Keep your eyes open!...
July 10, 2026
(Psa 46:10) Be still and see that I am God.
YOUTUBE: The Practice of the Presence of God, by Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection
EWTN FULL TEXT: The Practice of the Presence of God the Best Rule of a Holy Life by Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection
BLOG: Seven ways to Practice the Presence of God
CARMELITE QUOTES: Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection, O.C.D. (Letter 16 to a nun 6 February 1691)
Let us devote ourselves entirely to knowing God. The more we know him, the more we want to know him.
Since love is generally measured by knowledge, the deeper and more
extensive the knowledge, the greater will be the love. And if our love
is great, we will love him equally in pain and consolation.
Let us not settle for seeking or loving God only for the graces he has
given or can give us, no matter how great they may be. These favors,
impressive as they are, never bring us as close to him as does a simple
act of faith; let us seek him often through this virtue.
He is in our midst [cf. Lk 17:21]; let us not look for him elsewhere.
Aren’t we rude, and even guilty of leaving him alone, when we are
occupied with so many trifles that displease and perhaps offend him? He
may put up with them, but we should be fearful that they may cost us a
great deal someday.
Let us commit ourselves entirely to him, and banish everything else
from our hearts and minds. He wants to be alone there, so we should ask
him for this grace. If we do what we can, we will soon see the change
we hope for in ourselves.
ANTONIO CARDINAL BACCI: Interior Silence
1. Many people allow themselves to be swept away in the confusion of
the world around them. Modern life has become a whirling machine which
snatches men up into its enormous rotators and carries them with it.
Not only has it become difficult to remain Christian, but it is even
difficult to continue to be a man.
We cannot cast aside the natural gifts of intellect, free will, and
personal dignity which God has given us. Still less can we renounce the
dignity of being Christians. This dignity can be retained by interior
recollection, which will be nourished by divine grace if we ask for it
and will find its external expression in good works. A man must be able
to detach himself from the din of modern life and spend an occasional
moment in recollection. No matter what is going on around him he must
be able to find time to raise his mind to God. Otherwise he will
realise one day that life has passed him by like a cloud, or, worse
still, like a lost battle. We shall not be tormented with useless
regrets on our deathbed if we think about this now.
2. God speaks readily when our souls are silent. He cannot be heard in
the noise of the world. But we do not have to abandon our normal way of
life in order to find a little interior recollection. It is enough to
pause for a moment and remember God's presence. Once we have formed the
habit of doing this, it becomes quite easy at any time and in any
place. We may be walking along the street or in the middle of our work.
We may be in a room full of people chatting together. Wherever we are,
we shall be able to pause and raise our minds to God. If we acquire
this habit, we can lead peaceful lives on a completely supernatural
level.
3. It is much easier to recollect ourselves in the Church in front of
the altar. For this reason one could not sufficiently recommend a visit
to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament every morning before going to work
and every evening before going to bed.
The ideal is always daily Mass and Holy Communion. This will be tiring
and my be inconvenient. But God is infinitely good and will handsomely
reward us for anything we do out of love for Him or for our own
spiritual welfare.
ROBERT CARDINAL SARAH: Silence Versus the World’s Noise
Ladder of Divine
Ascent excerpt: Step 7- "On Joy-Making Mourning"
34. It is not surprising if mourning begins with
good tears and ends with bad. But it is praiseworthy if reprehensible and
natural tears are goaded on to spiritual tears. People inclined to vainglory
understand this problem clearly.
July 8, 2026
(Mat 5:10-12) Blessed
are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake: for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and
persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my
sake: Be glad and rejoice for your reward is very great in heaven. For
so they persecuted the prophets that were before you.
ACN: Murdered priest was tireless peacemaker, says bishop in Central African Republic
Father Crépin
Martial Monga, vicar of the Catholic parish of St. John the Baptist in
Zémio, in southeastern Central African Republic (CAR), was killed on
Monday, June 29. Armed men allegedly gunned down the priest that
evening.
