Catholic writers, leaders and prominent figures share their reading lists for the warmest months of 2026. It seems like only yesterday that we published our Lenten reading recommendations, but here we are unrolling our 2026 summer reading list, which is altogether a very different animal than the books we recommended for the Season of Penance. Summer books shouldn’t necessarily be unchallenging. In fact, it’s a perfect time for books that require the uninterrupted lounging-around time that summer affords, whether at the beach or pool, or in a hammock in the back yard. It’s the perfect time to get truly lost in a book — so lost that upon putting it down you feel a bit dazed, the way you might feel stumbling out of a movie theater into the blazing sun. Those potentially-out-of-body-experience reads ought to be chosen carefully. To that end, we’ve asked a few Catholic writers, leaders and prominent figures what they are reading this summer. Here’s what they told us: Alberto Fernandez,…
The Sweeney Family Preserve the Legacy of St Thérèse | Shalom World News Mercie Duggan of the Sweeney Family explains the special exhibition marking the 25th anniversary of the arrival of the relics of St Thérèse of Lisieux in Ireland. The exhibition features rare artefacts, first-class relics, historic memorabilia, and highlights the family's ongoing mission to share the legacy of St Thérèse and the Martin family across the country.
At least 20 Christians were killed in an overnight attack on the village of Kawel in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State, central Nigeria, police said Monday. Among the victims were a doctor and five patients. Police said heavily armed attackers opened fire on residents before setting homes ablaze. Security forces responded and exchanged gunfire with the assailants, who fled the area. No arrests have been made. Local officials and witnesses identified the attackers as armed Fulani Muslim herders. The latest attack is part of a series of deadly assaults that have plagued Plateau State in recent years. Several Christian advocacy organizations have argued that the repeated violence in Nigeria's Middle Belt disproportionately affects Christian communities and have called on the Nigerian government to provide greater protection. #newsHrlsergljk
EU drops drone financing in Ukraine's first loan tranche — calls it "technical issue" The first tranche will no longer include €5.9 billion in drone production financing but will instead cover €3.2 billion in budget support Euractiv wants to ensure it can properly monitor how the money is spent; in other words, it does not trust Kiev after dozens of corruption scandals Join us | @MyLordBebo
In Saqid Khan's London, you have to fight for survival > You go for an afternoon stroll to get your phone stolen in a split second > You take your children for a walk and witness a group fight that escalates into attempted murder as a BMW drives straight in How much longer, Westerman? Join us | @MyLordBebo
1) Psalm 50:13; Do not take Your Holy Spirit away from me. 2) Wisdom 1:4-5; Devious thoughts lead one away from God; and Omnipotence, when put to the test, rejects the foolish. Indeed, Wisdom does not enter a deceitful soul, nor dwell in a body enslaved to sin; the Holy Spirit who instructs us flees from deceit, turns away from foolish thoughts, and is driven away when iniquity appears”. 3) John 14:23 Jesus replied, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My Word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make our home with him.” 4) 1 Corinthians 3;16-17; Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. 5) 2 Corinthians 6:16; For we are the sanctuary of the living God, as God has said: “I will dwell among them and walk among them; I will be their God, and they will be my people.” 6) 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Do you not know that your body is …More
Miserere Mei Deus. www.senusfidelius.us The Latin text runs thus: 1. Miserere mei, Deus: secundum magnam misericordiam tuam. 2. Et secundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum, dele iniquitatem meam. 3. Amplius lava me ab iniquitate mea: et a peccato meo munda me. 4. Quoniam iniquitatem meam ego cognosco: et peccatum meum contra me est semper. 5. Tibi soli peccavi, et malum coram te feci: ut iustificeris in sermonibus tuis, et vincas cum iudicaris. 6. Ecce enim in inquitatibus conceptus sum: et in peccatis concepit me mater mea. 7. Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti: incerta et occulta sapientiae tuae manifestasti mihi. 8. Asperges me, Domine, hyssopo, et mundabor: lavabis me, et super nivem dealbabor. 9. Auditui meo dabis gaudium et laetitiam: et exsultabunt ossa humiliata. 10. Averte faciem tuam a peccatis meis: et omnes iniquitates meas dele. 11. Cor mundum crea in me, Deus: et spiritum rectum innova in visceribus meis. 12. Ne proiicias me a facie tua: et spiritum sanctum tuum ne auferas a me. …More
