On January 17, 2019 and thereafter, St. Michael's Media (SMM) published on its Church Militant website a story on its ChurchMilitant.com web site about Father Georges de Laire, the Judicial Vicar of the Diocese of Manchester, New Hampshire. The story was authored by Marc Balestrieri, who requested that his authorship be concealed, and led SMM to believe that the claims in his article were supported by anonymous sources known to him. SMM and Church Militant extend their apologies to Father de Laire for the publication of this story which has been permanently removed from the ChurchMilitant.com website. Additionally, we have resolved Father de Laire’s defamation lawsuit through a financial payment to him.

SMM and Church Militant regret that the article was not properly vetted. It was later revealed that Mr. Balestrieri could not substantiate his claims regarding Father de Laire with any credible sources. Further, Mr. Balestrieri did not disclose to SMM his active involvement in a canonical dispute in which he was representing a client and Father de Laire was representing the Church at the time he wrote the article, which would have raised questions about the motive behind the anonymous allegations in the article prior to its publication.

Mr. Balestrieri, after being sued, did not defend the lawsuit, leading the Court to enter a default judgment against him. Mr. Balestrieri further failed to attend his duly-noticed and agreed-upon deposition.

SMM sincerely apologizes for their part in any distress or damage they may have caused Father de Laire.

The Deposit of Faith Coalition is demanding an end to the nefarious collusion between leftist lawmakers and well-paid prelates over climate change.

The best is yet to come.

The Church Militant store is shutting down … and so it's time for a Lenten Liquidation Sale!

You all know the Church Militant shop – a great place to get books, statues, Rosaries, candles, medals and crucifixes, incense and more! 

The store has been running for longer than Church Militant itself – but all good things come to an end.

We need to liquidate the stock, and so this is your opportunity to get a hold of some wonderful Catholic books, DVDs and CDs, statues and more at fire-sale prices.

Nothing complicated, no fancy coupons or codes or anything like that. Just go to ChurchMilitant.shop; everything is marked down 50%. Yes, that's right – half off everything we have in stock.

Don't delay, get yourself a bargain today! We are not restocking, so be sure to buy TODAY to ensure getting what you want!

No other coupons or discounts may be used. All sales final.

All transactions are contingent on stock levels – if an order cannot be fulfilled because of inadequate stock, unavailable items will be refunded.

VISIT THE STORE TODAY!

On March 19, we will celebrate the Solemnity of St. Joseph, the foster father of Our Lord and the spouse of our Blessed Mother. Saint Joseph was a man who took his dreams seriously and, like the patriarch Joseph in the Old Testament (for whom he had been named), heard the voice of God in his dreams and, with no qualms, did what God asked.

Much has been written about St. Joseph as the most admirable "foster father" of Jesus. But less written about are the many sorrows that St. Joseph endured to complete his life's work of raising the Christ child to manhood. People more readily recognize the sorrows of our Blessed Mother, who was a witness to Our Lord's Passion and death, but arguably fewer acknowledge the sorrows that Joseph endured during the course of his long life to ensure God's Son was raised to adulthood.

I'd argue too that the more we acknowledge and meditate on the sufferings of St. Joseph, the more we'll be able to push back against our culture's maligning of fathers and fatherhood. Meditating on the sorrows of Joseph may provide a perfect Lenten reflection, especially for all men who are fathers, who, in the course of being a dad and caring for their children and families, suffer many such sorrows. 

I submit eight sorrows endured by St. Joseph, and all are worthy of reflection and meditation. I am certain that there are many more sorrows endured by the beloved saint, but these eight jump out after a reading of the gospels.

1. Dealing with the public shame involved in taking an expectant Mary into his home
2. Guiding the Blessed Mother with Child to Bethlehem
3. Finding shelter in Bethlehem as Mary is close to giving birth
4. Completing the unplanned flight into Egypt
5. Securing work to provide for the Holy Family as a foreigner in Egypt
6. Setting up a workshop in Nazareth after a protracted absence
7. Witnessing humanity's rejection of God's Son
8. Dying before seeing Jesus fulfill His mission of reconciling humanity to God

The First Sorrow of St. Joseph: Taking an Expectant Mary Into His Home

Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her." (Matthew 1:18-20)

To start this discussion on the sorrows of St. Joseph, it's important to talk about the suffering that comes with dealing with pharisaic individuals within the faith community. These holier-than-thou individuals pride themselves on following the rules and shower down ridicule upon those who don't measure up to their high standards. From day one of taking Mary into his home, I am certain that Saint Joseph was the target of loads of ridicule from these individuals.

It was not like Saint Joseph could share with anyone other than the Blessed Mother what God had revealed to him in his dreams—that the child Mary was pregnant with God's very own Son. For Saint Joseph to do so would have made their ridicule worse. Joseph probably had to slug through many months, if not years, with the ridicule of such people in Nazareth.

Meditation

Persevere in the completion of God's will despite heavy ridicule from family and neighbors.

The Second Sorrow of St. Joseph: Transporting the Pregnant Blessed Mother to Bethlehem

In those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town. And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. (Luke 2:1-5)

Even today, with all the modern means of transportation and conveniences, it's tricky to facilitate the safe journey of a pregnant woman. It's easier to leave her home where she has family, friends and doctors. For a pregnant woman, traveling at the end of her term involves many risks. From Luke's Gospel, we know that St. Joseph and Mary were forced to travel on foot to Bethlehem at the worst of all possible times for such a trip. 

I am certain that these risks would have played heavily on St. Joseph's mind as Jesus' stepfather. God's holy angels certainly aided Joseph in this long journey. But the angel's spiritual protection probably did little to ease Joseph's worry about caring for a full-term mother on a road trip. You could bet St. Joseph was one hot mess of worry from the first step outside of the village gates of Nazareth until he arrived with Mary in Bethlehem. 

Meditation

Trust in God's providence and care despite obstacles.

The Third Sorrow of St. Joseph: Finding Shelter for Mary Who Is With Child in Bethlehem

She wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:7)

Most of us can't imagine the anguish that St. Joseph must have endured upon finding that there was no room for him and Mary in any inn in Bethlehem. Scripture does not recount how long it took for Joseph to find shelter or who thought to seek shelter in a stable.

Any father who has gone through similar circumstances to provide safe shelter for his family in an emergency knows that the time spent doing so is utter hell. You can imagine the torturous thoughts that went through Joseph's mind: "Will anyone help us in our need? Mary will have her child any moment now; she can't give birth on the street. What am I to do?"

How many doors were shut in St. Joseph's face before someone came to his aid? No one knows the answer to these questions, but Joseph persevered until shelter was found. How many of us would have just given up in a similar situation? 

Meditation

Keep the faith when things look bleak.

The Fourth Sorrow of St. Joseph: Completing the Flight to Egypt

When they had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy Him. (Matthew 2:13)

I can't fathom what a hardship it must have been for St. Joseph to, at a moment's notice, flee to Egypt with his family. What a test of his faith and a trial of his wits! Few men would have passed this trial. I know I would not have passed!

Idyllic paintings of this biblical account show Mary seated on a donkey with the Christ child. But there is no scriptural record of how the Holy Family traveled. Did they have a donkey for their journey, or did they travel in a caravan?

It's important to think beyond what we see in these paintings and to feel the heat of traveling two millennia ago through the hot, barren caravan routes that led from Jerusalem to Egypt. We can only speculate that this trip was arduous and filled with many perils. Remember, St. Joseph only had a staff to fend off wild beasts and wilder men. Because of Joseph's tenacity and good survival skills, the Holy Family's flight was successful, and they were able to get to Egypt — away from Herod's long and wicked reach.

Meditation

Deal with unexpected journeys in order to protect one's family from harm. 

The Fifth Sorrow of St. Joseph: As a Foreigner, Finding Work and Caring for the Holy Family in Egypt

Rise, take the child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. (Matthew 2:13)

Saint Joseph obediently followed God's instructions to a tee, and because of his faithfulness and obedience, Mary and Jesus thrived in Egypt. It would be ludicrous for us to imagine that living for many years in a foreign nation — in which there were different religious practices, customs and languages — was all hunky dory. I am certain that St. Joseph, like any immigrant, suffered much to learn the necessary words to find shelter, food and work.

