By becoming our brother, the Son of God made us adopted sons of the Father — and this truth is the most shocking of all...

Do You Think That I Am Like You? ~ The Imaginative Conservative: As Dominicans, we immerse ourselves in the Word. We pray the Liturgy of the Hours, reciting and chanting various psalms throughout each day. Frequently in the psalms, we make the prayers of the Old Testament our own. In Psalm 51 we assume the words of David in his plea for God’s mercy. In Psalm 90, we take on the mantle of Moses and ask God to make our work prosper...

Churches in Holy Land Denounce ‘Coordinated Attack’ Against Christians by Israeli Authorities

Churches%20in%20Holy%20Land%20denounce%20%u2018coordinated%20attack%u2019%20against%20Christians%20by%20Israeli%20authorities%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: In the midst of the Hamas-Israel war in Gaza, the patriarchs and leaders of ancient Christian churches in Jerusalem have signed a joint document in which they denounce that four Israeli municipalities have sought to levy municipal taxes on church properties in violation of “centuries” of historical agreements.

New York Priest Celebrates ‘Pride Mass’ Outside of Gay Monument — on Rainbow Flag

New%20York%20Priest%20Celebrates%20%u2018Pride%20Mass%u2019%20Outside%20of%20Gay%20Monument%20%u2014%20on%20LGBT%20Flag%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterBUKURAS: A New York City Catholic church, previously caught up in LGBT controversy, hosted a “Pride Mass” Thursday evening using an altar shrouded with a gay and transgender “pride” flag at a local federal monument with sculptures of two same-sex couples and decorated by dozens of LGBT rainbow flags. The federal monument enshrining a gay bar, The Stonewall Inn, and its surroundings, memorializes the location of a June 28, 1969, LGBT uprising.

Cardinal O’Malley Speaks Clearly on Father Rupnik’s Art, Telling Vatican: Say ‘No More!’

Cardinal%20O%u2019Malley%20Speaks%20Clearly%20on%20Father%20Rupnik%u2019s%20Art%2C%20Telling%20Vatican%3A%20Say%20%u2018No%20More%21%u2019%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterDESOUZA: Consider it one last signal service from one who has spent several decades serving the Church in the sewer of the sexual-abuse crisis. Cardinal Seán O’Malley of Boston, president of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, wrote June 26 to the heads of all dicasteries in the Roman Curia, advising that...

Does the Bible Say Whether There Are People in Hell?

Does%20the%20Bible%20Say%20Whether%20There%20are%20People%20in%20Hell%3F%20%u2013%20St.%20Paul%20CenterHARROLD: Sacred Scripture does not tell us the names of any particular individuals who are in hell, but it repeatedly affirms that hell is real and people go there. Acts 24:15, for example, reminds us that “there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust.” In 2 Thessalonians 1:9, St. Paul warns about...

Sedevacantist Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò Defies Vatican Summons, Denounces Pope Francis

Archbishop Vigano Defies Vatican Summons, Denounces Pope Francis| National Catholic RegisterMCKEOWN: Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò on Friday said he will not participate in a Vatican summons to face charges of schism, reiterating his claims that Pope Francis is not the legitimate pope of the Catholic Church. The archbishop had previously revealed he received an email from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith informing him of the trial. The deadline for Viganò to appear before the Vatican expired today.

Madonna statue that was said to ‘weeps tears of blood’ is fake, declares Vatican

Madonna statue that 'weeps tears of blood' is fake, declares Vatican - Catholic Herald: A widespread and bizarre controversy in Italy has finally come to an end after the Vatican announced that a notorious Marian statue that allegedly shed tears of blood was deemed to be false. The claims have centered in the small Italian town of Trevignano Romano near the shore of Lake Bracciano, about 40 minutes north of Rome, and which is home to roughly 6,000 people.

The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage is getting closer to Indianapolis

National Eucharistic Pilgrimage: Amidst more processions in cities and country roads, a boatercade on the Ohio River, and multicultural expressions of worship, the Pilgrimage continued to witness to the healing and unifying power of the Eucharist this past week.

You Should Delete This Dangerous Setting On Your iPhone — Here’s How

Serious New Warning Suddenly Issued For Millions Of iPhone Users: It will take you less than 30-seconds to check your iPhone for this dangerous setting and delete any threats to your device and your data—given this latest warning, you should do that today...

Simple Truth, Good Faith, and Wasted Effort

Simple truth, good faith, and wasted effortCONDON: It is, as countless papal homilies over the centuries have reminded us, a feast of the catholicity of the Church — its great universality, encompassing as it does these two very different personalities with two very different missions who ended their ministries in the same city, which itself was the great universal capital of their world’s empire.

More than 400,000 Catholics left Church in Germany in 2023

More than 400,000 Catholics left Church in Germany in 2023: New figures indicating that more than 400,000 Catholics disaffiliated in Germany in 2023 show that the Church is in a “comprehensive crisis,” Bishop Georg Bätzing said Thursday. In a statement following the publication of new Church statistics June 27, the German bishops’ conference chairman insisted that the changes proposed by the country’s controversial “synodal way” were urgently needed.

What do the USCCB layoffs portend?

What do USCCB layoffs portend?JDFLYNN: A round of layoffs at the U.S. bishops’ conference has provoked strong reactions among some U.S. Catholics this week, with some observers claiming the moves are ideologically driven, and part of an effort to diminish the social justice work of the USCCB, especially the conference's Catholic Campaign for Human Development anti-poverty initiative.

Prioritize your family this summer to invest in what truly endures...

The Opportunity of Summer: Build and Repair RelationshipsSTAUDT: “Dad, I’m sorry I haven’t been in better touch.” We were sitting on the porch late at night, two blocks from the beach, with the waves and sounds of the boardwalk within earshot. “I know it’s hard to travel with the kids,” he said, looking back at me with compassion and a tinge of sadness at not seeing his grandkids more frequently. Much in that brief exchange remained unsaid...

Biden, Trump Spar Over Abortion, Migrants in First Presidential Debate

Biden, Trump spar over abortion, migrants in first presidential debate - OSV News: President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Democratic and Republican presidential nominees, participated in the first general election debate of the 2024 cycle on June 27, including on topics like abortion, immigration, foreign policy, and the economy.

If a thing’s worth doing, it’s worth doing badly — but only if you’re supposed to do it in the first place

A closer look at Chesterton's 'worth doing badly'MILLS: It’s a great line, but also one of the more dangerous among G.K. Chesterton‘s famous sayings. “If a thing’s worth doing,” he said, “it’s worth doing badly.” It gives some people an excuse and misdirects others. Though as I say, it’s a great line. It rejects a pernicious modern idea of success, the idea that makes people say “I can’t do that very well, so I shouldn’t even try.” It rebukes the voice (internal or external) that says of something you want to do or feel called to do, “You’ll make a mess of it. Don’t even try. Leave it to the professionals.”

Looking Ahead to the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul (June 29)

Looking Ahead to the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul (June 29) - AdoremusCARSTENS: St. Peter and St. Paul were the master builders who executed the plans of the divine architect, Christ. Yet, the two could not have been more different. St. Peter was a hardscrabble fisherman with his brother, Andrew. Despite his human limitations and failures, he became the rock that supports the Church, shedding his blood by crucifixion in Rome...

Supreme Court Mistakenly Leaks Controversial Abortion Decision

Supreme Court Mistakenly Leaks Controversial Abortion Decision| National Catholic RegisterPINEDO: A decision in a high-stakes abortion case was accidentally prematurely posted to the Supreme Court’s website on Wednesday. Though not the final ruling, the inadvertently leaked document indicates that the court will return the abortion case to a lower court, allowing emergency room doctors in Idaho to perform abortions, despite it being illegal in the state.

If the devil can’t make you bad, he will make you busy. Simplify, do or die...

Simplify, do or die Neal Obstat Theological OpiningNEAL: My grandfather once wrote me: “Work smarter not harder. Always keep your priorities in mind. Apply Ockham’s razor often to life, shave away the unnecessaries. Better to do a few things well than many things poorly.” Now and again, I examine my life in light of the call to simplicity. A simplicity audit of sorts. Here, simplicity means not just an absence of many things...

A soul in anguish about the state of the Church. Wherein Fr. Z rants...

OLDIE ASK FATHER: A soul in anguish about the state of the Church. Wherein Fr. Z rants. | Fr. Z's BlogZUHLSDORF: The Church was established by Christ, God, as our ordinary means of salvation. As Lumen gentium reminds us, anyone knowing and believing this who refuses to enter the Church or stay within, cannot be saved. The Devil is really good at being an Enemy. The Enemy is relentless and knows how to hit us where we are weak. Use the sacraments and sacramentals and ask your Guardian Angel for help...

The Church remains deeply influenced by the great John Paul II, even as strong forces work against his legacy...

The Eclipse of John Paul II? - What We Need NowHENRICKS: For the better part of three plus decades the Catholic Church was known in part as a faith community led by the charismatic figures of John Paul II and his deputy, Benedict XVI (Joseph Ratzinger). Their leadership was defined by many things that can be summed up as the authoritative interpreters of Vatican II...

I donate to groups that genuinely serve the poor, like CRS and Catholic Charities. The CCHD is not among them. I should know — I used to work for the USCCB...

The Bishops, the Poor, and the Catholic Campaign for Human Development | Jayd Henricks | First ThingsHENRICKS: In 1969, the United States bishops created the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD). Its mission is to fund programs that address “systems and structures” of injustice and poverty in America. Unfortunately, over the years many CCHD programs have not upheld basic principles of Catholic social teaching...

‘Breathtaking’: Through the Cornfields With Jesus in Nebraska Eucharistic Pilgrimage

%u2018Breathtaking%u2019%3A%20through%20the%20cornfields%20with%20Jesus%20in%20Nebraska%20Eucharistic%20pilgrimage%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: The procession began quietly, with just the sound of footsteps crunching on gravel. The air was thick with incense, heavy with east Nebraska’s summer humidity and dust from the road. The silence was soon broken with the sound of bells and the voices of pilgrims and processors as they sang, “O Sacrament most holy, O Sacrament divine, all praise and all thanksgiving be every moment thine,” and followed Christ in the Eucharist.

