Miraculous Vision: How St. Thérèse’s Dream in 1896 Pointed to Blessed Anne’s Beatification in 2024

Miraculous%20Vision%3A%20How%20St.%20Th%E9r%E8se%u2019s%20Dream%20Pointed%20to%20Blessed%20Anne%u2019s%20Beatification%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterSOKOL: On Sept. 8, 1896, St. Thérèse of Lisieux wrote an account of a dream she had earlier that year in which she received a “visit” from a Carmelite precursor, Blessed Anne of Jesus, the founder of the Carmelite Order in France, who was beatified today in Belgium by Pope Francis. Thérèse’s account provides a wonderful introduction to Anne and her personality and mission...

Pope in Brussels: Francis Lauds Belgium’s King Baudouin Who Chose to Temporarily Abdicate Rather Than Sign ‘Murderous’ Abortion Law

Pope Francis lauds Belgian king who chose to abdicate rather than sign abortion law | Catholic News AgencyMARES: Pope Francis lauded Belgian King Baudouin for choosing to temporarily abdicate the throne rather than sign a law legalizing abortion during a visit to the Catholic king’s tomb on Saturday in Belgium. The pope also expressed hope that the sainthood cause for King Baudouin, who ruled as King of the Belgians from 1951 until 1993, will advance.

Ohio Bishops: Springfield Falsehoods Risk Igniting a Dangerous Blaze

Ohio Bishops: Springfield Falsehoods Risk Igniting a Dangerous Blaze| National Catholic RegisterDESOUZA: Is Sen. JD Vance telling the truth about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, eating pets? If not, should a Catholic political candidate be corrected for spreading falsehoods? The Catholic bishops of Ohio have done just that, as has the Catholic Republican governor of Ohio, Mike DeWine. Former president Donald Trump repeated the claim about Haitians killing and eating pets...

San Diego’s Cardinal McElroy Walks Back Initial Statement but Doubles Down on Anti-Homeschool Policy

San Diego softens statement but doubles down on homeschool policy: Cardinal Robert McElroy has doubled down on a controversial homeschooling policy in the San Diego diocese, while walking back an initial statement that accompanied the release of that policy. McElroy recognized parents as the primary educators of children, while reiterating that homeschool programs in the diocese will not be allowed to use parish facilities or create their own sacrament prep programs, separate from that of their parish.

Fully 60% of the words in this Sunday’s Gospel are Jesus warning of harsh, dire consequences for sin — but take hope

This%20Sunday%2C%20Jesus%20Points%20to%20Horrible%20Shame%20%u2014%20and%20Enormous%20Hope%20%u2013%20Benedictine%20College%20Media%20%26%20CultureHOOPES: The Gospel for the 26th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year B, shows Jesus denouncing sin in the strongest possible terms. It’s no wonder: The world has been destroyed by sin and the Church has been shipwrecked by it — in fact, by men and women who were taught to sin as children. But Jesus also gives a giant promise of hope for our future.

Luxury, Justice Delayed, and Who’s Not Coming to Dinner

Luxury%2C%20justice%20delayed%2C%20and%20who%u2019s%20not%20coming%20to%20dinnerCONDON: Happy Friday friends, and a very happy feast of St. Vincent de Paul to you all. One of the great cost savings working at places like The Pillar is that there is no office to go to. I’m in D.C. (sort of), JD and Michelle are in Denver, Luke and Edgar are over the other side of the Atlantic, so where, exactly, would we rent an office, even if we had the cash?

The Fifth Sorrowful Mystery: The Crucifixion of Our Lord

The Fifth Sorrowful Mystery: The Crucifixion of Our Lord| National Catholic RegisterGRONDELSKI: If you stop and think about it, the Christian message is utterly out of sync with what human beings would expect. That the Son of the All-Powerful and Ever-Living God would allow himself to be brutally killed, tortured for hours by some people in a backwater place in the Roman Empire, boggles the mind...

Days After Release of Long-Imprisoned American Protestant Pastor, USCIRF Says Xi Jinping’s China Has No Religious Freedom

Days After Release Of US Pastor, USCIRF Says China Has No Religious Freedom: China has tightened its control of religion, creating such crimes as genocide, mass arrests and enforced disappearances, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) said in a Sept. 23 fact sheet, days after China released long-imprisoned American Protestant pastor David Lin.

How ‘Vatican Watchers’ Report on the Papacy to Catholics Around the World

How%20%u2018Vatican%20Watchers%u2019%20Report%20On%20The%20Papacy%20To%20Catholics%20Around%20The%20WorldLISI: Among the parade of priests and nuns who stroll in and around Vatican City, there is a special breed of journalist who is tasked with explaining the pope and the Roman curia to the world. These Vatican watchers, “Vaticanisti” in Italian, the plural of “Vaticanista,” is a term coined in the mid-20th century to describe a journalist, scholar or analyst who understands the Catholic church and the issues that surround the Holy See.

Young men are flocking into pews — but the NYTimes says they’re joining ‘bad’ churches

(4) Crossroads -- Young men are flocking into pews - by tmattMATTINGLY: If you fly up to high altitude to study the past 50 years of American religious life, here is what you will see. Yes, there is the trend toward “nones” and then the “none of the above” believers, which began with the “Sheila-ism” phenomenon that the late sociologist Robert Bellah described in his classic book...

‘Rex Catholicissimus’: Pope Francis Meets King and Queen of Belgium at Laeken Castle

PHOTOS: Pope Francis meets king and queen of Belgium at Laeken Castle | Catholic News Agency: Pope Francis visited Laeken Castle on Friday, where he met with King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of the Belgians. King Philippe ascended the Belgian throne in 2013 and holds the title “Rex Catholicissimus,” or “(Most) Catholic Majesty.”

Rome’s SCV expulsions smell of excess, canonical looseness, ecclesial payback, personal vendetta, and ideological resentment

Rome, the SCV, and Accountability | Francis X. Maier | First ThingsMAIER: History is a hard judge. It gets the last word (except for God himself) on each of our lives and the consequences of our actions. Vindictiveness is not justice. Something is deeply wrong with Rome’s latest treatment of the SCV. And unless that changes, this complicated pontificate, whatever its other strengths, will be held accountable.

Catholic presidential candidate Peter Sonski: ‘Pro-life voters don’t have to pick the lesser of two evils, and a third-party vote is not wasted’

Pro-Life Voters Don't Have To Pick 'Lesser of Two Evils' | Opinion - NewsweekSONSKI: On November 5, pro-life voters will be faced with a stark choice at the ballot box. They'll have the option to choose Democrat Kamala Harris, who promises to advance the abortion advocacy of the Biden administration and codify Roe v. Wade into federal law. Alternatively, they may opt to support Republican Donald Trump, who, while increasingly distancing himself from pro-life policy issues, continues to tout his appointment of three U.S. Supreme Court Justices who contributed to overturning Roe...

Pope in Luxembourg: Service, Mission and Joy Are at the Heart of the Gospel

Pope in Luxembourg: Service, mission, and joy are at the heart of the Gospel - Vatican News: As the final event of the first leg of his 46th Apostolic Journey abroad, Pope Francis addressed a gathering of Luxembourg’s Catholic community. The event coincided with a Marian Jubilee, marking four centuries of devotion to Mary, Consoler of the Afflicted.

The Transgender Movement Is Especially Dangerous for Boys

The Transgender Movement Is Especially Dangerous for Boys - The Catholic Gentleman: It is a bit ironic that the “bathroom wars” began in Charlotte, NC, my home state.[1] While we war over whether or not a man is a man, or just seems that way, North Carolina’s motto remains engraved in stones around the state: Esse quam videri, which is Latin for “to be, rather than to seem”. Like I said, ironic. Of course, I think both sides of the argument could use the motto to their liking.

How the Church’s Vast Talent Pool Represents an Ironic Obstacle to Reform

How%20the%20church%u2019s%20vast%20talent%20pool%20represents%20an%20ironic%20obstacle%20to%20reform%20%7C%20CruxALLEN: Fans of the Roma soccer team, one of the two professional squads in the Eternal City, are in a grumpy mood these days. In part that’s because of the team’s uneven performance, but even more so because of perceived mismanagement by its American owners, Texas billionaire Dan Friedkin and his son Ryan. Things came to a head when the team’s popular coach...

