Jeanie Hannaman

By Daniel Payne, CNA - The popular podcasting priest Father Carlos Martins is no longer facing criminal charges after an incident at an Illinois parish last year led to misdemeanor allegations... The Burke Law Group said in a Wednesday press release that the priest, who hosts “The Exorcist Files” podcast, had been “fully cleared of all charges” stemming from a Nov. 21, 2024, event held at Queen of Apostles Parish in Joliet, Illinois... Attorney Marcella Burke told CNA in November that the disputed incident occurred when Martins touched a young girl’s hair while telling a joke about his own baldness. The joke occurred publicly “in a classroom setting with teachers, clergy, parish staff, and volunteers present.” ....

By Rob Sexton, Catholic Exchange - St. Ignatius of Loyola is best known for his Spiritual Exercises, a structured method of prayer and discernment that has formed countless saints and seekers... In his manual, Ignatius outlines the “nuts and bolts” of his method: specific Scripture passages for contemplation, 14 Rules for the Discernment of Spirits, and pastoral insights drawn from the lived experience of serious prayer. Of particular note is the 19th Annotation, a version of the Exercises designed for those “in the world.” This extended retreat-in-daily-life unfolds over roughly nine months, integrated into the rhythms of work, family, and lay vocation.