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[Catholic Caucus] Why has the Pope dismissed a senior Vatican official and keen defender of the TLM?Monsignor Marco Agostini has been dismissed from his post at the Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff following the emergence of a recording in which he allegedly used an inappropriate term while referring to members of the Roman Curia.The decision was taken after an audio clip circulated online in which a voice identified as that of the senior Vatican cleric can be heard using the Italian slur “culattoni”, a term equivalent to the English word “faggot”, during a private exchange ahead...

[Catholic Caucus] Cardinals criticize ‘very controlled’ consistory, some express indifference toward Latin MassCardinals complained about the consistory that, ‘in the end, nobody took our opinion,’ and another observed, ‘the idea is that if you don’t agree with the group, you haven’t listened enough,’ according to reports.Vatican reporter Niwa Limbu has published an eye-opening article for The Catholic Herald on what happened behind the scenes at last week’s consistory.What Limbu and others’ reporting suggests is that the many cardinals were ill-prepared for what took place and that they were either indifferent to or downright opposed to the Latin Mass, most especially...

[Catholic Caucus] Una Voce responds to Roche Consistory Report against the Traditional MassDuring the recent consistory, the meeting of cardinals in Rome, Cardinal Arthur Roche, Prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship, handed out a two-sided piece of paper containing some reflections on the liturgy to those present: this has been made available by Diane Montagna here. The liturgy had been among the four topics originally proposed for discussion at the meeting, but the cardinals decided to focus on just two, leaving the liturgy out. Cardinal Roche’s document was accordingly handed out without being formally discussed.Versions were available in Italian...

1. PRAY FOR THE PROTECTION OF CITIZENS ACROSS IRAN That police and security forces would show restraint and act with wisdom rather than force That those participating in protests would be guarded from injury, arrest, or exploitation That communities living under fear would experience peace and calm 2. PRAY FOR WISDOM AND PROTECTION FOR HOUSE CHURCHES AND CHURCH LEADERS That leaders would know when to gather, when to wait, and how best to shepherd their people That house churches would remain out of view so believers can worship in safety That fear would not take root, and trust in God...

Why I am not a Catholic priest: Deus vultI have been asked to write a little about why, unlike many of my more estimable Anglican former colleagues, I have not been ordained as a priest in the Catholic Church, but remain a layman.It is June 1980. I am standing barefoot in a black cassock in what long before had been the Priory Church of St Mary Overie, on the Feast of St Peter. I had trained at university to be a lawyer. I was now waiting instead to be ordained as an Anglican and to begin work in a parish...

Every woe-laden left winger from Minneapolis to the Florida Everglades is now aware of the sad death of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother who thought it seemed like a good idea to aim her multi-ton vehicle at an ICE officer. Her mother, Donna Ganger, told the Minneapolis Tribune that she was a good person who had been taking care of people all her life. Nicole graduated in 2020 from Old Dominion University in Virginia with a literary degree. At that time, she was married to her former husband, Tim Macklin. GoFundMe has raised over a million dollars for the...

Mary McAleese: Baptism denies babies their human rightsThroughout the world, there continues a long-standing, systemic and overlooked severe restriction on children’s rights with regard to religion. This warrants, but has yet to receive, serious examination. It impacts Ireland in a special way and contemporary circumstances make Ireland an ideal place to conduct that examination.Let me set the scene with a couple of brief, inter-related stories. They concern the relationship between children’s rights and religion in Ireland, and certain unchallenged aspects of the canon law of Ireland’s major Christian denomination and provider of education, the Latin Catholic Church. It restricts children’s...

Conciliar Catechesis Watch: IntroductionOn Wednesday, Leo launched a new initiative with an Introduction to his planned General Audience series consisting of catechesis on the documents of Vatican II. For how long this weekly series will go on is anyone’s guess, but it seems likely to go on up to and perhaps beyond Lent.In any case, beginning today, the akaCatholic Podcast will respond to each of Leo’s weekly catechetic sessions with a closer look at what he had to say and how it compares and contrasts with what the Church has always taught.Beneath the video, a transcript will be provided for...

Cardinal Zen Denounces “Bergoglian Synodality” as “Ironclad Manipulation” at Extraordinary ConsistoryFull text of Cardinal Joseph Zen’s intervention at the two-day meeting of cardinals convened by Pope Leo XIV.(Cardinal Joseph Zen and his personal secretary with Pope Leo XIV.) ROME, 9 January 2026 — In his intervention at the Extraordinary Consistory of Cardinals held at the Vatican on January 7–8, Cardinal Joseph Zen delivered a searing critique of the Synod on Synodality, denouncing its process as an “ironclad manipulation” and warning that its continual invocation of the Holy Spirit is “ridiculous” and verges on “blasphemy.”Delivered behind closed doors in the presence...

Dominic J. Grigio, “Why I Wrote The Disastrous Pontificate”—Exclusive for RoratePrefatory note: On January 7, 2026, a major new book, The Disastrous Pontificate: Pope Francis' Rupture from the Magisterium, was released by Os Justi Press. Endorsed by a constellation of luminaries including Rev. Gerald E. Murray, Edward Feser, Eduardo Echeverria, Philip F. Lawler, John Rist, Michael Sirilla, Claudio Pierantoni, and Josef Seifert, the work has already attracted international attention for its comprehensive research and bold claims. Today, in an exclusive for Rorate Caeli, the author, Dominic Grigio, tells us why he wrote it. —PAK During his last general audience before...

