“The normative elevation of the traditional family, as practiced by the Catholic Church, leads to discrimination against believers who do not live that way,” German Jesuit Klaus Mertes told Zeit.de on December 25. Fr. Mertes became widely known in 2010 as a propagandist for the public handling of clerical sexual-abuse cases involving male victims within Church institutions in Germany. In the interview, Fr. Mertes warned that the Catholic Church must be vigilant about how the “traditional family” model it explicitly favors can be politically instrumentalized. “The Catholic Church has to be careful that the classical image of the family, which it openly promotes, is not politically misused,” he said. “This keeps happening, and that is a problem.” The Jesuit is a homosexual activist. In several articles over the past decade, he has criticized what he calls homophobia within the Catholic Church and urged Catholics to “fight for the rights of homosexuals,” arguing that the Church’s …More
The Archdiocese of Prague has welcomed plans for a new Holy Trinity Church in Neratovice. The church is set to become one of the country’s first major parish churches to be built using 3D printing technology. The project is under preparation since fall 2024. The ark-shaped church will be assembled from over 500 computer-generated concrete blocks and will feature sculptural, wave-like walls. According to architects, this method will reduce costs and concrete use by up to 70%. The sterile appearance will also reduce parishioner use by 70%. The industrial town of Neratovice was founded under communism without a church. The new building will include community spaces for concerts and seminars, which will give it a social role. #newsFsfuqxzmlc
Leo XIV Urges Respect for Venezuela’s Sovereignty: At the Angelus prayer today, Pope Leo XIV spoke about the capture of President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces. Leo XIV is following events with "with great concern". He urged that the good of the Venezuelan people prevail above all else, calling for an end to violence and a path of justice and peace that safeguards national sovereignty, the rule of law, and the human and civil rights of all.
Pope Leo XIV commented on the situation in the United States and Venezuela, saying that the Venezuelan people must be prioritized: "It is with deep concern that I am following the developments in Venezuela. The well-being of the Venezuelan people must prevail over all other considerations. This must lead to overcoming violence and pursuing paths of justice and peace. This will guarantee the country's sovereignty, ensure the rule of law enshrined in its constitution, respect the human and civil rights of each and every person, and encourage cooperation, stability, and harmony. Special attention must be given to the poorest who are suffering because of the difficult economic situation. I pray for all this, and I invite you to pray as well, entrusting our prayers to the intercession of Our Lady of Coromoto and Saints José Gregorio Hernández and Carmen Rendiles."
And the thing is, they immediately went out and started to protest Trump or say "respect soverignty", when I don’t know 1 single Venezuelan outside their homeland who isn’t happy about what Maduro got, they don’t care about Trump getting their oil, don’t care about his drama, don’t care about zionism darkness, ALL they want is their country back and this is a step in the right direction... Look how all Venezuelans cheer and celebrate Maduro's epic takedown, they welcome US intervention, they are tired of Russia, Cuba, Iran and China ripping their homeland down.
Is U.S. bishops’ Caritas (“Catholic Charities”) involved with Mexican cartels? Nick Shirleyy claims that NGOs, including Catholic Charities and related Catholic Community Services groups, are facilitating illegal immigration in ways that align with Mexican cartel–controlled smuggling routes. Shirleyy is an independent videographer who films confrontational, on-the-ground content at the U.S.–Mexico border. He says cartels bring migrants to the border. After that, NGOs take over. According to Shirleyy, they direct migrants to remote camps and provide aid such as shelter, help with paperwork, transportation, and sometimes plane tickets within the United States. He bases these claims on his own observations at migrant camps where Catholic Charities–branded blankets and supplies were visible. He also cites documents carried by migrants, translated from Chinese, that list step-by-step travel instructions after crossing the border, including buses, trains, pickup locations, and airport …More
WATCH: Catholic Charities Partnered With Criminal Cartels Trafficking Illegal Aliens?
"The Church in Mexico, as in many Latin American countries, has devoted itself largely to social issues and has stopped proclaiming Jesus Christ,” said the Spanish priest Christopher Hartley, speaking to ReligionEnLibertad.com (January 3). Christopher Hartley was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Toledo in 1982 and has since spent more than four decades serving almost entirely as a missionary outside his homeland, in countries including the Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Sudan, and, most recently, Mexico. Mexican priests are preoccupied with humanitarian issues as if the Church were an NGO, he added. In contrast, evangelical groups “devote themselves to talking about Jesus Christ, the Bible, God’s love, and salvation.” Since 2023, he has been in the Mixteca region of Guerrero, Mexico, evangelizing more than 160 villages with little or no previous Church presence. According to him, many of these communities have never been catechized, lack access to the sacraments, and do not …More
During the deadly New Year’s Eve fire at a crowded ski bar in Crans-Montana, one survivor shared a powerful testimony. She said that a friend of hers had become trapped and could not find a way out. He sat down where he was and held a cross in his hand. According to her, the flames never touched him. "The fire just avoided him. There were flames all around, but not on him. " He later escaped alive. Although officials have not verified the details, the woman described what she witnessed as a miracle.
