Edited by Kevin Knight (knight@newadvent.org)https://www.newadvent.org/news/feedburner.xml tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-8277937027906745212Headhttps://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2026-03/pope-leo-appeal-ceasefire-dialogue-middle-east-iran-us-israel.htmlnull@newadvent.org (null)Addressing those responsible for the ongoing conflict between the U.S. and Israel and Iran, Pope Leo XIV on Sunday launched an appeal “in the name of the Christians of the Middle East and of all women and men of goodwill: Cease the fire! Let paths of dialogue be reopened!” tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-3235690941343864273Lefthttps://www.ncregister.com/features/cichowicz-dion-dimucci-mike-aquilinanull@newadvent.org (null)The year was 2005. Mike Aquilina, already a renowned Catholic writer and authority on Church history, was on a St. Paul Center summer pilgrimage to Rome. This was not Aquilina’s first pilgrimage, either as a participant or lecturer. But it would prove to be perhaps his most memorable. Joining Aquilina as a presenter was Dion DiMucci, better known in America and around the world simply as Dion. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-2146047371960285549Centerhttps://www.ncregister.com/commentaries/vatican-diary-awaiting-leos-next-movesnull@newadvent.org (Francis X. Rocca)Lent at the Vatican this year feels like Advent in some ways, with the prevalent mood one of anticipation. People inside and around the institution are waiting, with varying degrees of curiosity and enthusiasm, for long-expected moves by Pope Leo XIV... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-6012484678694429013Lefthttps://www.ewtnnews.com/vatican/pope-questions-christians-role-in-wars-implies-need-for-confessionnull@newadvent.org (null)On Friday, March 13, Pope Leo XIV issued a direct appeal to Christians who bear responsibility in armed conflicts, urging them to undertake a serious examination of conscience. “Do those Christians who bear grave responsibility in armed conflicts have the humility and courage to make a serious examination of conscience and to go to confession?” the pontiff asked... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-5465241275408726536Centerhttps://media.benedictine.edu/this-sunday-jesus-escaped-death-long-enough-to-help-us-seenull@newadvent.org (Tom Hoopes)Meeting God, really meeting him, makes life more beautiful, more noble, more exciting, and more fulfilling — but first it makes it harder. The two go together. Here are six takeaways for the Fourth Sunday of Lent, Year A, drawn from Sunday Readings columns at this site. First: The cure of the man born blind comes at a rough time in Jesus’s life... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-7645592849159120457Lefthttps://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/missed-masses-marquesses-and-mulletsnull@newadvent.org (Ed Condon)Six years ago this week, Seattle became the first U.S. Catholic diocese to suspend public celebration of the Eucharist in the face of the coronavirus. Announcing the move at the time, Archbishop Paul Etienne called it “an extreme measure of caution,” and said that “out of an extreme caution, we want to do our part to prevent the spread of this virus.” The diocesan dominoes fell fast thereafter... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-1813623616355791026Centerhttps://stpaulcenter.com/posts/why-does-johns-gospel-not-mention-the-institution-of-the-eucharistnull@newadvent.org (Clement Harrold)At the end of Lent every year, at the evening Mass on Holy Thursday, we celebrate the institution of the Holy Eucharist. But for many of us, the Church’s choice of Gospel reading for this Mass can seem a little strange. Rather than giving us Matthew’s, or Mark’s, or Luke’s account of Jesus consecrating the bread and wine at the Last Supper, the Church instead has us read from the one Gospel that doesn’t even mention the institution of the Eucharist—the Gospel of John... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-2150315025981234785Lefthttps://www.ncregister.com/commentaries/mills-be-betternull@newadvent.org (David Mills)Don’t care about who gives you the sacraments of the Church, said the bishop. Don’t demand a cleric of high status in the Church and in society, because you think an everyday cleric from an average family isn’t good enough for someone of your high status. Don’t reject a priest unless you think he’s holy enough, because you think you’ll be sullied by receiving the sacraments from an average sinner... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-2701934020319268401Centerhttps://thecatholicherald.com/article/the-triumph-of-sentimentality-in-the-church-of-englandnull@newadvent.org (Fr. Dwight Longenecker)Just over thirty years ago I was serving as a priest in the Church of England. At that time the debate over the ordination of women to the priesthood had reached its climax. I was vicar of two rural parishes on the Isle of Wight and the bitter conflict raged at every level in the Church... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-7244738988480139332Lefthttps://www.osvnews.com/pope-leo-xiv-names-benedictine-monk-as-bishop-of-belleville-diocese-in-illinois/null@newadvent.org (null)The Vatican announced the appointment of Bishop-designate Mullen March 13. The see of the Diocese of Belleville has been vacant since its former bishop, now-Archbishop Michael G. McGovern, was installed as archbishop of Omaha, Nebraska, in May 2025. Bishop-designate Mullen, 60, is a monk of St. Meinrad Archabbey in Indiana and current administrator of the Diocese of Belleville... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-7586437710624094233Centerhttps://spiritualdirection.com/2026/03/04/what-st-frances-of-rome-saw-in-heavennull@newadvent.org (null)On another occasion, after receiving the Most Holy Sacrament of the Body of Christ in the same Chapel of the Holy Angels, St. Frances, the servant of Christ, devoted herself to prayer and meditation, as was her custom. During this time, she experienced her spirit’s being taken up into an immense light, while her body remained within the chapel. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-6679412143465559946Lefthttps://www.ncregister.com/commentaries/regis-martin-death-is-not-the-endnull@newadvent.org (Regis Martin)Francis Bergsma, a 17-year-old boy whose father, John Bergsma, is a widely known professor of biblical theology at Franciscan University in Steubenville, died Feb. 28 following a nearly two-year battle with brain cancer, leaving both his family and friends stricken with grief and incomprehension. Why must someone so young and so dear to so many be made to suffer for so long? Where is the justice in that? tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-2005032896906901453Centerhttps://www.ewtnnews.com/vatican/pope-leo-calls-maronite-priest-killed-in-bombing-a-true-shepherdnull@newadvent.org (null)Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday remembered Father Pierre El Raii, a Maronite priest who died after being wounded in an Israeli bombing in southern Lebanon, and described him as “a true shepherd” who remained with his people despite the war. El Raii was killed on March 9 while going to the aid of a parishioner wounded in a earlier attack... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-7352113533967563652Lefthttps://www.ncregister.com/commentaries/fernandes-faith-and-sciencenull@newadvent.org (Bishop Earl Fernandes)When confronted with the challenge of young people leaving the Catholic faith, we might be tempted to think the problem is solely a “religious” one — one addressed by improving their experience of the liturgy or by providing better spiritual retreats. In reality, a significant factor is the way the Church is perceived in its engagement with the wider culture... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-6225955676142024707Centerhttps://www.ewtnnews.com/world/us/nbc-poll-pope-leo-xiv-held-in-highest-esteem-among-public-personalitiesnull@newadvent.org (null)A March NBC poll found that U.S. voters hold Pope Leo XIV in highest esteem among other public personalities. The NBC News Survey by Hart Research Associates/Public Opinion Strategies surveyed 1,000 registered voters about public figures and various topics, including the first U.S. pope. When asked how they felt about Leo, 42% of respondents were... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-1380522300723673366Lefthttps://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/cardinal-of-tehran-evacuates-to-romenull@newadvent.org (null)Cardinal Dominique Mathieu, OFM Conv. of Tehran-Isfahan announced on March 9 that he had fled to Rome, along with the staff of the Italian embassy to Iran, “not without regret and sorrow.” Belgian outlet Cathobel reported that Mathieu had arrived in Rome on March 8 after being evacuated with the Italian embassy staff. The archdiocese's Cathedral of the Consolata and the archbishop’s residence are located within the territory of the Italian embassy. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-419290853602780318Centerhttps://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/death-as-same-day-service/null@newadvent.org (Phil Lawler)Here’s a ghoulish statistic from Ontario’s “Medical Assistance in Dying” program: In 2023, more than 200 people who applied to the program were dead within 36 hours. For 65 people, the state program provided same-day service. Think about it: If you’re sick and suffering, or if you’re just suffering from a severe bout of depression... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-7231828386162057312Lefthttps://stpaulcenter.com/posts/why-does-jesus-weep-at-the-tomb-of-lazarusnull@newadvent.org (null)When Jesus receives word that his beloved friend Lazarus is sick, we’re told that He waits two more days before traveling to Bethany. The result is that when He finally arrives on the scene, Lazarus has already been dead for four days. Jesus then encounters Lazarus’s two sisters, Martha and Mary, in quick succession... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-3348844768837140946Centerhttps://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/englands-most-dangerous-catholic/null@newadvent.org (Jeff Mirus)St. John Henry Newman was once called “the most dangerous man in England” by the papal chamberlain, Fr. George Talbot, primarily because of the way Newman engaged the laity in supporting and even managing Catholic schools. Indeed, Newman had to struggle in many of his educational projects... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-4316975734692702605Lefthttps://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/why-are-swiss-bishops-doubling-downnull@newadvent.org (Luke Coppen)Swiss bishops agreed at a plenary meeting this week that mandatory psychological assessments of future pastoral workers, introduced last year, should continue, following a positive assessment of their effectiveness. In a statement issued at the end of their March 2-4 assembly in Saint-Maurice, the bishops said they had unanimously approved provisions regulating responsibilities for the assessments and how the results are handled. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-585049397278588773Centerhttps://www.ewtnnews.com/vatican/pope-leo-xiv-warns-of-wider-middle-east-conflictnull@newadvent.org (null)Pope Leo XIV on Sunday appealed for peace as violence and fear continue to spread in Iran and across the Middle East, praying in particular for Lebanon and warning that the conflict could widen. Speaking after the Angelus on March 8, the pope said “deeply disturbing news continues to arrive from Iran and the entire Middle East.” tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-8460973917541420840Lefthttps://www.cbsnews.com/news/nebraska-boy-left-alone-hospital-heart-surgery-adopted-anesthesiologist/null@newadvent.org (null)Surrounded by friends and family at his birthday party this week, 10-year-old True Beethe of Omaha, Nebraska, was on cloud nine, but his bliss had not come easy. Back in 2022, at the age of 5, True needed a heart procedure for a serious congenital heart defect known as hypoplastic right heart syndrome... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-6600016697906146028Centerhttps://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/archbishop-caccia-named-nuncio-tonull@newadvent.org (null)Pope Leo XIV named the Italian Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia as the new apostolic nuncio to the U.S. Saturday. The Pillar reported earlier this year that Caccia, a veteran Vatican diplomat, was the front-runner to succeed the French Cardinal Christophe Pierre, who turned 80 in January. The Vatican announced March 7 that the pope had accepted... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-5893484180320785455Lefthttps://weirdcatholic.substack.com/p/a-purgatorial-procession-104null@newadvent.org (Thomas McDonald)A mass of ferocious men ride across the sky on giant black goats and black horses, making a fearsome din as they charge to the hunt, baying black hounds at their sides. Those who hear the approaching noise must not look or they risk being dragged into the Wild Hunt of the dead. With plenty of local and national variations, this image of phantom hordes of huntsmen or soldiers... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-5099430324711062880Centerhttps://media.benedictine.edu/this-sunday-jesus-meets-us-at-the-well-to-give-us-what-we-are-missingnull@newadvent.org (null)In this Sunday’s Gospel reading, Jesus masterfully takes a woman who is captive to sin from a simple conversation about water and thirst to a self-examination of her life and a recognition that he is the Messiah. He does it without ever voicing his clear objections to her sinful life... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-7209297528986867828Lefthttps://www.wordonfire.org/articles/a-confession-of-the-legendary-lou-holtz/null@newadvent.org (Christopher Kaczor)Before a Notre Dame-Miami football game, a chaplain of the Miami Hurricanes said, “God doesn’t care who wins football games.” When he heard this, Lou Holtz replied, “God may not care, but his mother sure does.” If you were to go on a random Tuesday to Mass at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at the University of Notre Dame in 2026, you’ll see long lines of people... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-8603958040382926395Centerhttps://www.ncregister.com/commentaries/pronechen-st-longinusnull@newadvent.org (Joseph Pronechen)At the Crucifixion, two men encountered Christ in a way that changed their lives forever. Both later came to be honored as saints. One was the Good Thief, St. Dismas. Jesus told him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43). The other was the Roman centurion who pierced the side of Christ with a lance and later came to be known by the name of Longinus. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-7747051708693035421Lefthttps://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/bishop-shaleta-arrested-on-chargesnull@newadvent.org (null)Chaldean Catholic Bishop Emanuel Shaleta was arrested Thursday on several counts of embezzlement and money laundering. The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release Thursday that the bishop was picked up at the San Diego airport as he attempted to leave the United States. The Pillar reported earlier this week that Shaleta was expected to travel to Rome. He had submitted his resignation to the Vatican earlier this year. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-7632361109179271658Centerhttps://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/nice-things-no-comment-and-a-timenull@newadvent.org (null)There’s news again this week, and much of it serious. But before we get to that I want to start with something decidedly not serious — though not at all unserious — to lighten the mood. Apparently a group of American Catholics calling themselves Amici Vaticani have set up a site to crowd source money to create a papal tiara for Pope Leo. It was a longstanding custom back in the day for the home diocese of a newly elected pope... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-6441408495850464322Lefthttps://www.catholicworldreport.com/2026/02/27/the-augustinian-pope-four-key-themes-of-leo-xiv/null@newadvent.org (null)So I argued after the election of Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, last year. Standing on the loggia of Saint Peter’s, his expression showing the emotion of so great a calling, Robert Prevost did not introduce himself as a Chicagoan, a Chiclayoan, a canon lawyer, or even a bishop—important though all of these clearly are to him... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-3813145808375954096Centerhttps://lithub.com/whats-the-word-for-forgetting-words/null@newadvent.org (null)Lately I have been losing words. Not poetically, not as a metaphor for grief or heartbreak, shock or awe. I mean I am literally losing them. A name I should know (my own child’s), nouns that once arrived without coaxing (lichen, ottoman), verbs I trusted (pivot, hydroplane)... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-4556888146852949915Lefthttps://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2026-03/pope-s-march-prayer-intention-for-disarmament-and-peace.htmlnull@newadvent.org (null)Pope Leo XIV releases his prayer intention for the month of March, inviting Catholics to pray with him for 'disarmament and peace,' and praying that 'the nuclear threat may never again dictate the future of humanity.' tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-6842022353404465569Centerhttps://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/is-conclave-secrecy-dead-and-doesnull@newadvent.org (null)A new book published on Sunday purports to pull back the curtain on the papal conclave which elected Pope Leo XIV last year. “The Election of Pope Leo XIV,” published March 1, offers details of the four voting rounds which returned Cardinal Robert Prevost as successor to Pope Francis, as well as specific instances within the closely guarded process... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-840927071928915036Lefthttps://www.catholicherald.com/article/columns/in-gratitude-for-msgr-stanley-krempa/null@newadvent.org (John Clark)My spiritual advisor and dear friend, Msgr. Stanley J. Krempa passed away Feb. 28. Please pray for the repose of his soul. When I heard the news that he died, two thoughts immediately leapt to mind. One was a famous quote. I’d like to say it was a quote from St. Teresa of Avila or St. Francis of Assisi. Instead, the quote is by Thomas Hobbes: “Life is brutish and short.” That’s an odd thought to have, I know... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-3724771187274115970Centerhttps://www.ncregister.com/news/anthropic-pentagon-ai-ethicsnull@newadvent.org (null)Amid the explosion in recent years of artificial intelligence (AI), Catholics have consistently called for the inclusion of socially responsible safeguards, limits and ethical principles within the technology. Now, a leading AI developer that is trying to do that has found itself in a major dispute with the U.S. government — stoking a heated debate over the ethical and moral dimensions of AI development. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-5102532255319577157Lefthttps://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/the-cardinal-of-penzance-and-campnull@newadvent.org (J.D. Flynn)Today’s the feast of St. Katherine Drexel, the second Tuesday of Lent, and a good day — like so many right now — to pray for just, true, and lasting peace in our world. When he was elected, Pope Leo greeted the world with “the peace of the risen Christ.” That is, he said, “a peace that is unarmed and disarming, humble and persevering. A peace that comes from God, the God who loves us all, unconditionally.” tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-9010717159848175688Centerhttps://catholicmissionarydisciples.com/news/onepriestnull@newadvent.org (Marcel LeJeune)How many people can the pastor of the average Catholic parish in the USA deeply invest in and guide? I have asked hundreds of priests this question. The average is single digit numbers, probably around 7 parishioners. Think about what it takes to be a modern pastor of a Catholic parish. There isn’t enough time to invest deeply in many people... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-6300741882565973008Lefthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/treetops-emit-ultraviolet-sparkles-during-thunderstorms-researchers-just-filmed-it-in-nature-for-the-first-time-180988275/null@newadvent.org (null)Thunderstorms often illuminate the night sky with flashes of lightning. They also seem to make treetops glow and sparkle, although the phenomenon is pretty much invisible to the naked eye. In a study published February 12 in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, scientists provide the first direct observations of the weak electrical discharges around trees in nature. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-7948204056314034833Centerhttps://abcnews.com/Entertainment/wireStory/dutch-museum-makes-needle-haystack-confirmation-rembrandt-painting-130671827null@newadvent.org (null)A painting that was once rejected as a work by Rembrandt van Rijn has now been acknowledged as a work by the Dutch master, thanks to two years of scrutiny in the city where the then-27-year-old artist painted it in 1633, a museum announced Monday. The Netherlands’ national art and history museum, the Rijksmuseum, unveiled the work... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-6959222728545991266Lefthttps://www.ewtnnews.com/vatican/vatican-synod-study-group-warns-of-online-polarizationnull@newadvent.org (null)A final report from the Synod on Synodality study group on “mission in the digital environment” proposes the possible creation of a dedicated Vatican body to accompany and oversee the theological, pastoral, and canonical challenges that arise online. The digital mission group is one of 10 study groups established by Pope Francis in 2024 at the conclusion... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-8287104957988761885Centerhttps://stpaulcenter.com/posts/striking-the-rock-scott-hahn-reflects-on-the-third-sunday-of-lentnull@newadvent.org (Scott Hahn)The Israelites’ hearts were hardened by their hardships in the desert. Though they saw His mighty deeds, in their thirst they grumbled and put God to the test in today’s First Reading, a crisis point recalled also in today’s Psalm. Jesus is thirsty, too, in today’s Gospel. He thirsts for souls. He longs to give the Samaritan woman the living waters that well up to eternal life... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-6144225401273577829Lefthttps://tmattingly.substack.com/p/toy-story-and-ai-toys-disney-to-thenull@newadvent.org (Terry Mattingly)To all who sent me the trailer for “Toy Story 5,” thank you. Yes, I immediately sent it to Jonathan “Anxious Generation” Haidt, while knowing that he had almost certainly been hit with a tidal wave of emails the second the trainer reached the Internet. I guess we can hope that he was contacted by the principalities and powers at Disney long ago and, who knows, he may have been asked to serve as a consultant. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-8062141637597625456Centerhttps://www.ewtnnews.com/world/middle-east/archbishop-coakley-calls-for-restraint-diplomacy-and-peace-as-hostilities-escalate-in-middlenull@newadvent.org (null)The escalating conflict in the Middle East has drawn a strong call for peace from Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), who issued an urgent statement calling on the United States, Iran, and the international community to “return to dialogue and pursue every avenue for a just and lasting peace.” Coakley issued the statement... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-5479680139447033143Lefthttps://knowingisdoing.org/blog/sin-not-abstractionnull@newadvent.org (Marlon De La Torre)There is an argument proposed by Christ in the story of the Parable of the Lost Sheep about a man who tended to one hundred sheep, but lost one, would he be compelled to leave the ninety-nine to rescue the lost sheep?[1] It is a compelling argument because it proposes the acts of mercy towards sinners... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-6113234352064726137Centerhttps://www.denvercatholic.org/where-do-bishops-come-from-the-divinely-appointed-overseernull@newadvent.org (R. Jared Staudt)This last year, the world watched as the cardinals gathered in Rome for the election of a new pope, the 267th bishop of Rome. New York recently received a new archbishop, and Denver is preparing for one as well. We are witnessing apostolic succession in action, extending an unbroken chain of bishops back to the apostles, who were appointed directly by Our Lord... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-2011094402696732402Lefthttps://www.ncregister.com/news/chabin-israel-land-reformsnull@newadvent.org (null)Over the past month, Israel’s Security Cabinet has approved sweeping changes that will affect the purchase and use of land in the West Bank. Palestinians, including the approximately 1% of Christians who live in the West Bank, fear that the new provisions will boost the construction and expansion of Israeli settlements and ultimately prevent the creation of a Palestinian state. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-2392915984727037479Centerhttps://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/german-bishops-to-ask-rome-to-permitnull@newadvent.org (null)The German bishops will formally ask the Vatican to permit lay preaching at Masses, new conference chairman Bishop Heiner Wilmer announced Thursday. According to Church law, homilies at Mass are “reserved to a priest or deacon,” but lay people can receive permission to preach in a church or oratory, “if necessity requires it in certain circumstances or it seems advantageous in particular cases.” In a report issued at the end... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-2893395112208725611Lefthttps://blog.adw.org/2026/02/every-round-goes-higher-a-homily-for-the-second-sunday-of-lent-3/null@newadvent.org (Msgr. Charles Pope)The second Sunday of Lent always features the Transfiguration. This is because we are following the Lord on His final odyssey to Jerusalem, and this journey up Mt. Tabor was one of His stops (with Peter, James, and John). It is commonly held that Jesus did this to prepare His apostles for the difficult days ahead... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-2559460581277358389Centerhttps://media.benedictine.edu/this-sunday-lent-transfigures-usnull@newadvent.org (null)Just as Lent is getting off the ground, today’s Gospel gives us the story of the Transfiguration. While we commemorate the 40 days of Jesus fasting in the desert with nothing but wild beasts as his companions, we are presented with an image of Jesus transformed in a glorious way on the mountaintop with the great prophets Elijah and Moses as his companions... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-7737237964948100941Lefthttps://www.thecatholicthing.org/2026/02/25/how-to-write-well-and-why/null@newadvent.org (Francis X. Maier)Remember the fabulous 1970s? The decade of Watergate, recession, gas lines, defeat in Vietnam, unemployment, inflation, and a failed Iranian hostage rescue? Add to that the advent of “whole language” theory in education. Whoever came up with that idea needs a one-way ticket to Svalbard. Check the map. It’s not Las Vegas. Mention “whole language” to my wife, a 40-year veteran of teaching in Catholic schools, and she’ll laugh you out of the room. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-4336612086605377786Centerhttps://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/brazilian-archbishop-declares-schismnull@newadvent.org (null)The Archbishop of Maceió in Brazil has declared that any Catholic in the diocese who attends a unauthorized Traditional Latin Mass will incur an excommunication, for the canonical crime of schism. In a Feb.11 statement posted on the archdiocesan Facebook page, Archbishop Carlos Alberto Breis Pereira, OFM, declared that in his diocese, participation in... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-7749372716094577416Lefthttps://www.ewtnnews.com/vatican/pope-speaks-out-about-strikes-on-irannull@newadvent.org (null)Pope Leo XIV voiced concern on Sunday about developments in the Middle East and Iran, urging the parties involved to stop what he called a “spiral of violence” before it becomes an “unbridgeable chasm.” “Stability and peace are not achieved through mutual threats, nor through the use of weapons, which sow destruction, suffering, and death, but only through reasonable, sincere, and responsible dialogue,” the pope said... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-1149895569887096959Centerhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Israeli%E2%80%93United_States_strikes_on_Irannull@newadvent.org (null)On 28 February 2026, Israel and the United States launched a joint attack on various targets in Iran. The operation, codenamed Roaring Lion (Hebrew: מִבְצַע שְׁאָגַת הָאֲרִי, romanized: mivtsá she'agát ha'arí) in Israel, Operation Epic Fury by the United States Department of Defense, began with a series of strikes against locations in Tehran, Isfahan, Qom, Karaj, and Kermanshah... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-1725274008317892772Lefthttps://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/oh-cod-beyond-all-praising-the-secretnull@newadvent.org (Jack Figge)The Fish Friar at St. John the Baptist Parish in Fort Calhoun, Nebraska, can’t hear confessions and doesn’t live in a religious community. But he’s happy to have a beer with visitors to the parish – that is, after he’s done with his fish frying duties for the evening... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-370717740890672863Centerhttps://www.ncregister.com/news/abortion-advocate-s-withdrawal-just-the-first-step-at-notre-damenull@newadvent.org (Matthew McDonald)The announcement Thursday that an advocate of legal abortion won’t take a leadership position at Notre Dame pleased pro-life critics of the appointment, though they still have serious concerns about what they see as the university’s drift away from its Catholic identity. A candlelight student protest planned for Friday night is still going ahead... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-3136634538742011204Lefthttps://www.ncregister.com/news/liedl-inside-ostermann-reversalnull@newadvent.org (Jonathan Liedl)For weeks, University of Notre Dame leaders publicly insisted that the appointment of a pro-abortion-rights professor to head the Asian studies institute was final. But beneath the university’s famed Golden Dome, things were far more unsettled, campus sources told the Register — especially in the office of Holy Cross Father Robert Dowd, Notre Dame’s president. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-7209998257560195831Centerhttps://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/notre-dame-pro-abortion-professornull@newadvent.org (null)An outspoken abortion advocate will not assume the directorship of an academic institute at the University of Notre Dame, following widespread condemnation of the appointment by students, university donors, and bishops. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-6222749571533055079Lefthttps://www.osvnews.com/us-bishops-end-lawsuit-against-trump-administration-over-refugee-resettlement/null@newadvent.org (null)The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has ended its lawsuit against the Trump administration over the suspension of a long-running refugee resettlement contract, with monies owed to the USCCB now recovered. Court records show that Judge Trevor N. McFadden of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia signed a Jan. 23 order dismissing the case “without prejudice” — allowing the USCCB the option to bring a subsequent suit on the same grounds. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-6747815813626114182Centerhttps://www.ewtnnews.com/world/us/notre-dame-appointment-ostermann-bishops-backlashnull@newadvent.org (null)A pro-abortion professor at the University of Notre Dame is turning down a leadership appointment there after weeks of backlash that included more than a dozen U.S. bishops criticizing the school for its decision. Mary Gallagher, the dean of the university’s Keough School of Global Affairs, wrote in an email on Feb. 26 that Professor Susan Ostermann “has decided not to move forward as director” of the Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-1032928250515824684Lefthttps://www.ewtnnews.com/world/us/paul-thigpen-theologian-who-explored-wondrous-question-of-extraterrestrial-life-dies-atnull@newadvent.org (null)Paul Thigpen, the noted theologian and convert to the Catholic faith known for his prolific writing career that included an in-depth survey of extraterrestrial life and the Catholic Church, died on Feb. 24. He was 71. Thigpen’s death was announced by several media outlets, including TAN Books, the publisher of many of his works. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-5244641190136707591Centerhttps://www.denvercatholic.org/the-casaroli-myth-vs-the-historical-recordnull@newadvent.org (George Weigel)Cardinal Agostino Casaroli, Vatican Secretary of State from 1979 to 1990 — and before that, the architect and chief diplomatic agent of the Ostpolitik of Pope Paul VI — initially played hard-to-get when I tried to interview him for the first volume of my John Paul II biography, Witness to Hope. The cardinal was not a fan of my 1992 book... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-6357252970980455025Lefthttps://life-craft.org/finding-joy-in-hope/null@newadvent.org (John Cuddeback)Something many struggle with, I certainly include myself, is how to find joy when one is not ‘feeling’ joyful. This is a complex question that calls for careful and nuanced consideration. Part of thinking clearly about it is recognizing that real sorrow has a significant place in life. Being joyful, then, does not imply that we deny our sorrow or pretend we don’t have it... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-4373100214355940487Centerhttps://www.ewtnnews.com/vatican/breaking-vatican-announces-pope-leo-xiv-s-11-day-pastoral-visit-to-4-african-countries-in-aprilnull@newadvent.org (null)The Vatican has announced that Pope Leo XIV will undertake his first pastoral visit to Africa as pontiff April 13–23. In a statement released on Wednesday, Feb. 25, the Holy See confirmed that the Holy Father’s 11-day apostolic journey will take him to four African countries: Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-3239943028810903862Lefthttps://www.ncregister.com/commentaries/chapp-sspx-rupturenull@newadvent.org (Larry Chapp)The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, led by Cardinal Victor Fernández, recently hosted the superior general of the Priestly Society of St. Pius X (SSPX), Father Davide Pagliarani, to begin an ecclesial dialogue. Sadly, and predictably, the Society, in a Feb. 18 letter to Cardinal Fernández, has rejected the offer of continuing dialogue, claiming it has no hope of success... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-3541870388868247500Centerhttps://www.ncregister.com/news/leo-xiv-reestablishes-the-episcopal-hierarchy-in-romenull@newadvent.org (Andrea Gagliarducci)A set of rumored bishop appointments by Pope Leo XIV may set the tenor for how the Diocese of Rome relates to the See of Peter going forward, potentially digressing from the precedent set by the current Pontiff’s predecessors. Four new auxiliary bishops are expected to be appointed to the Diocese of Rome, following an upcoming meeting between the Pope and the diocesan prelates... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-7781192802329268604Lefthttps://www.ncregister.com/commentaries/alysa-liu-olympic-lessonnull@newadvent.org (null)A wonderful Winter Olympics concluded Sunday in Italy — two weeks filled with overtime goals, breathtaking athletic feats and the familiar tears of triumph and heartbreak. For a brief moment, the world remembered what it feels like to be united in admiration. Yet the Olympics’ most profound moment came not from a scoreboard, but from a story: the astonishing gold-medal performance of American figure skater Alysa Liu. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-8449127667942422347Centerhttps://www.ncregister.com/commentaries/trans-tide-turningnull@newadvent.org (null)The claim that human persons can change their fundamental sexual identity has never been supported by any sound science. That hasn’t prevented many lawmakers in the U.S., and much of the U.S. medical establishment, from buying into the agendas of “transgender” activists. But in recent months, the tide of public opinion has begun to take a decisive turn... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-3072002712203977117Lefthttps://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/rattlesnake-kate-champions-and-visceralnull@newadvent.org (null)I’ve been thinking this morning about ole Rattlesnake Kate, somewhat of a heroine in my adopted home state. Kate is the kind of Colorado character who makes the Old West wild. She was born in a log cabin in the hot summer of 1893, became a nurse, and married and divorced a bunch of times — some accounts say she attempted marriage five or six times, and none of them took... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-3279530500129079718Centerhttps://churchlifejournal.nd.edu/articles/eight-characteristics-of-laity-formation/null@newadvent.org (null)In various ways I have been thinking about formation of the laity all my life. I have seven children and twenty grandchildren with whose religious formation I am very involved; I teach in a Department of Theology where we have almost 900 majors and minors. We attract them because we are very intentional about creating courses that lift up the beautiful ideals of our faith... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-7281923717887169210Lefthttps://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/swiss-guard-barracks-renovation-delayednull@newadvent.org (null)A major project to redevelop new barracks for the Pontifical Swiss Guards, the pope’s body guard and Vatican City military, has been postponed due to a lack of funds and escalating project costs. Although the Vatican granted building permits to construct new barracks for the Swiss Guards in January of this year... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-2253025321553615612Centerhttps://knowingisdoing.org/blog/choice-murmur-christnull@newadvent.org (null)The Word of God provides us with many biblical scenes of irony that leave one to ask, what were they thinking? One such example is Israel’s release from Egyptian bondage, where instead of acknowledging God's gift of freedom, the Israelites chose to murmur against Him the moment they began to endure some form of physical suffering. tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-6084036621930876535Lefthttps://stpaulcenter.com/posts/entering-the-desert-with-christ-this-lentnull@newadvent.org (null)The Gospel reading for the First Sunday of Lent gives us the dramatic scene of Christ entering the desert to do spiritual battle with the devil. This testing in the desert is also the theme for the first episode of Bible Across America Lent 2026, which you can sign up for here. In this blog post, we’ll explore the deeper meaning of Christ’s wilderness showdown with Satan, as well as the encouragement we can draw from His example... tag:newadvent.org,1999:blog-3972000218521616682.post-6257028340071179136Centerhttps://blog.newadvent.org/2026/02/take-back-your-identity.htmlnull@newadvent.org (Chris Stefanick)Who told you who you are? Because if it’s not God, you’ve been listening to the wrong voice. The devil has a very thin playbook. His first move? Attack your identity. He did it in Genesis. He tried it on Jesus in the desert — every single temptation starting with the words, "If you are the Son of God..." He was trying to shake Jesus’ sense of who he was. Because here’s the thing...