Unlike our Lord's relatively short Passion, this cross of Joseph went on for years. As a man who struggled to learn Spanish in his 50s, I understand the pain of having people mock you for mispronouncing words and failing to communicate effectively. After Herod's death, I am certain St. Joseph welcomed the return trip home to Galilee — where people ridiculing him simply because he was a Jew and a foreigner would come to an end.

Meditation

Bear the heavy cross of being misunderstood, i.e., of being a foreigner in a foreign land.

The Sixth Sorrow of St. Joseph: Setting up His Workshop in Nazareth After a Protracted Absence

When Herod had died, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, "Rise, take the child and His mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead." He rose, took the child and His mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go back there. And because he had been warned in a dream, he departed for the region of Galilee. He went and dwelt in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled: "He shall be called a Nazorean." (Matthew 2:19-23)

With this single, abrupt line ("He shall be called a Nazorean."), Matthew ends the narrative of Christ's infancy.

In the gospel's third chapter, the evangelist jumps forward a full 23 years, to the point in which Our Lord begins his public ministry. Sadly, St. Joseph is never mentioned again. This is not because Matthew thinks the saint's role in raising and caring for the Holy Family is not important, but it's because this minor story is eclipsed by the evangelist telling the story of humanity's redemption in Jesus.

It is fair to presume that St. Joseph, in the 23 years not mentioned, took the many crosses that came his way in reestablishing a home and a livelihood in Nazareth. Some of the crosses Joseph most likely had to deal with were competing with rival tradesmen for work, not getting paid for jobs and not being able to obtain tools and materials. We need to keep in mind that Joseph did not have a slew of angels at his command to make his work any easier, simply because he had God's son to take care of. But Joseph persevered, and the Holy Family thrived.

Meditation

 Carry a heavy burden of work for the love of God without complaint.

The Seventh Sorrow of St. Joseph: He Witnesses Humanity's Rejection of God's Son

He came to Nazareth, where He had grown up, and went according to His custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day. He stood up to read ... and He said to them, "Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian." When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove Him out of the town, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl Him down headlong. But He passed through the midst of them and went away. (Luke 4:24-30)

It's hard for us to imagine such an evil scene: The Nazareth villagers attempting to kill Jesus. They attempted to kill him not because he committed a crime, but because he challenged their assumptions and misconceptions.

You hear the disdain of these villagers for Jesus in Mark's Gospel:

When the sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard Him were astonished. They said, "Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given Him? What mighty deeds are wrought by His hands! Is He not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the relative of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?" And they took offense at Him. (Mark 6:2-3)

The villagers of Nazareth's hatred must have been intense to attempt to hurl Jesus over a cliff. Instead of welcoming back their native son with joy, they attempt to murder Him.

This kind of violence, targeted at Jesus by Nazareth's villagers, was probably not the first time. Although the gospels are silent about the 23 years Jesus lived in Nazareth, I would wager that Joseph and Mary both witnessed similar incidents of Jesus being rejected and threatened by violence.

What a cross it must have been for both Joseph and Mary to witness firsthand the villagers' rejection of God's Son in the years they lived in Nazareth. As it was not their place to tell anyone who Jesus was, the scorn of their fellow villagers must have been a hard cross for both of them to carry.

Meditation

Endure the sadness that comes with witnessing the rejection of Jesus Christ.

The Eighth Sorrow of St. Joseph: He Dies Before Seeing Jesus Fulfill His Mission

Scripture tells us nothing about St. Joseph's death. Over the centuries, many saints have speculated about this venerable man's passing, but no one knows anything for certain. Of all the sorrows that Joseph suffered throughout his life, perhaps not seeing the fulfillment of Jesus' redemption of humanity had to be the hardest. Up until the day Joseph died, he did not witness any of Jesus' miracles, he did not hear Jesus preach publicly, and he did not witness the great number of people who would become His disciples.

Saint Joseph unflinchingly did what God asked him to do. He was a stalwart man of faith like Noah of old, who built the Ark will total trust in God despite the ridicule of his neighbors. The faith of Joseph is truly remarkable.

In the Resurrection accounts, we hear of the many doubts that were harbored by the apostles, most notably by St. Thomas. Saint John cites that on that first Easter, Thomas, instead of believing what the other disciples reported to him about the Lord's Resurrection, voiced his doubts: "Unless I see the mark of the nails in His hands and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into His side, I will not believe." (John 20:25)

Despite not being an eyewitness to Jesus' public ministry, St. Joseph believed and remained steadfastly obedient to the end. He died, a man who raised the Redeemer to manhood, yet suffered for not being a witness to humanity's redemption in Jesus. Few saints in the long history of our Church have shown such faith.

Meditation

Remain steadfast in the Faith despite doubts and temptations.

Closure

Because of the gospel's silence about 23 years of Jesus' life and St. Joseph's role in raising our Lord, many of the sorrows that the saint endured in bringing Christ to manhood have been lost. This does not excuse us from meditating prayerfully on those that we surmise happened.

Spending Lenten time reflecting on St. Joseph and his suffering to provide and protect the Holy Family according to God's will will make us more thankful Catholics. 

DETROIT (ChurchMilitant.com) As expected, President Biden and former President Donald Trump easily captured large percentages of voter support last night as they won each party's respective Michigan primary elections.

President Biden won 81.1% of the Democratic vote, despite nearly 14% of Democrats opting for the "uncommitted delegate slate," a choice promoted by Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., as a protest against Biden's stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict.

On the Republican side, Trump garnered 68.2% of the vote, aligning with pollsters' expectations.

Republican turnout surpassed that of Democrats, with an estimated 1.13 million GOP voters compared to approximately 778,000 Democratic voters.

This trend marks the fourth consecutive election where Republican participation has outpaced Democratic turnout in Michigan, indicating a potential enthusiasm gap among Democrats in this pivotal swing state. Just over 59.2% of voters chose to vote in the Republican primary.

The lower turnout among Democrats in the Michigan primary compared to Republicans suggests a lack of enthusiasm for their presumptive nominee. This trend could be a significant concern for the Democratic Party, particularly in a crucial swing state like Michigan.

This primary election concludes the series of votes leading up to Super Tuesday on March 5, when 16 states and territories will hold their primaries or caucuses, setting the stage for the next phase of the nomination process.

New York Redistricting Advances

The Democratic supermajority in the New York State Assembly and Senate recently revealed a new congressional redistricting map that has taken many by surprise. However, upon closer examination, the map suggests that party leaders were aware of the potential legal challenges they could face if they pushed their partisan interests too far.

As reported earlier, the state's redistricting commission made only cosmetic changes in the plan the high court created for the 2022 election. Thus, the members left the court footprint almost completely intact, which the legislature then rejected. When the people adopted a citizens' redistricting commission ballot proposition, the process allowed the legislature to either approve or reject the commission-adopted plans.

There is a widespread misconception that the 2022 court-drawn map favored Republicans, but this is not the case. According to analysts from Dave's Redistricting App, the map provided Republicans with a clear partisan advantage in only three of the state's 26 seats. Despite this, GOP candidates managed to secure victories in 11 races, indicating that they outperformed the statistical expectations of the map.

In New York's Feb. 13 special election, the Republican Party lost one of its seats in Long Island's 3rd District to Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi, changing the New York delegation's composition to 15 Democrats and 10 Republicans. The upcoming special election on April 30 is expected to fill the 26th Congressional District that was vacated by resigned Democratic Rep. Brian Higgins with fellow Democratic state Sen. Tim Kennedy, likely shifting the balance to 16 Democrats and 10 Republicans.

Most believed the legislators rejected the commission map because they wanted a more aggressive plan. The commission action, however, may have put the Democratic leadership in a legal box. The 2022 map landed in court because the legislature went overboard in drawing a map that would have yielded only four seats for the Republicans and 22 for the Democrats. Even the Democratic courts rejected this as an egregious gerrymander, hence the plan was deemed illegal.

