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Did you see Ted Cruz and Tucker Carlson’s heated interview that came out a week ago? If you didn’t, it was something else. In fairness to Cruz, I do believe Carlson was poking and prodding in ways that were a bit annoying, and I don’t fault Cruz for being irritated with Carlson at times. In addition, until Cruz embarrassed himself with two-bit Dispensationalist heresy, I don’t think he was being overly unreasonable, and I agreed with his sentiments in some cases. Carlson and Cruz spoke largely about the Iran-Israel situation, which, as it stands, is in a state of flux....

[Catholic Caucus] Did Pope Leo just warn the Amazon bishops away from heterodoxy?Leo appears to have warned the Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon that the glory days they may have dreamt of under Francis are no more. In a key move, Pope Leo has written to the bishops’ conference of the Amazon as they meet for the first time in such numbers since the 2019 Amazon Synod.A telegram sent from Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin to the head of the Amazon bishops’ conference conveys the thoughts and instructions of Pope Leo XIV to the relatively young group of bishops....

[Catholic Caucus] 100 Days of Leo XIVOne hundred days as PopeThat is how long it has been since the beginning of Prevost's pontificate, which began under the banner of spirituality, verticality, normalization, and reconciliation. To the relief of some and the disappointment of others (which is also a good sign).Stefano ChiappaloneNuova Bussola QuotidianaAugust 16, 2025Today, August 16, 2025, marks the fateful first “hundred days” of the pontificate of Robert Francis Prevost, elected Pope under the name Leo XIV on May 8 (a day entrusted to the dual protection of Our Lady of Pompeii and the Archangel Michael). Despite the round...

[Catholic Caucus] Vatican-ordered investigation underway in LimaInvestigators have in recent weeks summoned priests and archdiocesan employees to answer questions about the financial situation of Caritas Lima, a network of diocesan schools, and multiple alleged coverups of sexual misconduct — including cases previously reported by The Pillar, among them sexual misconduct claims linked to the archdiocesan seminary.—Senior archdiocesan sources told The Pillar that a group of Augustinian priests led by Fr. Alexander Lam, OSA, his order’s assistant general for Latin American, had been interviewing clerics and archdiocesan employees virtually about allegations of abuse coverup and financial misconduct by Cardinal Carlos Castillo.The...

[Catholic Caucus] Archbishop backtracks after appointing convicted rapist as chancellorThe Archbishop of Toulouse, Archbishop Guy de Kerimel, has backtracked from the controversial appointment of a convicted rapist as diocesan chancellor.On 16 August, Archbishop de Kerimel announced the appointment of a new diocesan chancellor after weeks of criticism over his initial appointment of Fr Dominique Spina.Fr Dominique Spina was convicted in 2005 of the rape of a high-school student in Pau, southwest France, in the Diocese of Bayonne, for offences committed in 1993. The victim came from a troubled family background and believed he had a vocation to the priesthood. Spina...

[Catholic Caucus] PHOTOS: Jesus Adored on the Bayou on Assumption Solemnity11th-Annual Fête-Dieu du Teche: The Eucharistic Flotilla in Cajun CountryI Am Going to See Her One Day is a hymn woven into the consciousness of South Louisiana Cajuns. The reality that heaven is our true homeland is generally intuited by all Catholics, but it resonates deeply within Cajun culture. Often forgotten is the story of the French Catholics expelled from Nova Scotia by the British 260 years ago. After a 30-year exile filled with unimaginable hardship, the scattered Acadians were welcomed into Louisiana by the king of Spain, as it...

[Catholic Caucus] Leo XIV’s Brother: "He was VERY Close to Francis. They were VERY ...Leo XIV seems perfectly at ease in his new role as pope, his brother John Prevost told NBC Chicago on 14 August. "He seems to be enjoying it. It’s like this is a natural."Prevost believes that there were signs that his brother might become Pope: "Francis gave him another title just before his death – Cardinal Bishop. He’s signaling something there," Prevost saidJohn Prevost also finds it meaningful that Francis chose Robert Prevost as the first person to be made a cardinal in the 2023 consistory....

I can’t sing worth a flip, but several years ago, I agreed to preach at a small church for at least two Sundays. When I showed up, I was told the church didn’t have a song leader or a piano player, and the preacher always leads the singing. I told the congregation I couldn’t sing and asked for a volunteer. No one would do it, so I did. When I went back the next Sunday, the Church had hired a song leader and a piano player. Even though I can’t sing, there are some songs that I really like (Midnight...

Luke 23:39-43; “One of the criminals who were hanged railed at Him, saying, ‘Are you not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!’ But the other rebuked him saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.’ And he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.’ And He said to him, ‘Truly I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.’” (ESV – all emphasis is mine.) Here...

Two Catholic nuns arrested in India, sparking major political scandalNot only have the Catholic bishops of India defended the religious sisters, but high-ranking opposition politicians condemned Prime Minister Narendra Modi.The arrest of the two Catholic nuns in India caused a national political scandal that opposition leaders are calling a political persecution of a religious minority fostered by the government.On July 25, two nuns traveled from the city of Agra to Durg railway station in the state of Chhattisgarh. Sr. Preeti Mary and Sr. Vandana Francis of the Assisi Sisters of Mary Immaculate were meeting three young adult women who were...

