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For decades now, the supremely ridiculous Father Raniero Cantalamessa, a veritable font of neo-Modernist heresy, has been serving as “Preacher to the Papal Household.” He retains that title under Pope Francis. But Cantalamessa has kicked it up a notch under the impetus of “the Francis effect,” which seems to be moving the human element of the Church toward a doctrine-free Christianity consisting of empty invocations of the name of Christ and calls to “fix our gaze upon Him” like some kind of neo-pagan mantra. On November 24, Cantalamessa took his circus on the road, addressing the “Tenth General Synod” of...

VATICAN CITY, FEB. 8, 2008 (Zenit.org.- Demons, Satanism and other related phenomena are quite topical today, and they disturb a great part of our society.Our technological and industrialized world is filled with magicians, wizards, occultism, spiritualism, fortune tellers, spell trafficking, amulets, as well as very real Satanic sects. Chased away from the door, the devil has come in through the window. Chased away by the faith, he has returned by way of superstition.The episode of Jesus' temptations in the desert that is read on the First Sunday of Lent helps us to have some clarity on this subject. First of...

VATICAN CITY, MAY 14, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the Italian-language commentary by Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa, preacher of the Pontifical Household, on the book "Inchiesta su Gesù" (An Investigation on Jesus) by Corrado Augias and Mauro Pesce . Parts 2 and 3 will appear Tuesday and Wednesday. * * * 1. In the path of the cyclone In the wake of Dan Brown's "Da Vinci Code" cyclone there have appeared, as always happens in these cases, new studies of the figure of Jesus of Nazareth whose intention is to reveal Jesus' true face which until now has...

Pontifical Preacher Sounds a Warning at Good Friday Service VATICAN CITY, APRIL 14, 2006 (Zenit.org).- The Pontifical Household preacher warns that truth of Christ's passion and death is being subjected to media manipulation. In the presence of Benedict XVI in St. Peter's Basilica, the preacher, Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa, in his Good Friday homily, quoted St. Paul. "The time is sure to come," the Capuchin said, "when people will not accept sound teaching, but their ears will be itching for anything new and they will collect themselves a whole series of teachers according to their own tastes; and then they...

ROME, AUG. 31, 2007 (<A href="http://www.zenit.org">Zenit.org</A>).- Here is a translation of a commentary by the Pontifical Household preacher, Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa, on the readings from this Sunday's liturgy. * * * Be Modest in What You Do! 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Sirach 3:19-21, 30-31; Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24a; Luke 14:1, 7-14   The beginning of this Sunday's Gospel helps us to correct a widely diffused prejudice: "One Sabbath when he went to dine at the house of a ruler who belonged to the Pharisees, they were watching him." Reading the Gospel from a certain angle we have ended up...

The Language of Love Gospel Commentary for 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time By Father Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap ROME, AUG. 29, 2008 (Zenit.org).- In this Sunday’s Gospel we hear Jesus who says: “Whoever wants to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me. Because whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” What does it mean to “deny" yourself? And why should you deny yourself? We know about the indignation of the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche over this the request of this Gospel. I...

VATICAN CITY, APRIL 6, 2007 (Zenit.org).- According to the preacher of the Pontifical Household, the women present at Calvary accompanying Jesus were more than pious individuals, they were "mothers of courage." Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa delivered that message today in his Good Friday homily at the Celebration of the Lord's Passion, in St. Peter's Basilica. The preacher of the Pontifical Household, speaking of the important role of women in Christianity said: "There has been animated discussion for quite some time about who it was that wanted Jesus' death: Was it the Jews or Pilate? One thing is certain in any...

Affirming the reality of an intelligent design for the creation and development of the universe is not a scientific theory, but a statement of faith, said the preacher of the papal household. Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa, offering a Lenten meditation to Pope Benedict XVI and top Vatican officials March 13, said the controversy that has arisen between scientists supporting evolution and religious believers promoting creationism or intelligent design is due mainly to a confusion between scientific theory and the truths of faith. The intelligent-design theory asserts that the development and evolution of life is such a hugely complex process that...