After the redistricting commission members rubber-stamped the court map at the end of last week, the legislature was left in a difficult position, as any further partisan adjustments could have exposed them to a lawsuit alleging partisan gerrymandering.

Despite this, the new map still appears to favor Democrats slightly more than the current one. Several Republicans, including Reps. Anthony D'Esposito, Mike Lawler, and Brandon Williams are in districts that President Biden won in 2020, with Williams' district becoming slightly more Democratic. Conversely, Republican Reps. Nick LaLota, Andrew Garbarino, Nicole Malliotakis, Marc Molinaro and Democrat Pat Ryan find their districts slightly more favorable.

The new map awaits approval from Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul and, despite ongoing competitiveness, seems to represent the best possible outcome for Republicans, who feared a more drastic redraw. As a result, the 2024 New York congressional landscape is expected to closely resemble that of 2022.

Wisconsin's Race for US Senate

Wisconsin's U.S. Senate race just got more interesting.

Last week, Republican businessman Eric Hovde announced his candidacy. This week, the first poll matching him against two-term incumbent Democrat Tammy Baldwin was released by Emerson College. While the polling sample indicates support for Donald Trump at 45% compared to 42% for Joe Biden, Democratic incumbent Baldwin leads the Senate race with 46% support compared to Hovde's 39%.

At first glance, the poll might appear encouraging for Republicans, as Senator Baldwin is below 50% and holds only a single-digit lead against a relatively unknown opponent. However, the sample includes more Republicans (35%) than Democrats (33%), with an additional 32% identifying as non-affiliated. Although Wisconsin does not register voters by political party, voter history suggests that the poll, despite being weighted to reflect the actual electorate, may have a slight Republican skew.

Tennessee's Race for US House

In a developing trend this election cycle, as part of which Republican U.S. House members Pat Fallon and Victoria Spartz reversed their retirement announcements to seek reelection, Tennessee's Republican congressional delegation, including Sen. Marsha Blackburn, is now publicly encouraging Rep. Mark Green to reconsider his decision to retire.

Last week, Green, who serves as the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, announced he would not pursue a fourth term.

With the Tennessee candidate filing deadline set for April 4 for the Aug. 1 primary, there is still time for Green to change his mind, potentially reducing the number of open House seats.

Bishop Worried by Empty Confessionals
Abp. Tamba Charles says faithful prefer Communion. FULL STORY

Francis Recovering From Flu
Had an aide read his remarks at a recent address. FULL STORY

Catholicism Clashes With Freemasonry
Bishop affirms traditional position after 'dialogue' event. FULL STORY

Irish Resist Anti-Family Constitution Changes
Bishops rip plan to gut language on marriage, motherhood. FULL STORY

Archbishop Opposes Gender Ideology
Detroit's Abp. Allen Vigneron affirms Church teaching. FULL STORY

Buy the Chaplet of Seven Sorrows here

The devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows — a longtime part of the Church's piety — is nowadays often forgotten. 

It is enshrined in Church history in the Gospel of St. John, where the evangelist writes, "Now there stood by the Cross of Jesus, His Mother" (John 19:25).​

Still others see it in the prophecy of Simeon (Luke 2:34-35) when he prophesized at Jesus' presentation in the temple that a sword of sorrow shall piece Our Lady's heart.

Some even see prophesy of Our Lady's suffering in the Old Testament. For example, it is denoted in the phrase "till the time wherein she that travaileth shall bring forth" Micah (5:2-3).

But this ancient and often-neglected devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows received renewed attention just 40 years ago when Our Lady appeared to three young women in the town of Kibeho in Rwanda, during the 1980s.

Our Lady of Kibeho

From March to September 1982, Our Lady gave to 21-year-old Marie-Claire Mukangango — one of the three — the mission of spreading throughout the Church the Rosary of the Seven Sorrows of the Virgin Mary.

Our Lady said, "If I am now turning to the parish at Kibeho, it does not mean that I am concerned only for Kibeho ... or for Rwanda, or for the whole of Africa. I am concerned with the whole world." 

The message that Mary delivered to the visionaries in Kibeho, as she did in Fatima, was an urgent appeal to the world for repentance and conversion. It was a call for the rejection of sin, particularly idolatry, materialism, hypocrisy and sexual immorality. Mary warned of the serious consequences if people did not change their sinful ways.

On Oct. 15, 1982, the women beheld frightful, hellish visions of blood and war and killing and dead bodies left unburied. Indeed, their visions proved prophetic as just over 10 years later, a bloody war broke out in Rwanda between the Hutu and Tutsi ethnic groups. Within a few months, the genocide reportedly claimed 800,000 lives, among them three bishops and hundreds of religious.

Marie-Claire, the visionary who received Our Lady's mandate to spread the devotion of her sorrows, was killed during the massacre.

Now in Kibeho there is a famous shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows.

Our Lady of Monte Senario

Centuries before Mary's apparitions in Rwanda, she appeared to seven holy men in medieval Italy. These men left the city of Florence and the merchant trade to seek solitude on Monte Senario. The men, all of whom had a devotion to the Blessed Mother, wanted to live as hermits, dedicating their lives to fasting and prayer.

On Good Friday in 1239, Our Lady appeared to them as they were praying and meditating on Our Lord's Passion and her sufferings. She revealed her desire for them to form a religious order dedicated to practicing and promoting a devotion to her sorrows. 

She presented the Seven Holy Founders, as they came to be known, with the habit of their new order. Our Lady said to the men, "You will found a new order, and you will be my witnesses throughout the world. This is your name: Servants of Mary. This is your rule: that of St. Augustine. And here is your distinctive sign: the black scapular, in memory of my sufferings."

These men became the founders of the religious order of the Servites.

In his great, yet forgotten, book The Glories of Mary, St. Alphonsus Liguori explains that when Our Lady appeared to these seven men, she told them that if they wished to please her, they should often meditate upon her sorrows. He listed the following seven sorrows with reflections, quoting various saints on their understandings of Mary's sorrows.

• The prophecy of Simeon (Luke 2:34-35)
• The flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13-21)
• The loss of Jesus for three days in the temple (Luke 2:41-50)
• Meeting Jesus on his way to Calvary (John 19:17)
• Jesus' Crucifixion and death (John 19:18-30)
• Jesus taken down from the Cross (John 19:39-40)
• Jesus laid in the tomb (John 19:40–42) 

Revelations to St. Bridget of Sweden

In the 1300s, Our Lady appeared to St. Bridget of Sweden (1303-1373), again declaring the spiritual benefits of meditating on the depths of her suffering as the Mother of Jesus — the man — and as the Mother of Jesus, our God. 

She told St. Bridget:

I look around at all who are on earth, to see if by chance there are any who pity me, and meditate upon my sorrows; and I find that there are very few. Therefore, my daughter, though I am forgotten by many, at least do you not forget me; consider my anguish, and imitate, as far as you can, my grief.  

The Blessed Mother also revealed seven promises to St. Bridget for those who meditate on Her sufferings and sorrows while daily reciting seven Hail Marys:

• I will grant peace to their families
• They will be enlightened about the divine mysteries
• I will console them in their pains, and I will accompany them in their work
• I will give them as much as they ask for as long as it does not oppose the adorable will of my divine Son or the sanctification of their souls
• I will defend them in their spiritual battles with the infernal enemy, and I will protect them at every instant of their lives
• I will visibly help them at the moment of their death. They will see the face of their Mother, and
• I have obtained this grace from my divine Son, that those who propagate this devotion to my tears and sorrows will be taken directly from this earthly life to eternal happiness, since all their sins will be forgiven and my Son will be their eternal consolation and joy.

The Prophecies and Revelations of St. Bridget is considered one of the most important and influential works of Swedish medieval literature. According to many sources, the saint received revelations in the form of visions, beginning in the 1340s and continuing until the time of her death. They reveal a soul wholly committed to God, Our Lady, the saints and spiritual life — so at odds with our own time

St. Bridget and her writings would no doubt be better known today were it not for the damage done by Martin Luther, who called her "crazy," and Henry VIII, who supervised the destruction of all the major religious houses of St. Bridget in England.

