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Devil installed in confessional with Church's blessing

Duvel - Flemish dialect word for Devil - beer vending machine in confessional in Antwerp: “The diocese even thought it was a good idea”
Antwerp “Is this really how we treat our ecclesiastical heritage?” Outrage has arisen on social media regarding two confessionals in the former Church of Our Lady of Grace on Frankrijklei, which has served as the foyer of Theater Elckerlyc since last year. You can no longer go there to confess your sins, but you can to buy tokens or tap a Duvel 6.66%.
Although both confessionals have been part of the foyer for more than a year, a new debate arose this week after a theatergoer shared a photo of the token vending machine in a confessional on Facebook. The person in question criticized the way religious heritage is being handled. The numerous responses show that the repurposing of ecclesiastical elements remains a sensitive subject for some people, even though the Church of Our Lady of Grace has been deconsecrated for quite some time and the building now …

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German theology focuses on synod and forgets Christ according to Cardinal. Calls the move from Francis to Leo, discontinuity within continuity. Now he tells us!

German theology focuses on synod and forgets Christ according to Cardinal. Calls the move from Francis to Leo, discontinuity within continuity. Now he tells us!
German Cardinal presents new book "On the Trail of Jesus Christ" in Vienna
For German Cardinal Walter Kasper, much of German-language theology has forgotten Christology: "It has become entangled in ecclesiological issues and the question of ordained ministry. But that is far too narrow. It would be important to return to the heart of Christian theology and Christological questions," he said in an interview with Kathpress. He noted that hardly anything new has been published on this topic recently. Certainly, questions concerning the Church are important, but Jesus Christ must be at the center of any Christian response to humanity's longing for hope and meaning, the Cardinal cautioned. Kasper was in Vienna recently for the presentation of his new book, "On the Trail of Jesus Christ," co-authored with the Viennese dogmatic theologian …

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"Holy ***storm": Vienna Festival's Faith Tribunal enters its Second Round. Open season on the Catholic Faith.

Discussing the limits of art and the protection of injured religious feelings with Femen Activist Shevchenko, Imam Demir, and Cartoonist Sourisseau
"Freedom for art, and the uninjured feelings of believers—how can these be reconciled without resorting to culture wars?" This question was the focus of the second day of the "Faith Tribunal" at the Vienna Festival's Odeon Theater. Under the title "Holy ***storm – Between Blasphemy and Artistic Freedom," lawyer Maria Sagmeister, Ukrainian Femen activist Inna Shevchenko, Jan Ledóchowski, head of the reporting center for anti-Christian sentiment, cartoonist and author Laurent Sourisseau ("Riss") from the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, imam and religious educator Ramazan Demir, and Günther Oberhollenzer, curator of the controversial exhibition "Thou Shalt Make Unto Thee an Image" at the Künstlerhaus in Vienna, discussed freedoms, religious feelings, and the dangers faced by critics of Islam.
Without risking the danger of fueling hatred …

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Bishop happily listens to praises of blasphemous statue of Our Lady suffering the pains of childbirth and supports a climbing wall being built into a Church and Theatre Masses

Glettler: Church and art interrupt a loud and irritable world
Vienna Discussion Evening "KA-Salon" on counter-spaces in times of acceleration and digitalization
share According to experts from both fields, art and religion share a central social function: They create spaces for pausing, interruption, and grappling with fundamental questions of human existence—"where the big issues of life are negotiated." This was the tenor of the discussion format "KA-Salon" on Wednesday evening in Vienna, to which the Catholic Action of Austria (KAÖ) had invited actress Selina Ströbele and Bishop Hermann Glettler of Innsbruck under the motto "Bread, Wine, and Art." The discussion was moderated by KAÖ President Ferdinand Kaineder.
Both artistic and religious practices can act as counter-spaces in an increasingly accelerated and digitalized society, according to the participants. Both areas enable "reflection beyond the logic of efficiency and constant availability." Or, as Bishop Glettler put it: "Art …

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Video of German Catholic Women's Association Theatre Mass is example of grave liturgical abuse yet they persecute the Latin Mass

Take a look in the archive and labels
Church News from more than 2 decades to date
Under the Patronage of Our Lady, of the Passionists and of Holy Hope. News and comment on modern Catholic life throughout the world. The practice of Catholic devotions as a remedy and in reparation will also be encouraged. If anyone has any news on any Catholic Church closures anywhere in the world, pictures and suggested links please feel free to e-mail. Also pay a visit to the extensive archives- also click on labels for background on any story.