Polish schoolchildren have protested a teacher’s removal of a Christian cross from a classroom and putting it in a bin, spurring a demonstration in front of the school. At the same time, the justice ministry is drafting legislative changes to reduce penalties under Poland’s blasphemy legislation, sparking criticism that the government is reducing the protection afforded Christians. The pupils’ demonstration came yesterday over an English language teacher who had demanded on December 15 the removal of the cross from a classroom she was teaching in. When the schoolchildren protested, she threw the cross into a bin. The teacher’s behaviour in...

[Catholic Caucus] The cardinals dodge the key issueLiturgy is off the agenda for the consistoryHelp is not on the way.Yesterday, in a cautious optimistic post about this week’s meeting of the College of Cardinals, I observed that “it is difficult to imagine how the consistory could discuss the liturgy without immediately raising the most contentious subject under that heading: the suppression of the Traditional Latin Mass under Traditionis Custodes.”Well, the cardinals managed to shatter my hopes immediately. Even before my comments were posted, they had voted to take the topic of liturgy off the agenda for the consistory. Instead the...

Pope Leo calls Second Vatican Council the ‘guiding star’ of the Church’s pathLeo’s description of the Second Vatican Council as the ‘guiding star’ of the Church’s path suggests he sees this council as surpassing in importance every other council of the Church.Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday said the Second Vatican Council is the “guiding star” of the Church’s path in his strongest statement to date in support of the controversial council.“It is the Magisterium (of the Second Vatican Council) that still constitutes the guiding star of the Church’s journey,” Pope Leo said during his Wednesday general audience, Vatican News reported....

Pope Leo begins a new catechism series dedicated to Vatican IIPope Leo on Wednesday praised the ‘liturgical reform’ launched by Vatican II that laid the groundwork for the revolutionary Novus Ordo Missae, the new Mass.Sculpture on St Peter's basilica door: Vatican IIVATICAN CITY (LifeSiteNews) — Pope Leo XIV announced Wednesday that he is beginning a catechesis series to “closely” study the Second Vatican Council, which many priests and scholars have affirmed to be in need of correction.“We are beginning a new catechesis series dedicated to the Second Vatican Council and to a fresh reading of its Documents,” Leo wrote in...

[Catholic Caucus] Liturgy Sidestepped at Pope Leo XIV’s First Consistory? Cardinals choose evangelization and synodality as key topics, disappointing those who expected the liturgy to be a central theme after recent restrictions on the traditional form of the Roman rite, but the Holy Father later insists the liturgy remains a "very concrete" issue that still needs to be addressed.Some cardinals and faithful who have a devotion to the traditional Roman rite have expressed concern that the liturgy appears to be sidelined in the extraordinary consistory currently underway at the Vatican after the cardinals voted to give priority to other issues...

[Catholic Caucus] Pro-LGBT Cdl. Radcliffe urges ‘openness to novelty’ in address to extraordinary consistoryReports from inside the Vatican suggest growing unease among the cardinals after Pope Leo’s two-day gathering opened with tightly controlled group sessions led by progressive voices.Progressive and pro-LGBT Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe delivered the opening meditation at the consistory in Rome by urging cardinals to remain “in the boat of Peter” amid global crises and Church divisions while suggesting “memory and openness to novelty must coexist in the life of the Church.”On the afternoon of January 7, Pope Leo XIV opened a two-day extraordinary consistory at the Vatican,...

[Catholic Caucus] Pope at Audience: Second Vatican Council still guiding star of Church’s journeyPope Leo XIV begins a new catechesis series on the Second Vatican Council and its documents, emphasizing that the Council's teaching still serves as the guiding star of the Church’s journey."It is the Magisterium [of the Second Vatican Council] that still constitutes the guiding star of the Church’s journey today."Pope Leo XIV expressed this during his Wednesday General Audience, on January 7, in the Vatican, as he began a new catechesis series, which is dedicated to Vatican Council II and a rereading of its Documents, following the...

[Catholic Caucus] Pope Leo opens first consistory with strong emphasis on synodality, Vatican IISources told LifeSiteNews that key roles in the opening phases of the consistory were assigned to figures closely aligned with the approach of Pope Francis.Pope Leo XIV opened his first extraordinary consistory with an agenda centered on synodality, liturgy and the legacy of the Second Vatican Council.On Wednesday, January 7, Pope Leo began the first extraordinary consistory of his pontificate at the Vatican, convening cardinals from around the world in the Paul VI Hall and the New Synod Hall to reflect together, advise the Pope, and discuss...

Dear friends, as we look at our EXPONENTIALLY growing godless, lawless, and hopeless day, it isn't too hard for any to see that we are indeed at the threshold of the Rapture of the Body of Messiah and the HORRIFIC and EXPONENTIAL seven-year tribulation period (Dan. 9:27; Matt. 24, Rev. 6-19)! Beloved, before we start, be sure to check out the Bible links we have provided for you as you follow along in this study; for that indeed is our authority! But rather, in the midst of it he WILL CAUSE the SACRIFICE and OBLATION to CEASE in light of...

Beloved, be sure to check out Greg's dispensational prophetic teaching on YouTube! These prophetic teachings are sound, biblical, simple to comprehend, and a great encouragement in the Lord's prophetic promises in these Last Days! See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. Eph. 5:15-17 Greg's YouTube page popped up on my YouTube feed today, and I watched and listened to many of his prophetic teachings and found them very sound and excellent! Greg does...