Why do books have chapters? How writing changed from antiquity to children's books and streaming...

Why do books have chapters? How writing changed from antiquity to children's books and streaming - ABC News: Nicholas Dames remembers the first time he really got thinking about a very obvious but largely invisible writing device. It was around two decades ago, when he was completing a PhD in English and American literature. "A friend of mine, who was not an academic, over drinks one night, just blurted out to me, 'why do novels have chapters?'," the Columbia University humanities professor tells ABC RN's Late Night Live.

5 Things to Consider About Archbishop Viganò’s Schism Case

Archbishop%20Vigan%F2%u2019s%20Schism%20Case%3A%205%20Issues%20to%20Consider%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterDESOUZA: Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò has been charged with schism and summoned for a proceeding at the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF). In reply to those serious charges, he issued an inflammatory response — Vatican II is a “cancer,” “Bergoglio” is illegitimate — and refused to answer the summons. The Vatican has given him until Friday to respond, either in writing or in person, or he “will be judged in his absence.”

Swords, Plowshares and Monstrances: Why Eucharistic Devotion Is Surging Amid Cameroon’s Devastating Civil Conflict

War%20and%20Adoration%3A%20Why%20Eucharistic%20Devotion%20Is%20Surging%20Amid%20Cameroon%u2019s%20Devastating%20Civil%20Conflict%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterLIEDL: When Catholics across the world go to Eucharistic adoration, they typically pray for the health and well-being of their friends and families, an increase in virtue, and to know God’s will for their life. The faithful in Bamenda, Cameroon, bring those same intentions to the Lord, too. But they also offer up another one: that the bloodshed around them might end.

Was this recent DDF declaration a case of editorial sloppiness, or a stealthy attempt to rupture Church teaching?

Rupture by stealth?WEIGEL: According to a source well-positioned to know, one of the behind-the-scenes dramas of the present pontificate involved Pope Francis’s determination to amend the Catechism of the Catholic Church and declare capital punishment an intrinsically evil act: something that can never be countenanced. After a lengthy and bruising argument over whether that was doctrinally possible, a compromise was reached...

6 of the Most Awe-Inspiring Waterfalls Around the World

6%20of%20the%20Most%20Awe-Inspiring%20Waterfalls%20Around%20the%20World%20%u2014%20Daily%20Passport: Waterfalls have a way of fascinating us like few other natural wonders do. Watching thousands upon thousands of gallons of rushing water cascade over the edges of cliffs and mountain sides — sometimes hundreds of feet high — is nothing short of mesmerizing, so it’s no wonder many of us seek out waterfalls on our travels. From the world’s tallest uninterrupted waterfall in the depths of the Venezuelan jungle to the spectacular waterfall whose name means “the smoke that thunders,” here are six of the most awe-inspiring waterfalls you can visit.

SSPX distances itself from Viganò, says ‘Archbishop Lefebvre ... have not ventured down that perilous road’

Traditionalist SSPX group distances itself from Vigano, archbishop accused of schism | Crux: On Monday, the breakaway traditionalist Society of Saint Pius X distanced itself from an Italian archbishop and former Vatican envoy to the United States accused of schism, saying his public statements have gone beyond the acts that got their own founder excommunicated. In a decree dated June 11, the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith...

‘Persistent Rumors’ of ‘Stringent, Radical’ Suppression of Traditional Latin Mass Grow Stronger

Is%20there%20a%20secret%20plan%20to%20suppress%20the%20TLM%20%u2014%20again%3FCONDON: Traditionalist Catholic websites and media began discussing last week what they describe as “persistent rumors” of a planned Vatican document, which is supposedly meant to suppress entirely the celebration of the extraordinary form of the liturgy, often called the “Traditional Latin Mass.” The current round of speculation began in earnest when Rorate Caeli, a traditionalist website, carried a post last week...

Arise!: A reflection on the upcoming 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Arise%21%3A%20Scott%20Hahn%20Reflects%20on%20the%20Thirteenth%20Sunday%20in%20Ordinary%20Time%20%u2013%20St.%20Paul%20CenterHAHN: God, who formed us in His imperishable image, did not intend for us to die, we hear in today’s First Reading. Death entered the world through the devil’s envy and Adam and Eve’s sin; as a result, we are all bound to die. But in the moving story in today’s Gospel, we see Jesus liberate a little girl from the possession of death. On one level, Mark is recounting an event that led the disciples to understand Jesus’ authority and power over even the final enemy, death...

Catholic Authorities in Spain Excommunicate, Expel 10 Renegade Poor Clare Nuns for ‘Crime of Schism’

Catholic Authorities in Spain Excommunicate, Expel 10 Renegade Poor Clare Nuns| National Catholic Register: The Catholic Church in Spain has decreed the excommunication and expulsion from consecrated life of the Poor Clare nuns of Belorado for committing the crime of schism. Canon 751 of the Code of Canon Law states that schism is “the refusal of submission to the supreme pontiff or of communion with the members of the Church subject to him.” The penalty for this crime is excommunication...

Humor, Dance and Music Can Uplift as Well as Degrade

Humor, Dance and Music Can Uplift as Well as Degrade| National Catholic RegisterDESOUZA: Liturgically, the Church marks the birth of St. John the Baptist — the only saint whose birth is celebrated aside from the Blessed Virgin Mary — once a year (June 24), but also does so every day. Every morning in the Liturgy of the Hours, the Canticle of Zechariah (Luke 1:68-79) is included, which the father of John the Baptist sang upon his birth...

Vatican communications prefect Paolo Ruffini’s disastrous Friday in Atlanta points to wider and deeper problems in the Vatican

Ruffini%u2019s%20disastrous%20Friday%20points%20to%20wider%2C%20deeper%20problems%20in%20the%20Vatican%20%u2013%20Catholic%20World%20ReportALTIERI: You may not have heard Rupnik’s name, but if you are a Catholic who has darkened the door of a church in the past decade, you’ve seen his work. He designed the logo for the Year of Mercy. Rupnik’s Centro Aletti studio has an interactive catalog showing where Rupnik pieces and installations are in the world...

Who Was St. John the Baptist? 11 Things to Know and Share...

Who Was St. John the Baptist? 11 Things to Know and Share| National Catholic RegisterAKIN: John the Baptist is a mysterious figure in the New Testament. He was famous in his own day, even before he became the herald of Christ. We even know about him from outside the New Testament. The Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist is June 24, and the Memorial of the Passion of St. John the Baptist is Aug. 29, so it’s an excellent time to catch up on him. Here are 11 things to know and share ...

Pope Francis Appoints Former Benedict XVI Secretary Archbishop Georg Gänswein as Apostolic Nuncio to Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia

Pope Francis appoints Gaenswein to diplomatic role in Baltic states | Catholic News AgencyMARES: Pope Francis has appointed Archbishop Georg Gänswein, the former private secretary to the late Pope Benedict XVI, to a diplomatic role in the Baltic states. The Vatican announced Monday that Gänswein will serve as the apostolic nuncio, or papal ambassador, to Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia.

Pope’s Sunday Angelus: ‘Amid Trials and Storms, Do I Cling to Christ?’

Pope at Angelus: 'Amid trials and 'storms', do I cling to Christ?' - Vatican News: Even amid turmoil and distress, we are to abandon ourselves to the Lord, trusting in Him always. This was the comforting message Pope Francis offered to the faithful at his weekly Angelus address on Sunday. Speaking to the thousands of pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square at midday, the Holy Father reflected on today's Gospel reading according to St. Mark, which recounts the story of when Jesus and the disciples...

Sister Wilhelmina’s Order to Expand to England — at Abbey Founded by St. Thomas More’s Great-Great-Grandaughter

Sister%20Wilhelmina%u2019s%20Order%20to%20Expand%20to%20England%20%u2014%20at%20Abbey%20Founded%20by%20St.%20Thomas%20More%u2019s%20Great-Great-Grandaughter%7C%20National%20Catholic%20Register: The Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles — founded by Sister Wilhelmina Lancaster, whose body was discovered last year to be remarkably well-preserved — shared some exciting news in their spring 2024 newsletter: Not only is this burgeoning religious order, with its motherhouse in Gower, Missouri, putting the finishing touches on its Ava, Missouri, monastery and preparing to move into a recently vacated Poor Clare monastery...

Parolin Helps US Bishops on Viganò, Church/State Drama in Italy, and a New Real Estate Deal

Parolin helps US bishops on Vigano, church/state drama in Italy, and a new real estate deal | CruxALLEN: There’s never a dull moment on the Vatican beat in the Pope Francis era, and the past week has offered a classic illustration of that truth, featuring dramatic charges of schism against an archbishop, a startling revelation regarding church/state relations in Italy, and a controversial real estate deal that once again could land the Vatican in hot water. Each story carries a special wrinkle, well worth unpacking...

‘Who Am I to Judge’: Vatican Communications Prefect Says Removing Rupnik Art Is ‘Not the Christian Response’

Vatican%20communications%20prefect%3A%20Removing%20Rupnik%20art%20%u2018not%20the%20Christian%20response%u2019LAROSA: The prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication told a group of Catholic journalists Friday that removing artwork by disgraced religious artist and alleged serial sexual abuser Fr. Marko Rupnik is “not the Christian response.” “I don’t think we have to throw stones, thinking it is the way of healing someone,” said Paolo Ruffini, according to video footage of his remarks obtained by The Pillar...

Pope Francis Names Chinese Bishop Who Attended Synod on Synodality to Archdiocese of Hangzhou

xBROCKHAUS: Pope Francis has named Bishop Joseph Yang Yongqiang to lead the Archdiocese of Hangzhou in China, transferring him from the Diocese of Zhoucun, the Vatican announced Saturday. The June 12 nomination took place “within the framework of dialogue concerning the implementation of the Provisional Agreement between the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China,” the Vatican’s June 22 press release said.