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Catholic Women's Association of Germany calls for comprehensive access to abortion. Attacks pro-life activities. Full document in English.

Position Paper
Long down scroll down for key sections marked in red
Initiators: Working Group on §218 of the German Criminal Code
Title: Between the Protection of Life and Self-Determination: Positions and Perspectives of the Catholic Women's Association of Germany (kfd) on Section 218 of the German Criminal Code
Introduction
In 2024 and 2025, the Catholic Women's Association of Germany (kfd) undertook a process of opinion formation regarding the treatment of Section 218 of the German Criminal Code (StGB). This paper illustrates the highly controversial discussion and diversity of opinions within the association.
The kfd emphasizes that at the center of the debate on Section 218 is the idea that carrying a child to term is fundamentally of great value. Pregnancy is not merely a biological process but a profoundly human event in which new life can develop. From a Catholic perspective, and also for the kfd, life begins with the fertilization of the egg cell. Every pregnant person who …

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Priest allowed Eucharistic Adoration to continue in Church during desecration. Outside the Church, he did nothing while Catholics arrested

Nuit Blanche 2026: Parish priest of Saint-Laurent Church refutes all desecration
Under the Skin of Heaven
Brought to you by Barbara Butch, who mocked the Last Supper at the Paris Olympics
We wanted to hear the explanations of the parish priest of Saint-Laurent Church following the controversy sparked by Nuit Blanche. In a statement sent to Tribune Chrétienne, Father Paul Dollié fully stands by the event and affirms that no desecration took place, even though Eucharistic adoration continued in the church.
Anything but the sacred. This is undoubtedly the feeling that remains after reading the statement that Father Paul Dollié sent to Tribune Chrétienne in response to our questions concerning Nuit Blanche, organized at Saint-Laurent Church in Paris. While many parishioners expressed their incomprehension and indignation at what took place in this consecrated building, the priest categorically rejects any accusation of desecration. “I saw that this work was respectful of the place, that …

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Rosary rapper meets Pope

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Cardinal Schönborn presiding over spiritually abusive charismatic community. Yet another new religious movement becomes a scandal magnet.

Cardinal Schönborn presiding over spiritually abusive charismatic community. Yet another new religious movement becomes a scandal magnet.
The Community of the Lamb is an association of the faithful founded in the 1970s by Marie-Thierry Coqueray, known as "Little Sister Mary." The founder left her congregation to adopt a mendicant and itinerant lifestyle. The community is part of the charismatic movement, although it is not formally affiliated with it, and seeks a return to the sources of the Dominican Order. In February 1983, the community received recognition as a "Pious Union"—an association of the faithful created for purposes of piety or charity—from Bishop Jean Chabbert of Perpignan. That same year, the Master General of the Order of Preachers, Friar Vincent de Couesnongle, accepted it as a "nascent branch" of the Dominican family. In June 1996, Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, Archbishop of Vienna and a friend of the foundress, became the bishop responsible for the community. Currently …

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German Catholic Youth think themselves better than their patron saint, Thomas More

German Catholic Youth think themselves better than their patron saint, Thomas More
Is Thomas More still a suitable patron saint? The Catholic Youth Association (KjG) initiated a process two years ago to clarify this question. Now the association has reached a decision.
The Catholic Youth Association (KjG) intends to retain Thomas More as its patron saint, but will continue to critically examine his person and the history of his reception. The KjG passed a corresponding resolution at its national conference, the association announced on Sunday. Thomas More remains significant for many members of the KjG in terms of the association's identity and spirituality, but too little attention has been paid to problematic aspects of his biography. "The goal is a reflective and contemporary approach," the statement reads.
The KjG will therefore continue to emphasize More's integrity, humanistic ideals, humor, and his work "Utopia." At the same time, "aspects of his life that require critical …

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Dominican defends naked nuns, a frog on a cross and the drag queens' reenactment of the Last Supper

Vienna Festival Opens Three-Day "Tribunal of Faith"
Jury to Hear Cases of Blasphemy, Cultural Appropriation, and Religious Fundamentalism This Weekend - Criticism of Peter Thiel and His Invitation to the Festival Continues to Spark Controversy
The Vienna Festival opened Milo Rau's three-day theatrical documentary format "The Tribunal of Faith" with an opening session on Friday at the Odeon Theater. Until Sunday, a jury of experts will examine three cases concerning the artistic, institutional, and political appropriation of religion, as well as the misuse of religious practices, symbols, and systems of thought. Under the title "Holy Shitstorm," the boundaries between blasphemy and artistic freedom will be explored on Saturday, while "Stolen Goddesses" will address the culture of appropriation. Fundamentalist theocracies will be the focus on Sunday under the title "Bad Religion." The final decision will be announced in a concluding session.
On Friday, speeches by bestselling author Alice …