Preserving the Devotion 

Our Lady of Sorrows has inspired some of the most impressive works of Marian art in history.

These great works include Hans Baldung Grien's painting "The Holy Trinity between the Lady of Sorrows and Saint Giles" (c.1513-16), Titian's painting "Madonna in Sorrow" (1554), El Greco's painting "Mater Dolorosa" (c. 1590), and Michelangelo's sculpture "La Madonna della Pietà" (1637).  

Devotion to Our Lady has also been preserved in the Chaplet of Our Lady of Sorrows, a powerful go-to prayer. Reflecting on Mary's sorrows can be a daily discipline all year with special attention on the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows on the Friday before Good Friday (this year on March 22) and every year on Sept. 15.

Often an Act of Contrition often begins the chaplet to recognize the role our sins have played in Our Lady's sufferings. The prayer then proceeds with one Our Father and then seven Hail Marys. This repeats seven times, allowing for meditation on each of the seven sorrows. The prayer concludes with three Hail Marys in honor of Our Lady's tears.

Order a Seven Sorrows Chaplet from the Church Militant store.

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (ChurchMilitant.com) - Pope Francis' representative to Southern Arabia, citing the pontiff's encyclical Fratelli Tutti, is "expressing the joy of the Catholic Church" at the founding of a Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi. 

Bishop Paolo Martinelli praised the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha temple as "a contribution to harmony based on the relationship with God" because "every place of worship reminds people that without God, human beings are lost."

Martinelli was addressing a distinguished gathering of interfaith leaders on the Day of Harmony on Feb. 15, a day after India's anti-Christian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the temple. 

"This new temple is a place for my Hindu brothers and sisters to pray and strengthen the harmony with God," Martinelli stressed, citing St. Francis of Assisi as "a great example of harmony" and quoting Pope Francis' document on human fraternity. 

The Italian bishop, who is listed as a consultor for the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, also cited the pontiff's eco-encyclical Laudato Si', noting that the Holy Father was "calling the world to realize that all creatures are connected" and "everything is related." 

Emphasizing the theme of harmony, Martinelli explained how "Christian authors call the Holy Spirit itself the Harmony in an absolute sense" as the "Spirit of God is always at work in the cosmos and souls to achieve harmony among all living creatures."

"The loss of harmony caused by humans in an attempt to put themselves in the place of God, resulted in violence and the environmental crisis," Martinelli lamented. "For Christian faith, the new harmony arises from God's intervention in history to free human beings from sin."

"In the Christian vision, harmony can be achieved only by welcoming God's forgiveness, which makes us new creatures," he said. "The crucified and risen Jesus definitively revealed the sin of human beings, unmasked it, and made forgiveness and reconciliation possible."

The Vatican has maintained a diplomatic silence as Christians are facing unprecedented persecution from Hindu fundamentalists as hundreds of thousands of Hindus in India are converting to Christianity. 

Twelve states in India have legislation criminalizing religious conversions. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom has described such policies as "inconsistent with freedom of religion or belief under international human rights law."

According to Open Doors, these laws "purport to prevent forced conversions from Hinduism but, in reality, create an environment where any Christian who shares their faith can be accused of a crime, intimidated or assaulted."

In May 2023, the Vatican's Dicastery for Interfaith Dialogue joined with representatives from the Hindu Forum of Europe and the Italian Hindu Union for a meeting on the theme of "Hindus and Christians in Europe: Building together a 'fraternity-based new humanism.'"

Speaking to Church Militant, Fr. Victor Borde, an eminent scholar of Hinduism and the author of The Purusha Suktam: An A-Religious Inquiry Into a Sacred Text, debunked the flawed premises on which the Hindu-Christian dialogue was based.

"The concepts of the human family or human rights do not exist in Vedic Hinduism," Borde noted, explaining how the so-called Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam concept is a contradiction in terms, given Hinduism's rigid caste system, which is intrinsic to the religion.

"Rather, each caste has its own rights and duties. Accordingly, one cannot establish equal relationships with the people of other castes (jati). There are set rules for each caste and sub-caste that should not be breached," Borde elaborated. 

"There are severe punishments laid down in the Vedic Hindu scriptures (including pouring molten metal into the ears or cutting off the tongues of lower caste Hindus) for such breaches. These are still believed in and practiced in India," the priest-scholar pointed out. 

After the Vatican released pictures of Pope Francis embracing Modi in November 2021, the pontiff came under fire for promoting dialogue with Hindu nationalists. Memes on social media compared the embrace to the "kiss of Judas," Church Militant reported.

Indian Catholics posted memes dovetailing Francis' meeting with Modi with propaganda images released by the Nazi regime showing photographs of Adolf Hitler warmly greeting high-ranking Vatican officials with the caption: "History repeats itself."

Pro-Abortion Statue Faces Pushback
University scraps ceremony involving possible demonic idol. FULL STORY

Attacks on Christian Churches Increasing
Drastic rise of violence against American houses of worship. FULL STORY

Whitmer Weighs In
Michigan gov says 'reproductive rights' endangered. FULL STORY

Strickland Calls Out Woke Culture
Comments on Catholics' role in the culture war. FULL STORY

Cardinal Calls for Nine-Month Novena
Burke urges prayers amid many crises in the world. FULL STORY

Many Catholics may not be familiar with the concept of indulgences. Or, deep in the recesses of their brain, they may connote them with something negative. To put it colloquially, indulgences may get a bad rap.

But indulgences are good things, and they're especially worth remembering during the Lenten season, when we turn our full attention toward God.

They remind us of the need to atone for our sins, even after a good confession, because our minds and attitudes that lead us to sin need to be repaired. They remind us that forgiveness is not cheap. Think of the price Our Lord paid for the forgiveness of our sins!

Understanding what indulgences are can be difficult, especially as they are acquired by conditions determined by the Church, but stick with me.

Simplest Explanation 

I often see confusion about indulgences when I lead Rosaries with a church group. At the end, I always add, "For the plenary indulgence and the intention of the Holy Father, let us say one Our Father and one Hail Mary." Invariably afterward, at least one person comes up to me and asks, "What do you mean by 'indulgence,' Father?"

I have to confess that I'm challenged to give a clear response to a topic that is ancient, complex, and, in many ways, out of sync with contemporary world values.

In the few seconds I have, I usually dodge the difficult language — "plenary indulgence" — and nudge them to think about, as I put it, "the graces God showers down upon you when you devoutly pray the Rosary."

"Sin and all its residue are being washed away from you, and your soul is being made ready to be with God in Heaven." I say. "Purgatory is shorter for those who do their cleanup work while still here on earth."

But this assumes they were catechized well enough to understand the concept of Purgatory.

Deeper Meaning: Removing the Stain

So if I am lucky enough to have fewer time constraints, I talk about indulgences in more detail to clear up the confusion. To start with, I emphasize that indulgences are good. The more indulgences you get, the better. If you have heard some of the negative things said about indulgences, brush all these aside. The Church, in its teaching and wisdom, is actually quite clear on what indulgences are and what they are not.  

In 1967, Pope St. Paul VI wrote in an encyclical titled Indulgentiarum Doctrina, "For all men who walk this earth daily commit at least venial sins; thus all need the mercy of God to be set free from the penal consequences of sin."

It goes without saying that this applies even more when we commit mortal sins.

The pope's words highlight how, even after a good confession, we may need "to be set free from the penal consequences" — that is, from the just punishment, of our sins. Indulgences can help us be set free from the spiritual debt we owe, which must be rendered. 

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that "an indulgence is the remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven." In other words, an indulgence is a reduction in the punishment we owe due to sins that are already forgiven in confession. 

In short, when a person commits a mortal sin — or even a venial sin — there are consequences for that sin. The consequences extend to the person who committed it as well as to the larger world. When we sin, we do not just hurt ourselves, we also hurt God and our neighbors. We don't sin in a vacuum.

Jeremiah the prophet explained how both the good and the bad we do get passed on to other people: "You continue your kindness through a thousand generations; but you repay the ancestors' guilt upon their children who follow them." 

