The Church’s love-hate disputes over chocolate
Pius V’s terse judgement on the “drink of the gods”; the arguments on the prohibition or acceptance of this food during fasting; the idea that it is an all-Catholic food (coffee is supposed to be Protestant); the Jesuit missionaries’ taste for it; and the debate at the Council of Trent. Finally, the chocolate eggs and cribs of our days.
- THE RECIPE: CHOCOLATE AND CANDIED ORANGE CAKE
The present and future of Jihadist groups is in Africa
The 2020 Global Terrorism Index reveals a significant decrease in terrorism worldwide, with significant drops in the number of victims in Afghanistan and Nigeria. The region most affected by the Islamic State and affiliated jihadist groups is sub-Saharan Africa. Sub-Saharan Africa is now the main front, with seven out of ten countries registering the highest increases in deadly attacks.
Christmas Masses under attack in Europe and USA
The European Commission's anti-Covid guidelines recommend EU Member States limit the celebration of Christmas Masses with the faithful and encourage religious ceremonies on TV. At the same time Christmas masses have been prohibited in Belgium, in France the government and the bishops are engaged in a tug-of-war and in Italy an obligation to anticipate midnight masses has been imposed. This amounts to an unprecedented attack on the freedom of the Church. We now await a response from Pope Francis. Until now he has openly supported government-imposed lockdowns and his addresses are used in the United States by Jeffrey Sachs, for years one of the principal advisors of Santa Marta, to support church closures.
Poland and Hungary allied against EU interference
The EU is attacking Hungary and Poland against the spirit of its own Treaties. The European Parliament wants to impose "LGBT rights" on Hungary and is now challenging Poland’s ban on selective abortions, which are matters of national jurisdiction. The two Central European nations have formed a coalition in the Budapest Pact in order to be respected by Brussels. Viktor Orban responds in tone to George Soros who is a great proponent of the EU.
China shuts its doors to foreign religious
China is becoming increasingly closed, especially with regard to religions. The draft of the new bill regulating "foreign religious activities in the People's Republic of China" spells further crackdown measures. New rules make entering China even more difficult. Whoever doesn’t respect the spirit of “sinicization” of religions in China is treated as a spy.
Documentary on womb-for-rent, silences the voices of the children
Ghosts of the Republique narrates the experience of two men whose parental aspirations were blocked by French law and therefore sought haven in Las Vegas, where, thanks to Crystal, the surrogate mother, they became the parents of two “children”. The directors leave out children’s rights and admit wanting to create an advertisement to change the way people think, and hence change society.
Advent. Christ knocks at the door of our hearts
In the same way Saint John the Baptist prepared the way for the coming of the Messiah, after four thousand years of expectancy, so the four weeks of Advent are our opportunity to receive Jesus into our life today. The Lord never stops knocking on the doors of our hearts and by welcoming Him now we can rejoice fully with Him at the end of time. Advent calls us to purification through prayer and sincere confession, so that we may be filled with the grace of Christ.
Chocolate, centuries of ups and downs
Pre-Columbian civilizations considered Theobroma cacao divine and used it to prepare a drink comparable to chocolate. The first European to mention the fact was the conquistador Cortés. For a period of time, certain churchmen remained wary of the food, both because of its aphrodisiac character and because of the exploitation of slaves for its production. Thanks to 19th century innovations, chocolate became the most widely consumed product we know.
- THE RECIPE: CHOCOLATE-DIPPED STRAWBERRIES
Kamala and Doug, the couple who’ll remould America’s soul
If Biden makes it to the White House, Vice President Harris and in particular her husband Douglas Elmhoff will be the real drivers of change. They will stage the new happy normal of gender equality and extended broken families.
Here's the damage from online distance learning. And they call it "normal."
Studies from Gaslini Children’s Hospital in Genoa, Scotland, France, and the Italian Journal of Pediatrics conclude that young students and children are developing behavioral and regression problems during lockdowns and because of online distance learning. In addition, there is evidence of depression, stress, breathlessness , sleep deprivation, separation anxiety, and reduced interaction with parents. Parents are inclined to accept this "sacrifice" thinking it will soon pass. But it's shameful the mass media are relentlessly reporting this situation as the "new normal."