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German Bishop forbids the traditionalist Society of Saint Pius X from consecrating four men as bishops

Regensburg Bishop forbids Pius X members from planned Episcopal consecrations
Protecting Church order
Pascal Schreiber, rector of the Society of St. Pius X seminary in Regensburg, is slated to be consecrated a bishop along with three other members of the Society. Diocesan Bishop Rudolf Voderholzer has objected.
Bishop Rudolf Voderholzer of Regensburg has forbidden the traditionalist Society of St. Pius X from consecrating four men as bishops. The ordination is scheduled to take place on July 1st in Écône, Valais, Switzerland. The "Mittelbayerische Zeitung" was the first to report this.
One of the candidates is 53-year-old Pascal Schreiber. The Swiss priest has been the rector of the Sacred Heart Seminary of the Society of St. Pius X, located in Zaitzkofen in the Diocese of Regensburg, since 2020.
Since Pope Leo XIV already refused to permit the ordination due to doctrinal differences with the Society of St. Pius X, the candidates and the ordaining bishop face automatic excommunication …

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Heresy pure. A modernist lays out their plans to destroy the Mass and the priesthood

Johannes Schelhas: Why the Church must rediscover baptism
Jesuit-trained Father Schelhas
The Eucharist is considered the pinnacle of Christian life. The theologian Johannes Schelhas, however, calls for a shift in perspective: not the Eucharist, but baptism must be placed at the center – with far-reaching consequences for the Church, its ministries, and parish life.
The Eucharist is the "source and pinnacle" of Christian life. In your latest publication, "Sacrament in Growth and Decline," you speak of the "primacy of baptism over the Eucharist." Is this a theological provocation – or a pastoral necessity?
Johannes Schelhas*: It is a provocation and at the same time a necessity. Simultaneously, it is an idea that has accompanied the Christian faith from the very beginning, but which has faded into the background over the centuries. The Reformation movements of the late Middle Ages and the modern era already took up this idea again. The stronger emphasis on baptism is not directed against …

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Archbishop confirms departure of priest with mission to party

Archbishop confirms departure of priest with mission to party
He is a true institution in Vienna, both as cathedral priest and as a participant in many social events: Toni Faber. Today, Archbishop Josef Grünwidl of Vienna confirmed on ORF radio that Faber will retire in 2027 after 30 years of service.
With 30 years in office, Faber has "set a record," said Grünwidl. The cathedral parish will be filled by summer 2027, and Faber will retire as cathedral priest. In recent days, there had been media speculation about Faber's early dismissal.
Faber emphasized on ORF radio that he sees his future continuing in church service and wants to continue his "mediating, bridging role between church, faith, society, politics, business, art, and culture." He mentioned city ministry as a possible future task. He is currently in intensive discussions with Gründwidl about his future.
Criticism within the church has recently increased
Faber was appointed in 1997. At the beginning of the week, Faber told …

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Munich priest defends the indefensible Vienna Cathedral Parish Priest

Munich priest Rainer Maria Schießler, like Vienna Cathedral priest Toni Faber, is constantly in the public eye. This also presents challenges. An interview.
Father Schießler blessed their wedding ring
Vienna Cathedral priest Toni Faber is scheduled to retire next year at the age of 65. This decision by the Archbishop of Vienna is causing quite a stir. Munich priest Rainer Maria Schießler knows his Austrian counterpart and has a clear opinion and some advice for him on the situation.
Question: Father Schießler, your fellow priest in Vienna is to be retired. What do you think of that?
Schießler: Yes, I know Father Faber well. I've visited him in Vienna several times. He always gave us a very insightful tour of the cathedral. He showed us the cathedral like no one else could. He himself is like a building block of this cathedral, so deeply rooted is he in his parish. Nothing better could happen to the Church than a cathedral priest like him. He likes people, and people like him. When …

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Jesuits quitting Liege after 450 years. Ecological transition more important to them than Christ