2nd book of Kings 24,8-17. Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Nehushta, daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem. He did evil in the sight of the LORD, just as his forebears had done. At that time the officials of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, attacked Jerusalem, and the city came under siege. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, himself arrived at the city while his servants were besieging it. Then Jehoiachin, king of Judah, together with his mother, his ministers, officers, and functionaries, surrendered to the king of Babylon, who, in the eighth year of his reign, took him captive. He carried off all the treasures of the temple of the LORD and those of the palace, and broke up all the gold utensils that Solomon, king of Israel, had provided in the temple of the LORD, as the LORD had foretold. He deported all Jerusalem: all the officers and men of the army, ten thousand in number, and all the craftsmen and …More
Zweites Buch der Könige 24,8-17. Jojachin war achtzehn Jahre alt, als er König wurde, und regierte drei Monate in Jerusalem. Seine Mutter hieß Nehuschta und war eine Tochter Elnatans aus Jerusalem. Wie sein Vater tat er, was böse war in den Augen des HERRN. In jener Zeit zogen die Truppen Nebukadnezzars, des Königs von Babel, gegen Jerusalem und belagerten die Stadt. Als dann König Nebukadnezzar von Babel selbst vor der Stadt erschien, während seine Krieger sie belagerten, ging Jojachin, der König von Juda, mit seiner Mutter, seinen Dienern, Fürsten und Kämmerern zum König von Babel hinaus und dieser nahm ihn im achten Jahr seiner Regierung fest. Nebukadnezzar nahm auch alle Schätze des Hauses des HERRN und die Schätze des königlichen Palastes weg und zerbrach alle goldenen Geräte, die Salomo, der König von Israel, im Haus des HERRN hatte anfertigen lassen, so wie es der HERR gesagt hatte. Von ganz Jerusalem verschleppte er alle Vornehmen und alle wehrfähigen Männer, insgesamt zehntausend …More
Paulist Priest Promotes Transgender Church Musician: Skinny Fr Chris Lawton of the pro-homosexual parish St Paul the Apostle in New York City published on June 18 a Facebook interview with the “transgender Clover”. The interview, which focused on living one's "authentic self" and homosex inclusion in the Church, concluded with the exchange: "Happy Pride" - "Happy Pride." Fr Lawton is a member of the Paulist Fathers and was ordained to the priesthood in 2024. "Clover" is a music minister of the parish.
Roman Catholic priest Chris Lawton of St. Paul's Catholic Church in NYC interviews 'Clover,' the church's transgender music minister. Here, they exchange 'Happy Pride' greetings while speaking on the importance of living one's 'authentic self.'
During the time of the French Revolution, the revolutionaries tried to erase all public evidence of France’s monarchical past. All across the country, hundreds of statues and monuments of kings and royalty were removed or destroyed. In one particularly absurd episode, in October 1793 a Paris mob tied ropes around the 500-year-old statues of the biblical kings of Israel on the facade of the Notre Dame Cathedral, pulled them down, and beheaded them. In Paris alone over 1400 street names were changed (all that had been named for kings or saints). People who shared a name with a monarch or saint changed their name. They changed their children’s names. They changed the names of the chess pieces, to eliminate kings, queens, and bishops. They changed the names of playing cards—no more kings and queens. They even changed the name of the queen bee to the “laying bee.” Of course these zealots look ridiculous to us today, but in their zeal they had come to believe that allowing a statue of a …More
Did German Chancellor Frederick Merz book an $8000 only fans private session with a transgender model during the G7 summit? Does this remind you of Keir Starmer and the Ukrainian rent boys ?
Hat der deutsche Bundeskanzler Frederick Merz während des G7-Gipfels eine private „OnlyFans“-Session mit einem Transgender-Model für 8000 Dollar gebucht? Erinnert euch das an Keir Starmer und die ukrainischen Stricher?
Bishop Fellay's letter from 2012 to the fellow bishops (than 3): "To read your letter, one seriously wonders if you still believe that the visible Church whose seat is at Rome is indeed the Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ."