So even when someone takes to confession a mortal sin and completes the penance given by the priest, there remains for these sins, especially mortal sins, residue on the person's soul, as well as the negative effects of the sin in the world. Indulgences remind us that forgiveness is not cheap.

This residue, or guilt, is better remediated in this life before death than in Purgatory. 

Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

The parable of the unforgiving servant in Matthew's Gospel can help us understand how, even after forgiveness, the process of spiritual purification must be carried on.

In this parable, a master forgives a servant a big debt, but the servant is left unaffected by his master's generosity. At the end, the servant throws into prison a person who owed him just a small sum of money. Even though the master forgave him, this act of forgiveness did not change the man's heart.

What's most significant for us in this conversation about indulgences is the last line of the parable: "Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt." 

This last line of the parable provides a good explanation of Purgatory. It's a place where a man, over time, is cleansed from all the residue and guilt of sin and made ready for Heaven. It's a place where the hard-headed can learn how to act like their all-loving Master, compared to fallen human beings. It's a place where a man pays back the debt of his sin and prepares his heart and soul to be in God's presence. 

An indulgence, in the eyes of the Church, then, is a penitential act performed by a man to implore God to pour out His grace and remove any and all blemish of sin. The indulgences can come in the form saying Rosaries or novenas, visiting holy shrines, or doing spiritual reading with the intent of conforming your will to Christ's. All work toward washing away sin's residue and transforming us into saints.

Ask a priest or do your own research on what kinds of indulgences you can perform to ready yourself for God.

Mortal Sins Require Thorough Cleansing

As a priest, for many years I have worked with post-abortive women in Project Rachel. Project Rachel is a ministry in the Church that helps such women heal and restore their relationship with God. 

For women who have aborted their own child, there are few other sins that leave such deep scars and a heavy burden. The first step for a woman in the aftermath of abortion is to make a good confession and to complete the assigned penance.

My experience has been that post-abortive women welcome stiff penances for the sin of abortion. These make a big difference in their recovery. They welcome the penance of saying a daily Rosary for a month. They are glad to know that by going to daily Mass the guilt they carry can be removed. They come to know that God can heal them fully. 

Priests who work regularly with post-abortive women know from experience that abortion leaves deep scars and that these scars must be removed. It takes God's grace and time to erradicate the selfishness, doubt and lack of trust in God that led to the abortion in the first place.

The wise priest, when hearing someone confess the sin of abortion, advises the penitent to come back to confession in a month's time and to revisit how God's grace is working in their lives. The second confession is generally deeper and more sincere. Often I have heard something like this: "Father, it was how I abandoned the Church and replaced it with my own selfish pursuits that led me to abort my child."

In the Sacrament of Reconciliation, God forgives a repentant sinner their sins. And when the penitent duly completes the penance assigned, God initiates the process of removing the guilt and residue of the sin. But, what about the repentant sinner who has no time to complete his penance before his death? 

Over the course of my priesthood, I have had more than one person confess the sin of abortion on their deathbed, and then after making a good confession, they have died.

As a priest, it is not my place to make a judgment about where their souls went. All I can say is that God, who is a just judge, will determine if they have made it into Purgatory. But anyone purged of all the effects of sin will enter Heaven.

Get on Track While You Can

Saint Louis De Montfort, in his little book The Secret of The Rosary, has a great explanation for indulgences: "An indulgence is a remission or relaxation of temporal punishment due to actual sins, by the application of the super abundant satisfactions of Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of the saints — which are contained in the Treasury of the Church."

This straightforward explanation is simple to understand when you accept that St. Louis uses "temporal" as a metaphor. The soul that has committed serious sins has to make atonement for them — even after confession, in this life, or the next. Big sins carry a bigger "temporal" punishment, and lesser sins have a shorter "temporal" punishment.

The Church, in Her wisdom over the centuries, has always encouraged the faithful to live holy lives, and if they fall from grace, to confess their sin immediately and get back on track by completing the penance assigned. In centuries past, priests, when hearing a penitent confess mortal sins, would more often than not assign stiff penances for these sins. 

In modern times, when God's mercy has been overemphasized at the expense of God's justice, some balk at a priest giving stiff penance for mortal sin. Dutiful completion of challenging penances — as well as seeking indulgences, prayers and pilgrimages — seem out of step with today's desire for "one-and-done" solutions. Reparation for sin unfortunatley seems like a concept for a bygone day.

But for the sake our soul and the souls of of all those affected by our sins, we must resurrect the idea of indulgences. If someone asks you to say a Rosary with them, say yes! Doing so comes with an indulgence. If the Holy Father determines that a visit to a saint's shrine has a partial indulgence attached to visiting it, go visit it! And at the end of the day, God can only shower down His grace upon the man who actively seeks it. More grace makes you that much more clean on your journey toward Heaven! 

Devoutly receiving Holy Communions, reverently saying the Rosary and completing novenas all remake a man into the image and likeness of Christ. These devotions prepare us for beholding the presence of God in His heavenly courts. The shorter the time you spend in Purgatory, the sooner you can enter the presence of God.

In the end, indulgences are not about subtracting numbers of days or years from Puragatory; they're about weaving us suitable garments of holiness.

Remove Your 'Horrid Nails'

An article by Joe Sixpack, a Catholic writer and podcaster who died recently, told of a noted painter in the days of the Dutch masters "who had wasted his youth in wickedness and depravity." The artist grew in grace and understanding later in life and "bitterly regretted" his sins. He desperately wanted to make up for them.

As  Joe Sixpack told the story,

One of the painter's best-known works depicts the 13th Station of the Cross, the taking down of Our Lord from the Cross. Prominent in the painting is the man who pulled the nails from our Savior's sacred Flesh. The person painted into that role was the painter himself. When asked why he used himself as the model for that man, he replied (with considerable feeling), "God knows I've driven innumerable cruel nails into my Lord, crucifying him over and over with my sins. Don't you think it's about time for me to tenderly and lovingly pull out a few of those horrid nails?"

I pray that you, too, will adopt this spirit of sorrow for sin and the passionate desire to set things right.

The presidential nomination process continues today in Michigan, where voters from both parties will cast their votes to apportion delegates. President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are expected to win their respective primaries by large margins.

According to an Emerson College poll, Biden leads U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., by a spread of 75% to 5%. Additionally, 9% of voters plan to cast their votes for the "uncommitted slate," a move encouraged by Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., to protest Biden's pro-Israel policy.

On the Republican side, Trump holds a 69% to 20% lead over former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley. Both Biden and Trump are considered "presumptive nominees" at this point.

The candidates will compete in the Super Tuesday primaries on March 5, where 16 states and territories will hold primaries or caucuses.

March 5 will also mark the first state primaries of the election cycle, with Alabama, Arkansas, California, North Carolina and Texas voting their full ballots. Mississippi will hold its presidential and state primary on March 12, followed by Illinois and Ohio on March 19. Arizona, Florida and Kansas will also hold standalone presidential primaries on March 19.

By the end of voting on March 19, it is highly likely that both Biden and Trump will have secured enough committed first-ballot delegates to clinch their respective party nominations.

Trump Leads Biden in Maine

In Maine, a surprising general election poll by Pan Atlantic Research suggests that Trump is leading Biden, a notable shift in a state previously considered difficult for Republican candidates. Trump shows a 38% to 32% lead over Biden, with 21% of respondents preferring other candidates. This would potentially benefit Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Trump's advantage in Maine is largely attributed to his significant lead in the 2nd Congressional District, despite trailing Biden in the 1st Congressional District. With Maine's unique electoral vote distribution, Trump could potentially secure three of the state's electoral votes, leaving Biden with one.

Biden's challenge in Maine is compounded by his low favorability rating, especially when compared to local politicians such as Independent Sen. Angus King, Democratic Reps. Jared Golden and Chellie Pingree, Gov. Janet Mills and Republican Sen. Susan Collins — all of whom have higher favorability ratings.

Biden's unfavorability rating highlights a significant challenge and will require a positive shift in momentum to improve his standing. These early poll results, however, are subject to change as the election progresses.

