At Sunday Angelus, Pope Leo XIV Prays for Minneapolis School Shooting Victims, Laments ‘Pandemic of Arms’

Pope%20Leo%20XIV%20prays%20for%20Minneapolis%20Catholic%20church%20shooting%20victims%2C%20laments%20%u2018pandemic%20of%20arms%u2019%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20AgencyBROCKHAUS: Pope Leo XIV on Sunday prayed for the victims of a shooting at a Catholic church in Minneapolis and deplored a worldwide “pandemic of arms” that has left many children dead or injured. “Our prayers for the victims of the tragic shooting during a school Mass in the American state of Minnesota,” the pontiff said in English on Aug. 31 after leading the weekly Angelus prayer from a window overlooking St. Peter’s Square.

Annunciation School and the Cost of Denying Reality

Annunciation School and the Cost of Denying Reality - First ThingsMAIER: On the surface, Paul Kingsnorth, Iain McGilchrist, and Mattias Desmet might seem to have little in common. Kingsnorth, based in Ireland, is an author of essays and novels. McGilchrist is a British psychiatrist, philosopher, and neuroscientist. Desmet, a professor of psychology at Belgium’s Ghent University, studies the dynamics of mass formation and totalitarian thinking. Kingsnorth is an Orthodox Christian. McGilchrist and Desmet have no formal religious affiliation...

Why every Catholic college student should study abroad in Rome

Why every Catholic college student should study abroad in RomeCHAPP: My first time teaching in DeSales University’s study abroad program, I stayed in the Roman neighborhood known as Trastevere. One day, after meeting up with my students near my apartment, we took the tram up the main road, Viale Trastevere, and were headed to “Old Rome” for dinner near Piazza Navona. At a red light, I glanced to my right and noticed the house where Dante Alighieri had lived for a time. I turned to my students, pointed at the house, and said, “Look, guys, that is the home of Dante Alighieri!” Whereupon one young fellow in the group...

Archaeologists Uncover Largest Dam Ever Constructed in Ancient Israel, Connected to Pool of Siloam

Monumental Dam from Time of Biblical Kings Uncovered - Biblical Archaeology Society: Archaeologists in Jerusalem have uncovered the largest dam ever constructed in ancient Israel. Dated to the reigns of kings Joash and Amaziah of Judah (late ninth century BCE), the dam would have drastically reshaped the city’s water system and topography, creating what is today known as the Pool of Siloam. But how exactly does this dam relate to other parts of the city’s ancient water system, and how much does it change the way we think about the development of biblical Jerusalem?

Flannery O’connor’s ‘Terrifying’ Vision of Modernity

Flannery%20O%u2019Connor%u2019s%20%u2018terrifying%u2019%20vision%20of%20modernity%20-%20The%20Irish%20CatholicFERENCE: Flannery O’Connor was a remarkable writer, who was born and passed her short life in the state of Georgia, a region beset by its “Southern Gothic” heritage, a history of slavery and passionate division, from which her own particular vision. with its Catholic undercurrents, springs. Her own religion gave her a distanced view of the peculiar culture around her...

Are Two Children Killed in Minneapolis Church Shooting Martyrs? Theologians Reflect

Are the Minneapolis Church Shooting Victims Martyrs?| National Catholic RegisterMATTMCDONALD: Among the unanswered questions in the aftermath of the mass shooting at a Catholic church in Minneapolis earlier this week is whether the two children who died are martyrs. Like St. Óscar Romero in 1980 and St. Thomas Becket in 1170, they died while praying in church. But does that make Harper Moyski, 10, and Fletcher Merkel, 8, martyrs as the Catholic Church defines the term? The answer isn’t clear-cut, partly because not all the facts are known and partly because the Church’s concept of martyrdom has been expanding in recent decades.

This Sunday, One Word Reveals What Jesus Means By ‘Take the Lowest Place’ at Table

This%20Sunday%2C%20One%20Word%20Reveals%20What%20Jesus%20Means%20By%20%u2018Take%20the%20Lowest%20Place%u2019%20at%20Table%20%u2013%20Benedictine%20College%20Media%20%26%20CultureHOOPES: Jesus continues his spiritual instruction on what it takes to enter heaven on the Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C, and he continues to challenge our faulty understanding of how it works. Last week we learned that hell isn’t punishment for bad behavior, but the natural consequence of failing to get to know God. This week we learn that heaven isn’t something we claim if we are strong, but something we are gifted if we are weak. Here are five takeaways drawn from Sunday Readings columns at this site and the Extraordinary Story podcast.

The Risk of Making the Sign of the Cross

The Risk of Making the Sign of the Cross | Knowing Is DoingTORRE: There is something to consider and ponder when the expression of a religious gesture can foster such discomfort amongst people, even those who are directly associated with the gesture in question. It is fair, I argue, to propose that human beings are attracted by symbols. Whatever the symbol may reflect, e.g., a flag, an animal, a color, an illustrated scene, words from a book, clothing, or bodily movements, these objects attract the senses of the human being...

To Go Up Higher: A Reflection on the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

To Go up Higher: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time - St. Paul CenterHAHN: We come to the wedding banquet of heaven by way of humility and charity. This is the fatherly instruction we hear in today’s First Reading, and the message of today’s Gospel. Jesus is not talking simply about good table manners. He is revealing the way of the kingdom, in which the one who would be greatest would be the servant of all (see Luke 22:24–27). This is the way, too, that the Father has shown us down through the ages—filling the hungry...

The Many Heads of St. John the Baptist

(2) The many heads of John the Baptist - by Deacon TomTOMMCDONALD: John the Baptist has two feasts on the calendar, but only one head. The Nativity of John the Baptist on June 24 commemorates his birth, and the Beheading of John the Baptist on August 29 commemorates his death. The beheading took place at the hilltop palace fortress of Machaerus, in Jordan (shown above). I’ve made the climb and it’s steeper than it looks, and would be an impregnable redoubt. Not much is left, but it still leaves a powerful impression.

How the TLM Conversation Has Changed Under Pope Leo XIV — and What It Might Mean

How%20the%20TLM%20Conversation%20Has%20Changed%20Under%20Pope%20Leo%20XIV%20%u2014%20and%20What%20It%20Might%20Mean%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterLIEDL: In his first three months as pope, Leo XIV has not issued any significant changes to the status of the traditional Latin Mass (TLM). Traditionis Custodes, Pope Francis’ 2021 policy calling for restrictions like the removal of the pre-conciliar liturgy from all parish churches, is still in effect. But something else regarding the TLM has changed under Pope Leo: the conversation. Since the new Pope assumed office on May 8, several prelates who had previously kept silent under Pope Francis have spoken out in favor of the TLM...

From Doorkeepers to Defenders: Catholic Men Step Up to Guard Parishes

From Doorkeepers to Defenders: Catholic Men Step Up to Guard Parishes| National Catholic Register: Do Catholic churches need to provide more security? That question is on many minds in the aftermath of a mass shooting of schoolchildren during a Mass at a parish church in Minneapolis on Wednesday. One group in Arizona has been training Catholic men to provide security for their parishes for about five years. “Unfortunately, today is an example of why it’s needed,” said Brian Eaton, the founder of Porters of St. Joseph...

After Years of Liturgical Strife, Pope Leo XIV Reshapes Syro-Malabar Church With New Provinces and Bishops

Pope Leo XIV brings about unity in the Syro-Malabar Church | Catholic News Agency: The Holy See Press Office has published a series of decisions by Pope Leo XIV to bring about unity in the Syro-Malabar Church of India, which has been at serious risk of schism in recent years due to liturgical disputes. The Syro-Malabar Church is one of the 23 Eastern Churches in full communion with the bishop of Rome and follows the Chaldean liturgical tradition. It is the largest Eastern Church after the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church...

‘Mitis Iudex,’ 10 Years Later — Have Pope Francis’ Tribunal Reforms Worked?

(2) 'Mitis iudex', 10 years later - by JD Flynn - The PillarJDFLYNN: More than four months after Pope Francis’ death, the big picture of the late pontiff’s place in history is still far from clear. The Church is still unpacking the Francis papacy, and is not yet far enough removed to know what it will mean for the Church in decades or centuries to come. But some elements of the late pontiff’s legacy will be shaped by how Francis’ successor, Pope Leo XIV, chooses to engage with the teaching and governing decisions of Pope Francis.

Minneapolis Shooter Confessed He Was ‘Tired of Being Trans,’ Said ‘I Wish I Never Brainwashed Myself’

Minneapolis school shooter Robin Westman confessed he was 'tired of being trans': Transgender mass shooter Robin Westman confessed that he “was tired of being trans” and wished he “never brain-washed” himself in a manifesto posted online before he slaughtered two children and wounded dozens more at a Minneapolis church. In a twisted handwritten journal he shared on YouTube before the massacre — much of which is encrypted in a homespun code of Russian Cyrillic script and English words — Westman groaned about his long hair and his decision to transition.

FBI Investigates Minneapolis School Shooting as Anti-Catholic Hate Crime

FBI investigates Minneapolis school shooting as anti-Catholic hate crime: A shooting at a school in Minneapolis that left two children dead and 17 others injured is being investigated as an anti-Catholic hate crime, the FBI says. "The FBI is investigating this shooting as an act of domestic terrorism and hate crime targeting Catholics," FBI Director Kash Patel said in a post on X. The two children, aged eight and 10, were killed when an attacker opened fire through the windows of the city's Annunciation Church on Wednesday morning as children were celebrating Mass.

Annunciation Church Attack Came During the Responsorial Psalm at Mass

Minneapolis Catholic schoolchildren listened to a prayer, then ducked for cover from gunfire | Crux: In the vaulted church of a Catholic school in Minneapolis, the pews were packed with teachers, parents and schoolchildren listening to a psalm on the third day of the new school year. “For you darkness itself is not dark, and night shines as the day,” a church member read to some 200 students Wednesday morning as sun streamed through stained glass windows.

A Scientist Says He’s Solved the Bermuda Triangle, Just Like That

A%20Scientist%20Says%20He%u2019s%20Solved%20the%20Bermuda%20Triangle%2C%20Just%20Like%20That: Pick any one of the more than 50 ships or 20 planes that have disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle in the last century. Each one has a story without an ending, leading to a litany of conspiracy theories about the disappearances in the area, marked roughly by Florida, Bermuda, and the Greater Antilles.