What to think about those rumors of a coming new offensive against the Traditional Latin Mass

A new offensive in the war on traditional liturgy | Catholic CultureLAWLER: Rome’s rumor mills are buzzing. According to multiple sources, a new Vatican document is being prepared, which would impose still tighter restrictions on the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM). If approved in its current form, our informants tell us, the document would bar diocesan priests from celebrating the TLM; only the communities specially formed around the old liturgy...

The Light in Greece: Seeing What It Means to Call the Son of God “Light From Light”

(3) The Light in Greece - by Mark K. SpencerMARKSPENCER: My grandmother told me I would hate Greece. “It’s an ugly country,” she said. Her father came from Greece in his childhood, and she had been there a few times, but only during difficult times with her family, which I think soured the experience for her. What I would find awe-inspiring about the country, she said, was the sky. “There’s no other blue like it in the world,” she told me.

Why Is St. John the Baptist Such a Big Deal?

Why%20is%20John%20the%20Baptist%20Such%20a%20Big%20Deal%3F%20%u2013%20St.%20Paul%20CenterHARROLD: Sometimes we Catholics can struggle with the emphasis the New Testament places on the figure of St. John the Baptist. What makes this quirky, locust-eating prophet such an important figure? To answer this question, it’s worth reflecting on what Jesus Himself says about John the Baptist. In this verse, Jesus discloses a twofold reality...

This Sunday, the Lord of Storms Gives Us More Than We Can Handle

This%20Sunday%2C%20the%20Lord%20of%20Storms%20Gives%20Us%20More%20Than%20We%20Can%20Handle%20%u2013%20Benedictine%20College%20Media%20%26%20CultureHOOPES: Jesus is gentle, Jesus is kind, Jesus is caring and Jesus is attentive to our needs. But Jesus is God, Jesus is challenging, Jesus is demanding, and above all Jesus wants us to be attentive to what he wants. That is the message the Church gives us in the readings for Mass on the 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time...

“What should I do if a choir I’m part of is scheduled to sing something (Orff’s Carmina Burana) that seems blasphemous?”

ASK FATHER: Our choir is scheduled to sing something that seems blasphemous | Fr. Z's BlogZUHLSDORF: St. Thomas Aquinas tells us that all art and science should lead to adoration. Hence, the guiding questions for all art and science, is whether or not it pleases God and whether or not it can be offered to Him. We may not act on an uncertain conscience. If the texts you are being asked to sing parody what is sacred, then it can hardly be a worthy offering to God.

‘Inside Out 2’: Here Come Envy, Ennui, Embarrassment, Anxiety — and Disappointment

%u2018Inside%20Out%202%u2019%3A%20Here%20Come%20Envy%2C%20Ennui%2C%20Embarrassment%2C%20Anxiety%20%u2014%20and%20Disappointment%3F%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterDAY: At the end of the Pixar film Inside Out back in 2015, Riley Anderson collides with a boy. He drops his water bottle. Riley cheerfully picks it up for him. The boy is frozen, aghast. Girl alert! The camera pushes into his brain. His emotions are running rampant. Riley gives the boy one last look and a smile before skating on to the ice for her hockey match...

The Traditional Latin Mass: Third rail of the National Eucharistic Congress?

The Traditional Latin Mass: Third rail of the Eucharistic Congress?JDFLYNN: Since it was announced, critics of the National Eucharistic Congress have expressed concern that the July event, which coincides with the Republican National Convention, would be co-opted by politics. Some have speculated that Congress talks will take on a partisan tone, or that some speakers will advocate for conservative political engagement...

How the IOR became the Vatican’s most bankable institution

How%20the%20IOR%20became%20the%20Vatican%u2019s%20most%20bankable%20institutionCONDON: The Institute for Works of Religion, the Vatican’s only commercial bank, has recorded another year of increased profits, enhanced financial stability, and high regulatory vigilance. The institution was, for decades, a byword for scandal, corruption and conspiracy theories. But its 2023 annual report, issued June 14, recorded news levels of profitability, allowing significant charitable disbursement to Catholic projects around the world.

Archbishop Viganò Reports to DDF Thursday in Latest Step of Transformation from Vatican Insider to Alleged Schismatic

Archbishop%20Vigan%F2%u2019s%20Astonishing%20Transformation%20from%20Vatican%20Insider%20to%20Alleged%20Schismatic%7C%20National%20Catholic%20Register: Nine years ago, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò was the Holy See’s envoy to the U.S., dealing with the White House and Congress to prepare for Pope Francis’ September 2015 visit to the country. This week, Archbishop Viganò is being tried by the Vatican’s doctrinal office, accused of fomenting schism — a split in the Catholic Church...

Spanish Nuns Accused of Schism Must Appear Before Tribunal

Spanish nuns accused of schism must appear before tribunalBELTRAN: Nuns at a Spanish convent accused of embracing schism have been given a June 21 deadline to appear before a Church tribunal, as they face the prospect of excommunication. Three of the nuns, from the Poor Clare convent of Belorado, Spain, were originally expected to appear before the tribunal by June 16, but received an extension, sources close to the case explained to The Pillar.

Vatican’s DDF Charges Archbishop Viganò With Canonical Crime of Schism

Vigan%F2%20charged%20with%20schism%2C%20calls%20Vat%20II%20and%20Pope%20Francis%20%u2018cancer%u2019: Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, former papal nuncio to the United States, has been charged by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith with the canonical crime of schism. The outspoken former Vatican diplomat published Thursday morning images of his citation in an extrajudicial process, authorized by the congresso of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith’s members on May 10.

Speaking the Truth with Love

Speaking the Truth with Love - The Catholic ThingMAIER: Tomorrow, June 20, marks the 2024 summer solstice, the longest day of the year. Nobody really cares about the solstice today except wannabe pagans, but it’s the official start of summer. And summer is an excuse for the kind of escapist reading that (seemingly) has nothing to do with the burdens of modern life, yet can offer some useful lessons. I’ll explain...

'Husbandry' and Rethinking a Man's Bond with his Wife

'Husbandry' and Rethinking a Man's Bond with his Wife - LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: We tend to reflect more on the role of man as father than as husband. Rediscovering husbandry goes hand in hand with rediscovering fatherhood. But wait a moment, you immediately wonder; am I making a play on the word ‘husbandry?’ What am I talking about here? Let’s be clear: the seeming ambiguity in the term is intrinsic to its usage in English. I suggest that rather than dismissing it, we ask what deeper truth is indicated in what might seem a linguistic quirk...

Jesuit Father Paul Mankowski Was a Man for Our Season

Jesuit Father Paul Mankowski: A Man for Our Season| National Catholic Register: Jesuit Father Paul Mankowski was a legend to those who knew him. There were stories that floated around: He never owned more than he could put into a medium-sized box; he blessed the meal at the arrival of cocktails; he had once been the sparring partner of Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott. All of those things were true.

Worldly Opposition Often Comes From People Within the Church — Here’s How to Face the Headwinds

Upstream Podcast: Facing the Headwinds from Within on Apple PodcastsLENCIONI: It may come as a surprise to many lay people, and perhaps even priests too, that worldly opposition can come from within the Church. Pat sits down with his friend Fr. John Riccardo of ACTS XXIX to discuss the different ways we can face this truth, overcome worldly opposition, and avoid being discouraged in the process.

145 years ago, Cardinal Newman warned that ‘liberalism in religion’ is a ticket to oblivion...

Ticket to oblivion?WEIGEL: In the days before Pope Paul VI simplified the rituals surrounding the creation of new cardinals, men who had previously been informed that they had been chosen gathered in Rome; there, a day or so before the consistory at which they would be “proclaimed” and given the red hat, they received what was known as the biglietto (“ticket”). Delivered by a papal chamberlain to wherever the about-to-be-cardinal happened to be in the Eternal City...

Texas Doctor Indicted After Exposing Transgender Child Surgeries at Children’s Hospital

Texas%20doctor%20indicted%20after%20exposing%20transgender%20child%20surgeries%20at%20children%u2019s%20hospital%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20AgencyPAYNE: A Texas doctor has been indicted for allegedly breaking federal law after he accessed patient records as part of an exposé into child transgender surgeries. In 2022, Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston announced that it would cease performing transgender procedures on minors, citing concerns over “legal ramifications” after state Attorney General Ken Paxton said some of those medical procedures could be considered child abuse under state law.

Pope’s Wednesday Audience: ‘The Psalms Are the Church’s Symphony of Prayer’

Pope at Audience: The Psalms, 'the prayer of Jesus,' are for all seasons - Vatican News: "It is necessary to make the Psalms our prayer, making them ours and praying with them," urged Pope Francis during his Wednesday General Audience in the Vatican. As the Holy Father continued his catechesis series on the Holy Spirit, this week he reflected in a special way on the Psalms. The Pope had begun by recalling that in preparation for the 2025 Jubilee, he had proclaimed 2024 a Year of Prayer.

Head Coach Joe Mazzulla’s Catholic Faith Helped Guide the Boston Celtics to an NBA Championship

Head%20Coach%20Joe%20Mazzulla%u2019s%20Catholic%20Faith%20Helped%20Guide%20The%20Boston%20Celtics%20To%20An%20NBA%20ChampionshipLISI: Joe Mazzulla woke up on Tuesday morning an NBA champion. It has been a very long and unlikely success story rooted in faith. Mazzulla — whose only head coaching experience before taking over the Boston Celtics in the fall of 2022 was at the NCAA Division II level — guided the team to a record 18th NBA championship after defeating the Dallas Mavericks in five games.

In secular France, chaplains prepare to provide Olympians with spiritual support during the Games

In secular France, chaplains prepare to provide Olympians with spiritual support during the Games | AP News: As athletes rev up their training and organizers finalize everything from ceremonies to podiums before the Paris Olympics, more than 120 faith leaders are preparing for a different challenge — spiritually supporting some 10,000 Olympic athletes from around the world, especially those whose medal dreams will inevitably get crushed.