Fr. Crépin Martial Monga. Credit: Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM)
Details of the killing are scarce,
but sources on the ground tell Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) that
there is no doubt that the killing was intentional.
Zémio is a particularly dangerous
area in an already unstable country. Several armed groups have been
active there for the past three decades, and in May of 2025 a
full-scale revolt against the government began.
Bishop Aurelio Gazzera of
Bangassou, an ACN project partner who has 35 years of experience as a
missionary in the CAR, lauded Fr Crépin’s commitment to peace and
reconciliation in the area.
“At some points he and the parish
cared for more than 3,000 refugees at the mission. This work was very
important,” the bishop said, in a conversation with ACN. “In addition
to this, he maintained many contacts with various rebel leaders and the
authorities, always striving to mediate and find resolutions for the
conflicts.”
Some in the diocese believe that Fr Crépin may have been killed precisely because of his peacemaking efforts.
ZENIT.ORG: Armed Muslims kill 31 Christians in attacks in Nigeria’s Plateau and Kaduna states
GATESTONE INSTITUTE: 'Nearly 400,000,000 Christians Worldwide Face Persecution or Violence': Extremist Persecution of Christians
OFRA STUDY: Killings and Abductions in Nigeria (2020–2025)
GAUDIUM PRESS: Oslo Diocese Inaugurates Shrine Honoring Persecuted Christians Amid Signs of Renewed Faith
On June 20, the Diocese of Oslo
inaugurated a shrine dedicated to persecuted Christians, marking a
significant moment for the Catholic Church in one of Europe’s most
secular societies. Located at St. John’s Church and entrusted to the
patronage of Mary, Mother of Persecuted Christians, the shrine is part
of a growing international initiative led by the U.S.-based
organization Nasarean.org. It represents the eighth such site
established since 2018 and the second in Scandinavia, following
Stockholm’s shrine opened in 2023.
The inauguration was led by Bishop
Fredrik Hansen, who assumed leadership of the diocese less than a year
ago. For Hansen, the timing carries particular importance, coinciding
with what he describes as a subtle but steady resurgence of Catholic
interest in Norway—especially among young adults.
The Oslo shrine originated through
collaboration with Father Benedict Kiely, founder of Nasarean.org, who
launched the initiative in 2018. The project centers on a Marian icon
inspired by the traditional “Mother of Tenderness” image, bearing the
inscription “Mother of the Persecuted” in Aramaic.
When approached by Kiely around the
time of his episcopal ordination, Hansen embraced the initiative
immediately. He grounded his support in a theological conviction rooted
in Christian teaching.
“As Christians, we are bound one to another,” Hansen said. “The suffering of one part of the body is the suffering of all.”
The Oslo shrine now joins a network
spanning New York, London, Massachusetts, Wyoming, Kazakhstan, Iraq,
and Stockholm, establishing a visible link between local prayer and
global solidarity.
THE PILLAR INTERVIEW: ‘Providential’: Bishop Hansen on Oslo’s new shrine for persecuted Christians
Ladder of Divine
Ascent excerpt: Step 7- "On Joy-Making Mourning"
33. Stripped by the fear of God, let us train ourselves
in all these ways, and acquire for ourselves pure and guileless tears over
our dissolution. For their is no dissimulation or self-esteem in them,
but on the contrary there is purification, progress in love for God, washing
away of sin, and dispassion.
July 6, 2026
(Psa 33:12) Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord: the people whom he hath chosen for his inheritance.
POPE LEO XIV:
In the Encyclical “Sapientiae Christianae,” my predecessor Pope Leo
XIII wrote that “no better citizen is there… than the Christian who is
mindful of his duty” (no. 7). In fact, faith — far from standing in
opposition to the responsibilities of citizenship — lends new vigor to
the pursuit of justice, peace and the common good, bringing to
perfection every natural gift bestowed by the Creator. Saint Paul
himself encouraged the early Christians to pray for those in positions
of authority in order to live a peaceful life in accord with the will
of God (cf. 1 Tim 2:2). In this regard, it is in the faithful
fulfilment of duty — to God and country — that Catholics are called to
continue to serve the nation, as leaven for the growth of a
civilization of love (cf. Mt 13:33).
