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Professor Seifert: Catholic Church in ‘Terrible Danger of Complete Collapse in Many Countries’ Unless Cardinals and Bishops Speak UpCatholic philosopher Professor Josef Seifert has said he sees a “terrible danger of a complete collapse of the Catholic Church in many countries” unless cardinals speak up about a “tremendous crisis” within the Church, one he says is possibly the greatest she has ever faced.In comments following the publication of an open letter he wrote April 30 calling on all cardinals, bishops and Church leaders to stand up for the truth of Catholic teaching in the face of prevailing relativism and situational...

The Miracle of Conversion, A Mystery of God's Grace: Aqua's Story (Part 1)16th century painting of St. Paul on the road to DmamascusEditor's comment: One of my regular readers, Aqua, left a comment about his conversion that intrigued me. So I asked him if he would tell his story. He graciously accepted and I offer it here in two parts. To see God's grace at work reminds us that He, indeed, is our rock and our salvation. May God bring us all to conversion every day and fill us with the joy of living in His presence. Convert us, Lord,...

Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Mark 10:28–31Friends, today’s Gospel exhorts us to see the radicality and rewards of Jesus’ call to discipleship, which cuts through so many of the social conventions of his time and ours. Jesus urges us to see that everyone—rich and poor, men and women, those on the inside and those on the outs—is summoned to discipleship, and that this summons is the most important consideration of all. It is the better part, to use Jesus’ words; it is the one thing necessary.St. Augustine was right: “Lord, you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are...

[Catholic Caucus] Crocodile: Diocese Presents Conformism as "Courage"Until June 4, a large crocodile is hanging in the baptistery of San Giovanni Battista Church in Cremona. The church is a masterpiece of Lombard Romanesque-Gothic architecture, reports MessaInLatino.it.The figure was created by Maurizio Cattelan in 2019 and is called "Ego". Cattelan explained that crocodiles are protagonists of rituals, religions, magical beliefs and urban legends.Cremona Diocese considers the exhibition of 'Ego' in the Baptistery a "courageous [= conformist] choice", calling Cattelan "one of the most appreciated and controversial [= approved by the oligarchs] artists in the art world".Courage would have been to put...

Read Mark Twain’s ‘Joan of Arc’ — It Will Surprise You and Make You Want to Become a Saint“I like Joan of Arc best of all my books, and it is the best; I know it perfectly well. And besides, it furnished me seven times the pleasure afforded me by any of the others; twelve years of preparation, and two years of writing. The others needed no preparation and got none.” —Mark TwainMark Twain’s Joan of Arc is perhaps the finest novel ever to have been written by an American. It’s a book with the power to change the lives...

(Daily readings from the USCCB)Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel who will not receive a hundred times more…” Mark 10:29–30Jesus’ statement above is in response to Peter who said to Him, “We have given up everything and followed you.” It was as if Peter were patting himself on the back, attempting to highlight just how much he and the other disciples had sacrificed to follow Jesus. And it...

30 May 2023Tuesday of week 8 in Ordinary Time Saint Joan of Arc Catholic Church, Powell, OhioReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: Green. Year: A(I).First readingEcclesiasticus 35:2-15 ©Give to the Most High as he has given to youA man multiplies offerings by keeping the Law; he offers communion sacrifices by following the commandments.By showing gratitude he makes an offering of fine flour, by giving alms he offers a sacrifice of praise.Withdraw from wickedness and the Lord will be pleased, withdraw from injustice and you make atonement.Do not appear empty-handed in the Lord’s presence; for all these things are due under the commandment.A...

st a month ago Pope Bergoglio asked with a "please" not to be linked to Argentine politics. It was when he confirmed his intention to visit our country only next year because there will be no more elections. Bergoglio plays the part. While he plays the game of impartiality, he has just appointed as the new Archbishop of Buenos Aires, the highest Catholic member of the hierarchy in the country, an avowedly Peronist priest. The new Archbishop is Ignacio García Cuerva. He was a slum priest, then Bishop of Santa Cruz and a typical militant of Argentinean anti-capitalist Catholic poverty-worshippers.

John 19:25-34 Friends, today we celebrate the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church.We hear in today’s Gospel that, as he was dying on the cross, Jesus looked to his mother and the disciple whom he loved, and he said to Mary, “Woman, behold, your son,” and then to John, “Behold, your mother.” We are told that “from that hour the disciple took her into his home.”If Mary is the one through whom Christ was born, and if the Church is indeed Christ’s Mystical Body, then she must be, in a very real sense, the Mother of...