‘The Chosen’ Creator Dallas Jenkins Makes Big Announcements About Future of Show, Other Projects

%u2018The%20Chosen%u2019%20creator%20Dallas%20Jenkins%20makes%20big%20announcements%20about%20the%20future%20of%20the%20show%20and%20other%20projects%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: Dallas Jenkins, the creator, director, and writer of the hit series “The Chosen,” made several big announcements regarding the future of the show and the launch of new projects during the second annual “Chosen” fan convention, ChosenCon, on Sept. 20 at the Orlando World Center Marriott in Orlando, Florida.

Pope Warns Faithful About Pornography and Satan: ‘Do Not Approach the Dog Tied With a Chain’

Pope at Audience: Against the devil's deception, Jesus protects us - Vatican News: The Lord protects us from being deceived by the devil. Pope Francis gave this comforting observation during his Wednesday morning General Audience in St. Peter's Square, while, at the same time, urging the faithful to "never dialogue with the devil." As he continued his catechesis series on the Holy Spirit, he turned this week to the Gospel account of Jesus’ temptations in the desert.

Feeling invisible is a real suffering. Wanting to be invisible is too...

Feeling Invisible: the Challenge and a Remedy - LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: One of the most memorable and significant stories from ancient philosophy is that of the ring of Gyges: the original ring of power. In it we have occasion through reflecting on the experience of invisibility to think about the importance of being seen by others in our life. When an earthquake opens a chasm in the earth, an adventurous shepherd boy discovers a gold ring that turns out to have magical power...

How Can We Have Free Will If God Knows the Future?

How%20Can%20We%20Have%20Free%20Will%20If%20God%20Knows%20the%20Future%3F%20%u2013%20Jimmy%20AkinAKIN: A lot of people think that if God knows what we’re going to do ahead of time, then we have no free will. But that’s a huge mistake, and to see why, you’ll need to watch to the end of this short video. Classical theism holds that God is omniscient, meaning that he knows everything, and this means that he knows the future. This is how God lets the biblical prophets know what’s going to be happening in the future.

To Belong to Christ: A Reflection on the 26th Sunday of Ordinary Time

To%20Belong%20to%20Christ%3A%20Scott%20Hahn%20Reflects%20on%20the%20Twenty-sixth%20Sunday%20Ordinary%20Time%20%u2013%20St.%20Paul%20CenterHAHN: Today’s Gospel begins with a scene that recalls a similar moment in the history of Israel, the episode recalled in today’s First Reading. The seventy elders who receive God’s Spirit through Moses prefigure the ministry of the Apostles. Like Joshua in the First Reading, John makes the mistake of presuming that only a select few are inspired and entrusted to carry out God’s plans...

Do You Have an Immortal Soul?

Do You Have an Immortal Soul? - Word on FireKACZOR: Woody Allen once said, “I don’t want to achieve immortality through my work. I want to achieve immortality through not dying.” Since not dying isn’t an option, Allen advised, “Don’t think of death as an end, but think of it more as a very effective way of cutting down on your expenses.” What (else) happens to you after you die? Nothing? Forever? Or is there life after death? Such questions can be considered both theologically and philosophically.

On contraception, an unfaithful Vatican consultor

On contraception, an unfaithful Vatican consultor | Catholic CultureMIRUS: One cannot help but be disturbed yet again by Pope Francis’ seemingly half-hearted commitment to Catholic doctrine. Some time ago he elevated Cardinal Hollerich to a major role in the Synod on Synodality despite his belief that Church teaching on homosexuality is based on an outdated anthropology. Now he has included among 28 new consultors to the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith one who disagrees with the Church’s teaching that contraception is a sin...

A Back-to-Basics Catechesis on the Fall of Man

The Fall of Man - Community in MissionPOPE: The” Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil” stood near the middle of the Garden of Eden and God had said that Adam and Eve should not partake of its fruit (see Gen 2:17). This tree stands as a kind of image of our freedom. Its name also speaks to a deeper meaning. God did not want them to “know” evil. To “know” in the Bible is usually deeper than mere intellectual knowing...

Our Lady of Ransom, Homeschool, and Drive-by Commentary

Ransom, homeschool, and drive-by commentaryJDFLYNN: If you’re not familiar with today’s feast, you should know that it was until the post-conciliar period known as the Feast of Our Lady of Ransom — and it commemorated the Mercedarian order, which was founded in the 1200s to ransom Christian captives held by kidnappers in North Africa. See, it was a pretty common occurrence in medieval southern Europe that Christians would be kidnapped by pirates or mercenaries during skirmishes between Christian Spanish forces and the Moor states of North Africa...

18 Things Every Man Should Do This Fall

18 Things Every Man Should Do This Fall | The Art of Manliness: F. Scott Fitzgerald famously said, “Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.” We believe it. Fall is our favorite time of the year. It’s a season where things are dying and transitioning into dormancy. But there’s also a last gasp of physical and psychic energy in the air. It’s like our minds and bodies know that we’ll soon be holed up for the winter and need to get out and get stuff done — and have a whole lot of fun — before the cold weather arrives...

This is why the National Eucharistic Congress worked

Glemkowski: Why the National Eucharistic Congress workedGLEMKOWSKI: Just over a month ago, in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, I was witness — along with many thousands of Catholics — to an extraordinary movement of God. Over the last several weeks, I have read many of the beautiful reflections from attendees at the Congress. I have delighted in seeing how they have come from across the Catholic ideological and demographic spectrum in the Church.

The Theological Basis for Christian Service

The Theological Basis for Christian Service | Church Life Journal | University of Notre DameCAVADINI: As this saying of Jesus makes clear, service belongs to the most fundamental vocabulary of the Christian faith. It provides the basis for Jesus’ articulation of his own identity and vocation as Son of Man. It is therefore a privileged window into the mystery of the Person of Christ himself, who, “though he was in the form of God, did not deem equality with God something to be grasped at, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant...

7 Ways That the Synod on Synodality Can (Still) Change the Church

7 Ways That the Synod on Synodality Can (Still) Change the Church| National Catholic RegisterLIEDL: The most controversial issues may be off the agenda of next month’s Synod on Synodality assembly in Rome. But make no mistake about it: The Oct. 2-27 gathering could still lead to several big changes that impact daily life in the Catholic Church. Delegates to the synod, which will conclude a four-year global synod process that’s focused on how to increase participation in the Catholic Church, will likely discuss and possibly approve proposals touching on everything...

Christian mother of four sentenced to death for ‘blasphemous’ WhatsApp messages in Pakistan

Christian mother of four sentenced to death for 'blasphemous' WhatsApp messages in Pakistan - Catholic Herald: A mother of four has been sentenced to death in Pakistan for sharing allegedly blasphemous messages on WhatsApp. Legal advocates, supported by the leading Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), have vowed to appeal the conviction. Former nurse Shagufta Kiran, 40, received the death sentence on 18 September from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) court in Islamabad...

What Every Catholic Needs to Know About Copyrights (and Copy Wrongs)

What Every Catholic Needs to Know About Copyrights (and Copy Wrongs)| National Catholic RegisterBRUGGER: We are dealing here with the question of what constitutes the wrongful use of materials that belong to others. Copyright holders are the proper owners of their materials. They authorize their use to purchasers, and the terms of the use are specified in licensing agreements or through laws such as the DMCA...

Diocese of San Diego Bans Catholic Homeschool Groups on Parish Properties; Non-Catholic Schools Allowed to Remain

San Diego diocese bans homeschool groups on parish properties: A newly issued policy in the Diocese of San Diego forbids homeschool groups from using space at area parishes, while allowing parishes to rent space to non-Catholic schools on a case-by-case basis. Some homeschooling co-op groups in the diocese were reportedly notified of the policy only days before beginning weekly classes, with one group forced to find an immediate alternative location to accommodate weekly classes offered for at least 40 children.

Pope Francis Names New Consultors to Vatican’s DDF, Including Controversial Theologian Father Maurizio Chiodi

Pope Francis names 28 consultants to Vatican doctrine office, including controversial theologian | Catholic News AgencyBROCKHAUS: Pope Francis has named 28 new consultors to the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, including moral theologian Father Maurizio Chiodi, who has expressed opinions contrary to Church teaching. Chiodi, a moral theologian, has come under media scrutiny in recent years for suggesting contraception use in marriage could be morally permissible in some circumstances.

Let us love purely and be open to life

For Love & Life | Parishable ItemsFELTES: What is the act of eating for? It is good for eating and drinking to be enjoyable but they are intended for supporting life. What if people tasted but refused to consume? What if it became common and culturally accepted for people to eat and expel their meals without digestion? A normalization of bulimia would obviously be very unhealthy...