BLOG: America’s Christian Roots
EWTN NEWS: 12 Catholic Americans who helped shape the United States
THE CATHOLIC THING: Five for the Fourth
NATIONAL CATHOLIC REGISTER: Catholics Helped Build America — and America Has Strengthened the Church
American Catholics are rightly preparing to celebrate the country’s
250th anniversary of independence. There is much to celebrate:
Catholics have profoundly strengthened America. Yet the reverse is also
true: America has strengthened the Catholic Church.
The Catholic contributions to this country are too numerous to count.
While no one would say that America is a Catholic nation, the faithful
have been present from before the start: Catholics came to Maryland a
century before America’s founding. One of them, Charles Carroll, signed
the Declaration of Independence. His cousin, Daniel Carroll, signed the
Constitution, and another cousin, John Carroll, became America’s first
bishop the year after that. In the Revolutionary War, Catholics
valiantly fought alongside their mostly Protestant brothers in arms,
ensuring the creation of the world’s first nation dedicated to
religious freedom.
Ever since, Catholics have made that promise of freedom more real.
Waves of Catholic immigrants came to these shores, drawn by the promise
of equality and opportunity. They started families, built businesses,
and settled the frontier, becoming just as American as those who had
been here for generations. They’ve confronted injustice and helped
right wrongs, like slavery and segregation, and Catholic leadership in
public office is simply extraordinary.
It was the first Catholic president, John F. Kennedy, who helped lay
the groundwork for the Civil Rights Act, and today, the vice president
and six out of nine Supreme Court justices are Catholic. Over the
years, millions of Catholics have donned the uniform of the various
branches of the United States military, protecting the promise of
liberty, equality, and justice for all. Their service and sacrifice
have ensured that America endures — and flourishes — to this day.
Why have so many Catholics done so much for America?
Perhaps because they have seen in American ideals a glimmer of the
Church’s teaching. Much of the founders’ worldview was shaped by
Catholic thinkers and teachings. The concept of “natural law,” which
infuses the Declaration of Independence, is closely linked to the
writings of St. Thomas Aquinas. Reflecting on America’s principles, the
U.S. bishops declared in the 1880s that the founders built “better than
they knew.” No wonder so many Catholics have flocked here. No wonder so
many Catholics have done their part to build up America!
HERITAGE FOUNDATION REPORT: Did America Have a Christian Founding?
EWTN NEWS: Peter’s Pence collected more than $65.8 million for the pope’s mission in 2025
Almost $50
million was used to support the activities of the Holy See in the
service of the Holy Fatherʼs apostolic mission. U.S Catholics
contributed 26.1% of the total.
The donations received total 54.5
million euros ($62.3 million) and came primarily from dioceses around
the world (63.6%), followed by foundations, private donors, and
religious institutes. The remaining 3.1 million euros came from other
income, according to the Vatican.
Contributions from the United
States (14.2 million euros, or $16.2 million) were particularly
notable, followed by those from other countries such as Italy, Brazil,
South Korea, Germany, France, and Spain.
Most donations are channeled
through parish collections, direct donations including transfers and
online methods, and inheritance legacies.
Of the total donations, 41.2
million euros ($47.1 million) were used to support the activities of
the Holy See in the service of the Holy Fatherʼs apostolic mission, and
13.3 million euros ($15.2 million) went to projects providing direct
assistance to people in need in 74 countries.
A total of 252 projects were
funded, with a special focus on evangelization, humanitarian aid, and
the strengthening of local churches in need.
The projects supported by the Holy
See include educational and social initiatives as well as support for
ecclesial communities, particularly in Africa and Asia.
Aid in Europe also includes
scholarships for priests, seminarians, and religious from Africa, Latin
America, and Asia, as well as humanitarian aid for the people of
Ukraine.