Une femme présente lors de l'incendie d'un bar de ski en Suisse affirme avoir été témoin d'un miracle : les flammes auraient complètement épargné son ami, qui s'était assis, une croix à la main, lorsqu'il s'est retrouvé piégé. « Un de mes amis ne pouvait pas sortir, alors il s'est simplement assis et a tenu sa croix dans sa main. Le feu l'a épargné. Les flammes ne l'ont pas touché. Elles l'entouraient, mais ne l'ont pas atteint. »
Rio Rings in 2026 With Christ the Redeemer Drone Show: On December 31, Rio de Janeiro celebrated New Year’s Eve with large public events. The main celebration took place at Copacabana Beach and was attended by approximately 2.6 million people. It was one of the largest New Year’s Eve celebrations worldwide. The event featured fireworks, live music, and a coordinated drone light show with 1,200 drones. One of the drone formations depicted an enormous image of the Christ the Redeemer statue in the sky.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil celebrated New Year’s Eve 2026 with a spectacular drone light show that featured a giant image of the Christ the Redeemer statue in the sky above Copacabana Beach
The Christmas Eve homily of Cardinal Louis Raphaël Sako of Baghdad, delivered at the Chaldean Cathedral of St. Joseph, sparked major controversy in Iraq. He said: “There is talk about normalization, and I hope from the new government that normalization in Iraq and with Iraq will take place. Iraq is the land of the prophets. Just as the Talmud was written in Babylon, the world should come to Iraq, not elsewhere.” The phrase was quickly interpreted by some Iraqi media and politicians as advocating normalization of relations with Israel. The Eucharistic celebration was attended by Iraq’s Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who later commented on the homily, saying: “In Iraq, we do not need normalization; rather, we need brotherhood, love, and coexistence”. He added that “normalization” in Iraq’s context was linked to an “occupying entity,” referring to Israel. Iraq’s parliament passed a law in 2022 that makes it a criminal offense to normalize ties with the Israeli state — …More
Puppet Show During Eucharist: On December 27, the Sunday after Christmas, All Saints Church in Syracuse, New York, hosted a puppet show during the homily. Parish priest Rev. Frederick Daley admits to experiencing homosexual temptations. He invited a woman to present the performance. She has been staging what she calls "puppet liturgies" for over thirty years. The audience consisted of few elderly people. During the show, the puppets asserted that the Holy Family—Jesus, Mary, and Joseph—were refugees. The presentation repeatedly drew parallels between the Gospel account and modern immigrants within the parish and the broader community. The audience was told that modern-day refugees should be understood as equivalent to the Holy Family and should not be viewed as strangers.
Puppet Show during Eucharist on December 27 in New York.
“Our Bishop didn’t just close and sell our church. He swindled parishioners into paying for what turned out to be capital improvements to make the sale more lucrative,” wrote Kevin DiCamillo on CrisisMagazine.com on December 31. DiCamillo recounts the closure and sale of St. Raphael’s Parish in Niagara Falls, New York, describing what he believes was a serious breach of trust by Bishop Michael Fisher of the Diocese of Buffalo. In October 2023, Bishop Fisher visited the parish for a well-attended Eucharist and Confirmation. Shortly afterward, parishioners were informed that the bishop had ordered the church interior to be repainted. Families were asked to contribute roughly $250 each toward the project. They did so in good faith, believing the work was necessary for the parish’s continued life. Soon after the renovation was completed, however, rumors began circulating that the church would be closed. Those rumors proved true. In early 2024, St. Raphael’s was shuttered and later sold—…More
To be expected by an atheistic bishop (trust me, most of them are). Those of you who have seen my occasional comments know that I have extensive experience in the inner workings of the hierarchy, and that most of these bishops are atheists.