Sin Is the Only Obstacle to Freedom

The Only Obstacle to Freedom | Catholic CulturePOKORSKY: The old Janis Joplin tune goes, “Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose.” Sorry, Janis. With freedom, we gain everything. The only obstacle to our freedom is sin. God created us in freedom. He placed the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the Garden as a test of our freedom. Our first parents failed the test. The Church teaches that Original Sin didn’t destroy us. Even sin cannot obliterate God’s good creation. However, Original Sin badly wounded human nature, and we became slaves to sin in need of redemption.

Augustine the Saint

Augustine the Saint ~ The Imaginative ConservativeREGISMARTIN: It has long been a commonplace among commentators of the Confessions that the first nine books are about Augustine’s ardent search for truth, leaving reflections on its meaning for the remaining four books. In other words, now that he’s determined to cleave to Christ, to commune with Him in the most intimate way in the life of the Church, certain implications follow which Augustine is only too eager to flesh out over the course of the final number of books.

Minnesota Catholic School Shooting Came After Bishops’ Pleas for Security Funds Went Unanswered

Minnesota%20Catholic%20School%20Shooting%20Came%20After%20Bishops%u2019%20Pleas%20for%20Security%20Funds%20Went%20Unanswered%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterLIEDL: After a pair of out-of-state school shootings in 2022 and 2023 shocked the nation, Minnesota’s bishops implored state lawmakers to provide security funding for local non-public schools. Now, two years after their appeals went unheeded, tragedy has struck one of their own. On the morning of Aug. 27, a gunman opened fire during at an all-school Mass at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis...

Pope Leo XIV Expresses Sorrow Over Shooting at Catholic School Mass in Minneapolis

Pope Leo expresses sorrow over shooting at Catholic school in Minneapolis - Vatican News: Pope Leo XIV has expressed his profound sorrow upon learning of the loss of life and injuries following the shooting that took place at Annunciation Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in the US. In a telegram sent to Archbishop Bernard Hebda of Minneapolis, the Pope expressed his "heartfelt condolences and the assurance of spiritual closeness to all those affected by this terrible tragedy, especially the families now grieving the loss of a child."

LIVE UPDATES: Shooter Opens Fire on Children at Annunciation Catholic School Mass in Minneapolis

LIVE UPDATES: Shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis | Catholic News Agency: Authorities and media reports on Wednesday morning said a mass shooting had taken place at a Catholic parish and school in Minneapolis, one that police were reportedly treating as a “mass casualty” incident. The local crime watch outlet Minnesota Crime said on Wednesday morning that police reported 20 victims of an “active shooter” at the site of Annunciation Church in Minneapolis, with emergency responders having initiated a “mass casualty response.” Annunciation Catholic School is located next to the parish.

On Wanting a Good Wife

On Wanting a Good Wife - LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: I think there is a danger for us in the two famous scriptural pericopes on a good woman, one in Proverbs 31 and the other in Sirach 26. I do not know what a woman thinks when she hears these remarkable texts. I want to consider how a man hears them. There is much beautiful but also challenging in the description of a good woman, or more specifically a good wife...

Archbishop Hebda of Minneapolis-St. Paul: ‘I Beg for the Continued Prayers ... of All Men and Women of Good Will’

Statement Regarding Deadly Shooting at Annunciation Church in Minneapolis - Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis: I am so grateful for the many promises of prayers that have been coming in from the Holy Father, Pope Leo, and from so many from all around the globe, all praying for the families of Annunciation Parish and School and for all who were impacted by this morning’s senseless violence.

A $100 Sign of a Father’s Love at Cracker Barrel

A%20%24100%20Sign%20of%20a%20Father%u2019s%20Love%20at%20Cracker%20Barrel%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterCLARK: Since Cracker Barrel is in the news these days, I thought I’d relate a cute story that — somewhat uniquely — has nothing to do with the logo. The year after my father died, Lisa and I drove from Florida up to Virginia with a few of our children to visit my mom. Over the days we were with her, my mom kept saying that my dad had left some cash and she wanted us to take it...

‘Horrific’ Shooting at Morning Mass for Annunciation Catholic K-8 School in Minneapolis

Minneapolis%20police%20responding%20to%20%u2018horrific%20act%20of%20violence%u2019%20at%20Annunciation%20Catholic%20School%20%7C%20CNN: Minnesota police have responded to the scene of a shooting at a Catholic school in Minneapolis, Gov. Tim Walz said.

Pope Leo XIV’s Wednesday Audience: ‘Jesus Shows That Christian Hope Is Not Evasion, But Decision’

Pope%20Leo%20XIV%3A%20%u2018Christian%20hope%20is%20not%20evasion%2C%20but%20decision%u2019%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20AgencyBROCKHAUS: We find true hope when we give of ourselves freely and with love — encountering suffering, not running away from it, Pope Leo XIV said at his weekly audience with the public on Wednesday. Addressing thousands of pilgrims in the Vatican’s Paul VI Audience Hall, the pope emphasized Jesus’ embrace of suffering, when he gave himself up to be arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane before his crucifixion.

Catholic Priest Forced to Leave Texas Amid Visa Backlog and Residency Denial

Catholic priest forced to leave Texas amid visa backlog and residency denial | Catholic News AgencyARNOLD: A Mexican-born Catholic priest who has served in the Diocese of Laredo, Texas, for nine years must leave the United States because his application for residency was denied and his religious worker visa is expiring. Father Alan Sanchez, the pastor of St. Joseph Church in La Pryor and St. Patrick Mission in Batesville, will return to his native country of Mexico on Wednesday...

5 Catholic Truths About Politics as America Turns 250

Politics and the Birthday Party - The Catholic ThingMAIER: July 2026 marks the 250th birthday of the United States. Alas, the celebration next year will come in the midst of yet another election cycle, and at a time of deep cultural divisions. We need a “common good” politics more than ever. But that’s easier said than done. Here’s why. In Catholic thought, the political realm is primarily the responsibility of the laity...

Boldly Faithful: Star Trek Reveals Captain Pike Is a Christian

Boldly Faithful: Star Trek Reveals Captain Pike Is a Christian| National Catholic RegisterBASILE: I rarely watch television. Since the end of appointment viewing and the advent of reality TV, politically correct sitcoms and preachy, politically charged dramas, there certainly have been periods over the last number of years that produced few watchable, memorable or edifying programs. One of the few shows I find time to watch is Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. I’ve been a Trekker since I was a kid. Star Trek was the best kind of escapism, providing a hopeful vision of a future when people of all races...

It’s Time to Add Old Testament Saints to the Liturgical Calendar

It%u2019s%20Time%20to%20Add%20Old%20Testament%20Saints%20to%20the%20Liturgical%20Calendar%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterDESOUZA: With apologies to the Polish Catholics celebrating the feast of Our Lady of Częstochowa on Aug. 26: Blessings for the feast of Melchizedek. Yes, that Melchizedek, from Genesis 14 and Hebrews 7 and Psalm 110 and hymned at a thousand priestly ordinations: Tu es sacerdos in aeternum, secundum ordinem Melchisedek (You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek). Melchizedek is only one of many Old Testament figures...

Is Designing Babies a Moral Imperative?

Is Designing Babies a Moral Imperative? - Word on FireKACZOR: Imagine a future where people order up their children’s eye color, height, IQ, and skin color the way they choose appliances for their kitchen. People order not just books and games on Amazon but baby boys and girls who are, as Newsweek put it recently, “genetically optimized.” Participants in an upcoming debate will tackle the question “Is Designing Babies Unethical—or a Moral Imperative?” The Enlightenment thinker Immanuel Kant made moral imperatives a central topic in ethical discourse. How would Kant answer the soon-to-be debated question?

Pope Leo XIV: ‘Altar Servers Help Lead the Faithful Into Sacred Mystery of Mass’

Pope: Altar servers help lead faithful into sacred Mystery of Mass - Vatican News: Pope Leo XIV met with around 360 altar servers from France on Monday, as they made a pilgrimage to Rome with their priests and bishops as part of the Jubilee Year. In his address, the Pope said their pilgrimage through the Holy Doors offers them a chance to turn toward God and grow in faith and love so that they may be more faithful disciples of Christ. He invited the young French Catholics to take time to speak to Jesus in the secrecy of their hearts and to love Him more.

Pope Leo XIV’s Sunday Angelus: Jesus Challenges Presumption of Those Who Think They Are Already Saved

Pope Leo XIV: Jesus challenges presumption of those who think they are already saved | Catholic News AgencyMARES: Pope Leo XIV said Sunday that Jesus calls Christians to enter through the narrow gate and challenges the presumption of those who assume they are already saved. Speaking from the window of the Apostolic Palace to pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square on Aug. 24, the pope reflected on the day’s Gospel reading in which Jesus says: “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able” (Lk 13:22-30).

Pope Leo XIV Urges Catholic Legislators Worldwide to Look to St. Augustine’s ‘City of God’

Pope%20Leo%20XIV%20urges%20Catholic%20legislators%20to%20look%20to%20Augustine%u2019s%20%u2018City%20of%20God%u2019%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20AgencyMARES: Pope Leo XIV on Saturday urged Catholic lawmakers to draw inspiration from St. Augustine’s “City of God” as they navigate shifting global politics, warning against reducing the idea of human flourishing to mere wealth or consumer comfort. Speaking to the International Catholic Legislators Network in the Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace, the pope called on parliamentarians to ensure that “power is tamed by conscience and law is at the service of human dignity.”

Why Is The New York Times Afraid of Science?

Restorative Reproductive Medicine: New York Times Afraid of Science on Medical Care | National ReviewLOPEZ: As I got settled into a hotel room in West Virginia on Wednesday night, I read a text message from a young man I’ve known for a number of years. Nick is a bit of the heart of Hard as Nails ministry and wrote me to thank me for something I said when speaking to a group of missionaries in Columbus earlier this week: “Sometimes God needs you to fall because in getting back up again you realize you need Him.” I will trust my young friend that I said that...

This Sunday, Jesus Has Very Bad News About Hell — But Don’t Miss the Very Good News

This%20Sunday%2C%20Jesus%20Has%20Very%20Bad%20News%20About%20Hell%3B%20But%20Don%u2019t%20Miss%20the%20Very%20Good%20News%20%u2013%20Benedictine%20College%20Media%20%26%20CultureHOOPES: The Readings for Sunday Mass deliver amazing news, but with an enormous hidden consequence. The news is truly great. The first three readings are like a jubilant band sounding the call to march to heaven with herald trumpets and joyous cymbals clashing. In the First Reading, from Isaiah, the Lord himself says “I come to gather the nations of every language...