ANNUAL DISCLOSURE 2025:
Peter’s Pence
Ladder of Divine
Ascent excerpt: Step 7- "On Joy-Making Mourning"
32. Many of the Fathers say that the question of
tears, especially in the case of beginners, is an obscure matter and hard
to ascertain, as tears are born in many different ways. For instance, there
are tears from nature, from God, from adverse suffering, from praiseworthy
suffering, from vainglory, from licentiousness, from love, from the remembrance
of death, and from many other causes.
July 2, 2026
(Gal 5:13-15) For
you, brethren, have been called unto liberty. Only make not liberty an
occasion to the flesh: but by charity of the spirit serve one another.
For all the law is fulfilled in one word: Thou shalt love thy neighbour
as thyself. But if you bite and devour one another: take heed you be
not consumed one of another.
THE PILLAR: Vatican confirms six SSPX bishops excommunicated
DECREE OF EXCOMMUNICATION PUBLISHED (FULL TRANSLATION) -- WITH EXPLANATORY NOTE: Priests and Faithful in Schism and Subject to Excommunication - SSPX Consecrations
SIGNIFICANT EXCERPT:
“1. The sacred ministers belonging
to the Society of St. Pius X are in schism and must therefore be
considered schismatics (cf. Ecclesia Dei, 5 c; Pontifical Council for
Legislative Texts, Explanatory Note on the Excommunication for Schism
Incurred by Adherents of the Movement of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre,
24.08.1996, 5-6), and are thus subject to the excommunication provided
for by law (can. 1364 § 1 CIC).”
“2. As regards the lay faithful, those who formally adhere to the Society of St. Pius X under the conditions established in the 1996 Explanatory Note of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts
(cf. ibidem, 7) — which remains in force and which this Dicastery makes
its own — are to be considered schismatic and excommunicated.”
“3. Finally, the holy People of God
are warned that the sacred ministers of the Society of St. Pius X
unlawfully administer the sacraments, and that the sacrament of penance
they administer and the marriages they witness are invalid.”
EDITOR'S NOTE: The 1996 Note's answer, consistent with general canonical doctrine on formal adherence to schism, distinguishes between:
- Material/passive connection — someone who attends SSPX Masses out
of liturgical preference, unease with changes since Vatican II, or
simple habit, without positively embracing the Society's rejection of
the pope's authority. This person is not excommunicated.
- Formal adherence — someone who deliberately and knowingly joins
in the SSPX's schismatic position itself: actively supporting the
rejection of papal authority, publicly identifying with the Society's
stance that it may act independently of Rome, or otherwise manifesting
genuine adherence to the schism as such, not just a preference for the
old liturgy.
The theological principle
underneath this (drawn from general canon law on schism, e.g. canon 751
and 1364) is that excommunication for schism requires culpable,
deliberate adherence to the schismatic act or position — not mere
physical presence or sacramental use. A grandmother going to the SSPX
chapel because it's the only place nearby with a reverent old Mass,
without any considered rejection of the pope, doesn't meet the bar.
Someone who signs onto SSPX statements rejecting papal authority, or
otherwise actively identifies with the Society's schismatic
self-understanding, does.
BRIEF HISTORY OF SSPX AND PAPAL INTERACTIONS
The 1988 break (John Paul II)
Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre founded
the SSPX in 1970 in opposition to the Second Vatican Council's reforms,
particularly on ecumenism, religious liberty, and the vernacular Mass.
Fearing his movement would collapse once he died, Lefebvre consecrated
four bishops on June 30, 1988 without papal mandate. Under canon law
this is a schismatic act carrying automatic ("latae sententiae")
excommunication, and Rome so declared it — the founding wound between
the SSPX and Rome. The four newly consecrated bishops were Bernard
Fellay, Bernard Tissier de Mallerais, Richard Williamson, and Alfonso
de Galarreta.
Benedict XVI's rapprochement attempt
Benedict, long sympathetic to the traditionalist cause, made two major overtures:
2007 — Summorum Pontificum,
liberalizing use of the pre-Vatican II Latin Mass across the whole
Church, removing a key SSPX grievance.