Competitive Sheeting, St. Guy of Baume, and Archbishop Dennis Schnurr

Competitive sheeting, St. Guy, and SchnurrJDFLYNN: Today is the feast of St. Guy of Baume, and you’re reading The Tuesday Pillar Post. Not much is known about old St. Guy — he was a 10th century abbot at Baume Abbey, which, by some accounts, was founded in the 600s, destroyed by raiders in the 700s, refounded in the 800s, and then had a pretty good run of nearly 1,000 years, before the French Revolution expelled all the monks.

Three Young Adult Pilgrims Walk From Paris to Jerusalem ‘to Deepen Our Faith’

Three%20young%20adult%20pilgrims%20walk%20from%20Paris%20to%20Jerusalem%20%u2018to%20deepen%20our%20faith%u2019%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20AgencyBANDINI: On Sept. 17, 2023, two sisters left Paris and walked for approximately eight months to Jerusalem. Madeleine and Marie-Liesse, 19 and 22, who grew up in a Catholic family, decided to become pilgrims to grow in their faith.

In the Storm: A Reflection on the Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time

In%20the%20Storm%3A%20Scott%20Hahn%20Reflects%20on%20the%20Twelfth%20Sunday%20in%20Ordinary%20Time%20%u2013%20St.%20Paul%20CenterHAHN: “Do you not yet have faith?” Our Lord’s question in today’s Gospel frames the Sunday liturgies for the remainder of the year, which the Church calls “Ordinary Time.” In the weeks ahead, the Church’s liturgy will have us journeying with Jesus and His disciples, reliving their experience of His words and deeds, coming to know and believe in Him as they did.

‘Love of My Dad’: Father’s Example Leads Top Cyclist Back to the Church

%u2018Love%20of%20My%20Dad%u2019%3A%20Father%u2019s%20Example%20Leads%20Top%20Cyclist%20Back%20to%20the%20Church%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterBEATTIE: In 2009, Justin Koelbl was in the midst of an outstanding cycling career. Despite being only 15 at the time, the Virginia native’s accomplishments already included five junior U.S. National Championships in road cycling. Because the U.S. did not have many major cycling teams, Koelbl joined a men’s team in the south of France...

Nancy Pelosi, Among Others, Could Benefit From This Summer’s Eucharistic Congress

Nancy Pelosi Could Benefit from Eucharistic Congress | National ReviewLOPEZ: very Sunday for me it’s hard,” former speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi wrote in Being Catholic Now: Prominent Americans Talk About Change in the Church and the Quest for Meaning, a 2008 collection edited by Kerry Kennedy, daughter of the late Robert Kennedy. Frequently self-described as some variation of an “ardent practicing Catholic,” Pelosi’s difficulty was with the Eucharist.

Vatican Library to Award NFTs to Donors in ‘Experimental Project’

Vatican%20library%20to%20award%20NFTs%20to%20donors%20in%20%u2018experimental%20project%u2019%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: The Vatican library announced Monday that it will expand its use of Web3 technologies by awarding nontransferable NFTs (nonfungible tokens) to supporters of the manuscript collections.

Evangelicals and IVF: ‘Don’t turn a blind eye to what’s happening in the fertility industry’

Sarah Stula: Evangelical America and IVF | Respect Life Radio: "Every child is a gift from God, no matter how they're here," said Sarah Stula, an attorney in Kansas City. "The point is where do we go from here to protect unborn life?" Stula recently authored an article in First Things called "Evangelical America and IVF" in response to the February decision by the Alabama Supreme Court that ruled that human embryos stored in an IVF clinic are unborn children...

We invited Harrison Butker to speak at our college. We won’t bow to cancel culture...

Butker's graduation speech shows we must push back on cancel cultureMINNIS: Benedictine College is on a mission to transform culture in America, but we didn’t expect one commencement address to put us in the center of our country’s current culture wars. The experience, though, is a good reminder that the mission we have is more important than ever. Let me explain. Benedictine, the college I serve as president in Atchison, Kansas...

Can The 30-Second Sit-to-Stand Test Predict Your Lifespan?

Can The 30-Second Sit-to-Stand Test Predict Your Lifespan?: The 30-second sit-to-stand test has gained popularity for its more gimmicky promise of predicting when you’ll die (spoiler: it definitely can’t). But the simple challenge can tell you a thing or two about your flexibility and balance: two important indicators of healthspan and longevity as you age.

Pope’s Sunday Angelus: ‘Be Generous and Confident Sowers of the Gospel’

Pope at Angelus: Be generous and confident sowers of the Gospel - Vatican News: During the Sunday Angelus Pope Francis explains how the Kingdom of God is like the farmer who plants seeds that silently and steadily sprout and grow to maturity, just as the Lord places seeds of His word and grace in us helping always that we grow in maturity of faith.

In reimagining the papacy, don’t underestimate its star power

In%20reimagining%20the%20papacy%2C%20don%u2019t%20underestimate%20its%20star%20power%20%7C%20CruxALLEN: Friday was among the most remarkable single days in the entire Pope Francis era, and given the way this papacy has generated non-stop thrills, chills and spills for more than 11 years now, that’s truly saying something. It was a long day’s journey into night, beginning at 8:30 a.m. with a still-unexplained...

Al Kresta, Longtime Catholic Radio Host, Dies at 72

Al Kresta, longtime Catholic radio host, dies at 72 | Catholic News Agency: Al Kresta, a longtime Catholic radio host, author, and founder and president of Ave Maria Radio, died Saturday at his Michigan home after a battle with liver cancer. He was 72. A former evangelical Protestant who rose to prominence as a radio host before his conversion to Catholicism in 1992, Kresta’s voice was heard on hundreds of radio stations daily, including EWTN Catholic Radio, via Ave Maria’s flagship program, “Kresta in the Afternoon.”

The 28 Most Beautiful Towns in America

28 Most Beautiful Towns in America | Conde Nast Traveler: While most travelers flock to New York and Los Angeles, the most beautiful small towns in America offer an entirely different—and, dare we say, better?—glimpse at what this country has to offer. You’ll find tiny enclaves filled with friendly locals, walkable downtown areas lined with mom-and-pop cafes, quiant boutique hotels, and incredible views of some of the best landscapes in the U.S.

What was true of Adam and Eve is true for us now. We work his garden; God makes it grow...

This%20Sunday%2C%20The%20Kingdom%20of%20God%20Is%20the%20Garden%20of%20Eden%20%u2013%20Benedictine%20College%20Media%20%26%20CultureHOOPES: This Sunday, Jesus describes his kingdom in the Gospel this way: “This is how it is with the kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and through it all the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how.” As it is in the natural world, so is it in the supernatural world: God provides subtle but unstoppable growth for those who do his will...

‘I Will Not Stop Preaching This Gospel’: Priest and Martyr of Communism Father Michał Rapacz Beatified in Krakow

Priest%20and%20martyr%20of%20Communism%20Father%20Micha%u0142%20Rapacz%20beatified%20in%20Krakow%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20AgencyBROCKHAUS: A 20th-century Polish Catholic priest killed by communist authorities was beatified on Saturday at the Divine Mercy Shrine in Krakow-Łagiewniki, Poland. Pope Francis recognized the martyrdom of Father Michał Rapacz in January. The 41-year-old priest was shot twice by communist authorities on the night of May 10-11, 1946, after being taken from his village parish in the south of Poland to a nearby woods.

In the midst of confusion: Rethinking the ‘synodal way’

In%20the%20midst%20of%20confusion%3A%20Rethinking%20the%20%u201Csynodal%20way%u201D%20%7C%20Catholic%20CultureMIRUS: It is one of the odd—but in the long run potentially fruitful—features of the current pontificate that a great emphasis on synodality in theory has emerged under a Pope who tends to act unilaterally. This is not particularly surprising since we humans so often tend towards failure when it comes to living out in practice the principles we hold in theory...

Cardinal Sarah warns against the spread of ‘practical atheism’ even within the Church

Cardinal Sarah warns against 'practical atheism' even within the Church: Cardinal Robert Sarah delivered a speech to attendees of a sold-out event June 13 at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., where he emphasized the dangers of “practical atheism,” calling it a great temptation in the Church today. Practical atheism does not deny God or reject God outright, the cardinal said, but it removes God from the center of life...

Vatican’s ‘Bishop of Rome’ Document Has an ‘Ivory Tower’ Feel

Vatican%u2019s%20%u2018Bishop%20of%20Rome%u2019%20Document%20Has%20an%20%u2018Ivory%20Tower%u2019%20Feel%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterDESOUZA: “The Bishop of Rome,” a study document of the Dicastery for the Promotion of Christian Unity (DPCU) on papal primacy and ecumenism combines detailed reporting on recent theological developments with proposals that ignore the major ecclesial developments of the last few years. In his 1995 encyclical, Ut Unum Sint (That They May Be One), Pope St. John Paul II invited other Christian churches...

Do Old Testament Teachings on Homosexuality Still Apply Today?

Do%20Old%20Testament%20Teachings%20on%20Homosexuality%20Still%20Apply%20Today%3F%20%u2013%20St.%20Paul%20CenterHARROLD: Sometimes critics of the Catholic Church’s moral teachings will argue that her position on the sinfulness of homosexual acts should be updated because there are plenty of other biblical teachings that we no longer abide by today. If the Church is happy to disregard the Old Testament’s prohibition on beard trimming or eating shellfish...

What a Tangled Web We Weave Because Gay People Cannot Conceive

What a Tangled Web We Weave Because Gay People Cannot Conceive - The StreamGRESS: After the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nationwide in 2015, it was only a matter of time before legislators found new ways to level the playing field so that couples who were not made to conceive children could have children. Surrogacy has become a booming industry worldwide for LGTBQ+ couples, with just a handful of states limiting its use.

Did you go see the ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy on the big screen last week?