The Camino de Santiago has continued its record-breaking run, with the past pilgrimage year surpassing all previous highs. For the first time, more than half a million pilgrims completed the route and received their Compostela certificate. According to statistics from the Pilgrims’ Office in Santiago de Compostela, 530,987 people arrived at the shrine of the Apostle James. Women accounted for 53.4 percent of all pilgrims, outnumbering men by nearly 35,000. Spaniards once again formed the largest national group with 228,527 pilgrims, followed by visitors from the United States (43,980), Italy (26,680), and Germany (24,356). Even at the end of the year, the Camino remained busy: 257 pilgrims arrived on New Year’s Eve alone. The upward trend is expected to continue. Numbers are likely to rise again in 2026 and especially in 2027, when the next Holy Year will be celebrated, occurring whenever the feast of St. James on July 25 falls on a Sunday. #newsDxrrepeeox
Attendance at papal events increased by 88 percent in 2025, rising to 3.17 million participants, after more than a decade of sustained decline during the pontificate of Pope Francis. At the beginning of Francis’ pontificate, attendance exceeded 7.3 million, one of the highest levels ever recorded. From that point onward, participation declined almost uninterruptedly. By 2024, attendance had fallen to 1,682,100, less than a quarter of the levels seen in 2013. The loss of engagement unfolded gradually but consistently, with no year reversing the trend in a meaningful way. During the final months of Francis’ pontificate in early 2025, only 262,820 people attended papal events. His last general audience took place on 12 February, shortly before his hospitalization and death. By that stage, public participation had reached historically low levels. The election of Leo XIV in May produced an immediate numerical increase. From May to December, 2.9 million people attended papal events, with …More
More "Leo effect" spin from the Vatican - but popularity doesn't mean anything. The issue is whether Leo is continuing Francis' "reforms" & policies or if he's defending the authentic Catholic faith.
Auxiliary Bishop Robert Reed of Boston is celebrating a Mass in the Roman rite at the SEEK Conference 2026 in Columbus, Ohio, today. The Mass will be held at 2:15 p.m. at St Patrick's Church, with the liturgical assistance from the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter (FSSP). The SEEK Conference is organised by the FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) group. Several thousand young Catholics are expected to attend. #newsSggwvehtph
Leo XIV Dismissed Ceremonial Master for These Remarks (Video): SilereNonPossum.com published a video in which Monsignor Marco Agostini can allegedly be heard referring to the College of Cardinals as "faggots" ("culattoni tutti insieme"). This remark was made before the Christmas meeting with Leo XIV, and it is clear that the speaker was unaware that the microphone was on. The context and intended recipients of the remark remain unclear. Leo XIV dismissed Monsignor Agostini from his position at the Office for the Liturgical Celebrations, where he frequently stood beside the Pope. SilereNonPossum - run by Marco Perfetti who admits to having homosexual tendencies - insinuates on X.com that Monsignor Agostini is tempted in the same way: "Unfortunately, within the Church, there are many homosexuals who do not accept themselves. And many behave like Agostini: they project onto others what they cannot tolerate in themselves." Meanwhile, the Vatican has shown extraordinary tolerance towards …More
Questo è il video in cui monsignor Marco Agostini parla dei cardinali, etichettandoli come omosessuali.
Remarkable Transformation: St. Cecilia’s Catholic Church in Ames, Iowa, has undergone a transformation from its 1972 modernist design to create a more sacred space. In the early 2000s, the original narthex was demolished in preparation for the renovation. Although a new narthex was completed in 2005, the church renovation itself did not proceed at that time. In early 2023, the priest of St. Cecilia's commissioned a renovation project with three main objectives: to increase the amount of natural light, to harmonise the church with the existing narthex and to incorporate sacred art and furnishings. Explore the before-and-after images.
Before and After: St. Cecilia's Catholic Church in Ames, Iowa
Home » Architecture » Before and After: St. Cecilia's Catholic Church in Ames, Iowa One of the architects at SVPA Architects, an architectural firm based in West Des Moines, lowa, recently reached out to LAJ to inform us of a recently completed a renovation at St. Cecilia's Catholic Church in Ames, lowa -- a church that was only rededicated this past July 24th (the photos here predate that please note, hence why there are no altar cloths or candlesticks upon the altar). They have provided us with the following detailed background about the church and the project in question: St. Cecilia's current church and parish hall was originally built in 1972 in a modernist style.. There was very little in the way of liturgical art, the altar and other sanctuary furnishings were movable, the tabernacle was located off the central axis, and the narthex was dimly lit... In the early 2000s the original narthex was torn down with the intent to build a new narthex and a new church in a second phase.…
Looks like random discarded "stuff" in someone's basement. The flattened spirituality of priests is well represented in that horrible excuse for "liturgical art".