January 2009 — He lifted the 1988
excommunications on the four bishops. This blew up almost immediately
into a PR and ecumenical crisis because Swiss TV aired an interview
with Bishop Williamson denying the Holocaust just before the decree
became public. Benedict clarified at the time that lifting the
excommunications did not restore canonical status: SSPX priests still
could not licitly exercise ministry, and the society remained in what
the Vatican called "institutional irregularity" rather than full
communion. Doctrinal talks between the SSPX and the CDF ran 2009–2012
and ultimately collapsed without an agreement.
THE HOLY SEE: LETTER
OF HIS HOLINESS POPE BENEDICT XVI TO THE BISHOPS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
CONCERNING THE REMISSION OF THE EXCOMMUNICATION OF THE FOUR BISHOPS
CONSECRATED BY ARCHBISHOP LEFEBVRE
Francis's incremental concessions
Francis, despite general wariness of traditionalists, kept extending small faculties:
2015 — During the Jubilee of Mercy,
he declared that confessions heard by SSPX priests were validly and
licitly absolved; this was meant as a one-year gesture but was extended
indefinitely.
2017 — He authorized local bishops to grant SSPX priests faculties to witness marriages according to canonical form.
These
were real, incremental steps toward normalization — but the society
still had no canonical status, no jurisdiction of its own, and Rome
still described it as "irregular" rather than in full communion.
The 2026 collapse under Leo XIV
The
unresolved sticking point for decades was generational: the SSPX's own
bishops were aging, and the society insisted it needed to consecrate
new ones to survive institutionally — something only the pope can
authorize.
- February 12, 2026 — A meeting between SSPX leadership and Rome failed to produce agreement on this point.
- May 13
— Cardinal Fernández (DDF) warned that unauthorized consecrations would
constitute a schismatic act and trigger excommunication.
- June 16 — At Castel Gandolfo, Pope Leo told journalists he was still weighing a personal appeal to the SSPX to stand down.
- June 26–27
— An extraordinary consistory of cardinals discussed the looming
crisis; Cardinal Müller proposed a commission to help SSPX clergy/laity
who might want to return to full communion if a schism occurred.
- June 29–30
— Leo sent SSPX Superior General Fr. Davide Pagliarani a personal
letter: "to tear the seamless garment of Christ is a sin of extreme
gravity," pleading with him to turn back. Pagliarani responded
courteously but did not yield, and SSPX media stated they were changing
nothing in their plans.
- July 1, 2026
— At the SSPX seminary in Écône, Switzerland, bishops Alfonso de
Galarreta and Bernard Fellay (the very men whose 1988 excommunications
Benedict XVI lifted in 2009) consecrated four new bishops — Pascal
Schreiber, Michael Goldade, Michel Poinsinet de Sivry, and Marc
Hanappier — before a crowd of roughly 15,000–17,000. All six bishops
involved thereby incurred automatic excommunication a second time for
de Galarreta and Fellay. Notably, the ordination oath still referenced
obedience to "the Apostle Peter, the Holy Roman Church and Pope Leo
XIV," underscoring the SSPX's self-understanding that it is not
formally separating, even as canon law says otherwise.
BLOG: The Écône Consecrations of July 1, 2026: The Chronos and Kairos of an Event -- Comprehensive Historical Analysis
COMMENTARIES
THE CATHOLIC THING: SSPX: Schism and Excommunication
NEWS STATEMENT: Declaration of Bishop Athanasius Schneider on the SSPX Consecrations
CRISIS MAGAZINE: The SSPX’s Foundational Error
Ladder of Divine
Ascent excerpt: Step 7- "On Joy-Making Mourning"
31. Just as fire is destructive of straw, so are
pure tears destructive of all material and spiritual impurity.
July 1, 2026
(Rev 11:19) And
the temple of God was opened in heaven: and the ark of his testament
was seen in his temple. And there were lightnings and voices and an
earthquake and great hail.