(3) Did you go see big-screen Lord of the Rings? - by tmattMATTINGLY: Did anyone head to a multiplex to see the (extended) “Lord of the Rings” trilogy on real movie screens (or what passes for them these days)? Yes, it took time and money to do this. Why go see movies with other people in a theater? After all, people are really busy, even as statistics keep rising showing how much time we dedicate to the more convenient, solitary, even hidden screens that dominate modern life.

Pope Francis hosts 100 comedians (including Chris Rock, Jim Gaffigan and Conan O’Brien) at Vatican gathering

Pope Francis gets laughs at meeting with big-name comedians | Catholic News AgencyBROCKHAUS: Pope Francis got a chuckle from an audience of comedians on Friday morning after he suggested throwing away his prepared remarks for simply making people laugh with a silly gesture. Following the advice of St. Thomas Aquinas, who said, “Those who lack playfulness are sinful,” the pope joked that instead of reading his prepared speech, “I’ll do this, and we will all laugh,” as he held his thumb to his head and wiggled his fingers.

Pope Francis becomes first pontiff to address a G7 summit, raises alarm about AI

Pope Francis raises alarm about AI at G7 summit | AP News: Pope Francis challenged leaders of the world’s wealthy democracies Friday to keep human dignity foremost in developing and using artificial intelligence, warning that such powerful technology risks turning human relations themselves into mere algorithms.

The Moon Marks Time in the Light of the Son

The Moon Marks Time in the Light of the Son| National Catholic RegisterTURLEY: In April, the Biden administration called upon NASA to create a moon-based time standard. The proposed lunar time zone would be known as Coordinated Lunar Time (LTC). What the inhabitants of the moon think of this has not yet been recorded, but NASA’s imposition of “time” upon the earth’s only natural satellite prompts the question: What is time? As underlying NASA’s undertaking is the presumption that time belongs to man...

‘I have my mission’: Your role in God’s plan

'I have my mission:' Your role in God's planSTAUDT: I want to be someone who matters. I want to make a difference, to do something great. “I have my mission.” This is how St. John Henry Newman situates these desires, meditating on the “definite service,” the particular work that God has given to each of us. We might think of this kind of mission as something lofty, but it often entails the daily sacrifice and presence of others within our normal duties...

What it’s like when your son becomes your Father

WATCH: When your son becomes your... "Father"?!: Watching your kids grow up is never easy… but what happens when your son becomes your… “Father”?! We sat down with Rick and Mary Machado to talk about what it’s like to be the parents of a newly ordained priest, and to reflect on the gift of fatherhood – especially the spiritual fatherhood of our priests! As we celebrate Father’s Day on Sunday...

Civilization, Something He Said, and Panic Buying

Civilization, something he said, and panic buyingCONDON: Happy Friday friends, And hello from Louisville. The USCCB spring assembly has been a fairly low-key event, as these things go. There were some important bits of business done, of course. There always are. And we’ll get to those in a second. But the conference floor was a little empty in comparison to recent meetings.

Bishops Request USCCB Study After Transgender Hermit Announcement

Bishops request USCCB study after transgender hermit announcement: Several U.S. bishops have requested that the USCCB canonical affairs committee provide guidance and direction on issues raised by the case of a diocesan hermit who publicly identified last month as transgender.

Some people think the Vatican Archives hold UFO secrets. Vatican archivists say they’re barking up the wrong tree...

Angels or Aliens? Some Researchers Say Vatican Archives Hold UFO Secrets - The Tablet: A group of scientists and researchers are seeking access to the Vatican Apostolic Archives to uncover information about UFOs and the paranormal, believing there may be traces amid the 50 miles of shelves holding everything from handwritten papal notes to presidential missives.

Honoring Fatherhood, and Imperfect Fathers

Honoring Fatherhood, and Imperfect Fathers - LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: In an age that questions, doubts, and undermines first things, there is at least one silver lining. It demands that we look more intently and perhaps even discover some of these ‘first things’ for the first time. Fatherhood stands out among these. It might have seemed that a conceptual analysis of fatherhood is so obvious as to be foregone. But words of Thomas Aquinas indicate otherwise...

This Baptist Convert to Catholicism Is on the Path to Sainthood

A Baptist Convert on the Path to Sainthood - The Coming Home NetworkSWAIM: In January of 2024, the sainthood cause of Joseph Dutton concluded its local phase of exploration in the Diocese of Honolulu, meaning that he became officially recognized by the Catholic Church as a Servant of God. If miracles are approved through his intercession, he would be the third person from Hawaii to become a canonized saint.

Growing Up Hindu, Silicon Valley Execs Micro-Dosing, and More With Kailash Duraiswami

New Advent: Growing Up Hindu, Silicon Valley Execs Micro-Dosing, and More With Kailash DuraiswamiSTEFANICK: I am so excited for you guys to meet my guest this week! Kalashi Duraiswami grew up Hindu, in the highest caste, Brahmin. He became an entrepreneur as a teenager, and eventually a tech giant in Silicon Valley who could have retired at 31. But he was so unhappy and enslaved to his desires. Then he found Jesus, and everything changed...

So who owns the Catholic ‘brand’?

So%20who%20owns%20the%20Catholic%20%u2018brand%u2019%3F%20%7C%20Catholic%20CultureLAWLER: It’s the Age of the Laity and all that, but Stephen Millies, writing for the National Catholic Reporter, worries that things are getting out of hand. “Who owns the brand?” The honest answer probably is that it no longer is owned (at least in the same way it used to be) by the successors of the apostles, our bishops and pastors. Millies illustrates his point by showing that organizations run by lay Catholics are raising large sums of money...

We are in grave danger of offending the Holy Spirit when we abandon our struggle against unholy attachments

The Blasphemy of Self-Worship | Catholic CulturePOKORSKY: “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin.” (Mk. 3:28) The prospect of blaspheming the Holy Spirit is unnerving because the sin ensures eternal damnation. But when do we cross that bright red line?

Vatican Publishes ‘The Bishop of Rome,’ a Document on Papal Primacy Aimed at ‘a Reunited Church’

Vatican%20Publishes%20Papal%20Primacy%20Document%20Aimed%20at%20%u2018A%20Reunited%20Church%u2019%7C%20National%20Catholic%20Register: The Vatican published a 130-page study on papal primacy on Thursday containing suggestions from Orthodox and Protestant Christian communities for how the role of the Bishop of Rome might look in a future “reunited Church.” The study document, titled “The Bishop of Rome: Primacy and Synodality in Ecumenical Dialogue and Responses to the Encyclical Ut Unum Sint,” is the first Vatican text...

Another church in Canada burns to the ground with cause of blaze a ‘mystery’

Another Canadian church burns to the ground with cause of blaze a 'mystery' - Catholic Herald: A beloved and famous Canadian church has been “completely destroyed” following the outbreak of a currently inexplicable fire on 9 June. The historic St. Anne’s Anglican Church in Toronto’s west end, along with the unqiue artefacts it housed, was “completely destroyed”, according to the city’s deputy fire chief, reports Canadian media CBC.

Evils tend to conflict with each other. Our current insanities possess no lasting power against what the Church offers...

The End of Prestige by James F. Keating | Articles | First Things: For most of the Church’s history in the United States, Catholics have sought to demonstrate to their often suspicious neighbors the possibility of being a faithful Catholic and a patriotic American. This has been no easy task, given the modern and Protestant character of the nation’s founding and its majority culture. Nonetheless, Catholic devotion to American principles...

Is Your Parish Like the Shire or Rivendell?

Is Your Parish Like The Shire or Rivendell? - Catholic Missionary Disciples - College Station, TXLEJEUNE: Ask a Mass-going Catholic this question and you will have a very very wide variety of answers! You probably have a lot of thoughts about this yourself. Many Catholics want a parish to operate in a certain way. Many want to see changes made. Many want certain things to stop and others to start. Yet I would argue that there are much deeper questions that need to be answered before such strategic decisions are made. These questions include:

CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: St. Anthony of Padua (1195-1231), Franciscan Thaumaturgist

CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: St. Anthony of Padua: Franciscan Thaumaturgist, born at Lisbon, 1195; died at Vercelli [actually Arcella --Ed.], 13 June, 1231. He received in baptism the name of Ferdinand.

Southern Baptists vote to formally oppose IVF, drawing closer to Catholic teaching

Southern Baptists formally oppose IVF: The Southern Baptist Convention, the nation’s largest Protestant denomination, came out against in vitro fertilization at its annual meeting Wednesday. Delegates in Indianapolis voted for the resolution opposing IVF, which also urged the denomination’s members “to advocate for the government to restrain actions inconsistent with the dignity and value of every human being, which necessarily includes frozen embryonic human beings.”

‘United in Our Love of the Lord’: 16 Men to Be Ordained Priests for Archdiocese of Washington, DC, on Saturday; Largest Class Since 1960

Power of Prayer: Washington Archdiocese Celebrates Largest Priestly Ordination Class Since 1960| National Catholic RegisterSCHNEIBLE: As the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., welcomes its largest class of new priests in more than six decades, vocation formators cite prayers for vocations, the witness of men who love their priesthood, and a willingness to respond to God’s call as factors which inspire men into vocational discernment.

Supreme Court Rules 9-0 to Preserve Access to Abortion Pill Mifepristone

Supreme Court preserves access to abortion pill - SCOTUSblog: The Supreme Court on Thursday threw out a lawsuit seeking to roll back access to mifepristone, one of the two drugs used in medication abortions. In a unanimous decision, the court ruled that the doctors and medical groups challenging the expansion of access to the drug by the Food and Drug Administration in 2016 and 2021 lack a legal right to sue, known as standing.

‘Not Just a Symbol’: Most Catholics Believe Jesus Is Really Present in Holy Eucharist, Says New Vinea Poll

Most Catholics believe Jesus is present in Communion bread and wine: Poll - Washington Times: Most Catholics believe Jesus Christ is present in the Communion bread and wine they consume at Mass, according to a survey released to coincide with a national revival. A survey by Vinea Research found that 69% of Catholics who attend Mass at least yearly believe that the Eucharistic elements become the invisible substance of Christ.