Trump Praises the Pope’s “MAGA Brother”: On 30 December, President Donald Trump hosted Louis Prevost, the brother of Pope Leo XIV, at a private gathering at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida. Trump introduced Prevost and his wife, Deborah, to the guests. Trump expressed his admiration for the Pope's brother, recalling that when the new Pope was elected earlier this year, television coverage showed him outside his home surrounded by MAGA signs — a moment that Trump said made him "love this guy". A vocal Trump supporter, Louis Prevost has drawn attention for political posts that contrast with his brother’s positive views on immigration.
Pope Leo XIV's brother, Lou Prevost, has attended a party organised by US President Donald Trump in Mar-a-lago
The Colombian priest Don Rodrigo Grajales Gaviria, 45, was seriously injured after being stabbed in the neck in broad daylight on December 30 in central Modena, Italy. The attack occurred around 10:30 a.m. in via Castelmaraldo. He was rushed to Baggiovara Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery and is now in stable condition. Authorities have ruled out robbery and are investigating the incident as attempted murder. No arrests have been made so far, and the motive remains unclear.
Don Rodrigo, a 45-year-old Catholic priest, was stabbed in the neck in Modena, Italy. The stabbing of a 45-year-old Colombian priest in central Modena Tuesday was not an attempted robbery but a deliberate attack aimed at killing him, police in the Emilia-Romagna city said Wednesday.
@Credo . Merry Christmas! Long time no comment! We know in Europe there is a demonic fixation with some people to stab at their perceived enemy. So there is this type of racial/religious violence but when it comes to priests it could be so much more complicated. Hmmm...
Netherlands Church Burned to the Ground on New Year’s Eve: The historic Vondelkerk Church in Amsterdam was severely damaged by a fire shortly after midnight on New Year’s Eve. The church was desecrated in 1977 and has not been used for Eucharistic services since then. The fire broke out in the early hours of 1 January. The cause of the fire is under investigation. It is believed that youth gangs using fireworks were responsible for the fire. The church’s roof and tower collapsed, and the authorities confirmed that the building could not be saved. Nearby residents were evacuated as a precaution, and there have been no reports of injuries or fatalities. Built in the 19th century, the church was a protected historic landmark and cultural venue.
Historic Vondelkerk Church in Amsterdam just burned to the ground on New Year’s Eve
"Youths with fireworks" "A worker smoking [Notre Dame]" all these suspicious causes of the arson of Christian churches... Could it be that the "immigrants welcomed" in Europe are doing a little 'renovation'???
The Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of Leo XIV has dismissed Monsignor Marco Agostini, reports SilereNonPossum.com. The priest from Verona also celebrates Mass in the Roman Rite and has taken part in traditional pilgrimages. The decision was taken following the publication of a video in which Monsignor Agostini, referring to the Roman Curia and the College of Cardinals, used the term “culattoni” (a derogatory slur meaning “faggots”).
L’Ufficio delle Celebrazioni Liturgiche del Sommo Pontefice ha congedato Monsignor Marco Agostini. Il sacerdote veronese non sarà più a fianco del Santo Padre durante le Celebrazioni da lui presiedute. da pagina facebook di SilereNonPossum
Cardinal Defies Traditionis Custodes by Confirming in Roman Rite at Cathedral: Cardinal François-Xavier Bustillo, Bishop of Ajaccio, Corsica, administered the Sacrament of Confirmation according to the Roman Rite at the Cathedral of Saint Mary in Bastia. On 20 December, the cardinal presided over First Vespers of the Fourth Sunday of Advent before conferring Confirmation on thirty-two members of the faithful from the Chapel of Monserrato in Bastia and the Chapel of Saint Anthony in Sant’Antonino (Haute-Corse). Abbé Benoît de Giacomoni, Provincial for France of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter, was also present for the celebration.
Le samedi 20 décembre, le Cardinal François Bustillo est venu en sa Cathédrale Sainte-Marie de Bastia présider les premières Vêpres du 4e dimanche de l'Avent, et donner le sacrement de confirmation selon le Pontifical Romain traditionnel à 32 fidèles de la chapelle de Monserrato de Bastia et de la chapelle Saint-Antoine de Sant' Antonino. L'abbé Benoit de Giacomini, provincial de France de la Fraternité Saint-Pierre était présent, ainsi que l'abbé Sébastien Dufour chapelain des fidèles attachés à la messe traditionnelle Cismonte.