The Catholic secret association known as Aa spread throughout France in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. Many Catholic institutions, either directly or indirectly, owe their origins to it. Among them is the Foreign Missions Seminary in Paris, which famously accomplished the vital work of propagating the Faith. In 1781, a churchman … Read more
As mentioned in the last article, the Catholic association “Aa” had an impenetrable secrecy that protected its activities, but it makes it difficult today to know how it was organized and what impact it had. However, from the beginning, it was known to be an association reserved mainly for young men preparing … Read more
The United Kingdom’s Labour Party government is presenting a bill to abolish the hereditary lords from the upper chamber of Parliament. Hereditary lords are those House of Lords’ members who inherit the right to sit in the upper House based on services rendered to the realm. Many storied families have retained this … Read more
On December 24, Pope Francis inaugurated the Holy Year 2025 by opening the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica. The Holy Year is a jubilee held every 25 years in which the Church grants plenary indulgences to visitors of the four Roman patriarchal basilicas (Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, and the basilicas … Read more
In October, the Vatican launched the mascot for the 2025 jubilee: an anime-style representation of what appears to be a woke pilgrim girl. This character features a small girl with blue hair named Luce. She has scallop shells for pupils, a yellow storm jacket, a strange walking stick and muddy boots. The … Read more
On December 18, 2024, Pope Francis announced Wednesday the “equipollent canonization” of the sixteen Martyrs of Compiègne. In so doing, Pope Francis confirmed the conclusions reached by the Dicastery for the Causes of the Saints. Their feast will be observed on July 17, the anniversary of their martyrdom. The official announcement cited … Read more
As the transition to a new American government approaches, both parties will use, and some say, abuse, the presidential pardon. The President has the right to grant clemency to those guilty of federal crimes. The original purpose of the pardon is to mitigate the harsh demands of justice. It is a uniquely … Read more
Articles about the decline of Christianity abound, most of them based on some form of public polling. For instance, in January 2024, the Pew Research Center posited that twenty-eight percent of American adults are “religiously unaffiliated,” up from sixteen percent in 2007. Why is the Bible Gaining Popularity? So, the recent news … Read more
As a priest, missionary, pastor and bishop, Saint John Nepomucene Neumann (1811-1860) frequently confronted anti-Catholic persecution. Catholic thinker and man of action Prof. Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira made many commentaries on this aspect of American history and the role of Saint John Neumann in fighting against this persecution. The Brazilian author of … Read more
The Royal Navy sailor is believed to be the first British Catholic to be cured at Lourdes On December 8, 2024, the feast of the Immaculate Conception, Archbishop Malcolm McMahon of Liverpool (England) reported the miraculous healing of John Traynor, a sailor in the British Royal Navy, on the 81st anniversary of … Read more