Catholic Church

By Frank Wright, LifeSiteNews – The attempted assassination of Donald Trump is perhaps best understood as the moment our political reality broke down. It was an attempt to kill the enemy of the global system. Its failure to do so has shattered the manufacture of illusion by which it sought to direct our world into disaster… The shocking moment of miraculous escape, the defiant call to “fight, fight, fight!” and images of the bumbling agency tasked with Trump’s protection gave way to the routine speculation on the shooter’s motives.

By Georgena Habbaba, CNA – The bishops of the Chaldean Synod on July 16 issued a statement declaring their position on the blessing of same-sex unions as well as the necessity of protecting children from sexual abuse… The synod emphasized “the necessity of protecting children from sexual harassment and raising awareness among priests about its dangers,” stressing the importance of priests participating in child protection programs and obtaining certification from the local ecclesiastical authority. …

By Jules Gomes, The Stream – “The time is fast approaching when everything that is covered up will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all,” Jesus warned. His words could very well apply to the dark deeds of iconic Catholic clergy that are buried deep in the entrails of 85 kilometers of the Vatican’s Secret Archives…

Author Don Schwager, Servants of the Word – Matthew 13:18-23 – “Hear then the parable of the sower. When any one hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in his heart; this is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. …

By Kevin Tierney, Catholic World Report – What is Natural Family Planning? Here we should differentiate between the concept and how that concept is practiced. I am not interested in analyzing the different methods of how NFP is practiced. In the interest of full disclosure: as a male, I have zero interest to write on how women practice the concept. At its core, NFP is simple enough: the use of periodic abstinence between spouses during times of fertility for reasons dubbed sufficient and serious.

By Siobhan Heekin-Canedy, The Public Discourse – ,.. I hesitated to admit that when it comes to work and family, family comes first. I feared that acknowledging the priority of home and children would undermine my belief that women are needed in the public sphere… I had unconsciously absorbed our culture’s insistence that children and parenthood (particularly motherhood) are career obstacles to be overcome, rather than goods in themselves… with time and experience have I become aware of this cultural messaging and grown comfortable stating what I knew, deep down, all along: that children are more important than any job.

By Sarah Cain, Crisis Magazine – Soon, the priest appeared, singing a vaguely religious song a capella. During and after the consecration, we were heartbroken by the manner in which he treated Our Lord. There was, within myself and my companions, an overwhelming desire to make reparations to Christ and to protect Him from the one whose duty it is to do so. We watched as the priest held the host one-handed, announcing “The Body of Christ” like a living contradiction, as his mannerisms belied a lesser recognition of whom he held in his hand.

By Phil Lawler, Catholic Culture – The popular television ad campaign, with the theme that “He gets us,” is a failed attempt to reconcile the complacency of the secular culture with the message of the Gospel. Yes, Jesus “gets us.” He knows that we are poor sinners. But He does not propose to leave us in that sorry state. He sends his apostles out with the message: “Repent, and believe in the Gospel.”… First repent, and recognize that, left to our own devices, we are hopeless. Then, recognize that “we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us.” (Heb 6:18)

By Darlene McCormick Sanchez, Epoch Times – At least four Texas nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) operating on the U.S. southern border have come under scrutiny from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for their role in aiding illegal immigrants in recent months… The latest action involves petitions filed by the attorney general’s office to depose officials at Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley (CCRGV) and Team Brownsville Inc… The attorney general’s office could shut down the NGOs if it can prove they broke the law.

By Matthew Plese, OnePeterFive – What we know about the Blessed Virgin Mary’s parents, Saints Joachim and Anne, comes from Protoevangelium Jacobi (The Gospel of James). It is not part of the inerrant Word of God, but the document, which was written c. 170 AD gives insight into the life of Mary and her parents. St. Joachim was a prominent and respected man; however, he had no children, and he viewed this as a punishment from God.