“Pope Francis will meet with all of the Presidents of the Episcopal Conferences at the Vatican next February 21-24, ‘to speak about the prevention of the abuse of minors and vulnerable adults.’” So reported Vatican News, using the words of …
What Not to Blame Clerical Sex Abuse On
When wrongdoing becomes widespread to the point of seeming endemic – as has the horrid evil of clerical sex abuse – blaming the individual culprits isn’t enough. We also desire to know who allowed the wrongdoing to spread, who failed …
‘Silence and Prayer’ When the House Is Falling Down
Pope Francis, on Monday, responded to the backlash the Vatican has received, calling on Christ’s Church to fight those causing division with “silence and prayer.” Silence and prayer. Let’s look into what Pope Francis could gain from silence and prayer. …
A “New Bomb” in the Vatican? Italian Daily Teases CDF Dossier on Cardinal Kevin Farrell
The Italian traditionalist blog Messa in Latino (Mass in Latin) has reported that its own “internal sources” at the Vatican have confirmed a report by the Italian daily Il Fatto Quotidiano on September 4, indicating that there is a possibly soon to be …
The Church Must Again Become a Sign of Contradiction
In 1986, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre wrote the following infamous words: For the fact is that a grave problem confronted the conscience and the faith of all Catholics during the pontificate of Paul VI. How could a Pope, true successor of …
Abuse Crisis: In Defending the Church, Dump These Excuses
It’s understandable to want to stick up for those we love, even when we know they’re in the wrong. And because we love the Catholic Church, currently reeling from a new round of sexual abuse reports, we naturally want to …
Let’s Say Pope Francis Resigns. What Next?
By now everybody in the world, or so it seems, knows about the damning accusations made by the former apostolic nuncio to the United States, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò from Italy, implicating a number of bishops and cardinals, even the …
Addressing the ‘Proofs’ against Viganò: Noise without Substance
Editor’s note: Aldo Maria Valli, the author of the following article, is the reporter with whom Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò originally planned the publication of his allegations against Pope Francis and several high-ranking Vatican cardinals. For the adventure of how Archbishop …
After I Lost My Vocation, These Saints Rescued Me
A week before my high school graduation in 2002, the horrid priest abuse scandal broke. A few days later, the media swarmed our bishop following our Baccalaureate Mass. Thanks be to God, I had had only positive encounters with bishops …
Interview: Edward Pentin of the National Catholic Register Talks about Covering the Vatican
On day two of the Lumen Fidei Conference on the Family in Ireland last week, I was able to sit down with a number of the speakers presenting, for my new show on Buzz Patterson’s “Power & Patriots,” Conversations in Discomfiture. …
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