(Rev 12:1) And
a great sign appeared in heaven: A woman clothed with the sun, and the
moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.
INFOVATICANA: The nuncio in Venezuela: "It is the time for charity, solidarity, and rebuilding together"
The nuncio invited Venezuelans to face this moment with trust in God
and mutual support. “Now is the time to lift our eyes to heaven,
as the Pope always invites us to do, to find strength and the
consolation of God,” he noted.
He then encouraged the whole of society to mobilize in favor of those most affected by the catastrophe.
“This is also the moment for charity, the moment for solidarity, the
moment to help all the victims, all those affected, to make present
through concrete gestures the closeness and charity of the Lord as
well,” he expressed.
In the final part of his address, Monsignor Ortega made an appeal for
unity in facing the reconstruction of the country after the earthquake.
“It is time to rebuild together, together to move forward from this sad situation,” he affirmed.
The nuncio concluded his message with a prayer for the deceased, the
injured, and all those suffering the consequences of the quake,
entrusting the Venezuelan people to the protection of Our Lady of
Coromoto.
“A very special prayer for the victims, for the deceased, for their
families, for the injured, for those who are suffering, and may we all
take refuge in the protection of the Lord and also in the protection of
our Mother, the Virgin of Coromoto. May God bless you,” he concluded.
YOUNG CATHOLIC WOMAN: When Mary Doesn’t Give Up on You: Our Lady of Coromoto
In 17th-century Venezuela, the leader of the Coromoto people was
unexpectedly chosen by Our Lady to help bring the Gospel to his tribe.
Like Jonah fleeing God’s command, this chief tried—twice—to escape what
Mary asked of him.
The first time Mary appeared, in 1651, she invited him to be baptized
and to lead his people into the Christian faith. The chief listened…
but only halfway. Afraid that becoming Christian might weaken his
authority or change how others saw him, he refused baptism and
discouraged his people from receiving it as well. Some went forward
anyway. Many followed his hesitation.
A year later, in 1652, Mary returned. Once again, she gently asked him to be baptized. And once again, he resisted.
But Mary, like any loving mother, did not give up.
Before leaving, she placed in his hand a tiny image of herself holding
the Child Jesus—no bigger than a fingernail. Not long afterward, the
chief was bitten by a poisonous snake and seemed close to death. In
that moment, everything became clear. Remembering Mary’s promise that
baptism would lead him to heaven, he urgently asked to be baptized.
He survived. And his heart was changed.
Word of the beautiful Lady spread quickly, and devotion to her grew.
Soon after the chief’s conversion, the rest of the Coromoto people were
baptized as well. A church was built in Mary’s honor in the nearby town
of Guanare in the 1700s, and centuries later, a shrine was erected at
the very site of her second apparition. Today, both are minor
basilicas, and the original tiny image—the relic Mary herself left
behind—is preserved there.
That image is one of the most mysterious and intimate Marian relics in
the world. When it was carefully studied during a restoration in 2009,
experts discovered that its details—like the crowns worn by Mary and
Jesus—perfectly reflect the indigenous culture of 17th-century
Venezuela. Even more astonishing, the image does not appear to be
painted on the paper. Like Our Lady of Guadalupe’s tilma, it seems to
hover upon it, without ink soaking into the fibers. How it was made
remains a miracle.
In 1942, the bishops of Venezuela declared Our Lady of Coromoto the
nation’s patroness. Pope Pius XII confirmed this in 1949. She is
celebrated on September 8, September 11, and February 2.
CHURCHPOP: Pray to Venezuela's Patroness Amid Earthquake Devastation: 10 Facts About Our Lady of Coromoto
APOSTOLADO MUNDIAL DE LA VIRGEN DE COROMOTO: Recent research and findings at the Holy Relic of Coromoto
Ladder of Divine
Ascent excerpt: Step 7- "On Joy-Making Mourning"
30. The fruit of spurious compunction is self-esteem,
and the fruit of praiseworthy compunction is consolation.
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