7 Surprising Uses for Silica Packets

7 Surprising Uses for Silica Packets - Better Report: Oh, silica packets. What are we going to do with you? Silica packets, those little bags we find packaged next to everything from beef jerky to flat-screen televisions, are one of the mysteries of modern life. Ostensibly used to prevent moisture build-up, these little silica gel sachets usually get thrown away quickly...

Harvard returns Danish mummies, won’t do same for Catholic saint relic

Harvard%20returns%20Danish%20mummies%2C%20won%u2019t%20do%20same%20for%20Catholic%20saint%20relic%20%7C%20The%20College%20Fix: Harvard University is continuing its quest to return items, except one belonging to Catholics. The Peabody Museum recently sent 500-year-old Danish mummies back to Denmark. “The Harvard Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology returned five Greenlandic Inuit mummies to Denmark last week, five years after their repatriation was first requested by Danish authorities,” The Harvard Crimson reported.

Look up at the sky. What do you see? Tell NASA — they need your help identifying clouds

NASA needs your help identifying clouds | Popular Science: Spend your day laying outside looking at the clouds. It’s helpful. Really. With just a few taps on your phone screen or tablet as you peer up at the sky, you could contribute to a useful scientific database and even help predict weather patterns. And all you need to do is share what sorts of clouds you see above your head...

Catholic meteorologist keeps eyes on skies to support safety, success of Eucharistic pilgrimage

Catholic meteorologist keeps eyes on skies to support safety, success of Eucharistic pilgrimage - OSV News: Since beginning their journeys mid-May, pilgrims on the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage have braved excessive heat, thunderstorms and wind — all of it closely monitored by a meteorologist in New Hampshire. John Kelley rises daily around 5:45 a.m...

Pope Francis Reportedly Uses Word ‘Frociaggine’ for Second Time in Closed-Door Meeting With Priests

Pope Francis reportedly uses offensive term for homosexuality a second time | Crux: Pope Francis has reportedly once again used the Italian word for “faggotry” when addressing a private meeting, a move likely to cause headaches for the Vatican press office and a case of whiplash for gay Catholic advocates who have long considered the pontiff an advocate.

Our Ole Kentucky Meeting

Our ole Kentucky meetingJDFLYNN: Greetings from the road. As you read this Tuesday Pillar Post, I am on my way to Louisville, Kentucky, to cover the spring plenary assembly of the U.S. bishops’ conference. I’ll be joined by The Pillar’s Ed Condon, as our team keeps you apprised on what’s happening at the USCCB meeting...

U.S. Bishops to Apologize to Indigenous Catholics at Louisville Meeting, Vow to Address ‘Unique Cultural Needs’

U.S.%20bishops%20to%20apologize%20to%20Native%20American%20Catholics%2C%20vow%20to%20address%20%u2018unique%20cultural%20needs%u2019%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: The U.S. Catholic bishops are expected to approve a document at their spring meeting this week that apologizes to Catholic Indigenous communities for a “history of trauma” caused in part by their “abandonment” by the Church and proposes a way forward that takes into account the “unique cultural needs” of these communities.

Here are 5 up-and-coming bishops who may become archbishops soon

Some up-and-comers?JDFLYNN: When Archbishop George Lucas of Omaha turns 75 on Wednesday, he will be one of 10 U.S. metropolitan archbishops serving past the formal retirement age for diocesan bishops. With Lucas’ birthday, nearly a third of America’s archdioceses will be led by an ordinary awaiting retirement — and three more metropolitan archbishops are due to turn 75 within a year’s time.

It’s time to rethink the US approach to picking our ambassador to the Holy See

Time to rethink US approach to who it sends to Vatican as envoy - Catholic HeraldALLEN: With the imminent and unexpected departure of Joseph Donnelly as the US Ambassador to the Holy See, it seems likely the post will be vacant for a while. It would make little sense to try to ram through a nominee before the US election in November, and afterwards it can take a new (or returning) administration six months, or more, to work its way down to the Vatican post on the list of federal jobs to fill.

Persevere in love — it’s the antidote to dispel dangerous spiritual mediocrity

The Danger of Spiritual Mediocrity | Knowing Is DoingTORRE: The first time someone asked me why I made the Sign of the Cross before a meal I told him that I was grateful to Jesus for the meal I was about to receive. Rousing a sense of curiosity, I followed by explaining that the symbolism behind the Sign of the Cross proclaims and affirms my faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God who died for my sins...

Tree of Righteousness: Looking Ahead at the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Tree%20of%20Righteousness%3A%20Scott%20Hahn%20Reflects%20on%20the%20Eleventh%20Sunday%20in%20Ordinary%20Time%20%u2013%20St.%20Paul%20CenterHAHN: In the cryptic message of the prophet Ezekiel, long centuries before the Lord’s coming, God gave His people reason to hope. Ezekiel glimpsed a day when the Lord God would place a tree on a mountain in Israel, a tree that would “put forth branches and bear fruit.” Who could have predicted that the tree would be a cross on the hill of Calvary, and that the fruit would be salvation?

Medical Care for Gender Dysphoria Is a Wild West Legally, Empirically and Ethically

The Cass Review on Gender Dysphoria - Word on FireKACZOR: The recent Independent Review of Gender Identity Services for Children and Young People commissioned by the National Health Service of England prompted much reflection on both sides of the Atlantic. Also known as the Cass Review, its author is Dr. Hilary Cass, OBE, former President of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and chair of the British Academy of Childhood Disability...

Why do so many people hate and what do we do with them?

David Mills: Why do so many people hate and what do we do with them? | Pittsburgh Post-GazetteMILLS: The prophet went to the palace to see the king, and told him that a rich man, who had lots of sheep, had taken a poor man’s pet lamb to feed a visitor. The man, said the prophet, laying it on, had only the one lamb, which grew up with his children and ate from his plate, and was like a daughter to him...

Gratitude on a Stretcher

Gratitude on a Stretcher: A Respite from Trump & Biden News | National ReviewLOPEZ: It was fall 2020, and I had just been taken by ambulance to a New York City hospital. Without a doubt, the paramedics thought I was wasting their time and was merely having a panic attack. (If panic was an element, the 911 dispatcher yelling at me may have had something to do with it.) They all but got out their smelling salts so the silly woman would drop her drama and not faint...

There’s nothing sacred about the Pax Americana. Nothing guarantees its survival, legitimacy, comforts, power, or wealth...

Empires in Eclipse | Francis X. Maier | First ThingsMAIER: A few years ago a longtime friend and “bird” (i.e., full-rank) colonel in the Marine Corps returned from joint war-games in Asia with the South Korean military. Marines are not known for their ambiguity. They are known for their backbone and willingness to fight. So their thoughts on the practical aspects of warfare have weight...

What is the content of the kerygma?

The Content Of The Kerygma - Good News For The World! - Catholic Missionary Disciples - College Station, TXLEJEUNE: Kerygma. Gospel. Good News. If you want to talk about Church insider language, then the word, “kerygma” is at the top of the list. Today, it is a word only used in Christian circles and even then, not widely. This is unfortunate, because a lot of the answers to the problems in ministry lie in a deeper understanding what the kerygma is and how we ought to be using it.

43 Embarrassing Grammar Mistakes Even Smart People Make

43 Embarrassing Grammar Mistakes Even Smart People Make | Inc.com: When someone uses grammar incorrectly do you make an assumption about his or her intelligence or education? Like it or not, words, spelling, and punctuation are powerful and can leave a lasting impression on others. But even the most educated people often unknowingly make common writing and speaking flubs.

If Catholics Are Right About Mary, Why Is She Talked About so Little in the Bible?

If%20Catholics%20are%20Right%20about%20Mary%2C%20Why%20is%20She%20Talked%20About%20so%20Little%20in%20the%20Bible%3F%20%u2013%20St.%20Paul%20Center: For many Protestants, devotion to Our Lady is the single biggest obstacle to their becoming Catholic. Even many Catholics admit that they struggle with relating to Mary, or fail to understand why the Church seems so obsessed with her. Underlying this confusion might be a simple question which lurks behind all the others: If Catholics are right about Mary, then why on earth does the New Testament hardly ever mention her?

Vatican Faces Backlash Over Use of Artwork by Accused Abuser Father Rupnik

Vatican Faces Backlash Over Use of Artwork by Accused Abuser Father Rupnik| National Catholic Register: The Vatican is once again drawing criticism for using the artwork of Father Marko Ivan Rupnik in a Vatican News article on the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 7. Father Rupnik, a priest and artist, has been accused of spiritual, psychological, and sexual abuse of religious sisters. He was removed from the Jesuits last June, and the Vatican has announced that Rupnik will face a canonical process over the abuse allegations after Pope Francis decided to waive the statute of limitations on the claims.

Monsoon Season in the Grand Canyon Is Truly Incredible

Monsoon Season In The Grand Canyon Is Truly Incredible - Unofficial Networks: Photos and videos of the Grand Canyon usually seem pretty dry. Sure, there’s water down there, but the surrounding area feels pretty moisture-free. So when the entire canyon is covered in flowing waterfalls, it’s quite a mind blowing sight.

Are You Sinning Against the Holy Spirit?

Are You Sinning Against The Holy Spirit? | Parishable ItemsFELTES: Jesus says, “Whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness but is guilty of an everlasting sin.” This teaching makes some people mistakenly believe they are beyond forgiveness from somehow sinning against the Holy Spirit. What then is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? It is good for us to know, lest we fall into despair.

Faithful Flock to ‘Healing Waters’ of Kenya’s Marian Shrine of Subiaka, the ‘Lourdes of Africa’

The%20%u2018Lourdes%20of%20Africa%u2019%3F%20Faithful%20Flock%20to%20%u2018Healing%20Waters%u2019%20of%20Kenya%u2019s%20Marian%20Shrine%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterLIEDL: In a tranquil rural setting dedicated to the Virgin Mary, pilgrims immerse themselves in spring-fed waters believed by many to have miraculous healing properties. No, we’re not in France. We’re in Kenya — at the national Marian shrine of Subukia, to be precise. Owned by the Kenyan Catholic Conference of Bishops, the rural site in the Diocese of Nakuru has been a spiritual center for the East African nation for the past 30 years.