Kamala Harris to Skip Al Smith Dinner, Traditional New York Catholic Charities Event for Major Presidential Candidates

Kamala Harris to skip Al Smith dinner, a traditional event for major presidential candidates | AP News: Vice President Kamala Harris will skip this year’s Al Smith charity dinner in New York, breaking with presidential tradition so she can campaign instead in a battleground state less than three weeks before Election Day. The dinner benefitting Catholic Charities traditionally has been used to promote collegiality and good humor, with presidential candidates from both parties appearing on the same night and trading barbs.

What Does God Really Want?

What%20Does%20God%20Really%20Want%3F%20%u2013%20Jimmy%20AkinAKIN: I want to talk about something fundamental. We’re going to discuss what God really wants, the most important thing to God. The thing that God really wants from us is love, and there are several ways we know this. One of the ways is that Scripture flat-out tells us that God himself is love. But love is not only one of God’s characteristics. It’s something he also expects of us.

This Sunday, You Don’t Have To Be the Greatest. Let Jesus Embrace You Like a Child...

This%20Sunday%2C%20You%20Don%u2019t%20Have%20To%20Be%20the%20Greatest.%20Let%20Jesus%20Embrace%20You%20Like%20a%20Child%20%u2013%20Benedictine%20College%20Media%20%26%20CultureHOOPES: Take a walk with Jesus through your childhood neighborhood this Sunday, in the readings for the 25th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year B. Be yourself around him, acting just as you always do — too willing to ignore Jesus and too willing to assert your ego. That is what the Apostles do, and they learn a remarkable insight about spiritual childhood. This Sunday’s Gospel passage would be funny if it didn’t sting.

Will We Be Free in Heaven?

Are We Free in Heaven? ~ The Imaginative Conservative: It would seem that we are not free in heaven. If there is not even a possibility of falling from heaven, then can we say that we are there freely or are we there against our will? To navigate this paradox, we can look to Dante Alighieri’s masterpiece, The Divine Comedy. In the poem, Dante’s guide, Virgil, bids farewell after leading him through hell and purgatory. His parting advice to Dante is enigmatic at best and scandalous at worst:

The Canon of the Bible: Who Decided What Made It In?

The Canon of the Bible: Who Decided What Made It In? ~ The Imaginative Conservative: St. John Henry Newman, the great 19th century English churchman, scholar and convert to Catholicism, famously once said, “To be deep in history is to cease to be Protestant.” That seems like a fitting way to begin because the genesis of this essay was my hearing a Catholic convert quote the New Testament passages he references when explaining to his Protestant family and friends why he became Catholic...

What Was the Babylonian Exile and Why Should I Care?

What%20Was%20the%20Babylonian%20Exile%20and%20Why%20Should%20I%20Care%3F%20%u2013%20St.%20Paul%20CenterHARROLD: The Babylonian exile is one of the most important events in salvation history. In fact, there are large portions of the Scriptures, the majority of the prophets, for instance, which don’t really make sense until we first learn to appreciate what the exile was and why it matters. So what is it exactly? Also known as the Bablyonian captivity, the Babylonian exile refers to the deportation of the Jewish people away from their homeland of Judah and into Babylon...

Mel Gibson is scouting European locations for ‘The Passion of the Christ’ — a big step toward finally getting the long-awaited movie made

Mel Gibson Scouting Locations for 'The Passion of the Christ' Sequel: Mel Gibson is in Europe scouting locations for a sequel to his 2004 biblical blockbuster “The Passion of the Christ” — which could mean that the film’s long-gestating followup is actually going to get made. Earlier this week Gibson reportedly toured Malta with a production team and subsequently arrived in the Southern Italian region of Puglia where he visited various rural locations...

Medjugorje: A Closer Look at the Vatican’s Cautious Ruling

Medjugorje%3A%20A%20Closer%20Look%20at%20the%20Vatican%u2019s%20Cautious%20Ruling%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterAKIN: The Vatican has issued a cautious ruling allowing the faithful to benefit from the spiritual phenomena reported at Medjugorje, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Cardinal Víctor Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF), announced the finding at a press conference accompanying the release of a document titled...

No Compromise, Printing the Legend, and Road Rage

No compromise, printing the legend, and road rageCONDON: I’ve always found the witness of the Korean Church to have a special kind of profundity. So closed was the country to outside influences that Christianity only made it there through the handful of people allowed to go on the annual diplomatic mission to Peking — members of the diplomatic mission got hold of some Christian texts in Chinese and basically converted themselves...

When “rights” are severed from responsibilities, the public square becomes a gladiatorial pit

Choking on Rights TalkWEIGEL: In her prescient book, Rights Talk: The Impoverishment of Political Discourse, Mary Ann Glendon of the Harvard Law School warned her fellow Americans in 1993 that our public life was being degraded by the promiscuous use of the language of “rights” as a rhetorical intensifier in campaigns to promote this, that, or the other thing...

Blood of St. Januarius Liquefies in Naples Cathedral on His Feast Day

St.%20Januarius%u2019%20blood%20liquefies%20in%20Naples%20on%20his%20feast%20day%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: The blood of St. Januarius liquefied on Thursday before a Mass in Naples, Italy, where the archbishop said that the blood of the fourth-century martyr is a powerful reminder that “love is stronger than death.”

READ FULL TEXT HERE: “The Queen of Peace”: Note About the Spiritual Experience Connected with Medjugorje

Nota%20%u201CLa%20Regina%20della%20Pace%u201D%20circa%20l%u2019esperienza%20spirituale%20legata%20a%20Medjugorje%20del%20Dicastero%20per%20la%20Dottrina%20della%20Fede: Through the Nihil obstat about a spiritual event, the faithful “are authorized to give it their adherence in a prudent manner” (Norms, art. 22, §1; cf. Benedict XVI, Verbum Domini, par. 14). While this does not imply a declaration of the supernatural character of the phenomenon in question, and recalling that the faithful are not obliged to believe in it, the Nihil obstat indicates that the faithful can receive a positive encouragement...

Vatican Rules on Medjugorje — Praises ‘Verified Fruits,’ Cautions About ‘Alleged’ Messages and Visionaries, Approves ‘Public Acts of Devotion’

Pope%20Francis%20grants%20%u2018Nulla%20Osta%u2019%20for%20Medjugorje%20-%20Vatican%20News: Beginning with the words “The Queen of Peace,” the Note about the Spiritual Experience connected with Medjugorje was signed by Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández and Monsignor Armando Matteo, respectively Prefect and Secretary for the Doctrinal Section of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Mother Angelica and Cardinal Burke: Two Miracles

xOHEARN: When I was a little boy, my uncle once told me about his chance encounter with former NBA Basketball star, Michael Jordan, my childhood hero. While interviewing for a job at a Cleveland hotel, my uncle ran into Jordan in a parking garage elevator of all places. As Jordan left the elevator, my uncle said, “Good luck tonight!” That night Jordan crushed my Cleveland Cavaliers.

Why Are Babies Most Cradled on the Left Side?

Why%20Are%20Babies%20Most%20Cradled%20on%20the%20Left%20Side%3F%20%u2013%20Theology%20of%20HomeGRESS: Thinking back to when my children were babies, I remember carrying each on my left side. Being right-handed, it seemed to make sense to hold a baby on the left so my right hand was free to do other things. My husband, however, who is left-handed, said he carried our children on the left side because it was his dominant hand...

Discover Your Place as Man or Woman

Discover Your Place as Man or Woman - LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: The word ‘place’ can both mislead and make us uncomfortable. I still think we should consider the ‘place’ of man and woman because it makes us reckon with something that demands attention. How to be a man or woman will always be a central feature of becoming who we are. And it’s something we need to figure out. Think of any past hero or great person today...

Meet the Swiss Guard: 500 Years of Protecting the Pope

Meet The Swiss Guard: 500 Years Of Protecting The PapacyLISI: The U.S. president has the Secret Service as protection. The pope has the Swiss Guard. Who are these men donning multi-colored uniforms designed during the Middle Ages who march around St. Peter’s Square? It all dates back to the late 1400s, when guardsmen began serving the Papal States. In 1505 the Swiss bishop Matthaus Schiner, who later became a cardinal...

