“I was the first journalist to cover Medjugorje”
The first news of extraordinary events in a small village in Herzegovina unknown even to maps; the reactions of the Communist regime; the arrest of the parish priest; the testimony of a flash of light that appeared in the sky. We publish some excerpts from the chapter dedicated to Medjugorje in the book “Verità e beffe del secolo passato” [(“Truth and Mockery of the Past Century”), Marcianum Press]. It’s the autobiography of Graziano Motta, our Middle East specialist. At the time, Motta was ANSA’s correspondent from Belgrade and was the first Italian journalist to report on the events of Medjugorje.
Who gains if US bishops reject public sin?
The public sins of rulers are never only a "personal" matter. The pastors of the Church have the duty to protect their flock from scandal. We do not know how any possible clear position from American bishops will provoke reactions on a political level. However, one thing is certain: reiterating the Church's teaching on the need to refuse the Eucharist "to those who obstinately persevere in manifest grave sin" will lead to healthy reflections on Who is substantially present in the Blessed Sacrament.
Calling private property a secondary right assists regimes
Calling private property a 'secondary' right makes it susceptible to restrictions by oppressive powers. To say, on the other hand, that private property is a primary right, but that its use must be well regulated, leads us to discuss the proper roles of individuals, families and natural societies. On the other, requests to limit private property rights favour state and supranational powers, as is happening right now. Let us reflect on the language used by Francis at the United Nations Conference.
St Joseph, the ideal model for educators
As his human nature was united with his divine one, even Jesus needed to be educated. Under the guidance of Mary and Joseph, the Son of God made man was able to grow “in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man”. In particular, St Joseph had to perform the duties of a father, such as instructing Jesus in the Law and in a trade while integrating him into social life. Thus he and the Virgin emerge as “models for all educators” (St John Paul II).
The pro-communion offensive for Biden
The assembly of U.S. bishops to decide on a common position concerning the Eucharist to pro-abortion politicians begins today. But according to the New York Times, the Vatican has already decided the outcome. Fr. Antonio Spadaro and the New York Time contradict themselves by providing political "motivations" regarding an issue that concerns the heart of the Catholic faith and which is well-defined by both canon law and Ratzinger's 2004 CDF memorandum: the Eucharist should be denied to those in grave and manifest sin.
Movements short leashed, freedom in the Church at all-time low
With the new papal decree imposing their democratisation, ecclesial movements are now reduced to associations and their charisms demeaned. This is a further stage in the process of constriction and standardisation that has already affected cloistered convents and even parishes. The large movements are now being regularised. Meanwhile, those movements that are nonconforming are under pressure and those that resist are being openly fought. Never before has there been such a wide range of organisations placed under external oversight, apostolic visits, centralisation of ecclesial power and fears of retaliation.
Marx: farcical resignation in the footsteps of Luther
The path marked out by Cardinal Marx to support the German synod follows the route already taken by Luther, with its well-known results. And now that the Pope has rejected his resignation, his position in the German Church is strengthened.
The Eucharist: true Body born of the Virgin Mary
"Ave verum Corpus natum de Maria Virgine" (Hail, O true Body, born of the Virgin Mary). These are the words of the famous Eucharistic hymn that reminds us of the special bond that exists between the Son of God and His Mother Mary. As, Benedict XVI explained, Mary "was the living 'tabernacle' of the Eucharist." St. John Paul II recalled the inseparable union between the Incarnation and the Eucharistic mystery. Mary's "yes" guarantees that the Christian faith is not some vague spiritualism, because from her womb, the Body, the true Bread of Life, is born.
The German Church: «Marx is responsible for the failure»
On the same day that Cardinal Marx resigned from his position as Archbishop of Munich, Cardinal Gerhard L. Müller was interviewed on La Nuova Bussola Quotidiano weekly webcast. “This so-called synodal path has failed because it goes against divine law and Marx is responsible. Now, he wants to delegate to the pope, who is his friend, the task of solving the problems its caused. What’s more, “these bishops do not want a schism, they want to set themselves up as leaders of a nationalistic Church, convinced they are the future of the universal church. The pope has to do more for the unity of the faith, climate and migrants are important but secondary issues.” And on the subject of Covid, “it was a grave error to allow the state to dictate the line to take on the Sacraments and the Eucharist”.
Let’s save ourselves from this horizontal Church.
Pastors have penned us in an asphyxiating, overly materialistic enclosure, where only migrants, the unemployed, and the poor are also found. They tell us that the true Christian is one who uses air conditioning sparingly in the summer, who pays their taxes and gets vaccinated. They have replaced charity with solidarity, justice with pietism. Thus our life’s purpose has the taste of a bitter end. But we can save ourselves by building Noah's arks to take on board those who want to live for Eternity.
Wyszyński, Primate of Millennium, future Blessed
“People see in him a martyr and a victor...a good fighter who is always in the trenches...and find they are led to impetuously bear witness to him,” wrote the Vaticanist Silvio Negro of the cardinal who sustained the Polish Church during the persecution by the Communist regime. At his death John Paul II repeated: “The Cardinal Primate teaches that this strength comes from Mary, Mother of Christ”. Ambassador Kotański paid homage to him in Rome.
Latin Mass, the Pope's clampdown: protests on the way
While a schism is underway in Germany, there are protests against the Latin Mass inside the Vatican. Rumours of a restrictive revision of Summorum Pontificum have filtered through the latest Italian Bishops' Conference assembly after the Pope's speech. Confirmations of this are coming from France. It would be a slap in the face of Benedict XVI who signed the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum, but behind the scenes tug-of-war is happening between the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Vatican Secretariat of State. Faithful from well-formed groups supporting the Latin Mass stand ready to descend on Rome and for what would be a clamorous protest.
