of Disney Studios, the problem is its leaders are completely caught up in progressive ideology and have come to loathe their own past...

Boy Walks 7 Miles on Muddy Roads to Receive Confirmation, Gets a Blessing From the Pope

Boy walks 7 miles on muddy roads to receive confirmation, gets a blessing from the pope | Catholic News Agency: An Argentine boy recently made the special effort to walk 11 kilometers (about seven miles) on muddy roads to receive the sacrament of confirmation, and the news reached Pope Francis, who sent him a blessing. Maximiliano Pavillaux, 11, has been living along with his parents and four siblings in the rural area around Suipacha, a small town in Buenos Aires province, since December 2022.

Canonization Cause Advances for Antoni Gaudí, ‘God’s Architect’ and Builder of Barcelona’s Sagrada Família

Canonization%20cause%20advances%20for%20%u2018God%u2019s%20architect%2C%u2019%20Antoni%20Gaud%ED%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: The beatification cause for Antoni Gaudí, the Catalan architect known as “God’s architect” and designer of the Sagrada Familia Basilica in Barcelona, Spain, just completed an important step on the path to officially declaring him a saint in the Catholic Church.

Internet cynics say Kevin from ‘Home Alone’ is a dangerous little nut. He’s not. Here’s what you might have missed in the movie...

Kevin's Suburban Panopticon?: Home Alone and the Christmas Spirit | Church Life Journal | University of Notre Dame: For adult audiences revisiting the now classic 1990 film Home Alone, Kevin McCallister has become synonymous with a privileged rich kid who does not care about anyone but himself. Mincing no words, one Vice article puts it this way: “Kevin is, at his heart, a spoiled, entitled, rich suburban brat who is willing to sacrifice his family’s home, and even commit murder, to avoid bringing his staycations or vacations to an end.” This argument feels ungenerous, as if it sidesteps purposefully the gentler, human elements of the film and its deeper spiritual messages as well.

That Arian punch, clerical cool, and the sound of our stratosphere

That Arian punch, clerical cool, and the sound of our stratosphereJDFLYNN: Celebrating the sainted bishop of Myra is a custom in countries around the world, with Catholics and other believers putting out their shoes on the doorstep, to receive in them some candies and coins. You probably know that this custom got started the same way that fireplace Christmas stockings did — because of the story in which St. Nicholas snuck bags of dowry money into the home of a poor family in his diocese, so that the family’s daughters wouldn’t be sold into slavery.

Pope Francis Prays for Victims of Bombing of Catholic Mass in the Philippines

Pope Francis prays for victims of bombing of Catholic Mass in the Philippines | Catholic News AgencyMARES: Pope Francis offered his condolences after at least four people were killed and 54 injured in a bombing at a Catholic Mass on Sunday in the Philippines. The pope sent a condolence telegram on Dec. 3 expressing his spiritual closeness to all affected by the bombing of the 7 a.m. Mass held in a gymnasium on the campus of Mindanao State University in the southern Philippines.

The Three Comings of Christ

The Three Comings of Christ | Parishable ItemsFELTES: During this Advent season, we are called to contemplate three distinct comings of Christ. The first is his coming in the past, twenty centuries ago at the first Christmas. Answering the Prophet Isaiah’s plea, our Lord rent the heavens and came down for the sake of his servants by assuming a human nature. Through the Incarnation, God wrought an awesome deed we could not have hoped for, something unheard of from of old...

8 Fascinating Facts About Equatorial Countries

8%20Fascinating%20Facts%20About%20Equatorial%20Countries%20%u2014%20Daily%20Passport: The equator is an imaginary line at zero degrees latitude that wraps around the center of Earth, dividing the planet into Northern and Southern Hemispheres. There are 13 countries located along this 24,901-mile-long boundary — seven in Africa, three in Asia, and three in South America. All of these countries are known for their similar climates, experiencing year-round hot and humid weather with little seasonal variation. Despite similar weather, each of these nations has its own unique history, geography, and culture. Here are eight fascinating facts you might not know about countries along the equator.

Pope Francis on First Sunday of Advent: ‘I’m Improving, but My Voice Still Doesn’t Work’

Pope%20Francis%20on%20first%20Sunday%20of%20Advent%3A%20%u2018I%u2019m%20improving%2C%20but%20my%20voice%20still%20doesn%u2019t%20work%u2019%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20AgencySANTUCCI: Pope Francis for the second consecutive Sunday was assisted by an aide in praying the Angelus as he continues to recover from an acute bronchial infection. “Even today I won’t be able to read everything: I’m improving, but my voice still doesn’t work,” the pope said during the Sunday morning broadcast on the first Sunday of Advent. Instead “it will be Monsignor [Paolo] Braida who reads the catechesis,” Francis continued.

