Leading Cardinal blames apostate Catholics for decline of Christian Europe
(Simon Caldwell. Catholic Herald)
Christian Europe is in decline amid the rise of secularism and Islam – and apostate Catholics are partly to blame for the situation by abandoning their faith, a senior cardinal has said.
The subtle Catholic spirituality vying with the dangerous darkness in Pope Francis’s ‘peripheries’
(Elise Ann Allen. Catholic Herald)
The capital city of Papua New Guinea, and one of the most crime-ridden cities in the world, is a classic example of what Pope Francis means when he talks about engaging with and not neglecting the world’s “peripheries”
Latin Mass Society’s Walsingham Pilgrimage seen from a tent on the ground
(Laurence Dauti. Catholic Herald)
The first thing your brain registers each morning is the siren call of “Good morning pilgrims!! It is a beautiful day! This is your six o’clock alarm call!”
(John L Allen Jr. Catholic Herald)
Amid a spiraling Italian debate over immigration, two personalities increasingly are coming to symbolize the opposing positions. In one corner is Pope Francis, while in the other stands ex-General Roberto Vannucci, increasingly perhaps the country’s single most polarising political figure.
‘A light in Spain’: Vatican approves devotion to WWII apparition of Our Lady of Sorrows
(James Jeffrey. Catholic Herald)
The Vatican has approved the devotion to the Spanish Marian shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows of Chandavila where the Virgin Mary reportedly appeared to two young girls at the end of World War II.
As I’ve observed before, the “Vatican girl” case, referring to the 1983 disappearance of a 15-year-old girl in Rome whose father was a minor Vatican employee and whose family lived in a Vatican apartment, is the Italian version of the Kennedy assassination, meaning the country’s most notorious unresolved mystery.
Refusal of Communion to minister over abortion vote causes rift in Irish Church
A rift has emerged within the Irish Catholic Church after it emerged that a priest had refused Communion to an Irish politician because he had voted in favour of the liberalisation of abortion laws following the 2018 referendum that paved the way for abortion in Ireland.
(Thomas Edwards. Catholic Herald).
Over the past few weeks, I have had the pleasure of sharing dinner with several transatlantic friends who all seem to share the same concern: how the Islamic takeover of Britain is destroying our Christian culture.
(Catholic Herald).
American Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston issued a statement saying he has asked the heads of all offices in the Roman Curia to take down the artwork of a famed priest and artist accused of abusing dozens of adult women. The statement came from the Pontifical Commission for Protecting Minors (PCPM), for which O’Malley serves as President, and said in that capacity, the cardinal has written to the heads of all Vatican departments asking that “pastoral prudence would prevent displaying artwork in a way that could imply either exoneration or a subtle defence” of alleged abusers “or indicate indifference to the pain and suffering of so many victims of abuse.” In his letter to Vatican prefects, dated June 26, O’Malley said, “We must avoid sending a message that the Holy See is oblivious to the psychological distress that so many are suffering.”
(James Jeffrey. Catholic Herald).
The number of French priests being ordained in 2024 has exceeded 2023’s numbers as France continues to baffle when it comes to secular trends.
Ordinations in 2024 will see 105 new priests created in France, reports the French Bishops’ Conference (CEF), 17 more than in 2023, when 88 new priests were ordained. The uptick is all the more notable coming at a time when France often appears to be gripped by hardline secularism.
Social liberalism is increasingly dominant in French politics, resulting in policies spearheaded by French President Emmanuel Macron that are anathema to Catholic teaching, not to mention basic traditional morality.
As a result, the country increasingly appears representative of the clash in Europe between modern liberal progressivism and the Catholic Church as the guardian of tradition and Christian values.
(Catholic Herald).
The Catholic parishes of southern Lebanon are in an increasingly precarious position as violence spills across its border as a result of the war between Israel and Hamas. Lebanon’s Islamist Hezbollah Party supports Hamas, which has led to a series of Israeli attacks on Hezbollah-controlled areas in Lebanon. Daily rocket fire is taking place in southern Lebanon, which borders the north of Israel. Areas near the Israeli border are particularly affected. Ten Catholic parishes close to the Israeli border, and which make up almost the whole of the Maronite Archdiocese of Tyre, saw an exodus of people as the conflict in Gaza escalated. Now, about 70 per cent of parishioners have returned. Maronite Archbishop Charbel Abdallah of Tyre told Aid to the Church in Need (CAN) that most of the people who fled and went to Beirut or further north “have now returned home because they were short of money and the little houses of their relatives who took them in did not have the capacity to accommodate so many people”. He noted, however, that the parishes of Alma el Chaeb and Quzah remain “nearly empty, because they lie entirely in the areas of the air strikes; a large proportion of the houses there have been completely destroyed.” He added: “We find ourselves in a state of war.” ACN and the local Church are helping the affected population, which is still suffering from a terrible financial crisis that took place in 2019.