What Does the Bible Say About Being Open to Children?

What Does the Bible Say About Being Open to Children? - St. Paul CenterHARROLD: The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that when a man and a woman come together in marriage, the conception of a child “does not come from outside as something added on to the mutual love of the spouses, but springs from the very heart of that mutual giving, as its fruit and fulfillment” (2366). Hence the Church teaches that children are to be welcomed as gifts from the Lord. But where is this teaching found in Sacred Scripture?

Cardinal Burke Received in Private Audience by Pope Leo XIV

Cardinal Burke received in audience by Pope Leo XIV: His Eminence Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke was warmly received in a private audience by Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican this morning, 22 August 2025. The Holy See Press Office confirmed that among the dignitaries granted a private audience today was Cardinal Burke. Although no details of the conversation have been made public, the meeting is widely regarded as highly significant.

Why are some women’s religious orders dying while others are booming?

%282%29%20%u2018God%20is%20constantly%20calling%u2019%20%u2014%20Women%20religious%20talk%20vocationsFIGGE: Catholic media outlets frequently herald the vocations crisis, bewailing that young men and women are not becoming priests and religious sisters anymore. In reality, the situation is more nuanced. Some dioceses are struggling with low numbers of priests, while others are blessed with many young men entering seminary...

Pope Leo XIV Calls Catholics to Pray and Fast Today for Peace in Gaza

Catholic Church holds day of prayer and fasting for peace in Gaza | CruxCOLLINS: On Friday, Catholics have been called to pray and fast for people suffering in wars, including those in Gaza in the Holy Land. Pope Leo XIV said the Church would be “imploring the Lord to grant us peace and justice, and to dry the tears of those who suffer as a result of the ongoing armed conflicts” when he asked Aug. 22 to be a day of prayer during his Wednesday Audience.

Carlo Acutis’ Mother: First Millennial Saint Shows ‘Holiness Is in the Ordinary’

Carlo%20Acutis%u2019%20Mother%3A%20First%20Millennial%20Saint%20Shows%20%u2018Holiness%20Is%20in%20the%20Ordinary%u2019%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterFERRISI: Antonia Acutis, the mother of soon-to-be-saint Carlo Acutis, the first millennial saint, spoke with the Register on Aug. 20 about her son’s holiness and vocational dream, plus other topics, such as his common witness (including their prayer lives, serving the poor and shared love of math) with Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, who will be canonized alongside Carlo on Sept. 7. “The two of them filled themselves up with Christ,” Antonia said.

Asia reminded me that life is about more than the carnal and secular

Asia reminded me that life is about more than the carnal and secular - UCA News: When I turned up at Jakarta’s Our Lady of the Assumption Cathedral 10 minutes before the start of Mass and could not get into the cathedral, I learned my lesson. Religion in Asia matters. I struggled to find a seat in the overflow area. I grumbled. It was hot and crowded. But as Holy Mass began, with angelic singing, my grumbling turned to gratitude, and my annoyance transformed to celebration.

Pope Leo XIV to Rimini Meeting: ‘Hope Does Not Disappoint’

Pope Leo XIV to Rimini Meeting: Hope does not disappoint - Vatican News: Pope Leo XIV encouraged those participating in the Meeting for Friendship Among Peoples - commonly referred to as the "Rimini Meeting" - to be peacemakers, full of hope, who work for the common good, in a message released Thursday signed on his behalf by Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin. Every year since 1980, the Meeting for Friendship Among Peoples has taken place in the northern Italian sea town of Rimini in late August. This year's theme is "In the vacant places we will build with new bricks."

Don’t Cherry-Pick St. John Henry Newman, Say Theologians

Don%u2019t%20Cherry-Pick%20St.%20John%20Henry%20Newman%2C%20Say%20Theologians%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterLIEDL: In his own words, Andrew Meszaros is “elated” that St. John Henry Newman will soon be declared a doctor of the Church. And why wouldn’t he be? As the inaugural holder of the St. John Henry Newman Chair at the Angelicum in Rome (the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas), Meszaros’ job is to foster scholarly engagement with the 19th-century English convert. And he believes the more appeals to Newman made in current Catholic discourse, “whatever our theological inclinations,” the better.

Frank Caprio, Famed ‘Caught in Providence’ Judge Known for Showing Mercy, Dies at 88

Frank Caprio, Famed Judge Known for Showing Mercy, Dies at 88| National Catholic RegisterABUZEID: Frank Caprio, who served as a Providence, Rhode Island, municipal court judge for nearly 40 years and came to be known as “America’s nicest judge,” passed away on Aug. 20 from pancreatic cancer. “Beloved for his compassion, humility, and unwavering belief in the goodness of people, Judge Caprio touched the lives of millions through his work in the courtroom and beyond. His warmth, humor, and kindness left an indelible mark on all who knew him,” read a statement posted on his official Facebook page.

Why This Little-Known Catholic Classic Is Elon Musk’s Favorite Book

Why%20This%20Little-Known%20Catholic%20Classic%20Is%20Elon%20Musk%u2019s%20Favorite%20Book%7C%20National%20Catholic%20Register: Many Catholic thinkers have drawn their wisdom from the contemplative silence of the cloister. Others throughout history have navigated the intrigues of royal courts, from the Council of Trent to the Bourbon and Habsburg dynasties to the French Revolution. Baltasar Gracián, a 17th-century Spanish Jesuit, did both. Living in the aftermath of the Reformation, he crafted one of the most unusual works of spiritual wisdom ever written: a collection of aphorisms as sharp as they are enduring.

Church-Run Daycare Helps Parents in Bangladesh’s Garment Industry

Church-Run%20Daycare%20Helps%20Parents%20in%20Bangladesh%u2019s%20Garment%20Industry%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterBISWAS: For hard-pressed families with two parents who both work in Bangladesh’s garment industry, the Catholic-run Mamata Day Care Center is a godsend. Three-month-old Sifrat Ullah Al Soyath starts his day early in the morning with his parents. But right after breakfast, the infant boy goes to the daycare center with his mother, Sathi...

Our Age of Martyrdom

Our age of martyrdomWEIGEL: In the run-up to the Great Jubilee of 2000, Pope John Paul II created a Commission on the New Martyrs, whose report suggested that more Christians had been killed in odium fidei (in hatred of the faith) in the twentieth century than in the previous nineteen centuries of Christian history combined. Martyrdom, the pope knew, was not confined to the distant past and the Hollywood archives where films like The Robe and Demetrius and the Gladiators gather dust...

Can Pope Leo resist the Vatican culture of ‘alternative facts’?

%282%29%20Can%20Pope%20Leo%20resist%20the%20Vatican%20culture%20of%20%u2018alternative%20facts%u2019%3FCONDON: Pope Leo XIV is at Castel Gandolfo this week, the new pope’s second stint at the papal summer residence, while work is completing on renovations to the papal apartments where he is set to take up residence with a small Augustinian community. In the meantime, his curia is also enjoying something of the traditionally more relaxed August schedule. Summer doesn’t last forever, of course...

Vatican Approves New Patron Saints for Entire Arabian Peninsula

Vatican approves new patron saints for entire Arabian Peninsula | Catholic News AgencyHENRIQUEZ: The Vatican’s Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments approved the new regional calendar of the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia, thereby granting new patron saints for the Arabian Peninsula. The vicariate is a territorial jurisdiction of the Catholic Church that encompasses the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Sultanate of Oman, and the Republic of Yemen. The vicariate is headed by Italian Bishop Paolo Martinelli with its seat in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE.

Treat St. John Henry Newman as a Teacher, Not a Tool for an Agenda, Say Theologians

Treat St. John Henry Newman as a Teacher, Not a Tool for an Agenda, Say Theologians| National Catholic RegisterLIEDL: In his own words, Andrew Meszaros is “elated” that St. John Henry Newman will soon be declared a doctor of the Church. And why wouldn’t he be? As the inaugural holder of the St. John Henry Newman Chair at the Angelicum in Rome (the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas), Meszaros’ job is to foster scholarly engagement with the 19th-century English convert...

How St. Stephen’s Feast Became Hungary’s National Holiday After the Fall of Communism

How%20a%20Saint%u2019s%20Feast%20Became%20Hungary%u2019s%20National%20Holiday%20After%20Communism%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterLARSON: In 1989, after 40 dark years of communist rule, Hungary was ready for a fresh start. When the seemingly indomitable influence of the Soviet Union collapsed in satellite states like Hungary and Poland, changes came suddenly and all at once: Democratic elections were held, economies opened to the prosperous West, and faith was allowed to flourish once again. Some of the most tangible signs of the new era of freedom were...

Pope Leo XIV Urges Catholics to Pray and Fast for World Peace This Friday

Pope Leo XIV invites Church to pray and fast for peace on Aug. 22 Queenship of Mary feast day | Catholic News Agency: Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday continued his catechesis on “Jesus Christ Our Hope” and invited Catholics around the world to dedicate the Aug. 22 feast of the Queenship of Mary to a day of prayer and fasting for world peace. After delivering his Aug. 20 catechesis to approximately 6,000 international pilgrims gathered inside the Vatican’s Paul VI Audience Hall...

Maybe We Need Fewer Church Professionals?

Maybe We Need Fewer Church Professionals? | Church Life Journal | University of Notre DameREGNER: Before you pick up that stone or pitchfork, please allow me to explain. With the title of this article, I do not intend to malign the work of those many people who have served the Church over the years. On the contrary, having given ten years of my own professional life to her, first at a parish and later at a chancery, I well understand the need for such servants, as well as the real change they can effect. That being said, I did not choose this title simply to catch your attention. Amidst the many challenges facing the Church right now...

Gateway to Life: A Reflection on the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gateway to Life: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time - St. Paul CenterHAHN: Jesus doesn’t answer the question put to Him in this Sunday’s Gospel. It profits us nothing to speculate on how many will be saved. What we need to know is what He tells us today—how to enter into salvation and how urgent it is to strive now, before the Master closes the door. Jesus is “the narrow gate,” the only way of salvation, the path by which all must travel to enter the kingdom of the Father...

The Risk of Fearing God

The Risk of Fearing God | Knowing Is DoingTORRE: The idea that human fear is intimately associated with God may sound and appear as either an anomaly or a contradiction. In a worldview understanding of fear, God would be typically referenced by saying his name in vain and thus breaking the second commandment due to the cause of the fear experienced. Even more, fear as a human act would be associated with being afraid of God, not because he is the alpha and omega, but instead of what he can do to you if you cross Him...

