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[This is part of Catholic Analysis' special series on Pope Alexander VI. This part, the second, deals with the pontiff's family. Read the first part.] Vannozza dei Cattanei was Rodrigo Borgia's mistress and the mother of his children. She "doubtless was of great beauty and ardent passions; for if not, how could she have inflamed a Rodrigo Borgia? Her intellect too, although uncultivated, must have been vigorous; for if not, how could she have maintained her relations with the cardinal?" [1] He was "faithful through his life to [this] one woman". After the births of their children and before he...

Meanwhile, even as – as some people claim – there are within the Church those who wish to bring her down. There are – as is patently clear to anyone with a brain – there are outside the Church those who wish to bring her down.Rather, chop off her head.I saw this at Tempi (Italian HERE): La bandiera nera sventola sull’Obelisco di San Pietro: la rivista dello Stato islamico festeggia la “crociata fallita”The black flag waves over the Obelisk of St. Peter: the magazine of the Islamic State celebrates the “failed crusade” The “crociata” in this case refers to the...

October 14, 2014Tuesday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time    Reading 1 Gal 5:1-6 Brothers and sisters:For freedom Christ set us free;so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery. It is I, Paul, who am telling youthat if you have yourselves circumcised,Christ will be of no benefit to you.Once again I declare to every man who has himself circumcisedthat he is bound to observe the entire law.You are separated from Christ,you who are trying to be justified by law;you have fallen from grace.For through the Spirit, by faith, we await the hope of...

FULL TITLE: A young woman writes an open letter to the child she is about to abort and posts it online. – My open letter to her. A young woman writes an open letter to the child she is about to abort and posts it online. I want to start by saying that I am skeptical of this being a sincere post. I am actually praying that it is not. It seems to me that one of the biggest strategies of the pro-abortion movement is to de-stigmatize abortion: to make it a simple, no-big-deal action like clipping your nails. All...

In a dramatic shift in tone, a Vatican document said on Monday that homosexuals had "gifts and qualities to offer" and asked if Catholicism could accept gays and recognize positive aspects of same-sex couples. Roman Catholic gay rights groups around the world hailed the paper as a breakthrough, but Church conservatives called it a betrayal of traditional family values. The document, prepared after a week of discussions at an assembly of 200 bishops on the family, said the Church should challenge itself to find "a fraternal space" for homosexuals without compromising Catholic doctrine on family and matrimony. While the...

Last week, LifeNews reported on the brief life and death of baby Shane, whose courageous parents Dan and Jenna Haley allow to have a chance at life. They rejected abortion even though their baby had been diagnosed with anencephaly and was expected to die not long after birth. The Haleys won admirerers around the world for their innovative idea to create a bucket list of things Shane would have done had he had the opportunity to live a full life. Little Shane experienced so much in life before he was even born. Today, he finally saw the world outside his...

ROME (CNN) – Using strikingly open language, a new Vatican report says the church should welcome and appreciate gays, and offers a solution for divorced and remarried Catholics who want to receive Communion. “Regarding homosexuals, it went so far as to pose the question whether the church could accept and value their sexual orientation without compromising Catholic doctrine,” said John Thavis, a former Rome bureau chief for Catholic News Service. The Rev. James Martin, an author and Jesuit priest, called the report's language on gays and lesbians "revolutionary." “Homosexuals have gifts and qualities to offer to the Christian community. Are...

Why Columbus Sailed   5/24/2014   An interview about Christopher Columbus and the religious motivations for his journeyby Alton Pelowski   When the Knights of Columbus was founded 130 years ago, their namesake, Christopher Columbus, was a symbol of the idea that there is no contradiction in being a Catholic and an American. In recent decades, however, Columbus has become a figure of controversy, leaving conflicting opinions about his legacy.In recent decades, however, Columbus has become a figure of controversy, leaving conflicting opinions about his legacy.Carol Delaney, a cultural anthropologist and long-time professor at Stanford University, had little knowledge...

A former Christian Brother at a Merseyside school was today again jailed for abusing a young boy. Paul Davey, who served as head of music at the De La Salle school in Croxteth, between 1983 and 1989, was jailed for 16 months for sexually assaulting a former pupil. Liverpool Crown Court heard that the 58-year-old was jailed for two and a half years in 1996 of abusing four boys from the school in the late 80s.