The ‘Mediterranea’ NGO scandal is a reminder that a Pope’s friends can be as dangerous as his enemies

NGO%20scandal%20a%20reminder%20that%20a%20Pope%u2019s%20friends%20can%20be%20as%20dangerous%20as%20his%20enemies%20%7C%20CruxALLEN: Perhaps under the heading that no good deed ever goes unpunished, Pope Francis today finds himself dragged into a new controversy which, among other things, illustrates that even the very best of intentions have the potential to generate heartache. The case centers on an Italian non-governmental organization called “Mediterranea,” the head of which is a former leader in the “no-global” movement and a longtime leftist activist named Luca Casarini, who recently took part in the Synod of Bishops on Synodality as a special nominee of Pope Francis.

There are many benefits to being a Catholic convert

Some Gifts of Being a Convert ~ The Imaginative ConservativeDEAVEL: As an adult convert to the Catholic faith of long standing (I came into the Church in 1997 at the tender age of 23), I am very grateful for the completion of the faith first given to me in baptism in a Christian Reformed Church in 1978. For most of my life as a Catholic I have experienced both love and admiration from cradle Catholics. While I’m happy to take the love, sometimes the admiration makes me a bit nervous.

Who cares when you put up your Christmas lights?

Who cares when you put up your Christmas lights?LOPEZ: Taking a break from doom-scrolling about the war in Israel, I noticed chatter on social media about Christmas. For many, this was the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend — those last moments before getting back to regular routines. Rather than focusing on the coming of the Infant Jesus, the comments were about hell. Specifically, going to hell for putting up Christmas decorations early...

There’s an Advent lesson hidden in Thomas Cole’s series of paintings, “The Voyage of Life”

An Advent lesson hidden in Thomas Cole's 'Voyage of Life'BRISCOE: “How I have walked … day after day, and all alone, to see if there was not something among the old things which was new!” wrote the American painter Thomas Cole. Advent is a kind of walking, like an artist, looking for what has not been seen before. As we begin a new liturgical year, we eagerly scan the horizon, looking for the new graces God will send. We walk familiar terrain, hoping to see what is new. And the lesson is that in Advent, there is always something new to see.

Why we are (or are not) so often in the wrong

Why%20we%20are%u2014or%20are%20not%u2014so%20often%20in%20the%20wrong%20%7C%20Catholic%20CultureMIRUS: I have a significant fear of being wrong. It is not that I simply want to avoid the embarrassment of being wrong about some question of fact. The problem is that I do not want to be wrong about the difference between virtue and vice in my own personal life. I don’t want to find out only after I die that some habitual attitude or behavior led to the accumulation of unrecognized sins. Insofar as these are unrecognized without deliberate fault, they would be venial sins...

I do not regret acting on the assumption that the Pope would be above petty quarrels

Fool me once... | Catholic CultureLAWLER: Like any journalist I hate to be beaten to a story, and this week Catholic World News (CWN) was late on a big one. Yet I have no regrets. If you’ll join me for a few minutes behind my editorial desk, I’ll explain why, and in the process, tell you something about CWN and about the Catholic world we cover. Last Saturday, when I read the first report on La Nuova Bussola Quotidiana...

Milwaukee’s Archbishop Listecki to investigate shocking accusations against judicial vicar — after first trying to sweep things under the rug...

Milwaukee priest placed on leave as conduct investigated: A Milwaukee priest who maintained an allegedly romantic public relationship with a layman was placed on administrative leave Friday, while a formal canonical investigation into his conduct is initiated. The move comes one day after The Pillar published a report about Milwaukee judicial vicar Fr. Mark Payne, who in 2022 hired as a parish schoolteacher a man with whom he had shared a condo for decades.

Witnesses Testify to Torture by Nicaraguan Dictatorship at Hearing on Imprisoned Catholic Bishop Rolando Álvarez

Witnesses testify to torture by Nicaraguan dictatorship at hearing on imprisoned Catholic bishop� | Catholic News Agency: At a congressional hearing on Thursday, members of Congress and human rights activists urged Nicaragua dictator Daniel Ortega to immediately release imprisoned Catholic Bishop Rolando Álvarez, who they said is being mistreated and possibly tortured.