The Jesuits in Liège: Departure and Thanksgiving
Present in Liège since the time of Saint Ignatius, the Jesuits will bid farewell to the "Fiery City" on June 13th. A look back at the history and unique influence of the Jesuit community in Liège.
The first Jesuits arrived in Liège a few decades after the founding of the Society of Jesus (1540). Peter Canisius, a Dutch religious and one of the first members of the Society of Jesus, stayed there for a time. In Liège, the Jesuits founded two colleges during the 16th century: the Collège en Isle (or Walloon Jesuit College) and the English College. In 1828, a few years after the restoration of the Society, the Collège Saint-Servais was founded clandestinely by a diocesan priest. Ten years later, upon becoming a Jesuit, this priest entrusted the Collège Saint-Servais to the Society of Jesus. The institution quickly moved to Rue Saint-Gilles and flourished there.
Other institutions in Liège were founded by the Society of Jesus. For example …

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"Headbangers' Church" brings heavy metal to the German Catholic Congress. The worship of Metal GodZ supported by Catholic diocese.

"Headbangers' Church" brings heavy metal to the German Catholic Congress. The worship of Metal GodZ supported by Catholic diocese.
"We Need Volume"
The heavy metal services of a Catholic pastoral assistant near Bruchsal regularly cause a stir and fill the church. Now the band project "Headbangers' Church" is also celebrating a service at the Catholic Congress.
They're a little nervous about how their shouted "Amen!" amidst a brutal sonic onslaught will be received by the congregation.
The heavy metal service on Friday at the Catholic Congress in Würzburg will last an hour. "We have no idea what to expect there or whether people will like it," says Simone Hingst, singer of the Bruchsal-based band project "Headbangers' Church."
She and her bandmates from northern Baden and the Palatinate are preparing in their rehearsal room for their performance at the Catholic gathering: It will be a Catholic service with a sermon, prayers, intercessions, the Lord's Prayer, a blessing, and heavy metal …

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Modernists now decide that "Christian identity" is evil

Father de Sinety attacks “Christian Identity”: The new fashionable peril
After populism, now “Christian identity” has become suspect. In his new essay, Father Benoist de Sinety claims he doesn’t want to “judge,” only to “warn.” But behind the pastoral precautions and calls for dialogue lies an implicit indictment of those who still believe that Christianity cannot survive without memory, without roots, and without civilization.
One modernist among many who control the Church
The book’s starting point is skillful. In “The Cause of Christ: The Gospel Against Christian Identity,” Father Benoist de Sinety begins with a personal confession: his limitations, his vulnerabilities, the social decline of the priest, the disappearance of a sociological Christianity. The tone is human, almost Augustinian. He evokes family lunches, scouting, generations united around a shared Catholic culture. Then the narrative gradually shifts toward a central thesis: the main danger today is not so much the …

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Würzburg Catholic Congress: A Rainbow Fair of leftist abominations

Much more Stetter-Carp, no Christ no cross. Stetter-Carp is the President of the Central Committee of German Catholics.
"The 2026 Catholic Congress in Würzburg, which begins this coming Thursday, once again demonstrates why more and more people who want to remain Catholic or become Catholic are turning away from the church that relies on church tax revenue. What was originally a spiritually oriented event has become a kind of fair of leftist aberrations for intellectual masochists.
One has to give credit to modern church communication in Germany: it masterfully understands how to read the signs of the times – even if they're backwards. And thus masterfully misses the kairos of which St. Paul spoke.
At the upcoming Catholic Congress in Würzburg in 2026, the astonished believer will once again witness how what was originally a rather contemplative gathering of Catholic self-affirmation has transformed into a kind of religious-sociological experience festival. Previously, the focus was …

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General Assembly of the Central Committee of German Catholics is a Christ-free zone

General Assembly of the Central Committee of German Catholics is a Christ-free zone
“Persistently seeking peace in times of crisis”
ZdK President Stetter-Karp opens General Assembly ahead of the Catholic Congress
At the opening of the General Assembly of the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK) in Würzburg, President Dr. Irme Stetter-Karp called on members to “persistently seek peace in times of crisis, strengthen democracy, and stand up for human dignity. Let us encourage one another with the motto of the Catholic Congress beginning on Wednesday: Have courage, stand up!”
“The growing social divide, the sluggish economy, but also the global crises and the destructive policies of the far right are putting social cohesion and democracy to a severe test. However, cohesion and equitable participation are not merely a nice-to-have; they are a necessary foundation for successful reforms and future-oriented policies,” the President continued. “Our democracy thrives on the commitment …