Former Planned Parenthood Executive Featured in Inauguration Keynote of New Notre Dame President

Former Planned Parenthood Executive Featured in Inauguration Keynote - Irish RoverCANADY: Former Planned Parenthood executive Sanda Ojiambo spoke in a September 12 keynote event during the presidential inauguration events of Father Robert Dowd, C.S.C. Her livestreamed conversation, titled “Business as a Global Force For Good,” was part of the annual Notre Dame Forum, a speaker series For the theme of this year’s forum, Fr. Dowd chose “What Do We Owe Each Other?” From 2002 to 2008, Ojiambo worked in Planned Parenthood’s international operations in several capacities.

Texas Carmelite Nuns Affiliate With SSPX After Yearlong Feud With Fort Worth Bishop

UPDATE: Texas Carmelite nuns affiliate with Society of St. Pius X after yearlong feud with local bishop | Catholic News Agency: After a string of controversies and disagreements with their local Fort Worth bishop, a group of Carmelite nuns in Arlington, Texas, announced on Saturday that they are associating with the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX), a traditionalist group that is not in full communion with the Catholic Church and has a canonically irregular status.

UK prime minister promises assisted suicide bill before Christmas

Keir Starmer plans 'assisted dying' Bill before Christmas - Catholic Herald: The British Prime Minister is seeking to fast-track an “assisted dying” law through Parliament before Christmas, according to reports. Sir Keir Starmer wants to allocate time for the consideration of a Bill to allow “assisted dying” soon after the autumn political party conferences are over. He decided to accelerate moves to decriminalise “assisted dying” – a euphemism for assisted suicide or euthanasia – after Labour MPs dominated the results of the annual Private Member’s Bill ballot, the Mail on Sunday has claimed.

The Pope and Other Religions

The Pope and Other Religions | Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. | First ThingsCHAPUT: Pope Francis has the habit, by now well established, of saying things that leave listeners confused and hoping he meant something other than what he actually said. At the end of his recent trip to Singapore, the pope left his prepared remarks for an interreligious group of young people and offered some general reflections about religion. Since his comments were extemporaneous, they naturally lacked the precision that a prepared text would normally possess, and so hopefully what he said is not quite what he meant.

Love proclaims that all “faiths” do NOT lead to God

Love%20proclaims%20that%20all%20%u201Cfaiths%u201D%20do%20NOT%20lead%20to%20God%20%7C%20Catholic%20CultureMIRUS: A new height in pontifical fuzziness was reached by Pope Francis on, of all dates, Friday the 13th (see our news story All faiths lead to God, Pope tells youth in Singapore). It is a great sorrow to many Catholics that we must endure such a pontificate. Just stop and think about the numbers of bishops and priests who have to walk constantly on that tightrope of truth which requires them to faithfully teach the Catholic Faith without undermining confidence in the Church’s very constitution, by which the successor of St. Peter is the monarchical administrator of the Church...

Let’s Take a Hard Look at the Fruits of the Vatican-Beijing Agreement

Fruits of the Vatican-Beijing agreement: just the facts | Catholic CultureLAWLER: During his exchange with reporters on his return trip from Signapore last week, Pope Francis said that the Vatican’s secret agreement with Beijing on the appointment of new bishops offers “a promise and a hope.” The Pontiff was upbeat about the future of Vatican relations with China, and about the outcome of that agreement. “The result is good,” he said...

What Are 10 Things I Should Know About Jeremiah?

What%20Are%2010%20Things%20I%20Should%20Know%20About%20Jeremiah%3F%20%u2013%20St.%20Paul%20CenterHARROLD: We know more about Jeremiah’s life than that of any other Old Testament prophet. Thanks to the treasure trove of biographical information contained in the book of Jeremiah, scholars have been able to piece together the prophet’s life in considerable detail. We know, for example, that he came from a priestly family, and that he was born in the southern kingdom of Judah...

Exclusive Photos: Inside Colorado’s Abbey of St. Walburga and Its Hidden Vocation of Prayer for the Church

EXCLUSIVE | PHOTOS: Inside the Abbey of St. Walburga's hidden: Nestled near the Wyoming border, the Abbey of St. Walburga is far removed from much of the world. The nearest town is 30 miles away. Cell service is spotty. There are very few people around. By the world’s standards, it’s in the middle of nowhere and not worth much attention. But somehow, in the divine economy, this humble Abbey in the “middle of nowhere” matters more than we know.

Why is the Chinese communist regime so afraid of a prayer app?

Canceled in ChinaWEIGEL: In today’s First Reading, it’s like we have our ears pressed to the wall and can hear the murderous grumblings of the elders, chief priests, and scribes—who last week Jesus predicted would torture and kill Him (see Mark 8:31; 10:33–34). The liturgy invites us to see this passage from the Book of Wisdom as a prophecy of the Lord’s Passion. We hear His enemies complain that “the Just One” has challenged their authority, reproached them for breaking the law of Moses, for betraying their training as leaders and teachers.

Servant of All: A Reflection on the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Servant%20of%20All%3A%20Scott%20Hahn%20Reflects%20on%20the%20Twenty-fifth%20Sunday%20in%20Ordinary%20Time%20%u2013%20St.%20Paul%20CenterHAHN: In today’s First Reading, it’s like we have our ears pressed to the wall and can hear the murderous grumblings of the elders, chief priests, and scribes—who last week Jesus predicted would torture and kill Him (see Mark 8:31; 10:33–34). The liturgy invites us to see this passage from the Book of Wisdom as a prophecy of the Lord’s Passion. We hear His enemies complain that “the Just One” has challenged their authority, reproached them for breaking the law of Moses, for betraying their training as leaders and teachers.

Vatican to Hold Press Conference About Medjugorje on Thursday; Announcement Will Be Livestreamed at 5:30am ET

Vatican%20announces%20press%20conference%20on%20%u2018spiritual%20experience%u2019%20of%20Medjugorje%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: Cardinal Víctor Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, will lead a press conference on the “spiritual experience” of Medjugorje this Thursday, Sept. 19, at the Vatican. The Vatican Press Office informed that at Thursday’s press conference on Medjugorje, which will take place at 11:30 a.m. local time, Fernández will be joined by Monsignor Armando Matteo, who serves as secretary to the dicastery’s Doctrinal Section...

Gigantic Wave in Pacific Ocean Was the Most Extreme ‘Rogue Wave’ on Record

Gigantic Wave in Pacific Ocean Was The Most Extreme 'Rogue Wave' on Record: In November of 2020, a freak wave came out of the blue, lifting a lonesome buoy off the coast of British Columbia 17.6 meters high (58 feet). The four-story wall of water was finally confirmed in February 2022 as the most extreme rogue wave ever recorded at the time. Such an exceptional event is thought to occur only once every 1,300 years. And unless the buoy had been taken for a ride, we might never have known it even happened.

BBC profiles Lila Rose: ‘The anti-abortion activist urging followers not to support Trump’

The anti-abortion activist urging followers to abandon Trump: Among the more than 67 million people who tuned in to the first US presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris was Lila Rose. The young and charismatic founder of the anti-abortion group Live Action had hoped for big things from the Republican candidate: a bold display of anti-abortion beliefs and a promise to turn those beliefs into law...

Inspired partly by Jordan Peterson, young men in Finland are baffling experts by becoming Orthodox monks

Young Finnish men baffle experts by embracing monastic life: Early starts, strict routines and discipline: more and more young men in Finland are being drawn to the rigours of monastic life and its conservative values. In such a secular and progressive country, where experts had expected the young to be less religious, Christianity has been gaining ground -- among young men at least.

‘If One Person Returns’ — Sydney, Australia, Looks Ahead to 2028 Eucharistic Congress

%u2018If%20one%20person%20returns%u2019%20%u2014%20Sydney%20archbishop%20plans%20for%202028%20Eucharistic%20congress: As the International Eucharistic Congress drew to a conclusion on Sunday, Vatican officials announced that the next International Congress will be held in Sydney, Australia, in just four years — 2028. Ahead of that announcement, The Pillar sat down with Sydney’s Archbishop Anthony Fisher to talk about what he hopes the 2028 event will be, how it can evangelize, and why Americans should start planning to coming to Australia.

Body of Gregory Peter XV Agagianian, Armenian Patriarch on Path to Possible Sainthood, Returns to Lebanon

From%20Rome%20to%20Beirut%3A%20Patriarch%20Agagianian%u2019s%20remains%20laid%20to%20rest%20as%20beautification%20cause%20continues%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: On Thursday, Sept. 12, the Armenian Catholic Patriarchate held a grand ceremony in Beirut’s Martyrs’ Square to welcome the remains of cardinal and patriarch Gregory Peter XV Agagianian from Rome. His body will be laid to rest in the Armenian Catholic Cathedral of St. Elias and St. Gregory the Illuminator in downtown Beirut.