(Catholic Herald. Crux Staff).
Thousands of Christians have returned to their homes in the historic Christian heartland of Iraq and are rebuilding their lives, including once again living out the Sacraments of the Catholic Church, after fleeing a decade ago from the ISIS takeover.
(The Catholic Herald).
Christians in Pakistan have demanded Punjab officials bring to justice the perpetrators of the brutal lynch mob murder of Nazir Gill Masih in Sargodha. In a report, the Catholic Church’s National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) echoed a statement issued by the Pakistan Catholic Bishops’ Conference condemning the murder and the “persistent misuse of blasphemy laws”. The report stated: “swift and impartial justice must be served to restore faith in the legal system… and to hold police officials accountable for their inaction.” It demanded that “no false blasphemy charges be registered against any Christian and that protection be provided to them.” The report outlined the thorough fact-finding carried out by the NCJP into the events leading up to the spurious blasphemy accusation and attack against Mr Masih, and stated that his neighbours “allegedly had a grudge against Nazir’s family, who are relatively well-off, and his shoe business was doing quite well. “There was also a level of jealousy towards this Christian family.”
(Catholic Herald).
A decision by the United States Supreme Court relaxing chemical abortion drug regulations will put the “health of women and girls at risk,” according to the U.S. bishops. The 9-0 decision was made in the FDA v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine case, which had aimed to roll back access to mifepristone, one of the two drugs used in medication abortions. In 2000, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new drug application for mifepristone tablets marketed under the brand name Mifeprex for use in performing abortions for up to seven weeks. To help ensure that Mifeprex would be used safely and effectively, FDA placed additional restrictions on the drug’s use and distribution, for example requiring doctors to prescribe or to supervise prescription of Mifeprex, and requiring patients to have three in-person visits with the doctor to receive the drug. In 2021, FDA announced that it would no longer enforce the initial in-person visit requirement.
(Catholic Herald. John Lavenburg).
Catholic leaders have said that President Joe Biden’s new executive actions which will limit illegal immigration in order to gain control of the southern border, disregard U.S. asylum law, and will have serious human consequences. Most notably, Biden’s executive actions will bar migrants who cross the southern border unlawfully from receiving asylum, at least until the numbers of people trying to enter are reduced to meet certain thresholds. Migrants who apply at ports of entry are exempt from the new rules. Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, chair of the U.S. Bishops’ Conference Committee on Migration, said in a June 4 statement that the conference is “deeply disturbed” by Biden’s executive actions, and called on the president to “reverse course and recommit his administration to policies that respect the human life and dignity of migrants, both within and beyond our borders”. Seitz argues that while a country has a right and responsibility to maintain its borders and regulate immigration, it cannot come at the expense of humanitarian needs of those who flee their countries.
(Simon Caldwell. Catholic Herald).
The celebration of so-called homosexual “Pride month” is to be banned in every Catholic school in the Diocese of Nottingham under new guidance which also cracks down on the promotion of gender ideology.
Teachers are advised not to celebrate homosexuality in June, the month in which the Church traditionally honours the Sacred Heart of Jesus, because “we cannot celebrate lifestyles which are incompatible with Church teaching”.
“In summary, it is not appropriate for our schools to celebrate Pride because we cannot endorse the entire agenda,” says a new 40-page document called Precious in My Sight.
The BBC headline read “‘Eunuch-maker’ mutilator jailed for 22 years” – it was enough to grab anyone’s attention. The article spoke of a degenerate group, led by Marius Gustavson, impersonating surgeons and performing “extreme body modifications” on paying customers, then streaming the procedures online for subscribers.
I will not recount the story in detail, but the BBC article does highlight one significant phrase used by the defence to explain Gustavson’s actions: “Body Integrity Dysphoria” (BID).
