«The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light»
«Christmas is an event of light, it is the feast of light: in the Child of Bethlehem the primordial light once more shines in humanity’s heaven and dissipates the clouds of sin. The radiance of God’s definitive triumph appears on the horizon of history in order to offer a new future of hope to a pilgrim people». We propose the homily of Saint John Paul II at Christmas Midnigh Mass, 2001.
No justification yet for compulsory vaccination
There are many indications that suggest we are moving toward mandatory vaccination, either explicitly or through forms of discrimination for those who refuse it. But morally speaking, there are no requirements that legitimise it being obligatory. Indeed, the vaccine should not even be commercialised. Here's why.
Joseph’s marriage to Mary, a mystery of salvation
From his marriage to Mary, Joseph derives his participation in “her sublime dignity” (Leo XIII) and his paternal rights over Jesus. The two holy spouses, both virgins, by their obedience to divine will and their acceptance of the Saviour, become the couple which, unlike Adam and Eve, “constitutes the summit from which holiness spreads over the whole earth” (Paul VI). A true catechesis on the family must start from their marriage.
Pope’s message for peace 2021, some positive aspects
In his message for the World Day of Peace, Pope Francis, in addition to some of the social themes he has repeated several times, departs somewhat from previous documents by placing greater emphasis on the primacy of God, and with an explicit reference to the Church’s social doctrine.
Pornhub promotes pedophilia, but exonerated by the media
Pornhub has removed nearly 70 percent of its content in which minors appear raped and abused, sometimes even by their adoptive parents. 40 victims have denounced the website while a New York Times investigation has exposed the scandal. It's a shame the mass media have exonerated the pornography giant by shifting the focus to privacy issues of the footage. But The Guardian has taken a stand, explaining that pornography incites pedophilia.
Bread, symbol of life
Today we begin a long journey into food in biblical times. Food in general and meals in particular play an important role in human history and thus in biblical history. We will start with bread, food par excellence: it is mentioned 361 times in the Bible, and Jesus himself self-identifies with bread.
- THE RECIPE: CHEESE-FILLED BREAD
The “alien” Crib in the Vatican is an expression of the New Church
The ugly and questionable Vatican Crib: the message is clear, explicit, and intentional. It is no longer the sacred representation of an event that took place, but the pretext to say other things that are pressing to the world - especially to the cultural mainstream - and to today's society.
Dossier: how Polish secret service agents blackmailed priests
To understand certain accusations against the late Cardinal Gulbinowicz and other Polish prelates, one must reread history. The communist regime fought all its opponents with physical or psychological persecution. The Polish secret service prepared dossiers on every priest. In the 1970s roughly 1,000 officials worked for the sole purpose of monitoring the Church, which was perceived as an enemy of the communist system. Only a few priests (about 10%) collaborated with the communist authorities. Those who resisted or "caused trouble" faced being killed.
Barluzzi, an architect-mystic. The Gaudí of the Holy Land
Antonio Barluzzi, who passed away sixty years ago today, was the mind and hand behind some of the most renowned churches constructed by the custodian Franciscans in the Holy Land. During the course of forty years lasting until 1958, his designs and plans became more than a dozen churches built in the Holy Sites, and these included the ones of the Transfiguration, the Flagellation, the Beatitudes, and the Basilica of All Nations.
Pfizer vaccine, questionable efficacy at the expense of safety
The new Pfizer vaccine is hailed for its excellent efficacy. This does not mean it is without problems which require attention, also because they are too dangerous to be ignored. First of all, haste: the lack of data on safety could mean some minor cases of Covid were overlooked. Data on the asymptomatic disease rate are also lacking. The two deaths after vaccination arouse perplexity, not for the number, but because the causal link is not explained, ie how and if the correlation with the vaccine was excluded or if it was the trigger of these deaths. But the most serious aspect of the study is that it was decided to stop the research prematurely, that is without deciding to monitor the adverse effects of the vaccine. But, privileging (questionable) efficacy over safety is unethical and unscientific.
A clever way to impose an Amazonian liturgy
The Roman Missal in the Zairean rite is the first one to be enculturated and lends itself to becoming a precursor to a future Amazonian rite. There are two risks in this undertaking: introducing pagan elements and producing a new liturgy inspired by the objectives of Church politics as opposed to the Church’s mission. On this matter, Benedict XVI warned, "A liturgy is not born by means of decrees."