Pope Francis Says Trump and Harris Are ‘Anti-Life’ and Voters May Choose ‘Lesser of Two Evils’

Pope%20Francis%20says%20U.S.%20election%20a%20choice%20between%20%u2018the%20lesser%20evil%u2019%20during%20in-flight%20press%20conference%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: Pope Francis said that American voters face the choice between “the lesser evil” in the U.S. presidential election during an in-flight press conference Friday on his return from his nearly two-week tour of Southeast Asia. Speaking aboard the papal plane, a chartered Singapore Airlines flight, on Sept. 13, the pope encouraged Catholics to vote with their conscience.

‘The Incorruptibles’: Who Are These Mysterious Saints?

%u2018The%20Incorruptibles%u2019%3A%20Who%20Are%20These%20Mysterious%20Saints%3F%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterPRONECHEN: “You are dust,” says Genesis 3:19, “and to dust you shall return.” Every Ash Wednesday, we hear this scriptural reminder of our mortality. While the soul is immortal, the body naturally decays after death. Naturally — but not always. On Aug. 28, the Diocese of Ávila in Spain reported, “Today the tomb of St. Teresa was opened and we have verified that it is in the same condition as when it was last opened in 1914.” St. Teresa of Ávila died more than four centuries ago on Oct. 4, 1582.

Forgive All Injuries: A Meditation on the Sixth Spiritual Work of Mercy...

Forgive All Injuries - A Meditation on the Sixth Spiritual Work of Mercy - Community in MissionPOPE: Of all the things about which I preach, very few (if any) provoke as strong (and usually negative) a reaction as the call to forgive. I get more angry pushback after a Mass at which I preach on forgiveness than when I speak about chastity, greed, or any other challenging moral topic. It would seem that the anger is rooted in two things...

Goldenmouth, Remember His Name, and No Winning

Goldenmouth, remember his name, and no winningCONDON: St. John is one of those saints whose feast day is a reminder to me about how vast our history is, and how much of it I barely know or understand. Sure, I have read some of his most famous works, especially when they come up in the Office of Readings. And I can tell you that as Patriarch of Constantinople his famous eloquence as a preacher got him exiled twice from his city and see, dying in Armenia.

Pope Francis Tells Young People in Singapore: ‘All Religions Are a Path to God’

Pope%20in%20multi-faith%20Singapore%20says%20%u2018all%20religions%20are%20a%20path%20to%20God%u2019%20%7C%20Crux: In a line that may once again stir reaction in more traditional Catholic quarters, Pope Francis on Friday wrapped up a three-day visit to Singapore, a country with large pockets of at least five different faiths, that “all religions are a path to God.” “They are like different languages in order to arrive at God, but God is God for all,” the pope said, who had set aside his prepared text and spoke largely off the cuff. “Since God is God for all, then we are all children of God.”

On hacking Planned Parenthood

On hacking Planned Parenthood | Catholic CultureMIRUS: I suppose the name of Planned Parenthood should be changed to Parenthood Denial since the bulk of the organization’s work consists not only of preventing pregnancy but of terminating pregnancy, that is, of preventing birth. The organization’s traffic in embryonic tissue has also been well-documented. There is, of course, a great deal of money involved in its operations...

In Jesus, our temperaments become facets of the Beatitudes...

Self-Portraits | Catholic CulturePOKORSKY: Understanding emotional temperaments helps us understand our natural strengths and weaknesses and those of others. Self-knowledge of good and bad emotional and behavioral inclinations helps us grow in humility. However, the temperaments cannot adequately describe the emotional and spiritual make-up of Jesus. His sinless self-portrait directs every temperament...

Pope Francis to Singapore’s Catholics: Follow St. Francis Xavier in Spreading God’s Love

Pope%20Francis%20to%20Singapore%u2019s%20Catholics%3A%20Follow%20St.%20Francis%20Xavier%20in%20spreading%20God%u2019s%20love%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20AgencyBROCKHAUS: At Mass with approximately 50,000 Catholics in Singapore on Thursday, Pope Francis recalled the example of the great missionary to Asia, St. Francis Xavier, who responded with enthusiasm to the call to spread God’s love. The pontiff celebrated Mass in the Singapore National Stadium, a national landmark, on the last full day of his trip to four countries in Southeast Asia and Oceania Sept. 2–13.

What Makes Someone Want to Be Virtuous?

What Makes Someone Want to Be Virtuous? - LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: There is nothing like parenting, or teaching, or any real formation of the young to help us to see and focus on what really matters. If we have come to the insight that living well—or living virtuously—is at the center of the human vocation, then the enormity of a question begins to dawn on us: what makes people actually want to live that way?

‘Story of a Soul’ podcast brings to life the “little way” of St. Thérèse

%u2018Story%20of%20a%20Soul%u2019%20podcast%20brings%20to%20life%20the%20%u201Clittle%20way%u201D%20of%20St.%20Th%E9r%E8se%20%u2013%20Catholic%20World%20ReportCIANCIO: On the cross, Jesus said, “I thirst.” Our souls also thirst. And because those of us within the pro-life movement sometimes find ourselves discouraged and wondering how we can return our culture to one that respects life, reveres God, and protects the vulnerable, we long for ways to nourish our souls. We often look to saints for their example and encouragement. Their words and their trust in God inspire us and soothe our hearts so that we can continue fighting the enemies of life.

Women’s fertility and the family are what make the world go round

It%u2019s%20women%u2019s%20fertility%2C%20stupid%20-%20Washington%20ExaminerGRESS: There is a video circulating on social media of an octogenarian woman offering her best advice. She is clad in large, chic glasses and chunky jewelry. To live her best life, she explains, a woman needs to be as independent as possible: no men, no children, lots of money, and lots of friends. As I watched, I was amazed at how compelling she was. And clearly, I’m not the only one — with thousands of comments affirming that this woman is a living sage.

Following the Messiah: A Reflection on the Upcoming 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Following%20the%20Messiah%3A%20Scott%20Hahn%20Reflects%20on%20the%20Twenty-fourth%20Sunday%20in%20Ordinary%20Time%20%u2013%20St.%20Paul%20CenterHAHN: In today’s Gospel, we reach a pivotal moment in our walk with the Lord. After weeks of listening to His words and witnessing His deeds, along with the disciples we’re asked to decide who Jesus truly is. Peter answers for them, and for us, too, when he declares: “You are the Messiah.” Many expected the Messiah to be a miracle worker who would vanquish Israel’s enemies and restore the kingdom of David (see John 6:15).

As Visitors Get Ready to Visit Rome, the Vatican Awaits Its ‘Moment For Evangelization’

As%20Visitors%20Pack%20Rome%2C%20The%20Vatican%20Awaits%20Its%20%u2018Moment%20For%20Evangelization%u2019LISI: The Eternal City is known for its crowded piazzas and bad traffic. City officials and the Vatican also want you to think of it as a place to visit in 2025. The city is preparing for a jubilee year, a time when the Catholic Church invites pilgrims to Rome. The events, which will officially began on Christmas Eve this year and end on Dec. 28, 2025, constitute a special time dedicated to prayer and pilgrimage.

The Holy Name of Mary Is Our Weapon and Shield

The Holy Name of Mary Is Our Weapon and Shield| National Catholic RegisterPRONECHEN: “Surely,” says St. Bernard, “the Mother of God could not have a name more appropriate, nor one more impressive of her high dignity. Mary is, in fact, the beautiful and brilliant star which shines upon the vast and stormy sea of the world.” It was a stormy sea, all right, that was calmed by Mary and gave reason for her universal feast. In 1683, people were celebrating the feast of the Holy Name of Mary in Spain...

The March for Life in London shone a beam of light for a nation lost in fog of moral relativism

The March for Life in London shone a beam of light for a nation lost in fog of moral relativism - Catholic Herald: In 2010 the Guardian newspaper published an article entitled “Pope gives top job to abortion hardliner”. Pope Benedict XVI, the article claimed, “has handed one of the most powerful jobs in the Vatican to a Cardinal who said recently...” – get this – “…that abortion was wrong”. The surprise expressed in the Guardian article is indicative of a philosophy that has captured Western civilisation, and destroyed the minds of its many adherents: moral relativism.