Will Netflix fight the Aslan war or not?

(2) Will Netflix fight the Aslan war or not? - by tmattMATTINGLY: Oh merciful heavens, why would Netflix executives risk such a move that they know will infuriate millions of Chronicles of Narnia lovers around the world? I am referring, of course, to the decision — based on early photos of locations and outdoor sets for “The Magician’s Nephew” — to set the Narnia origins movie in 1955, as opposed to 1900 or thereabouts. This would move the core Narnia stories out of the World War II years...

St. John Eudes, the News, and Soapboxes

(2) St. Eudes, the news, and soapboxes - by JD FlynnJDFLYNN: Today’s the second day of school, and I’ve already got a kid home sick with a fever. That didn’t take long at all. And, true to form, I was up all night with him, even though my kids are 13, 12, and eight, and I assumed my sleepless-dad-nights were well behind me. I know soon enough I’ll be up all night waiting for my daughter to get home from sock hops or swimming at the quarry...

Great Unsung Composers of Christendom

Great Unsung Composers of Christendom ~ The Imaginative ConservativePEARCE: This year marks the 500th anniversary of the birth of Palestrina, the great composer of sacred polyphony, whose masterful compositions for the sacred liturgy have been described by Catholic musicologist Susan Treacy as “a cathedral in music.” Palestrina was so much the musical voice of the Catholic Reformation in the sixteenth century that he is rightly revered as one of the most important composers of all time...

We Have an Invisible Vocations Crisis — Not Just Priests, But Marriages Too

(2) The Invisible Vocations Crisis - by Stephen WhiteSTEPHENWHITE: In the years immediately following the Second Vatican Council, the number of Catholic priests in the United States began to decline precipitously. Thousands of men left ministry and the number of men entering seminary to replace them began to shrink rapidly. According to the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) at Georgetown, there were 59,192 Catholic priests in the United States in 1970...

Pope Leo XIV Names Omaha Priest as New Bishop of Jefferson City, Missouri

Pope Leo XIV names new bishop for Jefferson City, Missouri | Catholic News Agency: Pope Leo XIV has named Father Ralph O’Donnell of the Archdiocese of Omaha as the new bishop of Jefferson City, Missouri. He will succeed Archbishop Shawn McKnight, who in May was installed as archbishop of Kansas City, Kansas. Bishop-elect O’Donnell has most recently served as pastor of St. Margaret Mary Parish in Omaha.

‘If Universe Big How God Real?’ How Light Pollution Foreshadows the Antichrist

Light Pollution as Antichrist ~ The Imaginative Conservative: “If universe big how God real?” So goes the tongue-in-cheek version of an atheist argument against God’s existence. More seriously: If the claims of Christianity and the other monotheistic religions are true, why would God have created a vast universe in which humanity—so central to God’s plan in these religions—is such an insignificant part? This argument is open to some obvious counters from believers—that size is rarely positively correlated with importance...

Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem: Satan Wants to Rule Where Jesus Lived

Latin patriarch of Jerusalem: Satan wants to rule where Jesus lived | Catholic News Agency: The ongoing violence in the Holy Land, especially now with the war in Gaza, was addressed by the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, in his homily during the solemnity of the Assumption of Mary.

14 Things We Learned About Pope Leo XIV From His Brother’s Latest Interview

14%20Things%20We%20Learned%20About%20Pope%20Leo%20From%20His%20Brother%u2019s%20Latest%20Interview%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterCALDWELL: Ever since his brother was named pope, John Prevost hasn’t been shy about talking to the press. Pope Leo XIV’s first phone call with his brother went viral, after a reporter captured it on video (“Why don’t you answer the phone,” the newly elected Pontiff had snapped at his brother in a highly relatable sibling interaction captured for posterity). Now, in a wide-ranging, half-hour interview with NBC’s Chicago affiliate...

Patron Saint of Fashion? Soon-to-Be-Saint Pier Giorgio Frassati Dressed for God, Not for the World

Patron Saint of Fashion? Soon-to-Be-Saint Pier Giorgio Frassati Dressed for God, Not for the World| National Catholic Register: Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati’s canonization Sept. 7 will not simply honor a young man of charm, wit and tenderness who cherished fellowship, sports and family. It will celebrate a life where wealth was worn lightly, style reflected devotion to God and the poor, and radiance flowed from love of God. Dylan Staub, 21, of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, called Frassati...

The Fake UN Report That Undermines the Lanciano Miracle — and Why Catholics Must Speak Up

(2) The Fake Lanciano WHO Report - by Stacy TrasancosTRASANCOS: In case you haven’t heard of it, here’s the story. Tradition holds that the Eucharistic miracle of Lanciano occurred in Italy around A.D. 750. This is the oldest known account of the bread and wine turning into human flesh and blood when a doubting priest pronounced the words of consecration. Over twelve centuries later, in 1970-71, both species were analyzed by Dr. Edoardo Linoli...

We Prayed to St. Jude — and the Doctors Were Astonished

We%20Prayed%20to%20St.%20Jude%20%u2014%20and%20the%20Doctors%20Were%20Astonished%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterLUKAS: My father, who suffered from peptic ulcers most of his life, was near death after physicians had performed a gastrectomy. My entire family lived in the same home — my parents, brother, sister, two cousins, aunt and bachelor uncle — and they all gathered around the bed of my father. I was an 8-year-old-boy who was all too familiar with death...

No Snark. No Politics. Nothing But Merriment From Another World...

Merriment from Another World - The Catholic ThingESOLEN: Frank Fontaine was a devout Catholic, of rock-solid devotion to the Church and to his wife and their eleven children. Jackie Gleason was a bad Catholic, with a soured marriage and a wayward eye. “Jackie doesn’t practice it,” said Jack Haley, the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz, himself a devoted Catholic, “but he believes it.” Both Fontaine and Gleason were tireless in works of charity, and for Fontaine that was the more impressive...

Is the SSPX Pilgrimage an ‘Official’ Jubilee Event?

(2) Is the SSPX pilgrimage an 'official' Jubilee event?BELTRAN: The Society of Saint Pius X made headlines last week, when the Vatican announced the inclusion of an SSPX pilgrimage in an official list of events for the jubilee year. To some observers, the inclusion of the SSPX in an official Holy See calendar of events and pilgrimages is a significant new development in the relationship between the Vatican and the traditionalist group in “imperfect communion” with Rome — a relationship which saw some notable ups and downs during the previous pontificate.

Our Sunday Visitor to Close Print Publications, Marking End of 113-Year Era in Catholic Publishing

OSV ends periodical publications in 'strategic shift': Longtime Catholic publisher Our Sunday Visitor Inc. (OSV), the parent company of OSV News, has announced it will sunset almost all of its periodical operations by December. OSV News, launched in 2023 as the successor of Catholic News Service’s U.S.-based operations, will continue to operate as part of OSV’s “strategic shift” in its mission. OSV will also continue to publish the English edition of “L’Osservatore Romano,” the Vatican’s newspaper.

Pope Leo XIV: Bear Christ’s ‘Fire of Love’ to Spread Peace Throughout the World

Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass with the poor in Albano, message of hope at Castel Gandolfo | Catholic News Agency: Pope Leo XIV celebrated Sunday Mass at the Shrine of Santa Maria della Rotonda together with the poor and Caritas workers, saying Christ’s “fire of love” is what can create peace in society. During his Aug. 17 homily, the Holy Father said the Church of Jesus is a “Church of the poor,” whose faithful should not seek their own comfort and security at the expense of those most in need.

This Sunday, Urgent Words From Jesus, Our Lord, Coach, and Trainer

This%20Sunday%2C%20Urgent%20Words%20From%20Jesus%2C%20Our%20Lord%2C%20Coach%2C%20and%20Trainer%20%u2013%20Benedictine%20College%20Media%20%26%20CultureHOOPES: The Church gives each of us an unexpected opportunity on the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C. The readings at Mass offer an exclusive, personal expert trainer and coach in what matters most in our life: Jesus Christ himself. Here are five takeaways drawn from Sunday Readings columns at this site and the Extraordinary Story podcast. First: Jesus sounds like a coach in the Gospel from Luke, and the Second Reading, from Hebrews, says that’s exactly what he is...

Pope Leo XIV Marks 100 Days as Supreme Pontiff

A pontiff and his people: Pope Leo XIV welcomes the world in his first 100 days | Catholic News Agency: Pope Leo XIV has officially reached the 100-day mark of his pontificate. Elected as the 267th pope on May 8, the Holy Father has already participated in several historic moments — including speaking to over a million young people at the Jubilee of Youth — and has had beautiful encounters with the faithful from all over the world.

What happened to the Blessed Virgin Mary after the crucifixion?

(2) What happened to the Virgin Mary after the crucifixion?TOMMCDONALD: What do we really know about the life of Mary beyond what the Bible tells us? Scripture gives us only glimpses of the Blessed Mother before she vanishes from history, only to reappear in the Book of Revelation as the “woman clothed in the sun.” We have the last words she speaks, resonating down the through the ages as a message to all who follow: “Do whatever he tells you.” The story of the Wedding at Cana is, in fact, the only place in Scripture where Mary addresses the adult Jesus directly.

Here’s How AI Is Being Used to Persecute Christians

Here%u2019s%20How%20AI%20Is%20Being%20Used%20to%20Persecute%20Christians%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterCHACON: Artificial intelligence is giving governments and hostile actors the ability to identify, monitor and silence Christians in ways that are quieter, faster, and harder to expose. What once required vast manpower can now be done instantly, at scale and with precision that human surveillance could never match. In China, authorities have installed cameras at the entrances of churches...

We need to restore what’s missing in Catholic education

Restoring%20What%u2019s%20Missing%20in%20Catholic%20EducationSTAUDT: “I sent my children to Catholic school from kindergarten through college, and now they don’t practice the faith.” It’s painful as an educator to hear these frequent reports from frustrated parents, yet unsurprising when, for decades, we stopped making any serious attempt to pass on the faith. The publishing of The Catechism of the Catholic Church in 1992 marked a turning point, inspiring a new generation of textbooks and faith-filled religious educators. Sadly, however, the drift away from the Church has continued. Something still isn’t clicking.

Pope Leo XIV to Address U.S. Catholic Youth in Historic Digital Encounter at NCYC, Broadcast Live by EWTN

EWTN%20to%20Carry%20Pope%20Leo%20XIV%u2019s%20First-Ever%20Digital%20Visit%20With%20America%u2019s%20Catholic%20Youth%7C%20National%20Catholic%20Register: EWTN Global Catholic Network announced it will serve as the exclusive media partner providing news coverage, broadcast, and digital streaming of Pope Leo XIV’s first-ever digital visit with American Catholic youth during the 2025 National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) hosted by the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM) on November 21, 2025.