Measure 88, on Oregon’s November ballot, would allow immigrants without documents to drive after meeting all other requirements. The measure, which would affirm a law put in place by the Oregon Legislature in 2013, has won the support of many religious groups, including the Oregon Catholic Conference. “The Oregon Driver Card is especially important for immigrant families among us who are our modern day neighbors,” says a statement from the conference, the public policy arm of the Archdiocese of Portland and the Diocese of Baker.

Featured Term (selected at random:UNJUST AGGRESSOR An assailant who attacks an innocent person actually and unjustly. Actual aggression is an imminent or practically present assault that cannot be evaded. Unjust aggression is experienced when the assault is at least materially unwarranted, i.e., when the assailant is not morally responsible for the attack. In all cases of unjust aggression it is permitted to use such force as may be necessary to insure self-protection. All items in this dictionary are from Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

Temptation as a Form of Martyrdom – A Meditation on a Writing of St. Ambrose By: Msgr. Charles PopeTemptation is a universal human experience. And because it’s so directly associated with sin, many too easily equate being tempted with sinning. But temptation is not the same as sin. If it were, how could the Scriptures say to us that Jesus was tempted in every way we are and yet was without sin? (Heb 4:15) Hence, the simple experience of temptation is not sin. It is true, however, that our past indulgence in sin can make us more susceptible to temptation.However, properly understood,...

We are including this piece on the Society of Saint Pius X, because We have been able to verify the accuracy of the statements contained here in. Also it describes well the conditions at Armada, since the author received his information from a fellow seminarian, who was dismissed the same day I was. (See the Scandal of December 15, 1978.) 14th March, 1979 Some months ago I made an important decision. I discontinued all contributions to the New York office of the Society of Saint Pius X and tore up my pledge of support to the Society seminary in Michigan....

Catholic bishops meeting to discuss 'family issues' at a two week summit have said unmarried couples living together can be 'positive', and gay relationships and divorces must be welcomed. Displaying remarkably liberal attitudes for a Church famed for its conservatism, bishops meeting in the Vatican today also said that a couples' decision on the use of contraception should be respected.

October 13, 2014Monday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time    Reading 1 Gal 4:22-24, 26-27, 31-5:1 Brothers and sisters:It is written that Abraham had two sons,one by the slave woman and the other by the freeborn woman.The son of the slave woman was born naturally,the son of the freeborn through a promise.Now this is an allegory.These women represent two covenants.One was from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery;this is Hagar.But the Jerusalem above is freeborn, and she is our mother.For it is written:Rejoice, you barren one who bore no children;break forth and shout, you who were not in...

Party or Perish! A Homily for the 28th Sunday of the Year By: Msgr. Charles PopeThe past three Sundays have featured intense and shocking parables about our readiness, our fruitfulness, and our decision to accept and enter the Kingdom of God or not. The Lord has used the image of a vineyard into which workers are dispatched at different times of the day but who have different attitudes about what is due to them at the end of the day; or a vineyard into which two sons are sent, one going and the other not; or a vineyard in which are...

The senior investigator looking into claims of physical and sexual abuse at a former Catholic orphanage says a new suspect has been identified. *snip* Mr Ross said 80 "potential victims" had been identified and 35 statements taken in a worldwide investigation.

October 12, 2014Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time    Reading 1 Is 25:6-10a On this mountain the LORD of hostswill provide for all peoplesa feast of rich food and choice wines,juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.On this mountain he will destroythe veil that veils all peoples,the web that is woven over all nations;he will destroy death forever.The Lord GOD will wipe awaythe tears from every face;the reproach of his people he will removefrom the whole earth; for the LORD has spoken.On that day it will be said:"Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us!This is the LORD...

Featured Term (selected at random:DEO OPTIMO MAXIMO To God, who is the best and the greatest. Motto of the Order of St. Benedict. Also Domino Optimo Maximo, to the Lord, the best and the greatest. All items in this dictionary are from Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

October 11, 2014Saturday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time    Reading 1 Gal 3:22-29 Brothers and sisters:Scripture confined all things under the power of sin,that through faith in Jesus Christthe promise might be given to those who believe. Before faith came, we were held in custody under law,confined for the faith that was to be revealed.Consequently, the law was our disciplinarian for Christ,that we might be justified by faith.But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a disciplinarian.For through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus.For all of you who were baptized...