Singapore Welcomes Pope Francis on Final Stage of 45th Apostolic Journey

Singapore welcomes Pope Francis on final stage of 45th Apostolic Journey - Vatican News: Pope Francis has begun the fourth and final leg of his 12-day Apostolic Journey in Asia and Oceania – the longest of his pontificate so far – which has taken him to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste. Now it’s time for the Southeast Asian city-state of Singapore to welcome the Holy Father, who arrived at Changi Airport at 14.52 local time on Wednesday, 11 September.

Why did the CCHD amp up spending while contributions were dropping?

Why did the CCHD amp up spending while contributions were dropping?HODGE: The USCCB has released its audited financial statements for 2023, potentially shedding additional light on the recent administration of the CCHD, an anti-poverty program administered by the bishops conference which has at times attracted controversy.

Why Ross Douthat Has Become an Optimist About America’s Future

Why%20Ross%20Douthat%20Has%20Become%20an%20Optimist%20About%20America%u2019s%20Future%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterLIEDL: America has had no shortage of pessimistic critiques in recent years. And with titles like Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics and The Decadent Society: How We Became Victims of Our Own Success to his name, Ross Douthat has become something of a master of the genre. But at a Sept. 6 talk at the University of Notre Dame, the conservative Catholic commentator and New York Times columnist sounded an uncharacteristically optimistic note regarding the United States’ prospects.

Before He Voiced Darth Vader, Catholic Convert James Earl Jones Was a Wise Man

Before He Voiced Darth Vader, James Earl Jones Was a Wise Man| National Catholic RegisterDAY: For as brilliant as the entire 1977 television miniseries Jesus of Nazareth is, the most creatively realized sequences by director Franco Zeffirelli are arguably the depiction of the infancy narratives. This includes the episode of the Magi played, in their own idiosyncratic styles, by legendary actors Fernando Rey, Donald Pleasance and James Earl Jones, who died yesterday at age 93.

Thousands Gather in Remote Jungle for Celebration Honoring Father Arul Das, Catholic Priest Killed in Eastern India

Thousands gather in jungle for celebration honoring Catholic priest killed in eastern India | Catholic News Agency: More than 4,000 Catholics on Sept. 2 assembled in the remote Jamboni jungle to mark the 25-year observance of the death of 33-year-old Father Arul Das of the Balasore Diocese, who was shot and pierced with arrows in his thatched chapel-house during the early hours of Sept. 2, 1999.

Quito, a Whale Spy, and ‘Sensory Masses’

Quito, a whale spy, and 'sensory Masses'JDFLYNN: Greetings from Quito, Ecuador, where I arrived last night to cover the International Eucharistic Congress, a week-long global pilgrimage event organized under the aegis of the creatively named Pontifical Committee for Eucharistic Congresses at the Vatican. I got to Quito well after midnight, and I really haven’t seen or done anything yet, save for taking a Tylenol PM and hitting the hay.

In a culture marked by division and hurt, our mission is to share the charity and unity that flow from Our Lord’s Eucharistic heart...

The Eucharistic Mission of the Church | Knights of ColumbusMILLARE: Following the National Eucharistic Congress that drew more than 50,000 people to Indianapolis in July, Bishop Andrew Cozzens of Crookston, Minnesota, described the event as a “real experience of unity” for the Church in the United States. It is no coincidence that the Eucharistic devotion displayed by so many Catholics — including so many Knights of Columbus and their families...

Pope Francis Arrives in East Timor, Asia’s Youngest and Most Catholic Country

Pope%20Francis%20arrives%20in%20East%20Timor%2C%20Asia%u2019s%20youngest%20and%20most%20Catholic%20country%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: Upon his arrival in the Catholic island of East Timor on Monday, Pope Francis entrusted the new country to the Blessed Virgin Mary, “I entrust East Timor and all its people to the protection of the Immaculate Conception, heavenly patroness invoked under the title of ‘Virgem de Aitara,’” Pope Francis said at the welcome ceremony at the Presidential Palace in the capital city of Dili on Sept. 9.

Charlene Marie Richard died at age 12 in Louisiana 65 years ago. Since then, more than 1,600 miracles through her intercession have been reported...

RLR Interview with Jim Valois: The Inspiring Story of Charlene Marie Richard | Respect Life Radio: Jim Valois holds a B.A. in Theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville. His articles and book reviews have been featured in The Wanderer Newspaper, Soul Magazine (World Apostolate of Fatima, USA), and Catholic Life Magazine. He is the author of Our Lady's Prophecies and reverted to the Catholic faith from Evangelicalism while studying at Franciscan University...

Reading With a Second Friend: Pope Francis on Literature

Reading With a Second Friend: Pope Francis on Literature ~ The Imaginative ConservativeDEAVEL: Pope Francis’s pontificate has been, to put it mildly, controversial. His judgments—theological, administrative, and otherwise—have generally cheered those who seem to want the Catholic Church to resemble the liberal Protestant groups that are evaporating before our eyes. The ambiguity with which Francis has expressed many of these judgments has unleashed before us...

No, your parish is not ‘vibrant’

No%2C%20your%20parish%20is%20not%20%u2018vibrant%u2019%20%7C%20Catholic%20CultureLAWLER: Could we all please agree to stop using the adjective “vibrant” to describe a Catholic parish, diocese, or other faith community? My desktop dictionary (admittedly an antique, Webster’s New Collegiate, published in 1974) defines “vibrant” as “oscillating or pulsating rapidly”—something that is ordinarily done by inanimate objects, not by human beings, let alone human communities...

Pope Francis in Papua New Guinea: ‘Put Love Before Superstition and Fear’

Pope Francis in Papua New Guinea: Put love before superstition, fear | Catholic News Agency: Pope Francis on Sunday encouraged Catholics in a remote town in Papua New Guinea to continue to be missionaries where they live, working together to replace superstition and fear with love. After celebrating Mass in Port Moresby on Sept. 8, the pope traveled 620 miles by air to Vanimo, a coastal town on a peninsula in northwest Papua New Guinea close to the border with Papua, a province of Indonesia.

What Are Some Psalms Worth Memorizing for Different Occasions?

What%20Are%20Some%20Psalms%20Worth%20Memorizing%20For%20Different%20Occasions%3F%20%u2013%20St.%20Paul%20CenterHARROLD: The psalms are the prayer book of the Church. For this reason, we do well not only to pray them regularly, but also to commit to memorizing them by heart so that “His praise will always be on my lips” (Ps 34:1). What follows is a small sampling of psalms worth learning for different occasions, following the numbering system employed by the NAB and RSV translations...

The New Maori Queen in New Zealand is Catholic

New Maori Queen in New Zealand is Catholic | Catholic News Agency: The Maori people, the Indigenous population of mainland New Zealand, have crowned a new queen after the death of their king — and she’s Catholic. King Tuheitia Potatau Te Wherowhero VII died on Aug. 30 at the age of 69. His death came days after his 18th anniversary as king of the Kingitanga, also known as the Maori King Movement, founded in 1858 to unite the Maori under one sovereign. It is one of the longest-running political organizations in New Zealand.

Pope Francis Asks Papua New Guinea Catholics to Spread the Gospel to ‘Peripheries’

Pope%20Francis%20Asks%20Papua%20New%20Guinea%20Catholics%20to%20Spread%20the%20Gospel%20to%20%u2018Peripheries%u2019%7C%20National%20Catholic%20Register: Pope Francis called on Catholics in Papua New Guinea on Saturday to continue in their efforts of bringing the Gospel to the most marginalized and remote communities within the country. During a visit to the Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians in Port Moresby on Sept. 7, the Pope addressed bishops, priests, deacons, seminarians and catechists from across Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

NYTimes and AP look at the ideas that led J.D. Vance to become Catholic

(3) Crossroads -- The ideas that led J.D. Vance to swim the TiberMATTINGLY: One of the world’s most important newsrooms just offered a finely detailed profile of Catholic convert J.D. Vance and, imagine this, the feature focused on the emotions and ideas that led him to swim the Tiber. This included his intellectual and spiritual attraction to the work of St. Augustine, one of the most important minds in all of Western culture.

Thanks, Richard Dawkins

(3) Thanks, Richard Dawkins - by Stacy TrasancosTRASANCOS: When I became Catholic in 2006, the New Atheism was at its height. New Atheism taught young people that religion is superstitious and irrational and, therefore, should not be tolerated. Proponents advocated an “antitheist” view that criticism of religion using, what they considered, rational argument, especially where religion and society intersect in politics and education...