Meet Peter Sonski, the Devout Catholic 2024 Presidential Candidate You’ve Never Heard Of

The%20Devout%20Catholic%20Presidential%20Candidate%20You%u2019ve%20Never%20Heard%20Of%20%7C%20RealClearReligion: Peter Sonski has been on a political journey since he first registered as a Democrat in the late 1970s. He hailed from a blue-collar, working class, Catholic family — very much concerned with the underprivileged and vulnerable of society. In a post-Roe v. Wade political landscape, however, the Democrat Party “decidedly became very pro-abortion” in his estimation, while, concurrently, President Ronald Reagan consolidated the pro-life movement.

This Sunday, We Look at the Church and Say: ‘Come, Lord Jesus! Enough Is Enough’

This%20Sunday%2C%20We%20Look%20at%20the%20Church%20and%20Say%3A%20%u2018Come%2C%20Lord%20Jesus%21%20Enough%20Is%20Enough%u2019%20%u2013%20Benedictine%20College%20Media%20%26%20CultureHOOPES: Lord Jesus, please come. Enough is enough. We don’t understand what you’re doing. Are you avoiding us? Why? We need you here. Surely you have noticed! We make our own the urgent words of your prophets and evangelists on the First Sunday of Advent Year B. There, we see that you told us what it would be like, waiting for you. You were right. “It is like a man traveling abroad,” you say in Sunday’s Gospel. “You do not know when the lord of the house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning.” The Church expected you in the morning...

The Long Weekend, Super Sunday, or Double Christmas — how will you do Mass this Dec. 25?

The%20Long%20Weekend%2C%20Super%20Sunday%2C%20or%20Double%20Christmas%20%u2014%20how%20will%20you%20do%20Mass%20this%20Dec.%2025%3F: With the first Sunday of Advent just around the corner, Christmas is on the way — and this year the feast falls on a Monday in 2023, immediately following the fourth Sunday of Advent. With Advent shrunk to the shortest possible count of days, Catholics get a little less time for seasonal anticipation, but they also get a back-to-back call to the festive celebration of Mass...

The Tsar, the rule of law, and the making of a legend

The Tsar, the rule of law, and the making of a legendCONDON: Last night, I made it to the movies to see the new Napoleon biopic. I’ll spare you a full amateur film review, though I thought it was by no means on a par with Ridley Scott’s great works but still pretty good. The French news magazine Le Point called the film “very anti-French and very pro-British.” I would say it definitely lived up to that promising review. One of the most interesting figures in Napoleonic history is Tsar Alexander I...

Kissinger was counselor not just to presidents, but to popes

Kissinger was counselor not just to presidents, but to popes | CruxALLEN: It’s rare indeed when an American president takes part in a four-way conversation and was, arguably, the least remarkable person in the group, but such was the case in June 1975 when President Gerald Ford made a visit to the Vatican. On that occasion, Ford met Pope Paul VI, today St. Paul VI, the pope who guided the Catholic Church through the close of the Second Vatican Council and the immediate post-Vatican II years. The two were joined by then-Archbishop Agostino Casaroli...

The Baby Indi Gregory tragedy (and the NHS itself) reminds us that doctors aren’t deities

When docs play deitiesWEIGEL: With the God of the Bible having largely disappeared from public consciousness in Great Britain, the closest thing to a replacement deity is the British National Health Service. Created after World War II, the NHS was the object of intense affection for decades and, as recently as this year, 72% of Britons polled said that the NHS was “crucial” to their society. This obsessive and often mawkish devotion to a false god has made a wholesale reform of the NHS — or, better, its replacement — virtually impossible. And the NHS is desperately in need of reform or replacement.

150 Years Ago, St. John Henry Newman Preached a Sermon (“The Infidelity of the Future”) That’s Coming True Before Our Eyes

St.%20John%20Henry%20Newman%20and%20%u2018The%20Infidelity%20of%20the%20Future%u2019%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterDESOUZA: St. John Henry Newman’s name was oft taken in vain during the recent Synod on Synodality for a synodal Church. Thankfully, the American bishops showed it due reverence at their recent meeting in Baltimore, voting in favor of Newman being declared a doctor of the Church. Throughout the long synodal process, whenever a divergence from Catholic teaching was proposed, Newman’s name was surely to be invoked in the manner of an ancient superstition...

Germany’s Bishop Stefan Oster Warns: Growing Division from Synodal Way Is “Disaster for the Faithful in Germany”

German%20bishop%20says%20divisions%20within%20local%20Church%20are%20a%20%u2018disaster%20for%20the%20faithful%u2019%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20AgencyLIEDL: A prominent German bishop and steadfast opponent of the controversial Synodal Way has leveled his harshest criticism yet of the state of the Catholic Church in his own country, describing the German episcopacy as deeply “divided”— and warned of potentially catastrophic consequences for Catholic believers.