BID is defined as “a rare…condition in which there is a mismatch between the mental body image and the physical body”. Surgery for it is illegal in the UK, and its sufferers are recommended intense psychotherapy.
Seeing themselves as “transabled” (identifying as having a physical disability or impairment, despite being physically able-bodied), those claiming they experience BID wish to “transition” their able body into one of disability. This may include undergoing surgical intervention to disable them, allowing them to live as their “true” selves. Gustavson claims to be one of these BID individuals. Having had his own genitalia and part of his nipple removed along with freezing his leg, he displays BID traits.
(The Catholic Herald)
As the Philippines moved closer to legalising divorce , a leading Catholic bishop has warned politicians that “divorce weakens the fabric of society.”
The House of Representatives of the Philippines this week approved House Bill 9349, which would legalise absolute divorce in the predominantly Catholic Asian country.
The Philippines is the world’s only country without a divorce law – excluding the Vatican – since Malta legalised the practice in 2011.
“I urge members of Congress to reconsider the proposed divorce bill and instead focus on promoting policies and programs that support marriage, strengthen families, and protect the well-being of all members of society,” said Bishop Alberto Uy of Tagbilaran in the central Philippines of the central Philippines, in an interview Catholic-run Radio Veritas on May 16.
The bishop said a “society that values strong, stable families is a thriving society”.
“Divorce weakens the fabric of society by eroding the foundation of the family unit. It leads to social fragmentation, increased poverty, and a host of other societal ills. By promoting divorce, we are contributing to the breakdown of social cohesion and the erosion of moral values,” Uy said.
Father Jerome Secilliano, executive secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines-Permanent Committee on Public Affairs, said there is no need for divorce in the country.
(The Catholic Herald).
A practicing Catholic and former Catholic Union chairman, the new Lord Mayor is 63, and his wife Emiko will be the first ever Japanese Lady Mayoress. Cllr Rigby, who studied at Ampleforth College, has lived in St John’s Wood for more than 35 years and spent his working life in sales and marketing within the travel industry, including 20 years with Japan Airlines (during which time he met his wife Emiko).
The Lord Mayor’s chaplain will be Father Christopher Colven, past Rector of St James’s Church, Spanish Place, in Marylebone. Fr Colven is currently the Catholic Chaplain to the Houses of Parliament.
The Lord Mayor chose to speak to the Catholic Herald about his appointment and what he plans to do in the role.
For the uninitiated, what does a Lord Mayor of Westminster actually do?
In a typical year the Lord Mayor of Westminster attends around 500 engagements across the eight square miles of the City aiming to reach the whole of the community, and hosts up to 40 events. The role is about honouring the people of Westminster and acknowledging and applauding their hard work. It is about celebrating local success and recognising achievements. The Lord Mayor has the opportunity to thank people and organisations, on behalf of the city.
Along with openings, unveilings, tree plantings, receptions and award ceremonies, the Lord Mayor engages with schools, care homes, businesses, faith groups, youth organisations, sports and community groups across the City.
Ceremonial and big ticket events include: banquets and receptions at Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree and the annual visit to Oslo to fell the tree, services at Westminster Abbey and Remembrance events across Westminster.
(Catholic Herald. Katherine Bennett).
Myopia has plagued my family as far back as can be traced. The family vault holds images from the end of the 1800s of women in their forties all wearing glasses. My grandparents’ 10 children and 39 grandchildren all wear glasses. My own children wear glasses. My brother went out with a girl who dumped him once she found out he wore glasses: “I don’t like any weakness,” she declared, before finding herself a job with the Humanists.
It’s likely that the weak genes of my ancestors will be eliminated at some point in the future, and if not the genes, then the people, whose corrective lenses will cost more than an armful of barbiturates; perhaps also because even with myopia, you can still be capable of seeing what is really going on.
In a society which legitimises eugenics under cuddly names like planned parenthood and medical assistance in dying, what we really need is exorcists to wheedle out generational evil spirits.
As Bambie Thug, who is also known as the Goth, Gremlin, Goblin Witch, is given a platform to act out her adolescent rebellion for the Oh-so-daring Republic of Ireland on stage at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest tonight, some will be shocked, while others will see it as final confirmation of the existence of, not so much an intellectual dark web, rather a Dunces Dark Web.