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ROME — Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, president of the European Bishops’ Conferences (COMECE), has called on the European Union (E.U.) to accept Ukraine’s application for membership. The Ukrainian government applied for E.U. membership on February 28 of this year, Cardinal Hollerich notes in his May 9 statement, a request that “deserves a positive and realistic response.” “Ukraine, but also Moldova, Georgia, and all the other European countries, notably in the region of the Western Balkans, which have made the same request in the past, and have undertaken significant reforms, need a credible accession perspective,” the cardinal declares. The cardinal’s statement, which...

Congress must pass a proposed $40 billion Ukraine supplemental aid package by Thursday to avoid an interruption of U.S. weapons shipments to the embattled country, the Pentagon’s top spokesperson said Friday. “May 19 is the day we really — without additional authorities — we begin to not have the ability to send new stuff in,” press secretary John Kirby told reporters. “It’ll start impacting our ability to provide aid uninterrupted.”

Forced into "guanzhi", a restriction of movements and activities. Subjected to political sessions to adhere to the official Church and therefore to the Chinese Communist Party. Several religious, still free, fear they will be arrested soon. The Sino-Vatican agreement has not stopped the persecution against the underground community.Beijing - At least 10 priests, all belonging to the underground (unofficial) community of Baoding (Hebei), have disappeared in the hands of the police over a period stretching from January 2022 until today. Four of them disappeared on April 29 and 30, just a few days ago. The priests and faithful of Baoding...

Maputo (Agenzia Fides) - "Insecurity prevails, the internally displaced are still many. I personally ask you, those who know me, to pray. Pray for me, and pray for peace". This is the appeal launched by His Exc. Mgr. Mgr. António Juliasse Ferreira Sandramo, Bishop of Pemba, the capital of the Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, which has been devastated by the violence of jihadist groups since 2017. In the last year, the Mozambican army, thanks to the assistance of foreign military contingents, primarily the one sent from Rwanda, has recaptured much of the territory that had fallen into the hands...

“Fratelli Tutti” Nothing Doing. Before the Conclave, the Cardinals Should Reread “Dominus Iesus”For a few months, a new magazine created just for them has been circulating among the cardinals, with the stated aim of helping them “to know each other in order to make the right decisions during important moments in the life of the Church.” In other words: in view of the future conclave.The magazine has the Latin title of “Cardinalis,” is sent to all the members of the sacred college, and can also be read online in four languages. It is published in France, in Versailles. Writing it...

‘Mrs. Greene's statement about leaving the Church is as enlightening as it is saddening,’ commented Michael Hichborn, president of the Lepanto Institute.(LifeSiteNews) – Following criticism of comments she made about the U.S. Catholic bishops, conservative firebrand U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene revealed that she was raised Catholic but left the Church “with great sorrow” when she had kids because she had concerns about the left-wing hierarchy protecting abusive priests. “With great sorrow, and unwavering faith in Jesus Christ, I stopped attending Catholic Mass when I became a mother, because I realized that I could not trust the Church’s leadership to...

***** Tunes For Our Troops ~ The Freeper Canteen Music Dedication Presents: Open Mic! *****~ Support The Artists You Hear Throughout The Canteen ! ~ ***** Warning: Not all music may be appropriate for children! Please click with caution. Thank you! Tunes For The Troops This music is provided for the entertainment of our Troops, Veterans, Allies & their families! Enjoy the variety of musical selections that the Canteen DJs provide throughout the thread. Please ping any DJ with your requests for the Troops! All music is removed on Monday.Thanks to all the DJs for their time & effort...

Joe Biden Friday afternoon participated in the US-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Special Summit in DC before departing for Delaware for another weekend vacation. Biden struggled through his remarks and at one point said, “John Kerry has forgotten more about climate security than anyone I know.” Biden also referred to Kamala Harris as “President Harris” in his meeting with the Southeast Asian leaders. Joe Biden has done this many times. “An Indo-Pacific that is free and open, stable and prosperous and resilient and secure is what we are all seeking,” Biden said. “That’s why I asked President Harris to...

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday said Turkey did not have a “positive opinion” on Finland and Sweden joining NATO, throwing up a potential obstacle for the nations’ membership bid. The leader of NATO-member Turkey spoke ahead of expected confirmations from the Nordic nations on Sunday that they will apply to join the Western military alliance. Erdogan accused both countries of harbouring “terrorist organisations” in his unfavourable assessment of the membership bids.

