Catholic Culture, Phil Lawler: In his annual ‘State of the World’ address last week, Pope Francis touched a nerve when he denounced the “deplorable” practice of surrogate motherhood. His two sentences on that topic, in a speech that ran to … Continue reading
Category: News
Cardinal Fernández Says Pope Francis and the Vatican Were Aware of His Erotic ‘Mystical Passion’ Book
National Catholic Register, Edward Pentin: Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández has said that Pope Francis and the Vatican already knew about his sexually graphic 1998 book connecting sexual relations with a mystical relationship with God, and that he expected the work … Continue reading
Vatican announces major restoration project in St. Peter’s Basilica
Catholic News Agency, Courtney Mares: The Vatican announced on Thursday that the soaring baldacchino over the main altar of St. Peter’s Basilica designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini 400 years ago will undergo a major restoration. The ambitious restoration and conservation … Continue reading
African bishops: ‘No blessing for homosexual couples in the African Churches’
Catholic News Agency, Peter Pinedo: In response to new Vatican guidelines permitting nonliturgical pastoral blessings of homosexual couples, the bishops of Africa issued a united statement in which they said there will be “no blessing for homosexual couples in the … Continue reading
The inopportunists’ vindication
Catholic Culture, Phil Lawler: If this disastrous papacy brings one lasting benefit to the Church, it may be a careful re-examination of the question of papal primacy—in particular, the question of how the Pope’s authority relates to that of the … Continue reading
Greek-Catholic Metropolitan of Hungary Offers Epiphany Blessing of the Waters on the Danube
National Catholic Register, Solène Tadié: The traditional ceremony of blessing the waters of the Danube River on the feast of the Epiphany is always an eagerly awaited event in the Hungarian capital. In this more Byzantine-influenced part of Europe, Jan. 6 … Continue reading
Requiem Mass for Cardinal Pell celebrated on first anniversary of his death
Catholic News Agency, Matthew Santucci: A requiem Mass was held in Rome on Tuesday evening to mark the first anniversary of the death of Cardinal George Pell and to celebrate the cardinal’s illustrious ecclesiastical career. The chapel of the Domus … Continue reading
Jump off the media’s fear-and-panic bandwagon
Catholic Culture, Phil Lawler: Here’s today screaming headline from the Boston Herald: Massachusetts braces for nor’easter, up to a foot of snow, flash freeze, power outages: Will there be space savers in Boston? C’mon, folks. It’s New England. It’s January. … Continue reading
Shia LaBeouf enters Catholic Church, considers vocation to the diaconate
Catholic News Agency, Joe Bukuras: Hollywood star Shia LaBeouf was received into the Catholic Church with the sacrament of confirmation by Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, Bishop Robert Barron on Sunday evening. The Capuchin Franciscans-Western American Province announced LaBeouf’s confirmation on their Facebook … Continue reading
Italian priest excommunicated for calling Pope Francis a ‘usurper’
Catholic News Agency, Courtney Mares: An Italian priest has been excommunicated by his local bishop for saying in a homily that Pope Francis “is not the pope” and calling him “a usurper.” The Diocese of Livorno in Tuscany issued a decree … Continue reading
Did Benedict’s death lift restraints on Pope Francis?
Catholic Culture, Phil Lawler: Last week when I compiled my list of the top 20 news stories of 2023, I consciously passed over the death of Pope Benedict XVI, since he died on December 31, the final day of the … Continue reading
Interview with Hugh Owen on Creationism
December 13, 2023 interview between Mr. Ryan Grant (Mediatrix Press) and Mr. Hugh Owen (Kolbe Center for the Study of Creation) on the defense of the Catholic understanding of Creation.
Benedict XVI: Friends and Scholars Recall His Life, Legacy and Teaching
National Catholic Register, Edward Pentin: Pope Benedict XVI’s legacy “will last, bear fruit and nourish the spiritual lives of many, many people, especially the young,” his former personal secretary has predicted. Speaking to the Register on the sidelines of a … Continue reading
Bishop Schneider Says His New Compendium Aims to ‘Expel the Darkness’ of Relativism and Ambiguity in Doctrine
National Catholic Register, Edward Pentin: A new compendium of the Catholic faith has been published that aims to provide clear answers to many of contemporary problems as well as counter the ambiguity and relativism now prevalent in both Western society … Continue reading
Unfinished business: the top stories of 2023
Catholic Culture, Phil Lawler: As another year draws to a close, and I survey the most important headline stories that we covered in 2023, I am struck by how many of those stories are still developing. In fact, once I … Continue reading