Mike Aquilina Explores 12 Ancient Cities and How They Were Evangelized

Christ in the City: Exploring Ancient Evangelization with Mike Aquilina| National Catholic RegisterLEWIS: Cities have always been rough places. When too many people are crowded together, there’s no telling what can go wrong: riots, vandalism and even murder. And when people with dearly held diverse views get in each other’s faces, sparks can fly — followed by fire. That’s especially true when those diverse views are religious in nature...

In this Sunday’s Gospel, pay attention to Our Lord’s unusual travel route, and these other important details...

This%20Sunday%2C%20Help%20Jesus%20Open%20Up%20the%20Silent%2C%20Christless%20World%20of%20Your%20Neighbors%20%u2013%20Benedictine%20College%20Media%20%26%20CultureHOOPES: The passage begins by saying, “Jesus left the district of Tyre and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee.” If you look at a map of the territory, you will see that this is like saying, “Jesus left New York, and went to Washington, D.C., by way of Boston.” This is a telling detail about Jesus’s modus operandi. He often doesn’t take the most efficient way; he takes the most efficacious way. The most efficient way to save the world might have been to appear in the palaces of all the kings on earth at once...

Brothers in Arms, Romeo and Juliet, and Knives Out

Brothers in arms, Romeo & Juliet, and knives outCONDON: There is a war on. We shouldn’t forget that. In fact, there’s more than one. Real wars, taking real lives, destroying real homes of real families. It’s all too easy for those of us who aren’t doing the actual fighting and dying, living out of immediate danger, to simply dial down the volume and allow this reality to recede into the background static...

The Straits Times: Indonesian police detain seven in a failed plot to attack Pope Francis

Indonesian police detain seven in a failed plot to attack Pope Francis | The Straits Times: The Indonesian police have detained seven people in a failed plot to attack Pope Francis, who wrapped up the first leg of his 12-day Asia-Pacific tour in the archipelago on Sept 6. A total of seven people were detained, mostly on Sept 2 and 3, in Jakarta, in the outlying cities of Bogor and Bekasi, West Sumatra province and Bangka Belitung Islands province, according to the media statement issued on Sept 6 by Indonesia’s national police anti-terrorism squad Detachment-88.

Pope Francis Arrives in Papua New Guinea Amid Reports of Foiled Attack in Indonesia

Pope Francis arrives in Papua New Guinea amid reports of failed attack and arrests in Indonesia | Catholic News Agency: Pope Francis touched down in Papua New Guinea on Friday, the second country of his 12-day apostolic journey to Asia and Oceania, following emerging reports of a failed attempt on his life during his Indonesia visit. Landing in Jacksons International Airport in the country’s capital, Port Moresby, in the evening (local time) of Sept. 6 after a six-hour flight from Jakarta, Indonesia, the pope was greeted on the tarmac by women belonging to the Mekeo tribe wearing traditional dress.

Voyage Classics Releases St. Thérèse of Lisieux’s ‘Story of a Soul’ With Original Artwork

Voyage Classics presents: Story of a Soul with original artwork! - Voyage ComicsKOSLOSKI: One of the most popular religious autobiographies of all time, this Voyage Classics edition of Story of a Soul by St. Thérèse of Lisieux, highlights the Carmelite saint’s attraction to the sea and her love of the spiritual symbolism behind it. As she wrote in her autobiography, “the symbol of a ship always delights me, and helps me to bear with my exile. Does not the Wise Man tell us: ‘Life is like a ship that passeth through the waves; when it is gone, the trace thereof cannot be found?’”

The 'Root Causes' of Sexual Abuse in the Church

The 'root causes' of sexual abuse in the ChurchSCALIA: The subject always deserves consideration, but two recent articles on sex abuse within the Church are worth discussion. The first, published by Crux, declares — sadly, to the surprise of no one — “Abuse crisis in the Catholic Church shows no signs of abating.” The second came via OSV News: Catholics in the Sicilian city of Enna are protesting a diocesan cover-up of abuses against minors, committed by a local priest while he was still a seminarian, between 2009 and 2013.

EWTN News/RealClear Opinion Research Poll: Kamala Harris Leads Donald Trump Among Catholic Voters

Harris Leads Trump Among Catholic Voters, Per EWTN News/RealClear Opinion Research Poll| National Catholic Register: Vice President Kamala Harris leads among Catholic voters over former president Donald Trump, according to the findings of a new EWTN News/RealClear Opinion Research survey two months away from the presidential election. The poll, conducted from Aug. 28-30, surveyed 1,000 Catholics and has a margin of error of /- 3 percentage points.

The Vatican has appointed me the new national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the U.S.

EXCLUSIVE%3A%20Father%20Landry%20Shares%20%u2018Beautiful%20News%u2019%20About%20His%20Major%20New%20Role%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterLANDRY: Today, the Catholic Church celebrates the 27th anniversary of the death and birth into eternal life of St. Teresa of Calcutta, the great foundress of the Missionaries of Charity. She once said to her religious sisters, “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son. God still loves the world and sends you and me to be his love.” That sums up...

If You Read One Novel This Year, Make It ‘Brideshead Revisited’

If%20You%20Read%20One%20Novel%20This%20Year%2C%20Make%20It%20%u201CBrideshead%20Revisited%u201D%20-%20Word%20on%20FireKACZOR: After years of hearing about it, I finally got around to reading the most famous work of the great British writer Evelyn Waugh, Brideshead Revisited. I wish I hadn’t waited. (For those who like to listen to books, an audio version is superbly performed by Jeremy Irons.) The novel tells the story of the romances, tragedies, and transformations of Charles Ryder. His family life is not exactly ideal...

Are missionaries agents of colonialism?

Are missionaries agents of colonialism? | Catholic CultureMIRUS: Recent observations by Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle suggest that the charge that Christian missionaries are agents of colonialism has not yet been laid to rest (see Cardinal Tagle defends missionaries). In reality, this is an accusation typically made by those who are themselves “colonializing” by trying to turn the third-world poor into agents of, or supports for, Western secularism.

Venezuelan dictator Maduro declares Christmas to kick off on Oct. 1

Christmas in Venezuela kicks off in October, President Maduro has declared | AP News: The world’s attention on Venezuela has been focused in the last weeks on the fallout from a highly contested presidential election that both the ruling party and its opponents claim to have won, the ensuing persecution of critics and the arrest warrant against the former opposition presidential candidate.

Our Life Is So Worth Being Kind

Our Life is So Worth Being Kind - LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: Why are some people kind? This question is especially though of course not exclusively pertinent in forming the young. I think we take kindness for granted, forgetting both its central importance and the need to cultivate it, in self and others. “We are for the most part unhappy, because the world is an unkind world.” So wrote Fr. Frederick Faber, a noted author...

Pope John Paul II and ‘Witness to Hope’ 25 Years Later

Witness to Hope, Twenty-Five Years LaterWEIGEL: My hands were shaky a quarter-century ago as I carried the heavy box from the front door of our house into my study. Inside were my author’s copies of Witness to Hope, the first volume of my biography of Pope John Paul II, and my mind was racing: Did the editors catch the last corrections I sent? Did that scarifying misnumbering of the endnotes in one chapter get sorted out?

International Eucharistic Congress Begins Sept. 8 in Ecuador

International Eucharistic Congress Begins Sept. 8 in Ecuador| National Catholic RegisterLAMBERT: In July, the United States held its first National Eucharistic Congress in 83 years — a monumental moment in the life of the local Church. However, it’s not the only Eucharistic congress that’s happening this year. From Sept. 8 to Sept. 15, the 53rd International Eucharistic Congress will gather thousands of faithful from corners of the world in Quito, Ecuador, to celebrate the Eucharistic presence of Christ in the Most Blessed Sacrament...

Mother Teresa Feared ‘Big Crowds’ — But She Loved Telling Them About the Eucharist

Mother%20Teresa%20Feared%20%u2018Big%20Crowds%u2019%20%u2014%20But%20She%20Loved%20Telling%20Them%20About%20the%20Eucharist%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterMURZAKU: As the 10th National Eucharistic Congress concluded recently in Indianapolis, with prayers for a new Pentecost in the U.S. Church, it’s a good time to look back at Mother Teresa of Calcutta and her participation in the 41st International Congress in Philadelphia in 1976. What was her understanding of the unitive and transformative meaning of the Eucharist?