Pope Leo’s First 100 Days: Less Robert, More Peter

Pope%20Leo%u2019s%20First%20100%20Days%3A%20Less%20Robert%2C%20More%20Peter%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterDESOUZA: On Aug. 16, Leo XIV marks his first 100 days as pope, enjoying enormous goodwill in the world and in the Church. That was evident from the exuberant reception he received at the Jubilee of Youth in Rome. The Holy Father likely considers that goodwill itself a good thing, a time of comity and comfort in the Church. It may not last, but as long as it does, it is a blessing to be enjoyed...

Think you’re just getting bundled ‘school supplies’ from those big box kit companies? Think again...

The Problem With Big Box Supply Kits - by Paul WeinholdWEINHOLD: Say it with me: Parents are the primary educators of their children. Parents are the primary educators of their children. Parents are the primary educators of their children. And we have to remain vigilant. That’s the lesson that we learned on our kids’ first day of school this year. Our family discovered that a big box school supply company snuck in a cute little periodical to help all the little children love reading...

3 Reasons to Do a Staycation

3 Reasons to Do a Staycation - LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: By staycation I simply mean a sort of vacation done at home. It could be very short (even a day or two) or it could be a week or more. Ideally not a replacement but rather an addition to a vacation (a going way of some kind), a staycation can be an excellent enhancement to life in a household. In these three reasons to do a staycation we can see a little more about what a staycation is and how we might do one...

Study: 9 in 10 Cradle Catholics Leaving the Church; Experts Urge Stronger Faith Community Ties

Study: 9 in 10 cradle Catholics leaving the Church; experts urge stronger faith community | Catholic News Agency: A recent study has found an increase in the number of Americans Catholics leaving the Church. To combat the issue, the study’s authors suggest creating stronger community ties among Catholics, especially among children. Michael Rota, philosophy professor at the University of St. Thomas, and Stephen Bullivant, theology and sociology professor at St. Mary’s University...

The Night Father Michael McGivney Saved My Life

The Night Father Michael McGivney Saved My Life| National Catholic RegisterFOWLER: The cold wintry night stung, and as usual, the late train into New York City from my hometown in Connecticut was several minutes late. I longed for the train car’s warmth but dreaded its arrival. For more than a year, I had endured a two-hour commute, one way, for a job at a media company, working on a national morning television show. It had been a great opportunity, and I’m proud to have worked there...

Pope Leo XIV’s Wednesday Audience: With God’s Grace, ‘We Live No Longer as Traitors, But as Children’

Pope at Audience: Sincere sorrow can open door to conversion and joy - Vatican News: During his weekly General Audience, Pope Leo XIV urges the faithful to recall that we are God's beloved children embraced by His forgiving love, explaining that sincerely seeking conversion helps us journey toward salvation despite our fragility. In his remarks to Polish pilgrims, the Holy Father says, "Implore God for peace for all nations experiencing the tragedy of war."

French Bishops Ask That Priest Who Served Time for Rape of a Boy Not Be Promoted

French bishops ask that priest who served time for rape of a minor not be promoted | Catholic News Agency: The French bishops’ conference has issued a statement addressed to the archbishop of Toulouse, Guy de Kerimel, asking him to rescind the promotion of a priest who served time in prison for the rape of a minor boy. In an Aug. 10 press release from the presidency of the Bishops’ Conference of France, the French bishops revealed they had “engaged in constructive dialogue” with Kerimel...

Consuming Fire: A Reflection on the Upcoming 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Consuming Fire: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time - St. Paul CenterHAHN: Our God is a consuming fire, the Scriptures tell us (see Hebrews 12:29; Deuteronomy 4:24). And in this week’s Gospel, Jesus uses the image of fire to describe the demands of discipleship. The fire He has come to cast on the earth is the fire that He wants to blaze in each of our hearts. He made us from the dust of the earth (see Genesis 2:7) and filled us with the fire of the Holy Spirit in Baptism...

Exploring Little-Known Sites in the Holy Land: Emmaus, St. Peter’s Prison, and Where the Child Jesus Astounded All

22BEAUDOIN: In the Catholic Faith, there are many forms of prayer. A unique form which Catholicism adopted from ancient Judaism is pilgrimage. Like other kinds of prayer, pilgrimage involves struggle, focus, intention, and sacrifice. Pilgrimage involves removing oneself from the comforts of home and traveling to another place, often distant, to honor our God by, for instance, visiting the place of a Saint’s tomb like the burial place of the Apostles St. Simon and...

Mapped: The Most Turbulent Flight Route on Each Continent

Mapped: The Most Turbulent Flight Route on Each Continent: The visual above, created by Julie Peasley, maps the single most turbulent flight route on each continent using Turbli’s 2024 rankings. Turbli compiles daily turbulence along actual flight tracks and reports average intensity using the eddy dissipation rate (EDR) scale from 0 to 100 (light to extreme).

The Vatican's Hall of Constantine Restored

The Vatican's Hall of Constantine Restored - The Catholic ThingMINER: They say of Julius II (pope from 1502 to 1513) that he did not choose his papal name in honor of his illustrious predecessor Julius I of some 1150 years earlier, but because of his esteem for Julius Caesar (100-44 BC). Maybe, although the pope’s birth name was Giuliano della Rovere, and Giuliano is a close cognate: Iulius in Latin and Giulio in Italian. As much as any other pope, Julius II is responsible for bringing great art...

The risk of holiness requires you to follow Christ and His Church, founded on the charity of Jesus

The Risk of Holiness | Knowing Is DoingTORRE: Within Sacred Scripture, it is fair to say that we encounter many spiritual and physical dramas between God and man. One who may be encountering the Word of God for the very first time may see the bible as a constant soap opera where God loves, man rejects God’s love, there are consequences to rejecting God’s love, man begs for forgiveness and mercy, God is infinitely merciful...

YouTuber Captures Incredible Mountain Lion Encounter On Camera

YouTuber Captures Incredible Mountain Lion Encounter On Camera - Unofficial Networks: Casey Anderson of Endless Adventure shared a remarkable story about a mountain lion encounter he witnessed from a distance near his property in Montana’s Paradise Valley. The incident involved two hikers who remained completely clueless to the fact that a young, curious male mountain lion was creeping up behind them. Fortunately nobody was injured and it remained as a phenomenal story.

Chicago-Style Pizza Hand-Delivered to Pope Leo by Catholic Influencers in Viral Video

Chicago-Style Pizza Hand-Delivered to Pope Leo by Catholic Influencers in Epic Video| National Catholic Register: Inspired by a viral video of a successful pizza delivery to Pope Francis in 2015, Jayden Remias embarked on a personal mission to hand-deliver a pizza to Pope Leo XIV. Remias explains that the goal, which was decided just over a month ago, goes beyond pizza delivery. Instead, he hopes to inspire his audience to trust God in the unknown and have faith when things seem impossible.

Prayer Compels Us to Put the Things of God First

Prayer compels us to put the things of God first | CruxKIRBY: The path of prayer is marked by hurdles and struggles that need to be overcome and faithfully endured. Prayer is the long spiritual walk that leads us out of ourselves and its fallenness and into the presence of God and his enduring peace. While distractions and dryness are a part of the battle, there is a still more silent and debilitating struggle that rumbles in the heart...

Do We Have Vocations to Marriage and Singleness?

Do%20we%20have%20vocations%20to%20marriage%20and%20singleness%3F%20%u2013%20Catholic%20World%20ReportDEAVEL: For decades now there has been a concerted effort by many Catholics to consider the concept of vocation in broader terms than merely the calling to priesthood, diaconate, and forms of consecrated virginity lived out either in a religious community or alone. There is a healthy aspect to this. There are also dangers. The healthy aspect is that this conversation has made people think about the fact that...

Bishop Douglas Lucia of Syracuse, New York, Takes on Extra Job as Parish Priest for 3 Churches

Syracuse%2C%20New%20York%u2019s%20Bishop%20Douglas%20J.%20Lucia%20takes%20on%20extra%20job%20of%20parish%20priest%20for%203%20churches%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: The Diocese of Syracuse, New York, announced on Aug. 9 that Bishop Douglas J. Lucia has taken on the additional job of parish priest at three churches in Baldwinsville, New York. The diocese announced a number of changes to pastoral assignments that went into effect on Aug. 1, including Lucia serving as pastor at St. Augustine Church, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, and St. Mary of the Assumption Church. The three churches are part of the same parish and share various initiatives and resources.

'Chicago Pope Tour': New bus tour shows life of Pope Leo XIV in area, starting at Holy Name Cathedral

'Chicago Pope Tour': New bus tour shows life of Pope Leo XIV in area, starting at World Famous Holy Name Cathedral - 6abc Philadelphia: A new Chicago bus tour will focus on the life and legacy of Pope Leo XIV. The "Chicago Pope Tour" will visit meaningful sites from Pope Leo's upbringing. The tour begins at the Holy Name Cathedral, where Pope Leo's parents married in the late 1940s, according to the tour website. For two-and-a-half hours, the tour promises to stop at his birthplace on the South Side, his childhood church and home, along with live narration.

Canada Legalized Euthanasia. Now Clinicians Are Struggling to Meet Demand, With Some Killing Hundreds of Patients...

Canada Gave Citizens the Right to Die. Doctors Are Struggling to Meet Demand. - The Atlantic: The euthanasia conference was held at a Sheraton. Some 300 Canadian professionals, most of them clinicians, had arrived for the annual event. There were lunch buffets and complimentary tote bags; attendees could look forward to a Friday-night social outing, with a DJ, at an event space above Par-Tee Putt in downtown Vancouver. “The most important thing,” one doctor told me, “is the networking.”

What Does Acts 1:4 Mean by Saying that Jesus Was ‘Eating Salt with Them’?

What Does Acts 1:4 Mean by Saying that Jesus was Eating Salt with Them? - Community in MissionPOPE: There is an unusual verse that occurs in the first chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, describing a gathering of Jesus and the apostles after the resurrection but before the ascension. For the most part, modern translations do not reveal the full oddity of the verse. The verse in question, as rendered by the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition, is this

How to Be as Free as a Dead Man: The Path to Spiritual Detachment

New Advent: How to Be as Free as a Dead Man: The Path to Spiritual DetachmentSTEFANICK: Today we dive into spiritual detachment: a life-changing practice that unlocks unshakeable joy, deep contentment, and heroic love. If you’ve ever felt your heart chained by worry, ambition, or the need for approval, this episode will set you free. We don’t detach to escape; we detach to love, learning to live in the freedom Christ died to give us.

