The German Catholic Congress (Katholikentag), taking place May 13–17 in Würzburg, will include a workshop on May 14 entitled: “Planning Blessing Services with Trans* Individuals.” The Congress is one of Germany’s largest Catholic gatherings and includes more than 900 events. There is a strong presence of politicians, including Protestant President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Markus Söder, Ricarda Lang, Andrea Nahles, and climate activist Luisa Neubauer. On May 16, there will be a homosexual worship service (“Queer-Gottesdienst”) under the title “Life is colorful – diversity in the Church?!” in the Augustinerkirche. Other official program events include: - Bible workshop: “Reading the Bible queerly: Why God is a fan of diversity” - When queer believers encounter the Church - From murder mystery dinners to escape games: discovering queer traces in the Bible through playful methods - Queer in the climate crisis: vulnerability and empowerment — also in Europe …More
There goes the Catechism. The new cover will be rainbow. Everyone will receive a blessing, whether in sin or not. History will record: This is a burden Pope Leo will be held personally responsible for. If you remove the smoke screen from the land of Oz, it's easy to see that this is His Proud Agenda. The "special children" will be ENTITLED to receive a blessing ANY church they walk into - if the priest refuses, the special children are to report this inaction to the local Archbishop to initiate chastisement and schism if ever repeated.
In 1987, the Lutheran minister Richard John Neuhaus argued that history had entered into a “Catholic moment,” in which the Catholic Church had a chance to take up its “rightful role” in constructing a “religiously informed public philosophy” for the United States. Given the Church’s declining numerical and institutional strength, it is striking to find that a strange kind of Catholic moment has indeed arrived—one in which the Church has a thinner presence on the ground but seemingly a greater one in public debates.
Our Lady’s prayers are so powerful! e.l.f Cosmetics co-founder Deacon Scott Borba will be ordained a priest on May 23, 2026, in the Diocese of Fresno, California. Deacon Borba is a former esthetician, actor, model, author, and singer who gave up his multimillion-dollar career to answer a call to the priesthood. He spent over 20 years working in the health and beauty industry, and donated all of his wealth to charity after answering a lifelong call to the priesthood at the age of 42. According to Angelus News, Borba said God called him to the priesthood at the age of 10, but he “accepted late.” He also told his conversion story to yourcentralvalley.com in a 2019 interview, explaining that “God has blessed me with everything under the sun.” Borba said he asked God to allow him to fulfill multiple dreams, to which he felt the Lord say “yes.” “He not only blessed me with blessed me with money, and awareness, and just every business I had, he allowed me to have success with it,” Borba …
Sen. Murray: "Do you seriously believe there's abortion in the water like some far-right activists are suggesting?" Lee Zeldin: "I don't even know what you're talking about."
– Folha de S. Paulo, October 29, 1972 – by Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira Unfortunately, the daily press coverage of the recent debate at the UN was not very clear. In summary, it seems to be about the following: a) As is well known, by using satellites to transmit television broadcasts, a state can send news or commentary to any part of the world. There are no technical means for another country to defend itself against such transmissions. b) Russia has proposed to other UN members that international regulations be established for the use of satellites for television. Otherwise, it would destroy a satellite to prevent it from serving as an instrument of anticommunist ideological propaganda on its territory. Incidentally, this gesture will not upset pro-communists worldwide who advocate breaking down ideological barriers. The US protested the Kremlin’s unusual stance by defending the principle of total freedom of communication. After review by the relevant committees, the matter will be …More
The talk of a Catholic revival spurred by a surge in adult conversions is misplaced, writes Matthew Schmitz in FirstThings.com (May 12). Conversions show no signs of offsetting the broader decline of Catholic life in the United States. Schmitz points to statistics. In 2000, 2.6 million American children attended Catholic schools. By 2025, that number had fallen to 1.6 million. In 2001, more than a quarter-million Catholic weddings took place in the United States; by 2024, there were only around 107,000. Infant baptisms have also collapsed: more than one million infants were baptized in the Church in 2001, compared with fewer than half a million in 2024. "Catholicism" in Service of U.S. Political Interests At the same time, Schmitz argues that while the Church is shrinking institutionally, Catholic ideas and language are allegely shaping public debate in America. Discussions about immigration, war, political authority, and moral responsibility are now often conducted using Catholic concepts …More
Discouragement is the deep spiritual valley of our age. For Mother Teresa of Calcutta, the Holy Spirit’s light came only at dawn in a long dark night of the soul.
May 12, 2026Download PDF Story at-a-glance A 2026 scientific review concludes vaping is likely to cause lung and oral cancer, shifting the conversation from uncertainty to clear concern The damage from vaping starts at the cellular level, where DNA injury, oxidative stress and inflammation build long before symptoms appear E-cigarette aerosol contains a mix of cancer-linked chemicals, including nitrosamines, toxic gases and metals released from the device itself Using both cigarettes and vaping products at the same time dramatically increases your lung cancer risk instead of reducing harm Eliminating vaping exposure, improving metabolic health and using exercise to break nicotine dependence directly lowers your risk and helps your body recover For years, vaping was marketed as the cleaner alternative, a way to keep the ritual of smoking without the tar, the smell, or the serious health consequences. That framing is collapsing. A growing body of research now points in the opposite …
St. John Chrysostom ~~~ When you are weary of praying, and do not receive, consider how often you have heard a poor man calling, and have not listened to him...