Rogers Leads Michigan Senate Primary

A recent MRG Research poll, the first since retired Detroit police chief James Craig's withdrawal from the Michigan Senate race, shows former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers leading the Michigan Republican primary with a 23% to 7% advantage over former Rep. Peter Meijer.

Former congressman and Libertarian Justin Amash is reportedly considering a run in the GOP primary but has not yet announced his candidacy. The Michigan state primary is scheduled for Aug. 6.

The Republican nominee is expected to face U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin in the general election, who is the overwhelming favorite to win the Democratic nomination

NY Legislature Rejects Redistricting Map

Yesterday, both the New York State Senate and Assembly rejected the congressional redistricting plan proposed by the New York State Independent Redistricting Commission, which made minimal changes to the court-imposed map from 2022. The Democratic-controlled legislature aims to create a map more favorable to their party, but this move is likely to yield a partisan gerrymandering lawsuit.

In an effort to limit where such a lawsuit could be filed, the State Senate passed a bill specifying that legal challenges should be brought in the state's most populous and Democratic-leaning counties. Republicans argue that this tactic will be deemed unconstitutional.

Despite the Democrats' recent victory in this redistricting battle, the conflict over New York's congressional map is far from over.

MADRID (ChurchMilitant.com) - The archbishop of Madrid has condemned the misuse of a Catholic hermitage for hosting the "wedding" of a homosexual couple after a video of the ceremony went viral on social media. 

On Saturday, Álvaro P.B. and Diego M. were "married" in the chapel of the hermitage of the Holy Trinity, which is located in the Finca El Campillo of the El Escorial municipal area in Madrid. 

In a statement published on the archdiocesan website on Monday, the archbishop of Madrid, D. José Cobo Cano, said he was "not informed or consulted about the possibility of carrying out the celebration."

"Under no circumstances is it permitted to perform a civil marriage within a religious venue," Abp. Cobo emphasized, noting that the service was "a unilateral act by the estate [owner] that will have canonical repercussions."
 
"Family hermitages can only be used for the purpose that the Church grants them," Cobo clarified. "They cannot be places of public religious celebrations, unless expressly authorized by the bishopric, nor can they be the object of commercial purposes or places of civil celebrations of any kind."

These religious sanctuaries were "conceived solely for the private devotional use of the family who owned it and in no case to be offered as an optional lucrative service of a company dedicated to the organization of social events," the statement concluded. 

Cristina González Navarro, owner of the venue, told Spanish media that "there was no priest" officiating at the ceremony and "a wedding was not held" on the religious site, but she refused to reveal details about the ritual.

Images and video footage show the altar in the chapel covered with tall plants. There's also a sculpture of Our Lady of Hakuna, a carving by Spanish contemporary sacred artist Javier Viver, on a table covered with a white cloth, which was placed in a prominent position before the altar.

In a video, the two homosexual couple are seen exchanging rings and, at one point, kneeling on white kneelers in front of the carving of the Virgin of Hakuna and a cross made with two branches tied with a rope.   

The homosexuals are draped with a white cloth with blue stripes on their shoulders in a ritual similar to the wake rite from the Mozarabic liturgy. In this Catholic rite, the wife's head and the husband's shoulders are covered, and they receive a blessing while kneeling.

Spanish media reported that Fr. Damián Maria Montes, a popular social media influencer from Madrid, was present at the wedding. He was wearing a suit and tie instead of his clericals.

Several Catholic priests from Spain blasted the sacrilegious ceremony on social media. Father Juan Manuel Góngora described the event as "an act of sodomitic exaltation." 

"If you are a Catholic and they invite you to participate in a similar blasphemy, do not be complicit in a mortal sin," wrote the Almeria priest. "Let us pray for his conversion," he added, alluding to Fr. Damián's attendance at the "wedding."

Defending calls for excommunicating those who violated the Church's teaching, Fr. Francisco J. Delgado from Toledo noted: 

Catholics belong to a society of free membership in which we commit to keeping a series of norms received from nature and tradition (revealed, although that does not matter for these purposes). It is a private club with laws. And one of them is that a religious act cannot be simulated in a sacred place and with content contrary to our law ... if within our free community you break the law, we are perfectly free to consider you excluded from it.

"If you are Catholic, you must accept the Deposit of Faith in its entirety," Catalonian priest Fr. Pablo Pich stressed. "There is no such thing as 'I am Catholic but...,'" he added.

Father Florentino de Andrés, a parish priest of San Bernabé, El Escorial, where the hermitage is located, maintained that the chapel was not desecrated and that the service was carried out without his knowledge.

Last Monday, the Vatican permitted the blessing of a celebrity homosexual couple duo at a "religious wedding" held two days after their civil wedding, Church Militant reported.

Father Francisco Gordalina blessed Uruguayan television personality 82-year-old Carlos Perciavalle and his 47-year-old partner Jimmy Castilhos at a party for 400 guests. The couple publicly advertised it as "the first [Catholic] religious wedding in the world" of its kind. 

A day after the blessing, Bp. Milton Tróccoli issued a press statement that said he had consulted apostolic nuncio Abp. Gianfranco Gallone in Montevideo about how to respond to the gay couple's request for a blessing.  

"We were informed that the blessing had to be given, since there was a document [Fiducia Supplicans] signed by the pope and that we should proceed accordingly," Tróccoli said in his statement, noting that he had expected the gay blessing to receive extensive media coverage. 

Trans Funeral a Hate Crime?
Catholic Vote calls for inquiry into NYC fiasco. FULL STORY

University Unveils Art by Persecuted Catholic
Crucifix drawing by Jimmy Lai on display at chapel. FULL STORY

Attack Kills 15 in Burkina Faso
Islamic militants target Catholics gathering to pray. FULL STORY

Kenyan Bishop Speaks Up
Warns threats to family life harm vocations. FULL STORY

Book About Saint Being Republished
Biography of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini. FULL STORY

DETROIT (ChurchMilitant.com) - Despite winning a landslide victory in his opponent's home state on Saturday, former President Donald Trump is being called out by pundits as underperforming in South Carolina.

As predicted by polling, Trump easily won the South Carolina Republican primary, defeating former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley by a margin of 59.8% to 39.5%. However, several polls had projected Trump to finish in the low 60s, leading to discussions about his failure to meet expectations.

Two firms were particularly accurate in their predictions: The Trafalgar Group posted a split of 58.9% to 37.5%, while Insider Advantage pegged the race at 60% to 38%.

Despite carrying 43 of the state's 46 counties, Trump failed to win in Charleston and Beaufort counties, located in the 1st Congressional District (represented by Republican Rep. Nancy Mace).

Haley's margins in these two counties allowed her to carry the 1st District, winning three of the state's 50 pledged delegates. The only other county Haley carried was Richland, home to the state capital of Columbia, which is also South Carolina's most Democratic area.

Biden's Weakness

While analysts note Trump's continued weakness in suburban areas, they also note President Biden's underperformance. Although Biden initially recorded strong primary percentages — receiving 96% of voter support in South Carolina and 89% in Nevada — it is important to compare these numbers to the turnout statistics for a more accurate assessment of the early-voting states.

In the Feb. 3 South Carolina Democratic primary, Joe Biden received 96% of the vote from a turnout of 131,307 voters. In contrast, 750,586 voters cast ballots for either Trump or Haley in the recent Republican primary. Comparing this to the 2016 primaries, the last time both parties contested presidential primaries, 370,904 people participated in the Democratic primary — nearly three times as many as in 2024. On the Republican side, 740,881 individuals voted in the primary, almost 10,000 fewer than in 2024.

In 2020, during the Democratic primary, Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders of Vermont, businessman Tom Steyer, Pete Buttigieg from Indiana, and Senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, along with former U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard from Hawaii, competed for the nomination. This drew a much larger voter turnout of 539,263 — more than four times the number in this year's primary.

In Nevada, more people voted in the Republican primary and caucus than in the Democratic primary, but the participation numbers are difficult to study. Republican voters were allowed to cast ballots in both the GOP primary and the delegate-apportioning caucuses, making determining the exact turnout number challenging.