An incident at the Basilica of Loreto, where the Holy House of Mary is enshrined, is drawing widespread attention. Footage shows Catholic bishops concelebrating Mass alongside a woman dressed in a cassock and clerical collar, possibly a Protestant “priestess.”

[Catholic Caucus] Does Third Secret of Fatima warn of apostasy? Expert weighs in Joining me on this episode of The John-Henry Westen Show is LifeSite journalist Dr. Maike Hickson. We discussed the Third Secret of Fatima, hints that the true secret may have revealed apostasy in the Church and warned of the Second Vatican Council, liturgical abuses, and more. I opened the episode by asking Hickson about some of her latest findings on the Third Secret. She first noted Cardinal Raymond Burke’s recent homily for a Mass commemorating the 108th anniversary of Our Lady’s third apparition at Fatima in which...

The prophecy of Daniel 9:24-27 is "a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma,” as Sir Winston Churchill once said regarding Russia. Similarly, the mystery of this prophecy has intrigued scholars and theologians for centuries. Many believe that Daniel 9:24-27 is the most crucial passage of prophecy in all of Scripture. No prophecy in the whole Bible is more critical to our understanding of the end times than these four verses. There are numerous interpretations of the historical and biblical context (and timeframes) surrounding the events described in these four verses of Scripture. About a year ago, I wrote...

[Catholic Caucus] FULL TEXT: Msgr. Coronado-Arrascue's letter to Crux'Am I supposed to remain silent about alleged abuse ... because it is not convenient to the Pope's narrative that he did nothing wrong?'On August 1, Elise Ann Allen published an article titled “Coverup allegations against Leo spun by defrocked priest” for left-wing Catholic website Crux. Msgr. Ricardo Coronado-Arrascue, a canon lawyer who lives in Peru, is the subject of the article.Coronado-Arrascue was previously stationed in Colorado Springs, where he served as diocesan judicial vicar and chancellor. He also taught seminarians Canon Law.On December 19, 2024, Coronado-Arrascue was dismissed from the clerical...

Chuck Girard, the founding member of ‘Love Song’- one of the first Christian rock bands and one of the most prominent ‘Jesus Music’ artists- passed away on Monday at the age of 81. His wife shared on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/chuckgirardmusic/): This is Chuck’s wife, Karen. It is with great sorrow, yet also great joy, to let you know that Chuck has moved to Heaven and will be eternally with Jesus! He left this earth at rest and in total peace, surrounded by family. We praise the Lord for His great mercy and for His gift of Chuck’s music, message, and heart....

[Catholic Caucus] SSPX pilgrimage for Jubilee endorsed by Vatican despite canonical disputeThe Vatican’s official Jubilee 2025 calendar is currently listing a pilgrimage by the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X (SSPX), with the occasion marking a rare moment of visible accord following long-running tensions between SSPX and the Vatican. According to the SSPX website for Great Britain, the pilgrimage on 21 August will include a public Rosary at Colle Oppio, a Solemn High Mass at 9.30 a.m., and a procession entering the Holy Door of the Archbasilica of St John Lateran.The SSPX, founded by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre in November 1970...

[Catholic Caucus] Vatican backs bishop’s order to expel Latin Mass community from New Zealand diocese'The situation is one of being asked to do the impossible,' the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer told LifeSite.Members of the FSSR in a 2013 file photoThe Vatican has sided with a New Zealand bishop who has evicted a traditional Mass community out of his diocese, despite the flourishing order strongly denying any wrongdoing.On August 10, Bishop Michael Gielen of the Diocese of Christchurch issued a letter announcing that the Vatican has formulated its decision against an appeal made by the The Sons of the...

[Catholic Caucus] Leo XIV: The “suspended” documentsIn just a little over one hundred days since taking office, Pope Leo XIV has met several times with all the heads of dicasteries. He has approved appointments already in place, messages already in progress, and initiatives now in the final stages. For now, however, there have been no key decisions regarding the heads of dicasteries—five are over 75, and Prevost’s successor at the Dicastery for Bishops is still missing—nor have there been any crucial documents. Leo XIV has not made any really substantial governing decisions. A critical moment will soon arrive, however, when...

LEO AND SYNODALITY (A Silent Implosion?) - Part II in the Series "The First Year of Leo XIV"This is the second of several analyses written for Rorate by our contributor Serre Verweij on Leo XIV's first year.Series: The First Year of Leo XIVII - LEO AND SYNODALITY[Part I: Leo and the Germans]As Pope Leo XIV is approaching the 100 day mark of his pontificate (today is day 97), more and more decisions are coming out which appear indicative of the course of his papacy. Our new Pope is starting to address difficult dilemmas described in Leo XIV: The First 50...

Although the backlash to the overturning of Roe v. Wade appears to have subsided, vandals, arsonists, and worse targeted hundreds of churches in 2024, according to a new report. Travis Weber, vice president for policy and government affairs at the Family Research Council, which released the report Monday, said most Americans would be surprised to hear that 383 churches suffered 415 attacks in 2024. “We have a tendency in the West and in the United States to think of ourselves as safe and freedom-loving, tolerant, and protective of religious freedom, including religious freedom to practice Christianity,” he told The Daily...