Among the thousands of travelers who crowd the Termini station in Rome every day, some stop by the nearby Basilica of the Sacred Heart on Via Marsala. The church was commissioned by Pius IX, who laid the foundation stone of the new building in 1870, but due to the annexation of Rome … Read more
As one of the many pilgrims on the Road to Santiago last year, I was overjoyed to hear that the number of those going on this world-famous pilgrimage reached a new record in 2023. The trek to the burial place of Saint James the Apostle in Compostela, Spain, is one of the most popular … Read more
Amid the worst crisis in the Church’s history, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith published the December 18 Declaration Fiducia Supplicans (FS), authorizing priests to bless adulterous and homosexual relationships. There followed a Clarification confirming what the declaration said. Both statements favor adulterous couples and homosexual pairs at a time … Read more
During the Second Empire, some in the Catholic movement unfortunately decided to collaborate with Napoleon III’s policy of favoring Italian revolutionaries. They went so far as to oppose the Holy See openly. These figures included Catholic republicans and ultra-Galicans, of whom Bishop Henri Louis Charles Maret was the most outstanding representative. In … Read more
On January 20, over 60 Catholics gathered to hear pro-family activist, author, and journalist Austin Ruse speak about why “Now is the Time to Fight.” The event was held at the Washington Bureau of the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family, and Property (TFP) in McLean, Virginia. Mr. Ruse is … Read more
While the revolutionary tendencies of Napoleon III’s government were becoming increasingly apparent, his attitude towards the Holy See gradually changed. At the beginning of the Second Empire, France protected Pius IX against the Italian Carbonarians. However, after Orsini’s attempted assassination of the Emperor in 1858, the situation changed. Sure of having captured … Read more
A clash of monumental proportions seems likely as the post-war liberal order breaks down. This could happen if the present flashpoints in Ukraine, Israel, North Korea, and Taiwan expand and involve the major powers and their spheres of influence. Thus, many analysts rightly frame America’s involvement in today’s conflicts as a defense … Read more
To many people, the spirit of “wokeness” is baffling. It is the rough equivalent of saying that truth is a lie and that virtue is harmful. It turns the world upside-down and inside-out. The Path to Absurdity Perhaps the Smithsonian Institution inadvertently provided a guide to the nation’s befuddlement with wokeness in … Read more
I recently heard a story of a lady who was in the hospital seeking treatment for depression. A medical assistant listed several treatment options and asked, “Would you be interested in MAid to treat your problem?” The lady assumed the assistant was referring to getting an actual maid to help her deal … Read more
During 1857 and 1858, Napoleon III carefully prepared his new policy to support the unification of Italy. He faced a curious dilemma. He sought to pass himself off as an outstanding Catholic who nevertheless could not fail to recognize the just aspirations of Italian revolutionaries and the errors of the Holy See … Read more