Catholic Church

By Regis Martin, Crisis Magazine - For if they, the Shepherds of Holy Church, do not know, or care to remember, the teaching on blessings—which are sacramentals, i.e., “sacred signs instituted by the Church,” intended to “prepare men to receive the fruit of the sacraments and sanctify different circumstances of life” (1677)—then we are in a world of trouble... The meaning of the one is to move us to the other—and such blessings are real and efficacious only because they orient us in the ways of Sacrament. This is precisely why the Church cannot bless same-sex partners. Period.

By Daniel Waldow, Crisis Magazine - Given that the advice offered to the pope during the synodal proceedings will likely contain at least some errors and ambiguities, most lay Catholics are probably better served by simply ignoring the Synod proceedings... Instead of constantly looking to Rome, lay Catholics should constantly look to Jesus Christ, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. We should not be perpetually anxious and troubled by what is going on in Rome. Instead, we should keep our focus fixed on the one thing that matters

By Phil Lawler, Catholic Culture - In my post here yesterday I argued that in the wake of the terrorist attacks by Hamas, a military response from Israel is morally justifiable—in fact obligatory—by the traditional standards of just-war theory. But as I cautioned, a just cause does not guarantee a just war... Cdl. Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Sec. of State, made the point in a statement today: “It is the right of those who are attacked to defend themselves, but even legitimate defense must respect the parameter of proportionality." ....

By Courtney Mares, Catholic News Agency - (Latin Catholic patriarch of Jerusalem) Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa was asked if he would be willing to offer himself in exchange to free the children (held hostage in the Gaza Strip by Hamas)... The cardinal responded that he is willing to do anything to “bring those children home.”... “Am I ready for an exchange? Anything, if that can lead to freedom and bring those children home, no problem. There is an absolute availability on my part,” the cardinal said.