These stories have been handpicked from blogs and news sites around the Web -- some Catholic, some not.https://www.newadvent.org/news/feedburner.xml tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-1381195610378464343Headhttps://www.osvnews.com/polish-suspect-in-medjugorje-vandalism-detained-calls-against-online-condemnation-grow/null@newadvent.org (null)Locals in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s famed Marian shrine Medjugorje began cleaning a vandalized statue of the Virgin Mary and repairing a burned outdoor altar, as police detained a Polish suspect and calls grew to avoid online attacks against the troubled man. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-1019252113651534665Lefthttps://www.denvercatholic.org/the-summer-reading-list-2026null@newadvent.org (George Weigel)A 2025 YouGov poll revealed some interesting factoids about Americans’ reading habits — or lack thereof. 40% of us didn’t read a book last year. About a quarter of the country read one to four books in 2025, and 13% clocked in at between five and nine books in all formats (print, electronic, audio). 19% of us did 82% of America’s book reading... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-6253904416184813995Centerhttps://www.popsci.com/diy/digital-photos-after-death/null@newadvent.org (null)It’s not something anyone really wants to think about, but what happens to those thousands of digital photos on your phone in the event of your passing? Few of us can even be bothered to back up our photos, much less secure their posthumous legacy. But the idea of “personal effects” has changed over the years from physical items you wear or carry around to an entire digital past and present sitting on your smartphone... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-3735031358517675695Lefthttps://abcnews.com/US/southern-delta-aquariids-alpha-capricornids-meteor-showers-peak/story?id=135117533null@newadvent.org (null)Stargazers could be treated to multiple displays of meteor showers during the final days of July. Both the Alpha Capricornids and Southern Delta Aquariids are forecast to peak on Thursday, according to the American Meteor Society (AMS). tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-1240341974411114228Centerhttps://www.ncregister.com/news/liedl-rise-of-the-gen-x-bishopsnull@newadvent.org (Jonathan Liedl)At a recent Fourth of July cookout in New Jersey, one East Coast bishop asked another what kind of playlist he wanted to listen to while they grilled. The response was “’80s music.” And instantly, a connection was made. But as the two bishops talked, they realized their generational connection went deeper than shared adolescent memories of Bruce Springsteen on the radio or Cheers on TV... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-6331489246301322514Lefthttps://knowingisdoing.org/blog/necessity-spiritual-healing-when-teaching-catholic-faithnull@newadvent.org (Marlon De La Torre)When Jesus begins his teaching mission in Nazareth on the Sabbath, he takes his rightful place in the synagogue as the Divine Teacher. He proceeds to reference the words of the Prophet Isaiah and lays out the method and content of his salvific message. The opportunity for Jesus to teach in the synagogue underscores Jesus’ identity as Teacher and Savior... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-1972400399249871815Centerhttps://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/motor-city-bluesnull@newadvent.org (Brendan Hodge)Like many U.S. dioceses, the Archdiocese of Detroit is going through a parish consolidation process. In the preparation, the archdiocese has posted a detailed set of presentations (one for each parish in the archdiocese) providing the data diocesan leaders are assessing as they make these decisions about the closure or merger of parishes... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-4314024399068674552Lefthttps://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/whos-in-and-whos-out-leos-revampnull@newadvent.org (null)Pope Leo XIV appointed seven new members to the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, the Church’s highest canonical court of appeal, on July 25, including the first three non-bishops ever appointed as members of the tribunal. The appointments by Leo also marked the conclusion of the five-year terms... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-71622856127574833Centerhttps://stpaulcenter.com/posts/who-are-the-different-jameses-in-the-new-testamentnull@newadvent.org (Clement Harrold)The English name James comes from the Greek Iakobos, which is itself based on the original Hebrew name Yaʿaqōḇ. As you may have guessed, this was the name of the patriarch we call Jacob before God renamed him Israel. In Latin, the name is Iacobus, from which we get terms like Jacobite. A medieval variant on the name Iacobus was Iacomus, and over time this eventually evolved into the English name James. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-7785351198602237516Lefthttps://stpaulcenter.com/posts/food-in-due-season-scott-hahn-reflects-on-the-eighteenth-sunday-in-ordinary-timenull@newadvent.org (Scott Hahn)In Jesus and the Church, Isaiah’s promises in today’s First Reading are fulfilled. All who are thirsty come to the living waters of Baptism. The hungry delight in rich fare, given bread to eat and wine to drink at the Eucharistic table. This is the point, too, of this Sunday’s Gospel. The story of Jesus’ feeding of the 5,000 brims with allusions to the Old Testament... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-5095238669279350085Centerhttps://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2026-07/medjugorje-parish-condemns-vandalism-urges-forgiveness.htmlnull@newadvent.org (null)The parish of Medjugorje has condemned acts of vandalism that damaged several of its places of prayer overnight and has invited the faithful to respond with “prayer, fasting, and forgiveness.” “It is with great sadness that we received the news of the act of vandalism,” the Medjugorje Parish Office said in a statement on Tuesday... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-1573389401217094825Lefthttps://www.catholicworldreport.com/2026/07/16/generational-sin-and-the-days-of-darkness/null@newadvent.org (John Clark)Back in 1984, when I was thirteen years old, a Catholic friend told me about the “Three Days of Darkness.” Essentially, it was envisioned in the following manner. There would be a 72-hour period in which Hell would break loose—literally. Voracious demons would roam the earth. The sun would not appear. No electricity would work, so you would have to use candles for light... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-6866107100332718637Centerhttps://www.ncregister.com/cna/ewtn-news-pope-sunday-angelus-july-26-2026null@newadvent.org (null)Pope Leo XIV on Sunday urged parties across the Middle East to suspend their attacks and reopen diplomatic negotiations, warning that escalating military operations were endangering civilians and worsening shortages of drinking water and electricity. His remarks followed one of the most tense days in the West Bank in recent months... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-7963960979351955041Lefthttps://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2026-07/pope-leo-xiv-visit-sanctuary-holy-trinity-valle-pietra-st-anne.htmlnull@newadvent.org (null)During a surprise morning excursion on Wednesday, Pope Leo XIV travelled by car from Castel Gandolfo to the Shrine of the Holy Trinity in Vallepietra, before visiting the Monasteries of St Benedict and St Scholastica in Subiaco on the journey back toward his summer residence. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-7627698722514905337Centerhttps://media.benedictine.edu/six-crucial-lessons-for-our-time-from-christopher-nolans-the-odysseynull@newadvent.org (Tom Hoopes)Imagine a world where men are acting like pigs, the ties to God and family that once rooted society are gone, and people have become crass and violent. Now imagine you are a young man unable to start your life in that world, feeling abandoned by your father and uncertain of your very purpose. That is the story of the world outside your door... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-416739759609384555Lefthttps://www.ncregister.com/features/figge-exorcists-spotlightnull@newadvent.org (Jack Figge)Among today’s most popular videos and podcasts, for Catholic and secular audiences alike, are those featuring priests discussing demons. Prominent exorcists, such as Father Chad Ripperger, Father Carlos Martins and Father Dan Reehil, have gained widespread attention through frequent media appearances, often garnering millions of views... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-6825720650276858588Centerhttps://life-craft.org/leave-the-shallows-read-together/null@newadvent.org (John Cuddeback)Reading together can change everything. It is a great example of a rich activity for families and friends that should be ordinary but is quite rare. Fortunately, it is very much in our reach with real intentionality. A dramatic, negative phenomenon of our age is that we tend to be absorbed with shallow or vain things. This is not random... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-1756732222115374476Lefthttps://pos.toasttab.com/blog/data/restaurant-tipping-trendsnull@newadvent.org (null)The average restaurant tip at Toast restaurants in the U.S. is 19.3% at full-service restaurants (FSRs) and 15.8% at quick-service restaurants (QSRs) as of Q1 2026. Across all restaurant types, the overall average tip held steady at 18.8%. Tipping has stayed relatively stable over the past two years. Full-service tips have hovered between 19.1% and 19.4%, while quick-service tips have held near 15.8–16.0%. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-5437132005913745310Centerhttps://www.rd.com/article/why-butter-is-yellow/null@newadvent.org (null)Milk is white, so how does butter get its distinctive hue? They say that butter makes everything better, and I tend to think that’s true. But riddle me this: Milk is white, and butter is made from milk, but butter is ... yellow? If you explained this to an alien who knew nothing of Earth’s delicacies... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-7780502299381304896Lefthttps://www.ncregister.com/cna/vatican-denies-marko-rupnik-has-been-acquittednull@newadvent.org (null)The Vatican on July 22 denied reports circulating on blogs and social media that Father Marko Rupnik, the former Jesuit accused by several women religious of sexual abuse, had been acquitted. Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office, described reports that the judges overseeing the case had reached a final decision... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-7840749577756045081Centerhttps://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/heresy-slayer/null@newadvent.org (Fr. Jerry Pokorsky)The study of heresies and theological errors illuminates the truths of the Catholic faith by contrast. Yet those same errors distort right thinking. The oldest heresies rarely disappear; they reappear in new forms and tempt every generation of Christians. The antibodies of God’s providence help us keep heresies in check before they do significant damage. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-8067458186356479635Lefthttps://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/lawrence-of-sacred-scripture-andnull@newadvent.org (J.D. Flynn)Lawrence — whose baptismal name was Julius Caesar Russo — was born in 1559, and cared for by Conventual Franciscan friars after his father died, when lil’ Julius Caesar was seven. Despite his unconventional Conventual raisin’, Lawrence became a Capuchin Franciscan in 1575, when he was 16, and then a priest when he was 23. He was brilliant. Off-the-charts, scary smart. For a Capuchin, that’s a cool attribute... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-6663262662852454029Centerhttps://stpaulcenter.com/posts/treasures-of-the-kingdom-scott-hahn-reflects-on-the-seventeenth-sunday-in-ordinary-timenull@newadvent.org (null)What is your new life in Christ worth to you? Do you love His words more than gold and silver, as we sing in today’s Psalm? Would you, like the characters in the Gospel today, sell all that you have in order to possess the kingdom He promises to us? If God were to grant any wish, would you follow Solomon’s example in today’s First Reading—asking not for a long life or riches but for wisdom to know God’s ways and to desire His will? tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-2738146537951771851Lefthttps://www.ncregister.com/blog/how-to-respond-when-people-say-jesus-had-brothers-and-sistersnull@newadvent.org (Kathy Schiffer)Did Jesus have brothers and sisters? Some people think the Gospel of Mark seems to say so. And not only in the Gospel of Mark. In Luke 8:19-21, the topic comes up again. While Jesus is speaking to a crowd, someone tells him, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.” But Jesus... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-7630698613873078451Centerhttps://stpaulcenter.com/posts/st-mary-magdalene-and-the-song-of-songsnull@newadvent.org (null)One of the most beautiful scenes in the Gospels comes in John 20 when St. Mary Magdalene goes to the tomb of Jesus. The evangelist tells us that Mary set off “early, while it was still dark.” In John’s Gospel, references to darkness and light always carry a symbolic value. In other words, it wasn’t merely the pre-dawn hours that were dark... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-2676172413492753473Lefthttps://heightsforum.org/movie%20reviews/the-sheep-detectives-agatha-christie-would-be-charmed/null@newadvent.org (null)In the country village of Denbrook, warm-hearted shepherd George Hardy loves his sheep like his own children and reads them crime mysteries every evening. When George (Hugh Jackman) dies suddenly under suspicious circumstances, his beloved flock must push past their natural sheepishness and draw upon the stories he’s told them and the kindnesses he’s shown them to solve the crime. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-162970950755382096Centerhttps://www.ewtnnews.com/vatican/pope-leo-xiv-urges-peace-and-nuclear-disarmament-in-new-book-forewordnull@newadvent.org (null)Pope Leo XIV has written a foreword to a new book, calling for peace and the elimination of nuclear weapons. Originally published by Vatican News, the pontiff’s text is part of the new book “Disarmed and Disarming: Peace Is a Gift,” published by the Vatican Publishing House in Italian on July 21... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-5216931664826297773Lefthttps://tmattingly.substack.com/p/doctrines-that-shape-calvin-and-hobbesnull@newadvent.org (Terry Mattingly)Whenever our grandchildren visit our home there’s a ritual that takes place during the first hour or so. This has happened since the oldest started reading and, no doubt, will continue with the youngest. The rite involves curling up with books, of course, and one giant boxed-set of heavy hardbacks is always in play... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-2608340469576498579Centerhttps://www.ncregister.com/commentaries/busch-friendship-meal-overcome-polarizationnull@newadvent.org (Tim Busch)America is experiencing a period of profound polarization. Researchers have documented a growing ideological divide over the past several decades, while surveys show that many Americans feel exhausted by the constant conflict that surrounds public life. Social media has amplified this trend. Many of us increasingly receive our information from sources... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-6658038674218266543Lefthttps://cruxnow.com/church-in-europe/2026/07/gracias-a-dios-siempre-spanish-champions-praise-god-after-world-cup-victorynull@newadvent.org (null)After Spain’s triumph over Argentina in the FIFA World Cup final on Sunday, several of the stars credited the influence of their Catholic faith for the dramatic victory. Game-winning goal-scorer Ferran Torres, who has suffered heavy criticism for his inconsistency in front of the net in his home country, said his heroics in extra-time were made possible by divine grace. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-4810263415499192729Centerhttps://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2026-07/pope-god-s-kingdom-grows-quietly-through-love-not-power.htmlnull@newadvent.org (null)Pope Leo urged Christians to reject the temptation to seek spectacular displays of God's power, reminding the faithful that the Kingdom of God grows quietly and patiently, like a tiny seed or a little yeast working unseen. Addressing pilgrims gathered for the Sunday Angelus in Castel Gandolfo... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-3156919418677343356Lefthttps://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/going-nowhere-papal-holidays-andnull@newadvent.org (Ed Condon)I am supposed to be going on vacation this evening, through at least next week. I say supposed to be because the plans are a bit up in the air right now. My version of a break consists of repairing to a particular corner of Western Pa., from whence hail my mother’s clan, and spending as much time clustered around a muddy puddle of a lake... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-5051808540698699397Centerhttps://2077093.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/2077093/Do%20You%20KNow%20Them%20to%20be%20Worthy%20Report_Final.pdfnull@newadvent.org (null)Twelve Proposals for Bishops, Rectors, Seminary Formation Teams, and Mental Health Professionals in Assessing the Suitability of Men for Holy Orders tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-3309020133626866904Lefthttps://www.ncregister.com/news/us-seminaries-need-to-improve-screening-support-for-priesthood-candidatesnull@newadvent.org (null)Some candidates for the priesthood need more psychological evaluation and help than they are currently getting, and some U.S. bishops ought to defer more to the formation team at seminaries as to whether a seminarian ought to be ordained, contends a new report from a leading Catholic thinktank.New tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-1021079419792533181Centerhttps://www.ewtnnews.com/world/us/nigeria-nicaragua-syria-india-cited-in-index-of-rising-christian-persecutionnull@newadvent.org (null)International Christian Concern (ICC) released its 2026 Global Persecution Index, offering an in-depth analysis of the persecution Christians face in more than 20 countries and recommendations for how policymakers and organizations can combat escalating violations. “This year’s Global Persecution Index is a sobering reminder that millions...” tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-7446237786529070490Lefthttps://www.ncregister.com/features/sherry-weddell-on-discipleshipnull@newadvent.org (Zelda Caldwell)Before he ascended to heaven, Jesus commanded the apostles to make disciples of all nations. But 2,000 years later, when Sherry Weddell started working in evangelization, she made a shocking discovery: Hardly any Catholics she met even knew what it meant to be a disciple. This was not simply a question of semantics; it was the defining crisis facing the Catholic Church in the West... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-1719895339236716369Centerhttps://www.ncregister.com/commentaries/weigel-world-cup-bluesnull@newadvent.org (null)I usually find the quadrennial FIFA World Cup aggravating for the five reasons enumerated below, plus one other: my students here in the Tertio Millennio Seminar on the Free Society are sometimes so obsessed with the competition that it becomes challenging to keep our community of learners focused on the seminar’s deep dive into Catholic social doctrine. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-582390504458811971Lefthttps://www.ewtnnews.com/vatican/society-of-st-pius-x-appeals-to-vatican-against-schism-decreenull@newadvent.org (null)The Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) has filed an appeal with the Vatican against the decree that declared the traditionalist group in schism with the Catholic Church for consecrating four bishops without papal authorization. According to a statement from the society... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-8975115048656835245Centerhttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/11/opinion/population-forecast-birth-rate.htmlnull@newadvent.org (null)In 1775, a year before the Declaration of Independence was signed, a Harvard professor named Edward Wigglesworth did the math on American population growth and could barely contain his excitement. He had found that the colonists were doubling their numbers every 25 years, mostly through births, and at that pace he projected that by the close of the 20th century... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-2704693009124490375Lefthttps://www.graphsaboutreligion.com/p/built-for-a-church-that-no-longernull@newadvent.org (Ryan Burge)Sometimes the doom scrolling really does pay off. I hate to admit it, but flicking through thousands of social media posts a week is a way that I can find interesting stories to write about for Graphs about Religion. And, that’s exactly what happened a few months ago. On my Google Discover feed, I see this headline, “Detroit Catholic archdiocese restructures as Mass attendance drops 40%.” It’s a story from the Detroit Free Press... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-5039045932686438937Centerhttps://www.osvnews.com/using-multi-province-model-jesuits-will-create-2-novitiates-from-its-5-current-novitiates/null@newadvent.org (null)The Society of Jesus — commonly known as the Jesuits — in the United States and Canada will bring together its five current novitiates spread throughout the continent into two new novitiates starting in 2028, with one of the new novitiates to be located in Detroit. The Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-7761564865640808151Lefthttps://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/catalonia-poll-suggests-young-adultsnull@newadvent.org (Luke Coppen)Young people aged 18 to 24 in the Spanish region of Catalonia are more likely to identify as Catholics than those aged 25 to 34, according to new research by a government public opinion research agency. The Center for Opinion Studies, which conducts polls on behalf of the Government of Catalonia, found that 40.9% of surveyed residents aged 18 to 24 identified as Catholic, compared to only 34.6% of those aged 25 to 34. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-1006276932336923310Centerhttps://www.ft.com/content/5b90a72a-3dd0-4b9b-b023-474dd98efc2c?syn-25a6b1a6=1null@newadvent.org (null)UK counterterror police have taken over the investigation into the murder of former Conservative minister Ann Widdecombe after “new information and evidence” came to light over the killing of the 78-year-old on Dartmoor. Counter Terrorism Policing South East said on Monday that they had rearrested a suspect on suspicion... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-7467077344958508760Lefthttps://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2026-07/pope-leo-xiv-angelus-castel-gandolfo-summer-gospel-reflection.htmlnull@newadvent.org (null)Reflecting on the Gospel parable of the Sower during Sunday's Angelus prayer, Pope Leo XIV said God never tires of sowing the seed of His Word in the human heart, because He knows that "the power of his love is stronger than our weakness." Addressing pilgrims gathered in Castel Gandolfo on the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, the Pope explained that Saint Matthew's account of the Parable of the Sower reveals tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-8192161520985577751Centerhttps://weirdcatholic.substack.com/p/st-margaret-the-missing-saint-5d8null@newadvent.org (Thomas McDonald)The trial transcript for the condemnation of St. Joan of Arc mentions St. Margaret more than 120 times. She’s usually paired with St. Catherine, and sometimes St. Michael. Joan never specified which Margaret and which Catherine, but Margaret of Antioch and Catherine of Alexandria were both saints with wide devotions and popular lives set in verse, so it’s considered likely that she was referring to them... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-6666871867776104640Lefthttps://stpaulcenter.com/posts/understanding-the-unforgivable-sin-against-the-holy-spiritnull@newadvent.org (null)One of the more disconcerting moments in the Gospels comes when Jesus informs His critics that there is one particular kind of sin that will not be forgiven. For context, Jesus has just healed a blind and mute demoniac when the Pharisees begin to murmur that He is only able to cast out demons by the power of Beelzebul... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-3857154460825152140Centerhttps://www.ewtnnews.com/vatican/at-lunch-with-the-poor-pope-leo-xiv-urges-society-to-eliminate-the-causes-of-poverty-injusticenull@newadvent.org (null)Pope Leo XIV on July 11 expressed a “hunger for justice [and] authentic charity” while attending a lunch with poor people at Castel Gandolfo outside of Rome. Before the pope spoke, Cardinal Fabio Baggio — the incoming pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development — had addressed the gathering. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-4902850025813407536Lefthttps://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/being-free-private-wars-and-loonynull@newadvent.org (null)If I am honest, I have been laboring under something of a lingering 4th of July hangover all week. I tried to shoot the festive moon last weekend: family in town, all day cook-out with friends from the parish, time at the pool, full-on fireworks display, the whole thing. I concede now, as I am doing this week without the Barry Bonds-sized dosage of steroids which had me feeling so good last week... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-5975330624914782624Centerhttps://media.benedictine.edu/this-sunday-take-the-parable-of-the-sower-test-at-mass-and-afternull@newadvent.org (null)This Sunday, the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, Jesus tells the Parable of the Sower, one of those Gospel stories that we feel like we know. After all, Jesus himself explains its meaning in the long form of the Gospel — and to interpret it in any other way is foolhardy. But the application of the parable is another matter... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-1705170436230478144Lefthttps://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/julys-other-illicit-episcopal-consecrationnull@newadvent.org (null)This month is likely to see in the Church not one but two sets of episcopal consecrations without a papal mandate, though taking place under very different circumstances. The first, publicized worldwide, took place July 1 at Écône, Switzerland, when the traditionalist Society of St. Pius X illicitly consecrated four new bishops, despite an explicit prohibition by the Holy See. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-2719396302413547947Centerhttps://www.usccb.org/news/2026/us-cardinal-exorcist-role-should-be-private-after-priests-removal-tied-ufo-controversynull@newadvent.org (null)Cardinal Robert W. McElroy of Washington said his decision to remove a high-profile priest as an archdiocesan exorcist was driven by the public way he exercised his ministry, not by his specific beliefs about UFOs. Following comments on social media linking UFOs to demonic activity... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-6329686955393801620Lefthttps://www.ncregister.com/features/brother-columba-a-shoemaker-s-sacred-heart-devotionnull@newadvent.org (null)In 1918, E.P. Schwartz pushed his 4-year-old daughter, Jean, in a small carriage through the University of Notre Dame campus near South Bend, Indiana. Two years earlier, polio had left the little girl’s left leg paralyzed and bent so that she was unable to stand on it. When she passed children playing, she must have felt sad knowing that she couldn’t join them... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-4132653901208958085Centerhttps://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/what-went-down-with-the-sspxnull@newadvent.org (Jimmy Akin)The Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) has ordained new bishops, returned to schism, and incurred excommunication, and the Vatican has announced these facts. The SSPX is a society of priests, founded in 1970 by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. It promotes traditional views and liturgy and critiques certain statements made by the Second Vatican Council, particularly concerning religious liberty and ecumenism... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-5450519527236667486Lefthttps://www.wsj.com/business/white-line-road-invention-america-250-8ce6bb89?st=313dcx&mod=1440&user_id=66c4c4bf600ae150759922b7null@newadvent.org (null)Over the past 250 years, America has produced the world’s most valuable inventions. The lightbulb. The internet. The telephone and the iPhone. Since the founding of the United States, we have built airplanes, refrigerators and Costco. We dreamed up the microchip and we gave the world chocolate-chip cookies. But the greatest American innovation that you won’t ever find on a list of America’s innovations might just be one that you see every day. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-5441547851559865767Centerhttps://www.ewtnnews.com/world/europe/diocese-of-oslo-to-open-canonization-cause-for-nobel-laureate-sigrid-undsetnull@newadvent.org (null)Bishop Fredrik Hansen of Oslo, Norway, has announced that he will open a canonization cause for Sigrid Undset, setting one of Scandinaviaʼs most celebrated literary figures on the path toward possible sainthood and giving the Catholic Church in Norway a prolific native candidate for holiness. Hansen made the announcement during Mass on the island of Selja... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-2112970140517323614Lefthttps://www.ncregister.com/cna/u-s-ambassador-describes-july-4-dinner-with-pope-leo-xivnull@newadvent.org (Andrea Gagliarducci)Pope Leo XIV still has a Peruvian credit card, wakes in the middle of the night and checks soccer results, follows the Chicago White Sox, and uses a cellphone. He is also, according to Brian Burch, the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, a Pope keenly aware of his role as pastor of the universal Church, careful not to give the impression of being merely an American pope and frustrated that his actions are sometimes interpreted as anti-Trump or anti-U.S. gestures. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-6614405590942507318Centerhttps://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/astonishing-christina-fireworks-andnull@newadvent.org (null)Christina the Astoning wasn’t a magician, though I hope that out there somewhere is a woman working birthday parties and doing card tricks, who has taken the moniker as a kind of quiet homage to the great lady. And Christina was a great lady. She lived almost 900 years ago in the city of Liege, in what is now Belgium. We don’t know much about her early life. Her parents died when was 15; she lived by tending sheep... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-8935090191363464293Lefthttps://www.ewtnnews.com/world/us/pope-leo-praises-u-s-eucharistic-pilgrims-highlights-country-s-strong-eucharistic-heritagenull@newadvent.org (null)Pope Leo XIV on July 5 praised Eucharistic pilgrims in the U.S. for walking thousands of miles with Christ as part of a “great legacy of faith” amid the country’s 250th anniversary celebrations. The pilgrimage, which carried the theme “One Nation, Under God,” began in St. Augustine, Florida in May and went as far north as Portland, Maine, before turning south and finishing in Philadelphia... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-8083377309011881723Centerhttps://www.wordonfire.org/articles/the-declaration-tells-us-nobody-is-a-nobody/null@newadvent.org (Christopher Kaczor)The Declaration of Independence speaks of self-evident truths, among them, that all humans are “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.” Do unalienable rights depend in an important way upon the Creator? The answer might differ depending on which Founder we consider. Thomas Jefferson is a good test case... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-8810660317421000592Lefthttps://www.ncregister.com/commentaries/tadie-american-revolution-and-french-revolutionnull@newadvent.org (null)“Humanity has gained its suit. Liberty will never more be without an asylum.” When the Marquis de Lafayette wrote these words in 1781, shortly after the Continental Army’s victory at Yorktown, he believed he had witnessed an event that the rest of the world would emulate: a people freeing themselves from tyranny to govern themselves as they had always wished... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-7628717028079234749Centerhttps://www.osvnews.com/in-lampedusa-on-july-4-pope-leo-urges-christians-to-provide-safe-harbor-to-migrants/null@newadvent.org (Courtney Mares)Pope Leo XIV traveled to the tiny Italian island of Lampedusa July 4, laying a wreath at the graves of migrants who drowned trying to reach Europe and celebrating an open-air Mass in which he called on Catholics to be Good Samaritans offering compassion to those who suffer attempting make the perilous journey by sea. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-9180992210290704943Lefthttps://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2026-07/pope-leo-xiv-awarded-liberty-medal-national-constitution-center.htmlnull@newadvent.org (null)Accepting the prestigious Liberty Medal from the U.S. National Constitution Center for his lifelong commitment to promoting religious liberty and freedom of conscience and expression around the world, Pope Leo XIV addressed those gathered in Philadelphia from Rome, praying that the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States would be an occasion for a solemn recommitment to the fundamental ideals on which the country was founded, especially life and freedom. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-8293856616138900184Centerhttps://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/how-many-sspx-laypeople-are-therenull@newadvent.org (null)Journalists covering this week’s illicit episcopal consecrations by the Society of St. Pius X have faced an awkward problem. It’s this: it seems impossible to say exactly how many laypeople are currently associated with the organization founded by the French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre in 1970. That might seem trivial. But one way of conveying the impact of the consecrations... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-5958394915993348358Lefthttps://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=69921null@newadvent.org (Phil Lawler)An ordination, like a wedding, should be a happy occasion. But the July 1 consecration of four new bishops for the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) marks a sad day in the history of the Catholic Church: an unnecessary and avoidable breach between an energetic group of Catholics who cherish their faith and a Vatican leadership striving to maintain unity in the Church. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-1895987270977123548Centerhttps://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/responsibility-for-evangelization-refusal-leads-to-hate/null@newadvent.org (Jeff Mirus)It is not always easy to speak up about our Faith, especially when others have shown their irritation at being “harangued” (reminded) about Christ and His Church. I once had even a relative exclaim: “Catholic, Catholic, Catholic! That’s all you ever talk about.” On that occasion, I was discussing things with family, many of whom were on my wavelength... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-8261798331851313615Lefthttps://media.benedictine.edu/this-sunday-jesus-rejoices-that-only-the-little-receive-his-restnull@newadvent.org (null)The Gospel passage we hear this Sunday includes some of the most consoling words in Scripture when Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” Anyone who has had a relationship with Jesus knows exactly what that means. The greatest feeling in the world is not any kind of bodily pleasure, but the supernatural rest of an encounter with Christ... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-4040737581868582007Centerhttps://www.ewtnnews.com/vatican/pope-leo-xiv-congratulates-the-u-s-on-its-250th-anniversarynull@newadvent.org (null)Pope Leo XIV celebrated the contributions of Catholics and immigrants to the United States in an open letter to Americans for the country’s 250th anniversary. The letter, dated June 25 and released by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on Friday, also highlighted the principles of religious freedom and the right to life... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-4687496394066043950Lefthttps://www.ncregister.com/commentaries/america-s-250th-and-the-weight-of-a-nationnull@newadvent.org (Archbishop Charles Chaput)During these days of reflection on our nation’s founding, I’ve been pondering something St. Augustine noted in the greatest of his works. He said that a state not governed by justice is no more than a gang of thieves. Augustine wrote those words in The City of God, a book that deliberately contrasts the earthly city... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-999424883997669369Centerhttps://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/being-back-a-schism-if-you-believenull@newadvent.org (null)Here I am, back. Let me begin by saying thank you, sincerely, and profoundly, for the countless messages of concern, prayers — even Mass intentions — you all sent me following last week’s newsletter. I have been, as JD mentioned, dealing with an injury. In a perfect world I would still be “off games” this week and staying away from my desk. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-8717750982042824712Lefthttps://noellemering.substack.com/p/when-a-nation-turns-against-itselfnull@newadvent.org (Noelle Mering)For many Americans who came of age in the late twentieth century, patriotism seemed vaguely embarrassing. We would stand for the anthem, recite the pledge, celebrate the Fourth of July. But earnest patriotism belonged somewhere in the same category as country music, oversized pickup trucks, and other markers of provincialism from which sophisticated people... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-2423647281269631342Centerhttps://stpaulcenter.com/posts/a-yoke-for-the-childlike-scott-hahn-reflects-on-the-fourteenth-sunday-in-ordinary-timenull@newadvent.org (null)Jesus is portrayed in today’s Gospel as a new and greater Moses. Moses, the meekest man on earth, was God’s friend. Only he knew God “face to face.” And Moses gave Israel the yoke of the Law, through which God first revealed Himself and how we are to live. Jesus, too, is meek and humble. But He is more than God’s friend. He is the Son who alone knows the Father... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-8719615247195688320Lefthttps://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2026-07/fraternity-saint-pius-x-ways-to-repent-return-full-communion.htmlnull@newadvent.org (null)Following the schismatic act of July 1, a return to Catholic communion will not require repeating the experience of special commissions, such as Ecclesia Dei in the past, because the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith has already established a procedure for both priests and lay faithful, directly involving diocesan Ordinaries and the leaders of the fraternities that follow the ancient rite and are united with Rome. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-1242339218813926641Centerhttps://www.ncregister.com/commentaries/desouza-sspx-no-to-the-churchnull@newadvent.org (Fr. Raymond de Souza)Numerous accounts of the illicit and gravely sinful episcopal ordinations by the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) have termed it a “crisis.” Is it? Not for the SSPX, it would seem. Choosing to ordain four new bishops on the precise anniversary that their four previous bishops were excommunicated in 1988 suggests a rather celebratory disposition toward the canonical penalties...