Hillary Clinton took to Twitter to accuse GOP members of wanting to “kill certain babies” amid the nation’s baby formula shortage, while she and the Democratic Party support unlimited abortion on demand, making further clear their hypocrisy on respect for life. In response to Governor Greg Abbott’s (R-TX) statement addressing his fury that baby formula is being shipped to border migrant camps, Clinton said “The Republican, 'pro-life' position is now that certain babies should starve.” The mishandling of the formula shortage is one more way in which the Biden Administration is putting American families last, at the expense of others....

The series continues throughout 2022 with titles by Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson, and many more. Published on May 5, 2022By Paul Sexton'Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins artwork - Courtesy: Verve/UMe'Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins' artwork - Courtesy: Verve/UMe Verve/UMe’s all-analog vinyl reissue series Acoustic Sounds has confirmed its next set of audiophile pressings of significant and beloved jazz recordings. On the back of nearly two dozen releases to date, each painstakingly remastered from the original tapes, the series continues with the May 13 appearance of the 1963 Impulse! release Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins. The storied Impulse! label was the...

Day 78 Of Anti-Russia Sanctions. Food Availability And Prices On Food And Fuel.Skip to 3:14 in the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l942Id0IKC0&t=16s

Has punk ever really, truly been dead? Since the genre’s eruption in the late ‘70s, it’s birthed not only wave after wave of bands both good and bad, but also endless hours of public panic surrounding the genre. That reaction is apt, considering that one of punk’s goals was always to upset the cultural apple cart and make squares question their very being. Anyone looking for evidence of the genre’s misunderstood and manic origins needs only look to the wide swath of “punk panic” entertainment that emerged in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. Dozens of TV shows and movies...

Bull-shot! The official White House Twitter account posted false COVID-19 information Thursday, wrongly claiming there was “no vaccine available” when President Biden took office in January 2021. “When President Biden took office, millions were unemployed and there was no vaccine available,” the verified account tweeted to its 7 million followers Thursday. “In the last 15 months, the economy has created 8.3 [million] jobs and the unemployment rate stands at 3.6% — the fastest decline in unemployment to start a President’s term ever recorded,” the tweet concluded. But eagle-eyed critics were quick to point out that the 79-year-old Biden actually received...

Former President Trump is leaning strongly toward endorsing highly controversial Pennsylvania state Sen. Doug Mastriano for governor, according to three sources familiar with his private deliberations.

[Catholic Caucus] Archbishop Viganò: Pope Francis has displayed ‘unequalled duplicity’ in his treatment of Cardinal Zen'The poisoned fruits of the Sino-Vatican Agreement are now apparent.' (LifeSiteNews) – On Wednesday it was announced that Cardinal Joseph Zen had been arrested by the authorities in Hong Kong. The investigation and arrest was made by the special police section set up by the government of Beijing to watch over Chinese national security, that is, to suppress any form of dissent or protest over the violations of human rights committed by the Chinese dictatorship.The elderly Cardinal – who in the past has expressed strong...

Gerwyn Jones is still coming to terms with the £189,000 he pocketed for his first pedigree LimousineA Welsh farmer has collected a world record breaking price for a “special” bull described as one of the best ever to come onto the market. Gerwyn Jones, of Graig Goch Farm, Nebo, in Conwy saw bids fly in for Graiggoch Rambo at the British Limousin Cattle Society’s May bull sale in Cumbria. He said he was "delighted" when the hammer came down at an incredible 180,000gns (£189,000) – the highest price ever paid for a Limousin bull, NorthWalesLive reports. The proceeds are enough...

Spain is planning to introduce medical leave for women who suffer from severe period pain, media reports suggest.A draft bill says women could have three days of leave a month - extended to five in some circumstances. But politicians warned that the draft - leaked to Spanish media outlets - was still being worked on. If passed, it would be the first such legal entitlement in Europe. Only a handful of countries around the world have such legislation in place.

The American basketball star Brittney Griner's pre-trial detention in Russia has been extended for one month.Ms Griner, 31, has been in custody since February after Moscow airport officials allegedly found cannabis oil in her luggage, while she was returning to the US after playing in Russia. US officials said she was wrongfully imprisoned and should be released. Ms Griner - regarded as one of the world's best female players - faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

In another note of optimism for our country, Americans with money are officially starting to stockpile second passports as “Plan B” for their families. In fact, Americans who are citizenship or residency in foreign countries “has skyrocketed” over the last 3 years, according to a new report from Insider/Yahoo News. The report says that billionaires and entrepreneurs, along with celebrities, are all looking for a backup plan to the red, white and blue, should the proverbial stuff hit the fan. Among the worries of the rich remain Covid, climate change and political turmoil, the report says. There are more than...