While it was expected that President Biden would easily defeat his two minor Democratic opponents, Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips and author Marianne Williamson, in South Carolina and Nevada the low voter turnout could indicate an enthusiasm problem for the president moving forward.

In the 2024 election cycle, South Carolina is the first state where both parties held comparable primaries. Republicans started with the Iowa Caucus, which Democrats chose to bypass. The parties then moved to New Hampshire, where President Biden did not enter the primary because the state's leadership did not agree to the proposed Democratic National Committee primary schedule. After the Granite State vote, the parties moved to Nevada.

Therefore, as the two major party candidates move toward renomination, it appears that each must address areas of weakness heading toward the general election. Trump will have to improve support in the country's suburban areas while Biden must find a way to generate more enthusiasm within his party's base.

Senate Update

A recent poll from the University of California at Berkeley's Public Policy Institute of California suggests that the race for the California U.S. Senate seat is tightening.

While Democratic U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff continues to lead, the poll indicates that fellow Democrat Rep. Katie Porter has narrowly overtaken Republican Steve Garvey for the second-place position in the state's "jungle" primary system. Previously, Garvey appeared to be gaining ground for a potential second-place finish, but this latest poll shows Porter ahead by a percentage point.

However, the timing of the poll's release raises questions about its accuracy. The poll, conducted from Feb. 6-13, was released after an Emerson College survey that showed Schiff leading with 28%, followed by Garvey at 22%, Porter at 16%, and U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee at 9%. The Emerson poll suggests that Garvey's momentum might be real, despite the Cal-Berkeley poll's findings.

In other news, Republican North Dakota Sen. Kevin Cramer has announced he will seek a second term in the 2024 election. After hinting at retirement for almost a year, his decision to run again means he is likely to face little opposition in both the primary and general elections, making him a strong favorite to retain his seat.

MALDONADO, Uruguay (ChurchMilitant.com) - A celebrity homosexual couple who intends to conceive a child through surrogacy has made history after the Vatican permitted the blessing of the duo at a "religious wedding" held two days after their civil wedding.  

Father Francisco Gordalina blessed Uruguayan television personality 82-year-old Carlos Perciavalle and his 47-year-old partner Jimmy Castilhos at a party for 400 guests. The couple publicly advertised it as "the first [Catholic] religious wedding in the world" of its kind.  

The "marriage" of Perciavalle, a well-known actor, comedian and director, to Castilhos, a theater producer, presenter and communicator, was blessed on Feb. 21 after the couple registered their civil union on Feb. 19 at the local registry. 

"As you are both children of God and have asked for a blessing from God our Father, it is with pleasure that we are present on behalf of the Church to ask that he bless you," Fr. Gordalina declared in the presence of the homosexual couple, Uruguayan media reported.

Noting that the service was that of "a blessing, not a wedding," the priest went on to assure Perciavalle and Castilhos that "God is with you and we know very well that you are also with God because we have spoken intimately with our bishop, and we have seen your faith." 

He first placed his hands on the head of Perciavalle, saying, "Carlos, may God keep you and bless you, lead you along the path of peace and love and help you grow in dedication to your brothers and in the love that you have to give them, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen."

Placing his hands on the head of Castilhos, Fr. Gordalina said, "Jimmy, may God keep you and protect you, grant you his love, enlighten you and lead you along the path of love and peace, and may your love continue to grow and be devoted to the good of the brothers, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen."

The couple had arranged for the "wedding" to take place in the church of San Benito a Garzón, Maldonado, which prompted the diocese to announce that the venue was a private chapel and not a parish church. Following a public outcry, the blessing was moved to the artist's iconic farm on the shores of Laguna del Sauce.

A day after the service of blessing, Bp. Milton Tróccoli issued a press statement that said he had consulted apostolic nuncio Abp. Gianfranco Gallone in Montevideo about how to respond to the gay couple's request for a blessing.  

We were informed that the blessing had to be given, since there was a document signed by the pope and that we should proceed accordingly," Tróccoli said in his statement, noting that he had expected the gay blessing to receive extensive media coverage. 

I understand that the media coverage of the situation may have hurt the sensitivity of some and may have confused others.

"We then informed those interested that the blessing would be given. They were reminded that it would not be in a church, that we were blessing to the persons and not the union, (it was not a "church marriage"), and that for the same reason, it would be discreet, without the presence of guests," the bishop added. 

"I understand that the media coverage of the situation may have hurt the sensitivity of some and may have confused others," Tróccoli remarked. "It has also prompted some to come forward to discuss their significant personal or family situation, giving thanks for the closeness of the Church."

Insisting that Fiducia Supplicans affirmed "the sacred value of marriage between a man and a woman, with an exclusive, stable and indissoluble union that was open to life," Tróccoli explained that "at the same time, the document seeks to get closer pastorally to those who find themselves in 'irregular situations.'" 

"The novelty of the document and its pastoral implications mobilizes us all. This invites us to a deep reflection about how to continue looking for ways to evangelize. It is a great challenge, which requires prayer, discernment and reflection," the bishop added. 

Since their "wedding," the couple have announced that given Perciavalle's advanced age, they want to begin the process of "renting a surrogate uterus" as soon as possible — a practice that is forbidden by the Catholic Church. 

Earlier, the couple declared that they had decided to tie the knot during the "Lunar Year of the Dragon" at the suggestion of their astrologer friend Ludovica Squirru, founder of the New Age Argentine Spiritual Foundation.

LUXEMBOURG (ChurchMilitant.com) - The archbishop of Luxembourg thinks optional priestly celibacy could attract more men to the priesthood.

In a recent interview with L'essentiel, a leading francophone newspaper, Cdl. Jean-Claude Hollerich called for a reevaluation of mandatory priestly celibacy.

The cardinal, known for his close relationship with Pope Francis, shared his thoughts on a range of topics, including the Church's adaptation to Luxembourg's secular landscape, its changing demographics and pressing moral questions facing the Church today.

Hollerich admitted that some clergy struggle with the vow of celibacy and suggested that offering priests a choice could bolster the dwindling number of vocations in Europe. 

"Some people have a hard time being single," he surmised. "Giving them the choice would make it possible to have a few more people ready for the priesthood."

"In Europe, this 'few' can make the difference," he added.

During the conversation, Hollerich acknowledged the challenges faced by the Church following its "gentle separation" from the state nearly a decade ago, highlighting the impact on religious education and Church finances. 

Despite these hurdles, he expressed satisfaction with the Church's independence in a diverse society.

The cardinal, an advisor to Pope Francis, described the pontiff as energetic and committed, despite his advancing age. 

Hollerich defended the pope's controversial blessings of homosexual couples.

"I am absolutely on the same line as the pope," he asserted. "Would we refuse to bless a homosexual couple because they are 'sinners' and would we bless an entrepreneur who is going to invest against humanity?"

"It's hypocritical," he added. "The pope considers himself a 'sinner' and so do I. The pope does not like to condemn the sins of others without looking at his own."

Hollerich also touched on the topic of sexual abuse within the Church. 

He reported that a review of Luxembourg's Church archives revealed little evidence of such abuse, crediting stringent prevention measures, including extensive psychological screening for seminary candidates.

Reflecting on Luxembourg's political landscape, the cardinal praised the intelligence and leadership of new Prime Minister Luc Frieden while maintaining his stance of noninvolvement in political affairs. 

He did, however, critique the government's ban on begging, calling for compassion and support for the homeless in one of Europe's wealthiest nations.

"I understand very well that we want to do something against organized begging with buses that arrive from France every morning, to the point of chasing away historic beggars," Hollerich stated. "But we have to understand the people who sleep on the street and help them anyway."

Speculation about Hollerich's potential as a future pope was swiftly dismissed by the cardinal himself, who emphasized his loyalty and service to Pope Francis.

Cardinal Advocates for Married Priests
Papal advisor thinks it will boost vocations. FULL STORY

Bishop Defends Migrant Shelter
El Paso's Mark Seitz ignores link to illegal activities. FULL STORY

Rosary Rallies Intend Reparation
Catholics pray outside cathedral in New York City. FULL STORY

Cab Driver Fined for Christian Sticker
German city says it's unlawful religious advertising. FULL STORY

Catholics Praying for Trump
Special event at Mar-a-lago on March 19. FULL STORY

Pet sacrifices have made a comeback in Thailand. It may sound strange and uncommon, but killing an animal to curry favor with a demon is nothing new. Fallen men and women have been doing it for millennia.

