By Braden Hock, Crisis Magazine – On November 26, 2014, a post was made on what was then Twitter by the user @dril (one of the individuals at the forefront of what was affectionately referred to as “weird Twitter”): “my big sons have made a mess of the garage again after being riled up by the good word of the Lord.”… Truly, is there any simpler way to sum up the burgeoning influence of Gen Z (the “Zoomers”) on culture, economics, society, and religion? …

By Robert Royal, The Catholic Thing – And then there is the question of massive immigration. Much of Europe is now waking up to the unwisdom of admitting millions of Muslims whose culture cannot be squared with Western mores… Islam itself is, in large historical perspective and despite all the necessary qualifications, a threat to Western ways. The question of relations with Islam cannot be resolved by simply repeating the false mantra that it’s a “religion of peace.” It is, but only after conversion, conquest, or submission… The pope, like his predecessor, has a soft spot for migrants. And both have encouraged a new title for the Virgin Mary, Comfort of Migrants. ….

By Steven Ertelt, LifeNews – A federal appeals court on Friday upheld a key provision of President Donald Trump’s signature domestic policy bill, allowing the administration to defund the Planned Parenthood abortion business… The One Big Beautiful Bill that Trump signed this summer withholds Medicaid funding from Planned Parenthood and other major abortion sellers, delivering a major victory to pro-life advocates seeking to end taxpayer support for organizations that kill babies in abortions. …

By Professor Timothy O’Donnell, Corpus Christi for Unity and Peace Team – Catholic tradition, from the Catechism to Popes Pius XII, John Paul II, and Benedict XVI, has always taught both the duty to welcome migrants and the equal duty of nations to regulate their borders for the sake of the common good; open-border ideology is therefore contradicts, rather than fulfills, authentic Church teaching. The uncontrolled influx of millions of illegal immigrants in recent years has produced grave evils: 400,000+ unaccompanied minors lost in the system, record fentanyl deaths, surging human trafficking and sexual exploitation, violent crime by criminal aliens, and massive welfare strain on American citizens—harms that ordered charity seeks to prevent, not enable.

Source: La Abeja – More erotic obscenities from Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF), formerly the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, have been reported  by the Argentine Catholic website  El Wanderer , which described the newly discovered material as “not only pornographic but also detestable.”… The “repugnant” erotic texts are in line with the previously known “theology” books by the DDF director,  Heal Me With Your Mouth: The Art of Kissing  and  Mystical Passion: Spirituality and Sensuality, which use pornographic images. …

The Watchman’s Lamp by Bishop Joseph E. Strickland, Bishop Emeritus, Pillars of Faith –  I believe the Lord is calling us to face something that most people don’t want to acknowledge. It is a truth we see with our eyes, we feel in our bones, and yet the world – and far too many in the Church – treat it as nothing at all. And the truth is this: we are becoming a numb generation. A generation that no longer notices when the serpent is standing right in front of us… This numbness did not fall on us overnight. It crept in slowly, quietly, almost politely, dulling our senses little by little until the things that once would have shocked us now barely stir the soul. We have grown used to darkness ….

By Michele McAloon,  The Catholic Thing – Advent in Germany is brightened by its world-famous Christmas markets. The smell of grilled sausage, Germany’s famous mulled gluhwein, and gingerbread (Lebkuchen) blend together under multicolored  lights creating a cheerful experience in anticipation of Christ’s birth… Tragically, in the past ten years, festivities have been marred by violence.  Terrorists have murdered market-goers in  Magdeburg, Trier, Berlin and in several markets in France. German and French authorities have now been forced to take measures to prevent these threats almost everywhere.

By Anna Callahan, LifeNews – Abortions in the U.S. have increased this year under a remaining Biden policy that subverts the pro-life laws in 21 states. This week #WeCount issued a report showing a 40% increase in mail-order abortions from the first six months of 2024 to the first half of 2025… Biden’s mail-order abortion policy removed basic standards on mifepristone that were in place during the first Trump administration like in-person doctor visits. Since then, women have come forward after being poisoned by abusers. …

By Anne Hendershott, The American Spectator – In the end, the Vatican meeting between Pope Leo and Governor Pritzker illustrates the peril of selective alliances. While agreement on immigration may appear noble, it risks obscuring the governor’s radical opposition to Catholic teaching on life itself. By lending moral credibility to a politician so deeply invested in the culture of death, the Church jeopardizes its witness, leaving the faithful to question whether its defense of human dignity is consistent or compromised.

By Nancy Flanders, Live Action News – A new method of in vitro fertilization (IVF) known as “natural” or “ethical” IVF has gained popularity, especially among adults experiencing infertility who don’t want to create multiple embryos that will generally not survive… For individuals wishing to use IVF, but feeling conflicted about creating more embryos than they would want to carry to term, “ethical” or “natural” IVF appears to be a solution — but is it?

Complicit Clergy, by Staff – Days After Meeting With Pope Leo, Governor Pritzker Signs Euthanasia Bill Into Law – X Post by Mary Miller – @Miller_Congress – Every human life has dignity and value, no matter their age, illness, or circumstance… JB Pritzker just signed a bill that tells the sick, the elderly, and the disabled that their lives are expendable… This is a complete and total moral failure. Government should NEVER offer death as a solution.

By Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone, Abp. of San Francisco, National Catholic Register – To survive and flourish, every great civilization needs to cherish the story of its origin… It is good, then, that plans are taking shape to celebrate next year’s 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding document, the Declaration of Independence. But a country as great as America has more than one origin story to tell… This Dec. 12, millions of Hispanics will celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe as part of their own origin story as Americans…

By Matthew Plese, Fatima.org – What Are Precepts?… In a Catholic context, the word “precept” is nearly synonymous with the word “commandment.” In general, the word “commandment” makes us think of the ten moral laws which God revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai (see Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5). However, since Our Lord has entrusted His authority to the Catholic Church, the Church can also decree moral laws which bind us… Today the laws of the Church are generally grouped as a body in the Code of Canon Law. The faithful remain largely ignorant of most of these laws

Author Don Schwager, Servants of the Word – Matthew 17:9a,10-13 – 9a And as they were coming down the mountain 10 the disciples asked him, “Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” 11 He replied, “Elijah does come, and he is to restore all things; 12 but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not know him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of man will suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.

By Franciscan Media – .. The single fact survives that a disappointed suitor accused Lucy of being a Christian, and she was executed in Syracuse, Sicily, in the year 304. But it is also true that her name is mentioned in the First Eucharistic Prayer, geographical places are named after her, a popular song has her name as its title, and down through the centuries many thousands of little girls have been proud of the name Lucy.