LGBTQ Gathering: Pirate's Pride Night Catholic LGBTQ MinistryFriday, June 9, 2023, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PMLocation:OFF SITETake Me Out to the ballgame...on Friday, June 9! Join the group at the stadium, and wear your Welcome Table T-shirt! Contact Albert for tickets and information

29 May 2023 Monday of week 8 in Ordinary TimeReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: White. Year: A(I).There is no choice between ferial and memorial readings today, because all readings are proper to the memorial.First readingGenesis 3:9-15,20 ©The mother of all those who liveAfter Adam had eaten of the tree the Lord God called to him. ‘Where are you?’ he asked. ‘I heard the sound of you in the garden;’ he replied ‘I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.’ ‘Who told you that you were naked?’ he asked ‘Have you been eating of the tree I forbade you to...

(Daily readings from the USCCB)Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son." Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother." And from that hour the disciple took her into his home. John 19:25–27The memorial we celebrate today, which was added to the Roman Liturgical Calendar in 2018 by Pope Francis, highlights the truth that the Blessed Virgin Mary is not only the Mother of...

The So-Called “New Pentecost” vs. True Renewalhis article first appeared in the May 2021 Print Edition of Catholic Family News (click HERE to subscribe; current subscribers can access the E-Edition HERE).Pentecost: The Coming of the Holy Ghost“And when the days of the Pentecost were accomplished, they were all together in one place: And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a mighty wind coming, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them parted tongues as it were of fire, and it sat upon every one of them: And they were all...

[Catholic Caucus] Francis' Appointment Shows Pure "Wickedness" - CaminanteThe Argentine Church is "beyond recovery" after the appointment of Jorge García Cuerva, 55, to Buenos Aires, writes Caminante-Wanderer.Blogspot.com (26 May), "Francis' wickedness is immeasurable."Caminante knew that Francis wouldn't appoint La Plata's kissing expert Víctor "Tucho" Fernández, whom he used and discarded when he no longer served him.Nevertheless, Caminante had expected a more "civilised" choice like Lozano (San Juan de Cuyo), Azpiroz (Bahía Blanca) or Colombo (Mendoza), not an extremist representing anti-Catholicism. García believes that Christ's presence in the Eucharist is comparable to his "presence in the poor".Many good priests will be...

To a Seminarian Midway: Is It Worthwhile to Start Over?A young man sent me a letter in which he expressed his perplexity about whether he should join a community that celebrates both “forms” of the Mass, or one that is exclusively traditional.Dear Friend,Thank you for writing to me about your challenging situation. You have completed much of your time at seminary, but are experiencing doubts about the path ahead. Believe me, you are not alone in this; many men who believe they are called to the priesthood are really struggling with this question of whether they can or should celebrate...

Pentecost Sunday homily on how and why- The Holy Spirit. To acknowledge those Gifts of the Spirit awaiting us... if we can surrender ourselves to it. 14 min. YouTube link below:Surrender To The Spirit

Sunday 28 May 2023 Pentecost Church Saint-Bernard-de-Menthon, Ferrette, Alsace, France Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: Red. Year: A(I).These readings are for the extended-form Vigil Mass on the evening before the feast.These readings are for the simple-form Vigil Mass on the evening before the feast.These readings are for the day of the feast itselfThese readings are for the extended-form Vigil Mass on the evening before the feast.First readingGenesis 11:1-9 ©The tower of BabelThroughout the earth men spoke the same language, with the same vocabulary. Now as they moved eastwards they found a plain in the land of Shinar where they settled. They...

(Daily readings from the USCCB)And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim. Acts 2:2–4And with that, the Church was born. Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost which, in many ways, was the culmination of the mission of Christ. The pinnacle...

[Catholic Caucus] Pope Francis appoints heterodox bishop, loyal ‘fan’ to his former diocese in Buenos AiresBp. García Cuerva has previously called himself 'the most Bergoglian bishop in Argentina.'Bp. García CuervaBUENOS AIRES (LifeSiteNews) –– Pope Francis has appointed a notably heterodox bishop to the pope’s former archdiocesan see of Buenos Aires, with the new 55-year-old archbishop replacing the cardinal who succeeded Francis.In its daily bulletin May 26, the Holy See Press Office announced that Pope Francis had appointed Bishop Jorge Ignacio García Cuerva as the new Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina. García Cuerva succeeds Cardinal Mario Poli, who tendered his mandatory...

SEVENTH SATURDAY OF LENTJohn 21:20-25Friends, in today’s Gospel, when Peter asks about the destiny of the beloved disciple, Jesus says: “What if I want him to remain until I come?What concern is it of yours? You follow me.” Here at the close of John’s Gospel, we can take this command to heart. What does following Jesus involve?True conversion—the metanoia that Jesus talks about—is so much more than moral reform, though it includes that. It has to do with a complete shift in consciousness, a whole new way of looking at one’s life. Jesus offered a teaching that must have been...