Pope at Angelus: ‘Don’t Let Yourself Be Imprisoned by the Myths of Money, Power, and Success’

Pope at Angelus: Am I free like Christ or imprisoned by worldliness? - Vatican News: Are you free, like Jesus was, or imprisoned, by the superficial? This is the question Pope Francis called on all faithful to ponder at his Angelus address on Sunday in the Vatican, as he urged them to rid themselves of everything weighing them down from approaching God.

Pope Francis to Meet Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Jim Gaffigan, Conan O’Brien, Other Comedians at Vatican

Pope Francis to meet Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, other top comedians at Vatican | Catholic News AgencyBROCKHAUS: It’s no joke: Pope Francis will take the mic in front of over 100 comics, stand-up comedians, and humorists, including Americans Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon, at the Vatican next Friday. Jim Gaffigan, Conan O’Brien, Chris Rock, Tig Notaro, and Whoopi Goldberg are the other U.S. comedians expected to take part.

Embrace the Strange, News to Us, and Angel of the Infield

Embrace the strange, news to us, and Angel of the infieldCONDON: The Church is the custodian of an incredible intellectual tradition, the living school of immense knowledge, and the dispenser of great wisdom. All of these we should be offering the world with terrific urgency, given the state of things. But the faith is also gloriously weird, speaking in metaphors and imagery to convey mysteries and realities our minds can hardly compass or our vocabulary express.

Celebrate June by Enthroning the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Your Home

Celebrate June with the Sacred Heart of Jesus - Rosary ArmyWILLITS: Years ago, I received regular spiritual direction from a priest in residence at a nearby seminary. Being used to working with young men preparing for the priesthood, this veteran cleric pulled no punches when pushing people to lives of heroic virtue and holiness. Every meeting I had with him, I walked away challenged, but I also walked away frequently confused.

Report: Pope Benedict’s Former Secretary Archbishop Georg Gänswein to Be Appointed Papal Nuncio to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia

Report%3A%20Pope%20Benedict%u2019s%20Former%20Secretary%20Archbishop%20Georg%20G%E4nswein%20to%20Be%20Appointed%20Papal%20Nuncio%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterMATTMCDONALD: The long limbo of Pope Benedict XVI’s former longtime personal secretary may be ending soon. Archbishop Georg Gänswein, who fell from influential papal aide to no assignment in the Catholic Church, will soon be appointed papal nuncio to the three Baltic countries, according to a report from an Italian Catholic news outlet.

Pope pens letter to Normandy bishop to commemorate 80th anniversary of D-Day

Pope marks anniversary of Normandy Landings with call for peace - Vatican News: Pope Francis’ letter commemorating the landing of the Allied Forces in Normandy on 6 June 1944 was read during a ceremony in Bayeux Cathedral on the eve of the anniversary, in the presence of religious, civil and military authorities. Expressing his closeness to all those present at the ceremony, the Pope reflected on the collective and military effort that led to the liberation of Europe and on the immense sacrifices made.

Vatican Arrests Ex-Employee for Attempted Extortion Using Allegedly Stolen Bernini Manuscript

Vatican arrests ex-employee for attempted extortion using allegedly stolen Bernini manuscript | Catholic News Agency: The Vatican arrested a former employee in late May for attempted extortion after he sold an allegedly stolen 17th-century manuscript to the Vatican for hundreds of thousands of euros. According to the Italian newspaper Domani, which broke the news June 6, the art historian and former Vatican employee was questioned and arrested by Vatican gendarmes...

May the Force Be With You (and With Your Spirit)

May the Force Be With You (and With Your Spirit)| National Catholic RegisterLAMBERT: In Star Wars: A New Hope, the evil Darth Vader tells an admiral who doubts his abilities in the Force: “I find your lack of faith disturbing.” As it turns out, when it comes to faith and Star Wars, Darth Vader was onto something. As the new book My Life with the Jedi shows, Star Wars and spirituality have much more in common than one might think...

Mother of Soon-to-Be-Saint Carlo Acutis Offers Tips for Catholic Parents

Mother of Soon-to-be-Saint Carlo Acutis Offers Tips for Catholic Parents| National Catholic RegisterFERRISI: Some people think that being religious is something that takes away from you, but it is something that gives to you. The problem is the insecurity that the majority of young people have today. This is an insecurity which is also the result of their education. They think that they must have the smartphone most in fashion, the right designer clothes, or they will fall into depression...

Theologians Hold Closed-Door Meeting in Rome on Guidance Document for October Synod

Theologians hold closed-door meeting in Rome on guidance document for October synod | Catholic News AgencyBROCKHAUS: Approximately 20 theologians are in Rome for 10 days of preparatory work preceding the drafting of the guiding document for the next assembly of the Synod on Synodality. The June 4–13 closed-door gathering of experts in theology, ecclesiology, and canon law is being held at the Jesuit general curia down the street from the Vatican. The Secretariat of the Synod expects to release a document on the June meeting in early July.

John Paul II was a visionary who sabotaged the status quo. Are there such visionaries among us today?

Aroused consciences changing historyWEIGEL: What did John Paul II do, and how did he do it? What he did was ignite a revolution of conscience, which preceded and made possible the nonviolent political revolution that brought down the Berlin Wall, emancipated the countries of east central Europe, and, through the auto-liberation of the Baltic States and Ukraine, imploded the Soviet Union...

You are not powerless. You are never powerless. You have been baptized into the Cross of Jesus Christ, the Incarnate God who loves you...

On the Power of the Powerless - What We Need NowCHAPUT: Let’s start with a simple fact: Man’s oldest and most persistent sin is idolatry. And if the human story teaches us anything, it’s that idolatry has an infinite wardrobe of disguises—and an endless number of victims. In the modern era, the go-to idol is the state, usually in the liturgical vestments of science...

World’s biggest monstrance created in reparation for Spanish war leads yearly procession

World%u2019s%20biggest%20monstrance%20created%20in%20reparation%20for%20Spanish%20war%20leads%20yearly%20procession%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: During the annual Corpus Christi procession in Valencia, Spain, the traditional practice of making reparation takes on a deeply symbolic role. The monstrance used in the procession — created as an act of reparation for the atrocities of the Spanish Civil War — is the largest processional monstrance in the world.

A Snapshot of Catholicism in China Under Xi Jinping

The%20enduring%20church%20%u2013%20Catholicism%20in%20China: On 21 May, Pope Francis gave a video address to a meeting at the Pontifical Urbana University. The attendees included Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Bishop Shen Bin of Shanghai, president of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association. The occasion was the centenary of a council held in Shanghai which launched a new policy of indigenisation of the Church in China. Four years later, the first six Chinese bishops of modern times were consecrated in Rome.

The Abortion Industry Owes Its Success to the Proliferation of Feminism

The Abortion Industry Owes Its Success To FeminismGRESS: Since the triumphant end of Roe v. Wade two years ago this June, pro-lifers have suffered loss after political loss. Capitalizing on this pro-abortion tsunami, Democrats just announced a 100-million-dollar commitment to push abortion in an effort to win back the House of Representatives. On the state level, efforts to liberalize abortion laws continue to pop up on ballots across the country.

Are You Experiencing Digital Overload? Try These 4 Tools for Data Management from the Ancient Rabbis

(3) Are You Experiencing Digital Overload? Try These 4 Tools for Data Management from the Ancient RabbisDANIELGORDON: How do we find wisdom in an age of information overload? Information in the digital age has become both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because we can gain information about nearly any topic, anywhere, anytime—for free. There is something almost miraculous in that. But this glut of information is also a curse...

Carlo Acutis and Eucharistic miracles like you have NEVER seen before...

Eucharistic Miracles like you have NEVER seen before! - Voyage ComicsKOSLOSKI: One of the primary missions of Bl. (soon to be St.) Carlo Acutis was promoting 158 Eucharistic miracles that have occurred around the world. He spent the final years of his life creating a website and a panel display that are still very popular. Today we are announcing a NEW comic book series inspired by his Eucharistic miracle display...

James the Taylor, Blessed Stanislaw, and other news

James the Taylor, Blessed Stanislaw, and other newsJDFLYNN: Today is the feast of Blessed Stanislaw Kostka Starowieyski, a Polish statesman and Catholic leader, who made his home a place for refugees when Poland was invaded in 1939, supported the life of the Church, and gave generously to the poor. Stanislaw came from a wealthy and noble family, but after World War I — in which Stanislaw fought — his family’s estates were ruined...

Giant Crowd Celebrates Roots of Africa’s Catholic Faith at Martyrs’ Day in Uganda

Millions%20Celebrate%20%u2018Roots%u2019%20of%20Africa%u2019s%20Catholic%20Faith%20at%20Martyrs%u2019%20Day%20in%20Uganda%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterLIEDL: In an extraordinary display of the vitality of the Catholic faith in Africa, a crowd of possibly more than 4 million people gathered for Mass today on the very same grounds where some of Africa’s earliest Catholics were put to death for their faith less than 140 years ago.

When Alleged Marian Apparitions Get Rejected — and Why People Still Believe Them

No%20Mary%3A%20When%20Alleged%20Apparitions%20Get%20Rejected%20%u2014%20and%20Why%20People%20Still%20Believe%20Them%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterLIEDL: Most Catholics are familiar with Our Lady of Fatima and Our Lady of Lourdes, but less so with Our Lady of the Roses or Our Lady of Agoo. And for good reason: The latter two are instances of alleged Marian apparitions that have been officially rejected by Church authorities, usually the local bishop who has the initial responsibility. In other words, though someone claimed that Mary appeared to them, the Church officially says she didn’t, ruling out activity of a supernatural origin.