This past summer, the practice of offering animals as sacrifices to the idol Khru Kai Kaeo became commonplace. The practice had become so widespread that Thai civil authorities moved to outlaw it. Pets  routinely disappeared from the streets of Bangkok — burned to appease this demon in hopes of obtaining spiritual favors.

The old adage, "What's old is new again," is so true. Despite Judaism, Christianity and Islam all condemning the practice of idol worship and the offering of sacrifices to false deities, these evil practices have seen a resurgence throughout the world.

Making a Comeback

Recently on X and Instagram, a flurry of posts talked about "cooking" pets. Besides bringing rightful disdain upon the perpetrators of these barbaric practices, these posts shed light on how, despite the best efforts of the Church and civil authorities, demon worship thrives in the modern world.

Most people cannot wrap their minds around how anyone could take someone's pet to offer it to a demon. Yet many rationalize what they see as aberrant to make the idea more palatable. "Oh, the poor immigrant is just hungry, so he stole his neighbor's cat and cooked it," they'll muse. They have no experience seeing these sorts of ancient holocausts in the course of their day-to-day lives, so they conjure something far easier to stomach.

During my years as a priest at St. Michael's parish in South Chicago, I often cleaned up what remained of an animal sacrifice offered to some demon on the steps of the church.

In St. Michael's neighborhood, there was a large group of Santeria worshipers. These demon-worshippers routinely offered their evil holocaust overnight on the church steps. It made their sacrifice more powerful to desecrate the steps of a church.

Upon discovering one of these bloodbaths, I'd hose down the steps and offer prayers of deliverance from any demons that had been summoned. 

But sadly, whenever I'd call police from St. Michael's to report another incineration on the church steps, the desk sergeant was unconcerned. A small, contained fire on the steps of a church in Chicago is nothing compared to the hundreds of homicides that occur annually in the metropolis.

Unlike the authorities in Bangkok, who at least fought the animal immolation, Chicago's finest simply turn a blind eye.

Ancient Sacrifice

For those unfamiliar with idol worship, in ancient times, the Canaanite peoples who occupied Israel before the Hebrews occupied it routinely made both animal and even human sacrifices. These sacrifices were just part of the deities they worshiped. Three of these deities were El, Baal and Anath.

As described in gory detail in Baalbek Temple and Human Sacrifice Worship to Baal, 

Beginning with the founding of the Phoenician colony of Carthage in about 814 B.C., mothers and fathers buried their children who were sacrificed to Baal. The practice was apparently distasteful even to Carthaginians, and they began to buy children for the purpose of sacrifice or even to raise servant children, instead of offering up their own. However, in times of crisis or calamity, like war, earthquakes, drought, or famine, their priests demanded the flower of their youth. Special ceremonies during extreme crisis saw up to 200 children of the most affluent and powerful families slain and tossed into the burning pyre. During the political crisis of 310 B.C., some 500 were killed. On a moonlit night, the body was placed on the arms of an effigy of Baal made of brass. The Priests lit fires that heated the effigies from its lower parts. The victims were placed on the burning hot outstretched hands. As they were burned alive they vehemently cried out. The priests beat a drum, sounded flutes, lyres, and tambourines. This drowned out the cries of the anguished parents. The father could not hear the voice of his son, and his heart might not be moved.

It's hard to say how this resurgence of paganism worldwide will be dealt with by the Church and civil authorities. Both authorities remain naive about devil worship and falsely believe that the cults that worship demons are all benign. 

What they fail to realize is that the bloody sacrifice doesn't just stop at animals.

Human Sacrifice

Human sacrifice to demons still occurs in our time. The primitive practice of sacrificing and burning human victims to Baal has been replaced by the systematic elimination of hundreds of millions through abortion. Demons don't care whether a person being sacrificed is big or small or whether the murder occurs by fire or the hands of a surgeon. 

Demons only care about spilling blood and extinguishing life. The recent movie Nefarious did an excellent job portraying this indiscriminate bloodlust.

Like the Old Testament prophet Elijah, we need to nip this evil in the bud, starting by ending all abortions. This form of demon worship is much worse than the mere sacrifice of an animal, yet it is has become culturally accepted. Abortion is merely modern man's hygienically-gloved Baal worship.

Don't believe me? Satanists have openly declared abortion one of their sacred rituals. The governor of New Mexico recently launched a hotline to refer abortion-minded mothers to satanists' burgeoning network of child chop shops.

Even the pro-abortion rallying cry of "my body, my choice" represents satanic doctrine. To a satanist, child murder is a religious "right" — a sacrament — and they're extolling it everywhere, including in taxpayer-funded U.S. schools.

Despite the passage of centuries, not much has changed. Many have fallen back into the worship of demons, whether wittingly or unwittingly.

The question is what we're going to do about it. Until the world turns to the sacraments established by Christ and prays earnestly for a return to Him with our whole hearts, the gruesome sacrifice will continue.

DETROIT (ChurchMilitant.com) Two new polls indicate a dogfight lies ahead in Arizona's U.S. Senate race.

Kari Lake, U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego and U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema

While previous polls had projected Republican Kari Lake holding a small lead, a pair of polls sees U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Phoenix, moving into first place and incumbent Kyrsten Sinema, running as an Independent, substantially improving her position.

Previously, Sen. Sinema was languishing in the teens, but now both surveys find her moving back into a competitive position.

Sinema is the first bisexual and the second openly LGBT woman to be elected to Congress, in the House of Representatives in 2012 and in the Senate in 2018.

Gallego is a Marine Corps veteran who has been described by an editorial columnist in an Arizona newspaper as an "unabashed liberal" who supports the Biden agenda.

Lake is a former television news anchor and conservative who alleged election fraud after losing the Arizona governor's race to Democrat Katie Hobbs.

Similar Findings

Emerson College surveyed the Arizona electorate Feb. 16-19, finding Rep. Gallego with 36% support, Lake with 30%, and Sen. Sinema with 21%.

Meanwhile, Arizona-based Noble Predictive Insights polled the state Feb. 6-13 and projected a similar result: 34% support for Rep. Gallego, 31% support for Lake and 23% support for Sen. Sinema.

Sinema's current poll position represents a significant gain compared to her position last fall. Until the release of the Emerson College and Noble polls, Sinema had only broken the 20% threshold once since Oct. 1, when she had one of her best showings since campaigning began.

Though she hit the 29% mark in a previous Noble Predictive Insights survey in late October, she averaged total support of just 15.9% when calculating the results of nine polls from eight different research entities. If you remove the 29% Noble figure, which was a clear outlier, her average was an even lower — 14.2% over eight surveys.

Sinema's Challenge

In the Emerson poll, Sinema tops Gallego among the Independent voters by just two points, 30% to 28%, with Lake receiving 20% within this segment. In order to win the three-way race, Sinema will need a larger vote share from Independents.

The Noble poll better isolated where the partisan respondents were headed. Early in the cycle, Sen. Sinema seemed to be attracting more Republicans than Democrats. According to the Noble data, that has now changed.

Though the Emerson and Noble results produced similar numbers, the two are considerably different in their party division reporting. Emerson found Sinema attracting only 30% of the Independent vote, while Noble sees her with considerably more support — at 38%. She also gets 23% of Democrats and 19% of Republicans, according to Noble.

To win, Sinema must obtain the lion's share of the 31% of Independents who are undecided while increasing her standing among Democrats, in particular, as well as Republicans.

It is probably unrealistic to believe that she can do much better among the partisan voters than these data currently suggest, but she will have to find a way to boost her numbers at least slightly within the partisan voter universe while maximizing her backing from Independents.

These polls conclude that Arizona's U.S. Senate race is a legitimate three-way contest, in which each of the candidates can forge a victory path while probably attracting less than 40% of the vote.

Expect a real battle to unfold in this desert political setting — predicting a victor is going to be tough.