7 of the Greatest Long-Lost Art Historical Masterpieces That Were Found in Attics and Basements — Ranked

7%20of%20the%20Greatest%20Long-Lost%20Art%20Historical%20Masterpieces%20That%20Were%20Found%20in%20Attics%20and%20Basements%u2014Ranked: Aficionados of Antiques Roadshow know that treasure sometimes hides in plain sight (if it isn’t a hoax or dud). And in operatic fashion, masterpieces often surface in prosaic domestic settings: attics, cellars, and garages. It’s precisely the romantic, slovenly nature—ideally blocked by cobwebs—of these spaces that draws us to discoveries therein. There’s something about the rags-to-riches unlikeliness of it all...

A Statistical History of Zoo Animal Escapes

History%20of%20zoo%20animal%20escapes%20%u2013%20FlowingData: It’s exciting when an animal escapes from the zoo. A monkey breaks free from its cage, ridding itself of restriction with nothing but freedom ahead. In a way, we are animals in a zoo biding our time until we can finally break free. Indeed.

Children of Abraham: Let Us Find Another Way to Peace

Children of Abraham: Let us find another way to peaceSCALIA: Is there a solution to the strife in the Middle East? Can there ever be a meaningful reconciliation between Israel and the people of Palestine? The socio-politico answers must come from better-informed minds than my own, for when I look at Israel and Gaza, all I see is hopelessness upon desperateness upon futility as both Israel and the Hamas terrorists, who seem hell-bent on warring forever, draw ever deeper lines into those sands touched by God, while too many of them are hostages held in relentless captivity and too many are going unfed.

Our Own Personal Love Is Not as Good as the Love of Christ

Our own personal love is not as good as the love of Christ | Catholic CultureMIRUS: But clearly the vast majority of persons throughout the world have not had or do not have a strong Catholic family life, or indeed any Catholic family life at all. What, then, is left? The answer is actually the very thing that is both modelled by a fully Christian family life and inescapably attracts positive attention. In other words the answer is Catholic peace, joy and love...

Pope Leo XIV Expands Rights for Parents Working in the Vatican

Pope expands rights for parents working in the Vatican - Vatican News: Five days paid leave for Vatican employees on the birth of a child; three paid days each month for parents of disabled children: These are two of the new provisions contained in the Rescript published Monday, 11 August, which expands the protections and rights of employees of the Vatican City State in various areas. The document, signed by the Prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy, Maximino Caballero Ledo, was approved by Pope Leo XIV, who received Mr. Caballero in audience on 28 July.

21st-Century Christian ‘Will Either Be a Martyr or Will Not Be a Christian,’ Says Cardinal

Cardinal%20Chomali%3A%2021st-century%20Christian%20%u2018will%20either%20be%20a%20martyr%20or%20will%20not%20be%20a%20Christian%u2019%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: “The Christian of the 21st century will either be a martyr or will not be a Christian,” the archbishop of Santiago and primate of Chile, Cardinal Fernando Chomali, said during a seminar about the role of faith in public life. The cardinal made the remark during his presentation at the seminar “And in Everything Charity,” which took place on the occasion of the centenary of Pope Pius XI’s encyclical Quas Primas.

Judge Declines to Dismiss Father Thomas Rosica Sexual Assault Lawsuit

Judge declines to dismiss Fr. Rosica sexual assault lawsuit: A lawsuit accusing prominent media figure Fr. Thomas Rosica of sexual assault will move forward after a Canadian judge rejected the priest’s petition to dismiss the suit. Judge Evelyn M. ten Cate of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario on Thursday dismissed a motion by Rosica to toss out the lawsuit in order to allow the allegations against him to be addressed exclusively in a canonical court...

Vatican Under Fire for Alleged Money-Laundering Dodge

Vatican%20under%20fire%20for%20alleged%20money-laundering%20dodge%20%u2013%20POLITICO: The Vatican is facing allegations it used a "skeleton key for money laundering" by illegally manipulating bank transfers. The city state's former top financial cop ― who was forced out in 2017 ― has claimed that its payroll agency was able to alter the names and account numbers on transactions after they were made, masking the identity of recipients and senders.

Pope Leo XIV’s Sunday Angelus: ‘Invest the Treasure of Your Life in Love and Mercy’

Pope at Angelus: Invest the treasure of your life in love and mercy - Vatican News: Addressing the faithful gathered in Saint Peter's Square for his Sunday Angelus, Pope Leo reflected on the Gospel passage from Luke, inviting the faithful to ask themselves how they are investing the “treasure” of their lives. Quoting Jesus’ words, “Sell what you own and give alms”, the Pope urged Christians not to cling to the gifts they have received from God, but to use them generously for the good of others - especially those most in need.

The Council of Nicaea and the Great Complication

The Council of Nicaea and the Great Complication | RealClearReligionYOST: In the sixteenth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus of Nazareth asks his disciples “whom do you say that I am?” Almost 300 years later, the West answered at Nicaea that Christ is none other than God begotten of God — “God from God, Light from Light, True God from True God ... of one being with the Father.” After that, nothing could ever be the same again. There could be no dimension of human life and activity immune to the ramifications of that confession.

Humanities Syllabus: Let Them Be Born in Wonder

Humanities Syllabus for July: Born in WonderCONLEY: God has instilled his creation with wonder, and he made us as beings who can recognize it and respond. As we embark on the second half of our yearlong pilgrimage through the humanities, we can reflect on the reason for engaging the humanities. It’s so typical in our consumerist culture simply to look or listen and then move on. The great works of the humanities, however, beckon us to stop, reflect more deeply, and appreciate God’s wonderful creation, including our place within it...

20 Years in Prison — How His Failure Turned into a 100% Success Story

New%20Advent%3A%2020%20Years%20in%20Prison%20%u2014%20How%20His%20Failure%20Turned%20into%20a%20100%25%20Success%20StorySTEFANICK: In this episode of The Chris Stefanick Show, I sit down with Jim Blum, a man who served 20+ years behind bars and found God, purpose, and healing in the unlikeliest place: prison. We talk about what it’s like to be sentenced to 32 years, what actually happens after the gavel drops, and how God used Jim’s lowest point to launch one of the most successful reentry ministries in America...

A Shocking Record: Lightning Bolt Stretched 515 Miles, Crossed Three States

A shocking record: Lightning bolt stretched 515 miles, crossed three states: An enormous, 515-mile-long flash of lightning that crossed at least three states has been named the longest in recorded history in the world. The 2017 “megaflash” stretched from eastern Texas to near Kansas City — a distance that would take at least eight hours by car or 90 minutes by commercial plane, according to the World Meteorological Organization. In comparison, the average bolt of lightning usually measures less than 10 miles, according to the National Weather Service.

What Was It Like to Ride the Transcontinental Railroad?

What Was It Like to Ride the Transcontinental Railroad?: Velvet cushions and gilt-framed mirrors. Feasts of antelope, trout, berries and Champagne. In 1869, a New York Times reporter experienced the ultimate in luxury—and he did so not in the parlor of a Gilded Age magnate, but on a train headed from Omaha, Nebraska to San Francisco, California. Just a few years before, the author would have had to rely on a bumpy stagecoach or a covered wagon to tackle a journey that took months. Now, he was gliding along the rails...

The Deeper Meaning of the Transfiguration

The Deeper Meaning of the Transfiguration - St. Paul CenterHARROLD: No doubt the Transfiguration is familiar to many of us from our Thursday rosary. And yet, for some of us, this fourth luminous mystery can feel quite perplexing. Why is the Transfiguration such a big deal? What are Moses and Elijah doing there? And why does Peter propose pitching tents? Reflecting on these questions will help us to deepen our appreciation for the true power and beauty of this pivotal event in the life of Christ.

Vatican Overrules Canadian Bishop’s Decision to Close Parish, Again

Vatican%20overrules%20Canadian%20bishop%u2019s%20decision%20to%20close%20parish%2C%20againFIGGE: For the second time in 15 months the Vatican overturned a Canadian archbishop's decision to close a small parish, thus continuing a three-year dispute between parishioners and the archbishop. Parishioners at Holy Rosary Parish in Portugal Cove-St. Philips, Newfoundland, announced earlier this week that the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Clergy had once again overturned Archbishop Peter Hundt’s decision to close Holy Rosary and merge it with the nearby Holy Trinity parish.

Fire Extinguished in Spain’s Historic Cordoba Mosque-Cathedral, Averting a ‘Catastrophe’

Fire%20extinguished%20in%20Spain%27s%20Cordoba%20Mosque-Cathedral%20%u2013%20DW%20%u2013%2008/09/2025: Firefighters have extinguished a massive blaze that was burning in the historic mosque-turned-cathedral in the southern Spanish city of Cordoba. The "rapid and magnificent intervention" of firefighters "averted a catastrophe," Cordoba Mayor Jose Mara Bellido posted on X. The fire is out, he said, adding that firefighters and police would remain on site overnight.

Two Augustinians, Two Chairs, One Body in Christ

Two Augustinians, Two Chairs, One Body in Christ| National Catholic RegisterTOWELL: When Pope Leo XIV emerged on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, much was made of his nationality, age and pastoral record. However, one detail stood out for those of us who live, teach and pray within the Augustinian family: he was one of us. An Augustinian friar had been elected pope. For the first time in the Church’s long history, an heir of St. Augustine now wears the white cassock. It’s a striking image — a humble missionary priest is seated upon the Chair of St. Peter...

Sacred Voices: Vatican Choir Marks Palestrina’s 500th in New York

Sacred%20Voices%3A%20Vatican%20Choir%20Marks%20Palestrina%u2019s%20500th%20in%20New%20York%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterDESOUZA: A Vatican concert tour this week in New York City highlights the Catholic tradition of sacred music during the 500th anniversary of the birth of Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. The “Sacred Voices” choir, now touring New York, was received by Pope Leo XIV in June, when he offered some reflections on the role of sacred music — especially the polyphony of which Palestrina was one of the great composers. Sacred Voices is the choir of the Cardinal Domenico Bartolucci Foundation, established in 2004 to honor the work of Bartolucci...