My Big Fat Spanish Wedding

My big fat Spanish weddingBELTRAN: Last week, at a parish just a few miles north of Madrid, 18 couples celebrated the first ‘macro-wedding’ in Spain. The couples, who had all been cohabiting for at least five years, entered into the relationship of marriage on August 29, after months of preparation at San Sebastián Mártir Parish. Spain is known as one of the most traditionally Catholic countries in the world...

Devastating Arson Attack Hits Catholic Church in France; Blessed Sacrament Rescued by Parish Priest

Devastating%20attack%20on%20church%20in%20France%20renews%20concerns%20over%20security%20in%20country%u2019s%20places%20of%20worship%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: The historic Church of the Immaculate Conception in Saint-Omer, in the Pas-de-Calais department of northern France, was ravaged by arson on the night of Sept. 2. The suspect, a multi-recidivist who has attempted to set fire to numerous places of worship in the past, was apprehended a few hours after the blaze was brought under control. According to local authorities, the fire started at around 4 a.m. It then spread to the side and central aisles, then to the roof and bell tower, which rapidly collapsed...

You have to do more than desire knowledge. You have to desire the right kind of knowledge, in the right way...

Desiring%20the%20right%20kind%20of%20knowledge%20in%20the%20right%20way%20%u2013%20Catholic%20World%20ReportDEAVEL: School is starting, and we need to keep students from curiosity. Curiosity? It sounds bad to modern ears, but ancient and medieval thinkers considered it a vice, a dangerous intellectual habit. You can hear that judgment in the old saying, “Curiosity killed the cat.” You can also see it in horror movies where people decide they must investigate the sounds coming from upstairs, even though they know of a rampaging murderer in the area! Yet apart from those examples, we usually treat curiosity as simply good.

IVF is wrong, and so is this ramen

IVF is wrong, and so is this ramenJDFLYNN: Pope St. Gregory the Great was the vicar of Christ from 590 until 604. He was an evangelist, a diplomat, a keen interpreter of Scripture, a beautiful spiritual writer and preacher, and an influential liturgical leader, who standardized liturgical praxis across the Christian West. He is also the author of a book I think is really important, the Liber Regulae Pastoralis — the “Book of Pastoral Care,” which is a kind of guidebook of hard-won advice...

Bearing the Wounds of Christ: 7 Traits Shared by Padre Pio and Other Stigmatists

Bearing the Wounds of Christ: Meet the Stigmatists| National Catholic RegisterKENGOR: The date: Sept. 20, 1918. The place: Our Lady of Grace Chapel, the church of the Capuchin friars at San Giovanni Rotondo, located in the Italian province of Foggia. There alone in front of a crucifix of the suffering Christ was a suffering, humble, pious friar named Francesco Forgione (1887-1968), named after St. Francis of Assisi, another suffering, humble, pious friar — who in the year 1224 first bore the wounds of Christ; that is, the stigmata.

Xi Jinping’s Communist Regime Extends Repression Using Chinese Consulates in US, Washington Post Investigation Finds

How China extended its repression into an American city: Chinese diplomats and pro-China diaspora groups based in the United States organized demonstrations in San Francisco that harassed and silenced protesters opposed to Beijing’s policies, including through violence, during Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s visit to the city in November, a six-month investigation by The Washington Post shows.

Catholics need to know fight for unborn is shifting ‘ominously’ into international law as UN scolds Poland

Catholics%20need%20to%20know%20fight%20for%20unborn%20is%20shifting%20%u2018ominously%u2019%20into%20international%20law%20as%20UN%20scolds%20Poland%20-%20Catholic%20Herald: Catholics encountering efforts by pressure groups to normalise and extend abortion are increasingly not only standing up publicly for what is right, but persuading others to join them. The result is that secular elites are finding it more difficult to ram through such measures. This is heartening. What is less so is that, rather ominously, activists who see abortion as just another medical procedure and see opposition to it as religious bigotry have now shifted the fight onto the international law plane.

All Things Well: A Reflection on the Upcoming 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

All%20Things%20Well%3A%20Scott%20Hahn%20Reflects%20on%20the%20Twenty-third%20Sunday%20in%20Ordinary%20Time%20%u2013%20St.%20Paul%20CenterHAHN: The incident in today’s Gospel is recorded only by Mark. The key line is what the crowd says at the end: “He has done all things well.” In the Greek, this echoes the creation story, recalling that God saw all the things He had done and declared them good (see Genesis 1:31). Mark also deliberately evokes Isaiah’s promise, which we hear in today’s First Reading...

Yale Divinity School students forced to read from witch’s ‘spell’ at orientation

Yale%20divinity%20students%20forced%20to%20read%20from%20witch%u2019s%20%u2018spell%u2019%20at%20orientation%20%7C%20The%20College%20Fix: Yale’s Divinity School coerced students to read from a “spell” written by a “witch” as part of its Before the Fall Orientation. The three-day orientation between Aug. 21 to 23 saw a series of talks and activities preparing incoming students for the year ahead, interspersed with small group discussions.

What is Holy Matrimony — and why should it be protected as the primordial sacrament?

New%20Advent%3A%20What%20is%20Holy%20Matrimony%20%u2014%20and%20why%20should%20it%20be%20protected%20as%20the%20primordial%20sacrament%3F: Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais is joined by John Clark, author, political speech writer, and columnist for the National Catholic Register, to discuss the importance of recognizing the sacramentality of marriage. They address themes such as the primary purpose of marriage, its indissolubility, and how it was instituted. In their conversation, they also explore the insights from John Clark's book "Betrayed without a Kiss: Defending Marriage after Years of Failed Leadership in the Church," delving into the challenges facing marriage today and the need for strong leadership in its defense.

In Our Labor, We Participate in God’s Plan for Creation

In%20Our%20Labor%2C%20We%20Participate%20in%20God%u2019s%20Plan%20for%20Creation%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterLAFFIN: In my past vocation as a high-school English teacher, I helped students with their college essays and applications. I loved this part of the job. It transported me back to the time when I charted out my own course through life. It’s a terrifying and exhilarating moment, filled with limitless possibility. I always tried to impress upon them the gravity of the decisions they were about to make, especially about the choice of a major course of study...

Should a Catholic Attend an Invalid Wedding?

Should a Catholic Attend an Invalid Wedding?| National Catholic RegisterBRUGGER: A valid marriage is a real marriage. When it’s between baptized Christians, it is a sacrament. The opposite, an invalid marriage, is not a real marriage. It is a semblance of a marriage. There are several things necessary for bringing into existence a valid marriage, related to the couple’s capacity for marriage, to the nature of their consent, and to the proper form according to which they celebrate the marriage. Your question specifically raises doubts about the third.

Conservatives deride Trump’s IVF plan as worse than Obamacare contraceptive mandate

Conservatives%20deride%20Trump%u2019s%20IVF%20plan%20as%20worse%20than%20Obamacare%20contraceptive%20mandate%20-%20Washington%20Examiner: Conservatives in the anti-abortion movement are decrying former President Donald Trump’s proposal to mandate insurance coverage for in vitro fertilization as equivalent, or worse, than the mandate for contraception coverage under Obamacare. On Thursday, Trump announced he supports federal taxpayer funding and an insurance mandate for coverage of “all costs associated with IVF treatment.”

Pope Pius XI Was the Silenced Prophet of Peace

The Silenced Prophet of Peace ~ The Imaginative ConservativePEARCE: There have been many bad popes throughout the history of the Church. Indeed, there have been so many that it is a miracle that the Church has survived them. On the other hand, of course, and thanks be to God, there have been many more good popes than there have been bad. Many of these have been canonized, an assurance to the faithful that they have joined the company of the saints in the Church Triumphant...

What is good for us?

What is Good for Us? | Parishable ItemsFELTES: Jesus said to the crowd, “Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile.” Jesus speaks to the Old Covenant’s rules about the ritual purity of objects and foods. With the arrival of his New Covenant those ordinances passed away. “Thus,” St. Mark writes, “he declared all foods clean.” After carefully forming his Jewish people as a unique group set apart from the world, God lifts the burden of those purity laws to open the door to true religion for all the nations...

Pope Francis Begins Historic 11-Day Apostolic Journey to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore

Pope Francis begins historic apostolic journey to Southeast Asia and Oceania | Catholic News AgencyMILLARE: Pope Francis departed Rome on Monday to commence his 45th apostolic journey, one that will take him to Southeast Asia and Oceania over the course of nearly two weeks. During his 11-day journey — the longest trip of his papacy to date — the 87-year-old pontiff will visit Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste (East Timor), and Singapore from Sept. 2–13.