" To read your letter, one seriously wonders if you still believe that the visible Church whose seat is at Rome is indeed the Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ" --- Oh, they could rightly say: yes but it would not have been tantamount to saying they still believed that Ratzinger was the visible head of the Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ. For example, one can reasonably believe that the visible Church whose seat is at Rome is indeed the Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ but the see happens to be vacant at the moment.
Saint William of Vercelli - June 25 Also known as William of Monte Vergine Memorial 25 June formerly 25 April Profile Born to the Italian nobility. Orphaned as an infant, and raised by relatives. Pilgrim to Santiago de Compostela, Spain at age 14. There he decided on a life devoted to God. Hermit for two years at Monte Solicoli where he healed a blind man. Friend of SaintJohn of Pulsano. Started a pilgrimage to the Holy Lands, but discerned that he would be of more use to God in Italy. Hermit at Monte Vergiliano (Monte Vergine). There his reputation for holiness attracted many disciples. In 1119 he formed them into the Hermits of Monte Vergine (Williamites) with a Rule based on the Benedictines; five other houses were formed by its members during William’s life, but only the original survives today. When some of the hermits began to grumble that William’s austerities were too hard to match, he, SaintJohn, and a small handful of brothers left in order not to be a …More
Saint William of Vercelli/Montevergine (June 25) mantheycalltom Jun 23, 2009 Abbot, Founder of the Congregation of Monte-Vergine (†1142) Saint William of Monte Vergine, born in Vercelli, a city of Lombardy, lost his father and mother in his infancy and was brought up by a relative in great sentiments of piety. At fifteen years of age, having an earnest desire to lead a penitential life, he left his native region and made a long and austere pilgrimage to the shrine of the Virgin founded by Saint James at Saragossa. He would have made the pilgrimage to Jerusalem, but God made known to him that he was calling him to a solitary life, and he retired into the kingdom of Naples. There he chose for his abode an uninhabited mountain, and lived in perpetual contemplation and the exercises of rigorous penitential austerities. After a miracle of healing wrought by his prayers, he was discovered and his contemplation interrupted, so he decided to move to another mountain, where he built a very …More
144K views · 3.6K reactions | Some Tube stations are just stations. But these five look like they belong in a sci-fi film. #london#londonunderground#transport#londonliving __ Download my full guide of beautiful London stations you’ve got to visit. Link is in the bio. | Urban Stories Some Tube stations are just stations. But these five look like they belong in a sci-fi film. #london#londonunderground#transport#londonliving __ Download my full guide of beautiful London stations you’ve got to visit. Link is in the bio.
Returning again to the issue of church music, we build upon our last article, which touched on official Catholic guidelines for liturgical music, to explore specifically why the piano is not a desirable liturgical instrument. It may seem odd to exclude an instrument that is a touchstone of the musical West, and a king of instruments among the musical tradition that grew organically out of Christendom. The piano is so universal an instrument that many pedagogues consider it as specifically representative of the Western musical system, and music students must all practice theory on the piano and learn to be competent keyboard players. Being a crowning achievement of Western musical and technological development, the greatest composers have composed a wide and dazzling array of repertoire for this instrument. Yet it is the acoustic nature of the instrument, along with contemporary cultural considerations, that renders it unfit for use in the Mass. For most of the Church’s history, the …
What God Values, World Despises The world often misunderstands and undervalues spiritual pursuits, viewing them as wasteful. However, from God’s perspective, these pursuits are invaluable and essential for spiritual growth and becoming saints. We should embrace this perspective, focusing on God and living our lives for Him, regardless of worldly judgment. Fr. Altier is a Priest at Holy Trinity Parish in South St. Paul: Home | Holy Trinity Parish You can also find Fr. Robert Altier’s homilies and talks on: catholicparents.org: Daily Homilies | Catholic Parents Online Rumble: rumble.com/user/CatholicParentsOnLine Twitter: Catholic Parents Online (@CatholicPa42753) on X For access to a library of talks by Fr. Robert Altier, go to: podia.com To order Fr. Altier's book, God's Plan for Your Marriage, go to the website: God's Plan For Your Marriage Book – God's Plan … An Exploration of Holy Matrimony from Genesis to the Wedding of the Lamb by Father Robert Altier.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 7,21-29. Jesus said to his disciples: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?' Then I will declare to them solemnly, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.' Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined." When Jesus finished these …More