Brown Joeys, Not so Simple, and the ‘Cultural Christian’ Counterculture

%282%29%20Brown%20Joeys%2C%20not%20so%20simple%2C%20and%20the%20%u2018cultural%20Christian%u2019%20countercultureCONDON: Happy Friday friends, and a happy feast of St. Dominic to everyone. But a special festive greeting to all our friends and readers — in this case the overlap here is about 100% — down in Australia on this feast of St. Mary of the Cross, better known as Mary MacKillop, the first person from the country to be canonized. St. Mary, for those unfamiliar, was born in 1842, the eldest of eight children, and founded the first free Catholic school in the country in 1866...

Spain’s Government Must Approve the Appointment of a Nuncio. Why Hasn’t It?

(2) The lingering appointment of a nuncio to SpainBELTRAN: Amid growing controversy in Spain, the wait for a new papal nuncio has triggered a cycle of reports and denials that Spain’s government has blocked a papal appointment over tensions between the Spanish government and the country’s hierarchy. But sources close to the Spanish nunciature have told The Pillar that while Spain has not yet approved the appointment of Archbishop Piero Pioppo as nuncio to Spain the government is dragging its feet as a protest over recent tensions with the Spanish bishops.

Emmanuel Community Leader Steps Down

(2) Emmanuel Community leader steps down - by Luke Coppen: The leader of the embattled Emmanuel Community, an association of the faithful dedicated to adoration, evangelization, and serving the poor, announced his resignation this week. Michel-Bernard de Vregille said in an Aug. 6 letter to Emmanuel Community members that his second five-year term as the organization’s general moderator, beginning in July 2023, had been “particularly challenging.”

Mel Gibson’s Two-Part ‘Resurrection of the Christ’ Set for Holy Week 2027, with Jim Caviezel Reprising the Role

Mel%20Gibson%u2019s%202-part%20%u2018Resurrection%20of%20the%20Christ%u2019%20to%20be%20released%20starting%20Holy%20Week%202027%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: Lionsgate has officially announced the release dates for Mel Gibson’s highly anticipated film “The Resurrection of the Christ.” In an X post on Aug. 5, the film company announced that the film will be split into two parts and will be released starting Holy Week in 2027. Part 1 of the film will be released on March 26, 2027, Good Friday, and Part 2 will be released several weeks later on May 6, which will fall on the feast of the Ascension.

How the Extinction of the Dinosaurs Gave Us Fruit

New Advent: How the Extinction of the Dinosaurs Gave Us Fruit: One of the most surprising effects of the cascade of changes that played out in the wake of dinosaur extinction may have been the evolution of a world absolutely teeming with fruit. And with all that fruit, came a lot of fruit eaters.

Learning From Trees Like St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Learning from Trees like St. Bernard - LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: “He has no other teachers besides the oaks and beeches.” Words we might expect about Thoreau in fact are about one of the great Christian intellectuals of the Middle Ages. Today when a focus on trees too often betokens a turning away from the Creator of trees, we can restore trees, and the whole natural world, to their proper place in God’s plan for our life. William of St. Thierry in the earliest biography of St. Bernard of Clairvaux wrote...

Holiness and Evangelization Are Inseparable

Holiness and Evangelization are Inseparable! - Catholic Missionary Disciples - College Station, TXLEJEUNE: If you want to be a great evangelist, you have to be a saint. If you want to be a saint, you have to evangelize. This is because holiness and mission are inseparable. Holiness makes our evangelization credible, believable, and attractive. Evangelization makes our holiness bloom as we take on the mission of Christ who was sent to save the world. The two are really parts of one whole life of a disciple.

‘It Was What God Wanted’: How a Mother’s Faith and Youth Group Led 2 Brothers to the Priesthood

%u2018It%20Was%20What%20God%20Wanted%u2019%3A%20How%20a%20Mother%u2019s%20Faith%20and%20Youth%20Group%20Led%202%20Brothers%20to%20the%20Priesthood%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterMATTMCDONALD: As teenagers growing up in northeastern Pennsylvania, brothers Michael and Robert Bollinger had a secret they shared with no one, not even each other. Each was interested in becoming a priest. “We’re German-Irish. We just don’t say anything,” said Michael, now 30 and now known as Father Mike. “You should see our house. It’s quite quiet.” The secret is out now: In May, the brothers were ordained a week apart, one for the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey, and one for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

When 34 nuns perished during Eucharistic adoration in wartime Warsaw, white doves rose into the sky

Benedictine nuns perished during adoration in wartime Warsaw: “Apparently, it is God’s will that we die here,” said Mother Janina Byszewska, the superior of the Benedictine Nuns of the Most Blessed Sacrament community, which found itself in the midst of the fighting of the Warsaw Uprising in August 1944. Shortly thereafter, 34 nuns, four priests and a thousand civilians died under the rubble of their own convent.

Why America Built a Wall of 220 Million Trees From Canada to Texas

New Advent: Why America Built a Wall of 220 Million Trees From Canada to Texas: Imagine a wall of dust stretching ten thousand feet high, racing across the land at sixty miles per hour. In the 1930s, this was daily life in America’s heartland, a man-made disaster so devastating it choked entire communities, killed livestock, and forced millions to flee...

Dropping the Atomic Bomb Was Wrong. Period.

Dropping the Atomic Bomb Was Wrong. Period. | Catholic Answers MagazineCHRISTOPHERCHECK: There you are, beer in hand, watching the pig turn on its spit at the parish picnic. (If there is no beer or roast pig at your parish picnic, you need to find a new parish.) The conversation lags for a moment, but because you enjoy some good verbal sparring, you know just how to get it going. You ask a question. “What about the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945?” The reaction from the group is mixed...

Someone once asked Karl Rahner why he remained Catholic. Here’s his sharp response...

A Rahnerian surpriseWEIGEL: Karl Rahner, SJ (1904-1984), one of the most influential Catholic theologians of the twentieth century, is a favorite whipping boy for many traditionally minded Catholics. Yet Rahner was something of a split personality. Part of him was the pious Swabian who, shortly after Vatican II, sat on stage at Notre Dame telling his rosary beads while another scholar read his lecture in English for him — and, who, at the same event...

Are All Religions Different Paths Up the Same Mountain?

Are All Religions Different Paths Up the Same Mountain? - Word on FireKACZOR: Stephen Prothero, professor of religion at Boston University, doesn’t think all religions are different paths up the same mountain. In his book God Is Not One, Prothero points out, “The world’s religious rivals do converge when it comes to ethics—no religion tells you it is OK to have sex with your mother or to murder your brother—but they diverge sharply on doctrine, ritual, mythology, experience and law.” Why is there this divergence?

As AI advances, remember: We’re never as smart as we think we are, and we’re rarely as wise as we need to be.

The Catholic ThingMAIER: If you don’t know about Waymo, the autonomous taxi service, now’s the time to learn, because it’s coming to a neighborhood near you. Maybe not now or next year. But inevitably, like death and taxes. Except it’s more fun, more fun, that is, unless you’re the one guy in 10,000 who gets stuck in a rogue AI vehicle with a software glitch that won’t stop driving and won’t let you out until its battery runs down. But hey, nothing in this life is perfect.

Here’s why your ears pop on a plane — along with some tricks to fix it

Why do our ears pop on a plane? An audiologist explains. | Popular Science: Chewing gum, sucking a mint, making a few exaggerated yawns—when a plane takes off or touches down, travelers often will try these strategies to ward off that weird ear pop that happens as we change altitude. The good news is that the uncomfortable sensation is simply a normal, protective bodily function.

How Did Doctors Operate Before Anesthesia?

How Did Doctors Operate Before Anesthesia?: In 1811, the English novelist Frances Burney was living in France when she received a distressing diagnosis. At 59 years old, Burney had breast cancer. The disease would certainly be fatal unless—her French doctors proposed—Burney was willing to undergo a mastectomy.

Transfiguration Reimagined: A Flat Canvas That Reaches Heaven

Transfiguration Reimagined: A Flat Canvas That Reaches Heaven| National Catholic RegisterGRONDELSKI: The Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord on Aug. 6 is a major feast of both the Catholic and Orthodox Churches and has often been depicted by both in art. In the West, the Transfiguration has been shown in various artistic styles. In the East, it has primarily been represented by icons. One exception is the 19th-century Russian neoclassicist painter, Alexander Andreyevich Ivanov (1806-1858). He appears to have returned to the theme of the Transfiguration...

‘I Couldn’t Believe What I Was Seeing’: Miracle of the Oil of St. Charbel in Naples Church

%u2018I%20couldn%u2019t%20believe%20what%20I%20was%20seeing%u2019%3A%20The%20miracle%20of%20the%20oil%20of%20St.%20Charbel%20in%20a%20Naples%2C%20Italy%2C%20church%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: St. Ferdinand Church, located in the historic heart of Naples, Italy, was the scene of an event that many are already calling miraculous, attributed to the intercession of St. Charbel, a Lebanese hermit, devotion to whom has transcended borders.

Where Does the Bible Talk About Mortal Sin?

Where Does the Bible Talk About Mortal Sin? - St. Paul CenterHARROLD: The Catholic Church teaches that there are two kinds of sin: venial and mortal. While venial sin offends and wounds charity in the soul, mortal sin destroys it. Mortal sin occurs when a gravely evil act is chosen with full knowledge and freedom. The Catechism defines it as “a grave violation of God’s law” which “turns man away from God, who is his ultimate end and his beatitude”...

Remembering Jane Greer: A Poet Who Reanchored Us to What Matters

Remembering Jane Greer: Poet Reanchored Us to What Matters | National ReviewLOPEZ: On the last Saturday night of July, a group got together virtually for a poetry reading. We were fans — and some, friends — of Jane Greer. You may not know her name, but some considered Greer to be the greatest living American poet. She died in a hospital after a few weeks of health complications, having prepared spiritually in the ways one does when one’s earthly days are winding down. Greer lived in North Dakota, so most of us, scattered across the country, wouldn’t be making it to her funeral Mass...

Why are some Catholics scared of studying the Bible themselves?

The Happy Playground . . . of Death! | Catholic Answers MagazineSTEVERAY: Imagine children running and tussling in the grass in a lovely playground. However, notice that they are romping around with no supervision . . . and deadly dangers lurking at every side. You notice a sharp cliff dropping down a thousand feet to one side, another side filled with hidden landmines, poisonous snakes in the sand, and a bog of quicksand on the fourth side. You are speechless with shock. The children are decimated as they fall prey to the dangers around them.