Here’s the preface that Pope Francis wrote for Father James Martin’s latest book

Pope%3A%20Jesus%20didn%u2019t%20just%20talk%20about%20eternal%20life%2C%20He%20gave%20it%20to%20us%20-%20Vatican%20News: Father James Martin, the author of many other books that I know and appreciate, deserves our gratitude for this new text devoted to what he calls “Jesus’s greatest miracle”: the resurrection of Lazarus. There are many reasons to thank him, closely tied to the way Come Forth unfolds. It’s always fascinating, and never predictable.

There’s no such thing as a valid ‘gluten-free’ host — but here’s what you can do instead

You%20can%u2019t%20have%20a%20%u2018gluten%20free%u2019%20Mass%20-%20but%20here%u2019s%20what%20you%20can%20do: Can you ever actually have totally “gluten free” bread — even hosts — made from wheat only? Well, no. That’s kind of like trying to make totally “alcohol-free” wine, which we’ll talk about in a minute. The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, which has jurisdiction over defining the essential matter for the Mass, issued a circular letter to the world’s bishops in 2003 making the point explicitly...

Here’s your formula for happiness: Use things. Love people. Worship God.

Commencement%20address%3A%20Arthur%20C.%20Brooks%2C%20Ph.D.%20%u2013%20PC%20News: I’m in the world to give you the right formula for happiness. To sum up all of this Dominican wisdom that I’ve been summarizing here in my remarks sounds just like that, but it changes the verbs and the nouns. So here’s what I want you to remember in six words. Use things. It’s abundance. It’s freedom. This is America. But don’t love them. Only love people, because people are made to love in God’s image. And most importantly, worship God.

How Everett Franklin, a Pentecostal US Army chaplain in Iraq, came home to the Catholic Church through the power of the Eucharist

An Army Chaplain's Eucharistic Conversion - Everett Franklin - The Coming Home Network: When Everett Franklin was serving in Iraq as a Church of God Army chaplain, he had an encounter with a Catholic soldier that caused him to question how seriously he had been taking the Lord’s Supper. He shares how he continued to wrestle with what Jesus commanded his apostles to do in remembrance of Him, and why he chose to enter the Catholic Church on the feast of Corpus Christi.

Looking Ahead to the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (June 7)

Looking Ahead to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (June 7) - AdoremusCARSTENS: The expression “poured out” appears time and again in the Church’s texts during Solemnities. For example, the Opening Prayer for Mass during the Day at Pentecost asks the Father to “pour out the gifts of the Holy Spirit across the face of the earth.” In the second reading for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity...

Netherlands Approves Euthanasia for Physically Healthy 29-Year-Old Woman Struggling With Anxiety and Depression

Netherlands permits euthanasia for physically healthy 29-year-old woman | Catholic News Agency: A physically healthy 29-year-old woman was allowed to end her life through physician-assisted suicide in the Netherlands on the grounds of depression, sparking renewed debate about the sanctity of life and legislation.

4 Things an Evangelical Protestant Learned From a Catholic History of Europe

Things an Evangelical Learned From a Catholic History of Europe ~ The Imaginative Conservative: While working on my doctorate at the University of Michigan, I lived for several years in a graduate dormitory that housed many international students. I still remember vividly when I walked down the hall to visit a student from Japan. She had a map of the world hanging on her wall; the moment I looked at it, my own world was turned upside down. For at the center of her map was not Africa or, as I was used to seeing it growing up, the United States, but Japan!

On culture wars and the hypocrisy of the Catholic Left

On%20culture%20wars%20and%20the%20hypocrisy%20of%20the%20Catholic%20Left%20%u2013%20Catholic%20World%20ReportCHAPP: The term “culture warrior” is often invoked, usually pejoratively, to describe a certain kind of conservative Catholic who fights in the political sphere for the Catholic viewpoint to be enshrined in law on certain hot-button issues. I say “pejoratively” since the charge is often made that these issues are best fought on the cultural level...

Controversial French Influencer Priest Leaves TikTok, Passing 1.2M Followers to Apologetics Association

Controversial French Influencer Priest Leaves TikTok, Passing 1.2M Followers to Apologetics Association| National Catholic Register: He was France’s most popular priest on social networks, with no fewer than 1.2 million subscribers on his TikTok account. During his three years of activity, he had attracted international attention mostly for content that was considered provocative or in direct contradiction with Catholic Church doctrine...

The Promised One: A Reflection on the Upcoming 10th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The%20Promised%20One%3A%20Scott%20Hahn%20Reflects%20on%20the%20Tenth%20Sunday%20in%20Ordinary%20Time%20%u2013%20St.%20Paul%20CenterHAHN: In today’s Gospel Jesus has just been healing and casting out demons in Galilee. Along with the crowds, who flock to Him so that He can’t even take a break to eat, come people who do not understand what He is doing. Even His friends think He has lost His mind and needs to be taken away for a while. But the scribes who came down from Jerusalem are not just honestly mistaken...

Pope Francis recently made a truly shocking remark, and it’s not the one you’re thinking about...

Pope%20Francis%u2019%20Truly%20Shocking%20Remark%A0%20-%20The%20Catholic%20ThingROYAL: No, it wasn’t his comment to the Italian bishops about frociaggine (“faggotry”), homosexual cliques in seminaries, which the Vatican felt required a semi-apology. Nor the subsequent remark to young priests about gossip being “a women’s thing.” Forget calling conservatives “suicidal”...

Do Dinosaurs Prove that Death Existed Before the Fall?

Do%20Dinosaurs%20Prove%20that%20Death%20Existed%20Before%20the%20Fall%3F%20%u2013%20St.%20Paul%20Center: The Bible teaches that Adam and Eve’s sin brought death into the world, but we know from modern science that the dinosaurs lived and died for millions of years prior to the arrival of Homo sapiens. How do Christians make sense of this?

Drunk on temptation? The Book of Proverbs can help...

Drunk on temptation? The Book of Proverbs can help. | Catholic CultureMIRUS: The Book of Proverbs is dull reading at times, since its proverbial statements are often repetitive. At other times, a colorful maxim may strike the reader very forcefully, making it an effective life-lesson. But there is a wry humor in this book as well, though it may often go unrecognized amidst the flow of platitudes. So imagine my delight when I came across this passage...

A liberal’s lament, and the problem of ‘exculturation’

A%20liberal%u2019s%20lament%2C%20and%20the%20problem%20of%20%u2018exculturation%u2019%20%7C%20Catholic%20CultureLAWLER: Father Tom Reese, the liberal Jesuit journalist who was a persistent critic of Pope Benedict XVI, has now become a critic of Pope Francis. The title of his his piece in the National Catholic Reporter says it all: “Pope Francis disappoints progressives. He will do so again.” Reflecting on the Pope’s “No” to female deacons and his crude remark about “fa***try” in seminaries, Father Reese says with regret that this Pope...

This Is the Only Way You Should Cut an Avocado

How to Cut an Avocado the Right Way: 4 Easy Steps to Follow: The first time I ever saw someone’s method for how to cut an avocado, I had ordered tableside guacamole at a restaurant. The server sliced the fruit in half, removed the pit with a sharp knife and then spooned the fruit into a bowl. I saw countless people do it this way—Food Network stars, cookbook manuals and my own parents. I always figured that scooping the fruit from the flesh was the only way to do it.

What did Jesus sing at the Last Supper?

What did Jesus Sing at the Last Supper? | Parishable ItemsFELTES: The Last Supper was a Passover meal. Jesus says so when he instructs two of his disciples, “Go into the city and a man will meet you, carrying a jar of water. Follow him. Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’ Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there.”

Does God want movie theaters to survive?

(3) Does God want movie theaters to survive? - by tmattMATTINGLY: This is the question that I have been thinking about ever since Memorial Day: What role do movie theaters play in God’s glorious and fallen creation? Yes, that’s a strange question. Let me explain. Back in my professor days when I taught Introduction to Mass Communication 101, I explained the whole “technology shapes culture” equation...

Pope Renews Prayers for Peace in Sudan as Millions Risk Famine

Pope renews prayers for peace in Sudan as millions risk famine - Vatican News: “I invite everyone to pray for Sudan, where the war that has lasted over a year has yet to find a peaceful solution. May weapons be silenced.” Pope Francis made that appeal on Sunday as he prayed the Angelus in St. Peter’s Square.

Visit OSV’s ‘Top 10 Catholic Cities’ in America for a road trip you won’t soon forget

The top 10 Catholic cities to visit in America - OSV News: Summer is here, and it’s time to travel Catholic America. You’ll find vibrant expressions of Catholic faith in every state — in grand cathedrals and teeny chapels, in underwater statues and holy dirt. These “Top 10 Catholic Cities” — as compiled from the 2021 book “Monuments, Marvels, and Miracles: A Traveler’s Guide to Catholic America”...

Against Our False Gospel: Medieval Wisdom on the Spiritual Battle

Against Our False Gospel: Medieval Wisdom on the Spiritual BattleSTAUDT: The modern world pushes its own gospel that focuses on the “self.” There is no need to fear God, for he is merciful. Follow your heart and your desires, for that brings happiness. You don’t have to think about anything negative, like death and judgment. You can decide for yourself what is sinful in your own conscience...

Sparking Joy, Another Way, and the Genius of Art

Sparking joy, another way, and the genius of artCONDON: The Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK) issued a withering denunciation of the bishops, warning that they had “cast doubt on the extent to which they respect the central resolutions of the synodal way” and demanding, in essence, that the bishops recommit themselves to toeing the line.

Kelvin Cardinal Felix, First Cardinal From the Antilles, Dies at 91

Caribbean Cardinal Kelvin Felix dies at 91 | Catholic News Agency: Cardinal Kelvin Edward Felix died in his home on the island nation of St. Lucia Thursday, the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, at the age of 91. The Dominican cardinal led the Archdiocese of Castries in St. Lucia from 1981 until his retirement in 2008. In 2014, in his first-ever consistory, Pope Francis made Felix a cardinal, the first from the Antilles.