We Tested 7 Ways to Make Bacon — One Was the Clear Winner

How to Cook Bacon: As far as I’m concerned, bacon goes with just about everything. From melty egg sandwiches and grilled burgers to crisp salads and even sweet ice creams, that combination of salty, savory, and slightly smoky flavor is the perfect complement to any meal of the day. When it comes to how bacon is prepared, however, there are really two camps — one for those who like an evenly crispy, well-rendered strip of bacon, and another for those who like it a bit chewier.

Amish Kids Almost Never Get Allergies and Scientists Finally Know Why

Amish Kids Almost Never Get Allergies and Scientists Finally Know Why: In today’s world, allergies are nearly unavoidable. For instance, a report from Stanford Medicine suggests that nearly 40 percent of the human population (over three billion people) suffers from at least one allergic condition, making allergies one of the most widespread health issues globally.

Faith of Our Fathers: A Reflection on the Upcoming Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Faith of Our Fathers: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - St. Paul CenterHAHN: We are born of the faith of our fathers, descending from a great cloud of witnesses whose faith is attested to on every page of Scripture (see Hebrews 12:1). We have been made His people, chosen for His own inheritance, as we sing in this Sunday’s Psalm. The Liturgy this week sings the praises of our fathers, recalling the defining moments in our “family history.” In the Epistle, we remember the calling of Abraham...

The Risk of Acknowledging the Creed of Jesus Christ

The Risk of Acknowledging the Creed of Jesus Christ | Knowing Is DoingTORRE: There is a prevailing mindset within the current strata of human society that every individual human being has the right to live by their own creed. Creed, from a secular human perspective, can be defined as the way a person chooses to live their life based on their own personally developed civil and moral code. The content of this personal code may involve how the person views the existence of a God...

New Gallup Poll: Pope Leo XIV Has ‘Most Positive Image by Far’ of Major Newsmakers

Pope Leo Most Favorably Viewed of 14 Newsmakers: Among 14 prominent U.S. and global figures, Pope Leo XIV has the most positive image by far, with many more Americans viewing him favorably than unfavorably. His 57% favorable rating and 11% unfavorable rating result in a 46 net-favorable score, far ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ( 18) and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders ( 11).

Feast of Our Lady of the Snows: St. Mary Major Shines in the Jubilee Year of Hope

St. Mary Major Shines in the Jubilee Year of Hope| National Catholic RegisterJOSEPHTHOMAS: A visitor who arrives at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome, a privileged pilgrimage site during this year’s Jubilee of Hope, might not at first appreciate the church’s elegant Baroque 18th-century façade, which overlooks an expansive square. That’s because visitors now enter the basilica at the side of the Church, on Via Liberiana, where the line forms for the security checkpoint...

This is Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of August

This%20is%20Pope%20Leo%20XIV%u2019s%20prayer%20intention%20for%20the%20month%20of%20August%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of August is for mutual coexistence. In a video released July 29, the Holy Father asked the faithful to pray “that societies where coexistence seems more difficult might not succumb to the temptation of confrontation for ethnic, political, religious, or ideological reasons.” According to a press release, this month’s video was made in collaboration with the Jesuit Communications Foundation (JesCom).

Jesus Our Hope, and Buying an Ostrich

(2) Jesus our hope, and buying an ostrich - by JD FlynnJDFLYNN: It’s the feast of Our Lady of the Snows, and you’re reading The Tuesday Pillar Post. There was no Pillar Post last week because I was in Peru in dire straits, but I have returned, and I’ve got stories. First, I’ll tell you, I didn’t eat guinea pig. Eating “cuy” — it’s guinea pig — is a well-known custom in Peru, but mostly in the Andean region, not on the coast, and seemingly not in the town of Pope Leo XIV, where I was working.

Five Years on From Port Blast, Pope Expresses Closeness With People of Beirut

Five years on from port blast, Pope expresses closeness with people of Beirut - Vatican News: A vigil was held on Sunday 4 August in Beirut in an area adjacent to the site of the port explosion tragedy exactly five years ago on 4 August 2020. A message from Pope Leo XIV read during the vigil expressed his closeness with the people. Apostolic Nunzio, Archbishop Borgia says, “the families of the victims need justice and truth about what happened...

Pope’s Sunday Mass at Jubilee of Youth: ‘The Lord Is Gently Knocking at the Window of Your Soul’

Pope at Youth Mass: The Lord is gently knocking at the window of your soul - Vatican NewsLUBOV: Jesus is our hope, adventure with Him throughout your life, and let Him enlighten you. Pope Leo XIV expressed this during the Mass for the Jubilee of Young People at Tor Vergata in Rome on Sunday morning. The Holy Father introduced this by acknowledging in his homily that even if today’s liturgy does not mention the episode directly, it invites us to reflect on the encounter with the Risen One “Who transforms our lives and enlightens our affections, desires and thoughts.”

Pope Leo XIV Speaks to Massive Crowd of Youth at Jubilee in Rome: ‘Stay With Us, Lord’

Pope%20Leo%20XIV%20speaks%20to%201%20million%20youth%20at%20jubilee%3A%20%u2018Stay%20with%20us%2C%20Lord%u2019%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: Pope Leo XIV addressed the largest crowd of his pontificate in Rome’s outskirts on Saturday, telling an estimated 1 million young adults to “study, work, and love according to the example of Jesus” and to pray: “Stay with us, Lord.” The pontiff was greeted Aug. 2 by joyous crowds on the 237-acre grounds of the University of Rome Tor Vergata, 10 miles east of Rome, where teenagers and young adults will stay all night in anticipation of the closing Mass of the Jubilee of Youth on Sunday morning.

Pope Leo XIV Announces Dates for 2027 World Youth Day in Seoul, South Korea — August 3-8, 2027

Pope Leo XIV announces dates for 2027 World Youth Day in Seoul, South Korea | Catholic News Agency: Pope Leo XIV on Sunday announced that the dates of the next World Youth Day, to be held in Seoul, South Korea, will be Aug. 3-8, 2027. “After this jubilee, the ‘pilgrimage of hope’ of young people continues and will take us to Asia,” the pontiff said in a message, before praying the Angelus at the University of Rome Tor Vergata, 10 miles east of Rome, where he had just celebrated Mass for one million participants from 146 countries.

‘The Place Is Very Alive’ — 100,000+ Pilgrims Greet Leo XIV at the Jubilee of Youth

'The place is very alive' - Pilgrims greet Leo at the Jubilee of YouthBELTRAN: The Jubilee of Youth took Rome by storm this week, with an opening Mass celebrated by Pope Leo XIV and attended by more than 100,000 young people in attendance on Tuesday. In total, there are an estimated 1 million pilgrims set to take part in the jubilee’s activities, especially an evening prayer vigil Aug. 2, and a closing Mass the next morning.

Artificial Intelligence and the Faith

Artificial Intelligence and the Faith | Catholic Answers MagazineAKIN: Artificial intelligence is hot right now. There are lots of news stories about it. Search engines are starting to use it in a new way. So are robots. And some speaking of a coming singularity. What do faith and reason tell us about all this? Can a robot have a soul? Is there any truth to sci-fi movies like Blade Runner? Does a point come where we should consider artificial intelligences “our neighbor” (see Luke 10:29-37)? Let’s take a look at these issues.

This Sunday, Don’t Let Greed Twist Your Soul Into a Grotesque Hellscape

This%20Sunday%2C%20Don%u2019t%20Let%20Greed%20Twist%20Your%20Soul%20Into%20a%20Grotesque%20Hellscape%20%u2013%20Benedictine%20College%20Media%20%26%20CultureHOOPES: In Luke Chapter 12, Jesus is surrounded by a crowd so big that people are trampling each other. Luke shares one question to show how Jesus went about teaching people to avoid hypocrisy. And what a question it is! The Gospels have great examples of the really good questions people ask when they get this chance for a one-on-one encounter with Jesus: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” and “Which is the greatest commandment?” and “Are you the one to come, or shall we look for another?” are some good ones.

Florida woman gets data back after Google blocked her account following pro-life emails

Florida woman gets data back after Google blocked her account following pro-life emails | Catholic News Agency: A Florida woman has secured the last of her Google data after the tech company disabled her account following emails pertaining to pro-life advocacy. With the help of the Thomas More Society, Trudy Perez-Poveda sued Google in 2024 when the company allegedly blocked her from her account after she sent an email attempting to plan a Catholic Mass and prayer event outside of a local abortion clinic.

Thousands Visit Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati’s Mortal Remains in Rome for Jubilee of Youth

Thousands%20visit%20Blessed%20Frassati%u2019s%20remains%20in%20Rome%20for%20Jubilee%20of%20Youth%20-%20OSV%20News: Volunteers watching over the relics of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati gently placed items from the faithful on top of his casket to make a third-class relic for the visitors to the Basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, near Rome’s Pantheon, one afternoon during the Jubilee of Youth.

Battery Charges Dropped Against Father Carlos Martins of the ‘Treasures of the Church’ Relics Tour

(2) Battery charges dropped against relic priestLAROSA: A court in Illinois has dropped battery charges against Fr. Carlos Martins, a prominent priest accused of inappropriate conduct toward a student during a relic tour at a parish in Joliet last November. An official with the Will County State’s Attorney confirmed to The Pillar that the battery charges were dismissed this week. A court order from the...

8 Ways St. John Henry Newman Is the Doctor of the Church We Need Now

8 Ways St. John Henry Newman Is the Doctor of the Church We Need Now| National Catholic RegisterDESOUZA: Elected to the papacy in 1878 after the long, defensive years of Blessed Pius IX, Pope Leo XIII advised paying close attention to his first cardinals. Included among them would be St. John Henry Newman, the towering intellectual convert who, while accepting the truth of Vatican I’s declaration of papal infallibility, thought it was not opportune to do so. Cardinal Newman preferred engagement with modernity rather than estrangement from it...

St. John Henry Newman’s Elevation as Doctor of the Church Seen as a Gift for Our Times

St.%20John%20Henry%20Newman%u2019s%20Elevation%20as%20Doctor%20of%20the%20Church%20Seen%20as%20a%20Gift%20for%20Our%20Times%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterPENTIN: Pope Leo XIV’s decision to proclaim St. John Henry Newman the 38th Doctor of the Universal Church will help bring the 19th-century English saint’s teachings to a world in great need of them and at a time when England appears to be at the beginning of a Catholic revival, say those close to the saint’s cause. “This is going to do so much good, dare I say, in the modern world of today because of Newman’s ideas,” Oratorian Father Ignatius Harrison...